{"id":127765,"date":"2026-02-09T17:39:21","date_gmt":"2026-02-09T17:39:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/127765\/"},"modified":"2026-02-09T17:39:21","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T17:39:21","slug":"the-2026-brooklyn-power-100-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/127765\/","title":{"rendered":"The 2026 Brooklyn Power 100"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n 1. Hakeem Jeffries<\/p>\n

House Minority Leader<\/p>\n

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Hakeem Jeffries
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\n U.S. House<\/p>\n

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries will have his work cut out for him to wrest control of the House from Republicans. Several New York incumbents are facing serious primaries or retiring, and some Democratic candidates have not committed to backing him for speaker. Jeffries nearly encountered a challenge from New York City Council Member Chi Oss\u00e9, but after Jeffries gave Zohran Mamdani a last-minute endorsement, Mamdani helped convince the NYC-DSA not to support Oss\u00e9\u2019s candidacy. Jeffries has plenty on his plate, from fighting for an Obamacare subsidy extension to pushing for policy changes in response to violent immigration enforcement tactics.<\/p>\n

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\n 2. Chuck Schumer<\/p>\n

U.S. Senate Minority Leader<\/p>\n

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Chuck Schumer
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\n U.S. Senate<\/p>\n

U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer\u2019s happy warrior approach to politics may not fit the current era, as voters want the Democratic leader to oppose President Donald Trump more forcefully and have given him dismal approval ratings. The senior senator led rallies against cuts from the Department of Government Efficiency, but his support for a GOP spending plan sparked demonstrations in Park Slope last year. Schumer never endorsed Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor, and got booed at the Met Opera and faced calls for his removal after eight senators ended the 40-day shutdown without concessions. He is now demanding new restrictions in the wake of the shooting deaths of two Minneapolis protesters by federal immigration agents.<\/p>\n

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\n 3. Letitia James<\/p>\n

State Attorney General<\/p>\n

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Letitia James
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\n Kyle O’Leary<\/p>\n

In the wake of state Attorney General Letitia James\u2019 financial fraud case against The Trump Organization, the U.S. Department of Justice brought a mortgage fraud case against her, only for an indictment to be tossed and two more grand juries declined to indict her again. As Brooklyn Democrats rushed to her defense, James remained defiant. Politically, she embraced Zohran Mamdani, which helped consolidate support in the New York City mayoral race and defeat her old rival, Andrew Cuomo. Mamdani invited James to swear him in, and she sat in the front row at his inaugural address.<\/p>\n

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\n 4. Eric Gonzalez<\/p>\n

Brooklyn District Attorney<\/p>\n

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Eric Gonzalez
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\n Brooklyn DA’s Office<\/p>\n

Eric Gonzalez was a candidate to be Gov. Kathy Hochul\u2019s running mate, but her selection of Adrienne Adams means he\u2019ll be staying put in Brooklyn. Unlike other progressive prosecutors, the Brooklyn district attorney has largely avoided negative headlines lately and neutralized potential challenges by taking an individual approach to cases, emphasizing nonjail outcomes and expanding his conviction review unit. No one bothered to run against him in the 2025 Democratic primary or general election, and by year\u2019s end Gonzalez announced Brooklyn had achieved significant declines in homicides, shootings and other violent crimes.<\/p>\n

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\n 5. Jumaane Williams<\/p>\n

New York City Public Advocate<\/p>\n

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Jumaane Williams
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\n Caroll Andrewsk, Office of the NYC Public Advocate<\/p>\n

For a moment last February, Jumaane Williams was preparing to run New York City while Gov. Kathy Hochul contemplated removing then-Mayor Eric Adams from office due to corruption charges against the mayor that Trump appointees had moved to dismiss. But Adams held on and the public advocate stayed in his watchdog role, urging the mayor to rein in police violence while questioning his involuntary hospitalization program. In June, Williams trounced his primary opponent, Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar, with over 71% of the vote. He also sponsored successful legislation to establish a Division of Street Vendor Assistance.<\/p>\n

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\n 6. Andrew Gounardes, Zellnor Myrie, Kevin Parker, Roxanne Persaud, Jessica Scarcella-Spanton & Sam Sutton<\/p>\n

State Senators<\/p>\n

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Andrew Gounardes, Zellnor Myrie, Kevin Parker, Roxanne Persaud, Jessica Scarcella-Spanton & Sam Sutton
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\n New York State Senate; New York State Senate; Office of Senator Kevin Parker; New York State Senate; NYS Senate Media Services; NY Senate Photography<\/p>\n

Since state Sen. Andrew Gounardes knocked Republican Martin Golden out of office in 2018, he has established himself as a force in the Senate Democratic conference. The Bay Ridge lawmaker, who chairs the Committee on Budget and Revenue, last year passed the RAISE Act to create artificial intelligence protections and the New York Child Data Protection Act. He also was a vice chair of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal Advisory Task Force, whose plan aims to maintain a working waterfront while paving the way for new development.<\/p>\n


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State Sen. Roxanne Persaud is a veteran lawmaker from Canarsie who\u2019s close with the Democratic conference\u2019s leadership and chairs the Committee on Social Services. Last year, she saw eight of her bills signed into law.<\/p>\n


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State Sen. Kevin Parker, who chairs the Energy and Telecommunications Committee, is also a productive lawmaker. The Flatbush politician has proposed property tax abatements for energy storage to support clean energy and combat climate change. He mounted an unsuccessful bid for New York City comptroller last year.<\/p>\n


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State Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton\u2019s district is largely on Staten Island, but she does represent pockets of southern Brooklyn, including Fort Hamilton. Scarcella-Spanton, who chairs the Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs Committee, unveiled a Fort Hamilton Veterans Memorial Highway sign last year that recognizes the base, which is the only remaining active-duty military installation in New York City.<\/p>\n


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State Sen. Zellnor Myrie made headlines last year for his bid for New York City mayor, which fell short as then-Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani took over the progressive lane and followed it to victory. The Central Brooklyn politician chairs the influential Codes Committee in Albany.\u00a0<\/p>\n


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State Sen. Sam Sutton ensured Democrats would retain a southern Brooklyn seat last year when the Sephardic Jewish leader was elected to fill a vacancy left by Simcha Felder, who returned to the New York City Council. Sutton chairs the Administrative Regulations Review Commission.<\/p>\n

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\n 7. Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn<\/p>\n

Chair, Brooklyn Democratic Party<\/p>\n

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Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn
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\n Kristen Blush<\/p>\n

Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn contemplated resigning as Brooklyn Democratic leader three years ago, but she\u2019s still boss in the borough. Bichotte Hermelyn had supported Andrew Cuomo for mayor, but immediately endorsed Zohran Mamdani after his stunning Democratic primary victory and encouraged other Brooklyn Democrats to get on board. On the state level, she blasted Gov. Kathy Hochul\u2019s selection of former New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams as a running mate and yanked the Brooklyn Democrats\u2019 endorsement \u2013\u00a0only to quickly pivot back to supporting the governor\u2019s reelection bid.<\/p>\n

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\n 8. Antonio Reynoso<\/p>\n

Brooklyn Borough President<\/p>\n

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Antonio Reynoso
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\n Office of the Brooklyn Borough President<\/p>\n

One month after easily winning reelection, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso announced he would run for Congress when Rep. Nydia Vel\u00e1zquez unexpectedly decided to retire. The Williamsburg native has deep roots in North Brooklyn, helping found the New Kings Democrats political club and serving as a New York City Council member for two terms. The district\u2019s DSA members favor Queens Assembly Member Claire Valdez, who\u2019s backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and City Council Member Julie Won is running too. But Reynoso has already been endorsed by Vel\u00e1zquez and other Brooklyn electeds.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\n 9. Yvette Clarke<\/p>\n

Member of Congress<\/p>\n

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Yvette Clarke
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\n U.S. House<\/p>\n

Rep. Yvette Clarke isn\u2019t afraid of a little competition. The Brooklyn lawmaker has staved off challenges from a progressive candidate in 2018 and 2020 and had no primary opponent in the past two cycles. This year might not be a total cakewalk, since challenger Michael Goldfarb raised over $100,000 in his first 48 hours. But Clarke has retained support and remained accessible to voters in her district and also endorsed Zohran Mamdani for mayor before some of her colleagues. She also chairs the influential Congressional Black Caucus.<\/p>\n

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\n 10. Dan Goldman & Brad Lander<\/p>\n

Member of Congress; Congressional Candidate<\/p>\n

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Dan Goldman & Brad Lander
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\n House of Representatives; Office of the New York City Comptroller<\/p>\n

Rep. Dan Goldman and former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander have teamed up against aggressive immigration enforcement, but that hasn\u2019t stopped Lander from launching a campaign in Goldman\u2019s district straddling Brooklyn and Manhattan. A redistricting ruling could put them back on the same team, but the legal wrangling isn\u2019t over. In January, a judge ruled that the largely Staten Island district represented by Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis is unconstitutional, which could result in Goldman taking on Malliotakis instead in a new Staten Island-Manhattan district \u2013\u00a0and Lander running unopposed in Brooklyn. Goldman, a former federal prosecutor who survived a crowded congressional primary in 2022, announced his reelection bid in January, touting his lawsuit forcing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to allow members of Congress to visit detention areas as well as his fight against antisemitism. As for Lander, he lost his mayoral bid but came out ahead politically by cross-endorsing Zohran Mamdani. Lander has pledged to fight President Donald Trump\u2019s policies, stand up for immigrant rights and oppose Israel\u2019s actions in Gaza.<\/p>\n

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\n 11. Nydia Vel\u00e1zquez<\/p>\n

Member of Congress<\/p>\n

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Nydia Vel\u00e1zquez
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\n United States House of Representatives<\/p>\n

After serving more than three decades in Congress, Rep. Nydia Vel\u00e1zquez announced in November that she will retire at the end of the year. As the first Puerto Rican woman to be elected to Congress, she was at the vanguard of a generation of Latino legislators in Washington, D.C, Albany and New York City that promoted the enfranchisement of Puerto Rico, fought for immigrant rights and helped elevate Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court. Now Vel\u00e1zquez will pave the way for the next generation, although she\u2019s found herself in a power struggle with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani over who should fill her seat, even after she backed Mamdani\u2019s mayoral campaign.<\/p>\n

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\n 12. Jabari Brisport, Emily Gallagher, Kristen Gonzalez, Marcela Mitaynes, Julia Salazar & Phara Souffrant Forrest<\/p>\n

Socialists in Office<\/p>\n

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Jabari Brisport, Emily Gallagher, Kristen Gonzalez, Marcela Mitaynes, Julia Salazar & Phara Souffrant Forrest
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\n New York State Senate; NY Assembly; New York State Senate; Rovika Rajkishun; New York York State Senate; New York State Assembly<\/p>\n

The delegation of state lawmakers aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America temporarily saw their ranks shrink slightly \u2013\u00a0but only because former Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City. Most of the Socialists in Office represent at least part of Brooklyn, including state Sens. Julia Salazar, Jabari Brisport and Kristen Gonzalez and Assembly Members Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher and Marcela Mitaynes, and they\u2019re aligned with Mamdani on priorities like raising taxes on the wealthy, countering aggressive immigration enforcement and protecting tenants.<\/p>\n


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Salazar, who chairs the Committee on Crime Victims, Crime and Correction, was the first DSA member elected to the state Legislature. She has championed \u201cgood cause\u201d eviction, the HALT Solitary Confinement Act and other prison oversight reforms and is pushing for the passage of the New York for All Act and the Dignity Not Detention Act. Brisport, who chairs the Committee on Children and Families, is a proponent of universal child care, which Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul are prioritizing this year. He represents Bedford-Stuyvesant and other Brooklyn neighborhoods. Gonzalez hails from Queens but represents a district covering western Queens, eastern Manhattan and Brooklyn\u2019s Greenpoint and Williamsburg neighborhoods. Gonzalez, who chairs the Internet and Technology Committee as well as the Elections Committee, has sought to regulate artificial intelligence. She has also backed the redesign of McGuinness Boulevard to improve pedestrian safety.<\/p>\n


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On the Assembly side, Gallagher has also been outspoken in calls to move ahead with the McGuinness Boulevard street redesign, which had stalled under the Adams administration but is advancing under Mamdani. Gallagher, a North Brooklyn lawmaker, penned two bills included in the prison reform omnibus package: one reforming the state Commission on Correction and the other improving autopsy procedures. She\u2019s also the sponsor of the Social Housing Development Authority bill. Souffrant Forrest, who represents Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, is the sponsor of the Treatment Court Expansion Act and has proposed a four-day workweek. Mitaynes, who represents Red Hook, Sunset Park and northern Bay Ridge, has joined other lawmakers in calling for changes to address stolen EBT benefits.<\/p>\n

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\n 13. Jahmila Edwards<\/p>\n

Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, Office of the New York City Mayor<\/p>\n

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\n Khari Edwards<\/p>\n

When Zohran Mamdani needed someone to run his intergovernmental affairs operation and help advance his ambitious legislative agenda in the New York City Council, Albany and Washington, D.C., he turned to Jahmila Edwards. The veteran labor and municipal official served as associate director of District Council 37 and was executive director of the New York City Department of Education\u2019s intergovernmental affairs office during the de Blasio administration. In January, Edwards joined the mayor and Gov. Kathy Hochul to announce a plan for universal child care.<\/p>\n

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\n 14. Gustavo Gordillo & Grace Mausser<\/p>\n

Co-Chairs, New York City Democratic Socialists of America<\/p>\n

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Gustavo Gordillo & Grace Mausser
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\n Michael Paulson, NYC-DSA; Megan Magray, Outfit<\/p>\n

Gustavo Gordillo and Grace Mausser were key architects who laid the groundwork for one of the most shocking political upsets in New York City\u2019s history. As a New York City Democratic Socialists of America co-chair since 2024, Grace Mausser has built a robust canvassing operation and raised millions of dollars from grassroots donors. Her chapter, an early endorser of Zohran Mamdani\u2019s mayoral campaign, boasts more than 13,000 members and has helped elect a number of candidates to state and city offices. Mausser joined Mamdani\u2019s transition committee for small businesses and will be mobilizing DSA members this year behind the mayor\u2019s plans to raise taxes on the wealthy. Fellow NYC-DSA co-Chair Gustavo Gordillo also helped secure Mamdani\u2019s breakout\u00a0win. After the primary, the unionized electrician began strategizing how to ensure that DSA members would stay engaged in the race and support a legislative agenda in Albany. Gordillo was selected to join Mamdani\u2019s transition team and will be working this year to advance proposals to impose higher taxes on millionaires, expand free child care and make city buses free.<\/p>\n

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\n 15. Jed Walentas<\/p>\n

CEO, Two Trees<\/p>\n

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\n Two Trees Management<\/p>\n

Jed Walentas\u2019 relationship with the Mamdani administration will be among the most closely watched in New York City. The Two Trees CEO and Real Estate Board of New York chair had been skeptical of Mayor Zohran Mamdani\u2019s policies, donating $100,000 to a super PAC supporting Eric Adams but also meeting with Mamdani twice last summer. Walentas has invested in Brooklyn\u2019s future, including the leasing of One Domino Square and the construction of twin skyscrapers that will be the final development in the firm\u2019s 11-acre Domino Sugar site on the Williamsburg waterfront.<\/p>\n

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\n 16. Randy Peers<\/p>\n

President and CEO, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce<\/p>\n

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\n Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce<\/p>\n

Brooklyn can feel like a small town in some ways, and Randy Peers has prioritized boosting the bottom lines of the borough\u2019s small businesses. Peers has warned about the adverse effects of federal tariffs, which was the top concern among his members in a Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce survey. He has also launched a tourism platform, sent trade missions to China and El Salvador, and partnered with Google on an artificial intelligence curriculum for small businesses. He has also opposed several street redesigns, arguing they would slow traffic and impede vehicle access to local businesses.<\/p>\n

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\n 17. Robert Carroll, Maritza Davila, Erik Dilan, Simcha Eichenstein, Jo Anne Simon, Latrice Walker, Jaime Williams, Kalman Yeger & Stefani Zinerman<\/p>\n

Assembly Members<\/p>\n

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Robert Carroll, Maritza Davila, Simcha Eichenstein, Jo Anne Simon, Latrice Walker, Jaime Williams & Kalman Yeger
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\n NY Assembly; NY Assembly; NYS Assembly Photography; NYS Assembly Photography; NY Assembly; Kirsten Blush; NY Assembly; New York City Council<\/p>\n

Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon notched a major policy victory when the governor signed her measure to end the \u201c100-foot rule,\u201d which had required residents to subsidize new gas lines. The Boerum Hill lawmaker and Mental Health Committee chair also assailed energy rate hikes.<\/p>\n


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Assembly Member Latrice Walker, who represents Brownsville, chairs the Election Law Committee and has defended criminal justice reforms. She turned heads by backing Andrew Cuomo for mayor in June and November.<\/p>\n


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Assembly Member Robert Carroll has tackled myriad issues, from dyslexia to election access to trying to bring the Winter Olympics to New York. The Park Slope resident chairs the Committee on Libraries and Education Technology, securing funding for local libraries.\u00a0<\/p>\n


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Assembly Members Simcha Eichenstein and Kalman Yeger are leaders in Brooklyn\u2019s Jewish enclaves. Eichenstein has represented Borough Park, Kensington and Midwood since 2019, when he became New York\u2019s first Hasidic Jewish state lawmaker. Last year, he championed a substantial equivalency law that facilitates nonpublic religious schools\u2019 compliance with state standards. Yeger, who transitioned from the New York City Council to the Assembly last year to replace former Ways and Means Committee Chair Helene Weinstein, has introduced few bills \u2013 but is an influential representative of the Orthodox Jewish community.<\/p>\n


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Assembly Member Maritza Davila, who chairs the Social Services Committee, represents Bushwick and Williamsburg. A 2025 analysis suggested she could be vulnerable, as she\u2019s somewhat more moderate and her constituents overwhelmingly supported Zohran Mamdani, but so far she\u2019s not facing a primary.<\/p>\n


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Assembly Members Erik Dilan, Stefani Zinerman and Jaime Williams are already facing primaries. Dilan, the Correction Committee chair, has long been a target of leftists, but his backing of Mamdani in November may make it harder for challenger Christian Celeste Tate to gain traction in this matchup. Zinerman is in a Central Brooklyn rematch against Eon Huntley, who like Tate is aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America. Williams, a Democrat in a southern Brooklyn district along Jamaica Bay, is further to the right, backing Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa last year. The Working Families Party recently endorsed her challenger, Jibreel Jalloh.<\/p>\n

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\n 18. Linda Sarsour<\/p>\n

Activist<\/p>\n

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Linda Sarsour
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\n W.K. Kellogg Foundation<\/p>\n

Linda Sarsour may be keeping a relatively low profile in New York City writ large, but she remains a close ally of Mayor Zohran Mamdani and a key leader in the Muslim community in Brooklyn and beyond. Sarsour, a Palestinian American activist, has welcomed a shift in New York City in which support for Palestinians has become less of a political liability. She has touted the role of a Council on American-Islamic Relations-backed political action committee in backing Mamdani for mayor \u2013 and she remains a lightning rod on the right, with conservatives claiming that she\u2019s antisemitic.<\/p>\n

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\n 19. David Greenfield<\/p>\n

CEO and Executive Director, Met Council<\/p>\n

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\n Met Council<\/p>\n

David Greenfield has run the Met Council since he left the New York City Council at the end of 2017, overseeing the country\u2019s largest Jewish anti-poverty nonprofit as it delivers food and social services to hundreds of thousands of people in need. The organization distributed kosher food during the High Holidays last fall and another $1 million worth of food to 105,000 first responders and SNAP beneficiaries during the federal government shutdown. Greenfield has touted the benefits of artificial intelligence and is building a $25 million AI-backed warehouse in Brooklyn.<\/p>\n

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\n 20. Joseph Nocella Jr.<\/p>\n

U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of New York<\/p>\n

So far, U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. has avoided the political drama bedeviling his counterparts in Manhattan, New Jersey and elsewhere across the country. The veteran prosecutor served as an assistant U.S. attorney and a Nassau County Family Court judge before President Donald Trump appointed him in May. When his temporary term expired 120 days later, Brooklyn\u2019s federal judges approved Nocella \u2013 although U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer has continued to oppose his appointment. Nocella has led high-profile sports gambling investigations involving NBA figures and rigged poker games, as well as major league baseball players.<\/p>\n

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\n 21. Carlo Scissura<\/p>\n

President and CEO, New York Building Congress<\/p>\n

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Carlo Scissura
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\n NYBC<\/p>\n

Carlo Scissura is a vocal advocate for upgrading New York City\u2019s infrastructure, which improves quality of life and provides work for some 250,000 skilled tradespeople. His trade association, the New York Building Congress, has advocated for expanding alternative delivery to expedite projects, promoted a natural gas pipeline and the redevelopment of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal, and pushed for a new federal infrastructure law. Scissura was appointed by the Adams administration to lead its first Charter Revision Commission and supported several housing-related recommendations the Adams administration\u2019s second Charter Revision Commission made last year that would speed up development.<\/p>\n

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\n 22. Jennifer Jones Austin<\/p>\n

CEO and Executive Director, FPWA<\/p>\n

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Jennifer Jones Austin
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\n Robert White<\/p>\n

Jennifer Jones Austin had sounded the alarm over the affordability crisis well before it became a defining issue in elections in New York City and across the nation. Jones Austin helped advance a revision to the city charter mandating officials calculate the true cost of living. She strongly opposed federal SNAP and Medicaid cuts. In September, the FPWA released a report arguing New Yorkers needed a $71,300 annual income to achieve basic economic security. Now she\u2019s warning that universal child care must close the inequality gap instead of further widening it.<\/p>\n

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\n 23. Chris Banks, Simcha Felder, Farah Louis, Mercedes Narcisse & Susan Zhuang<\/p>\n

New York City Council Members<\/p>\n

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Chris Banks, Simcha Felder, Farah Louis & Mercedes Narcisse
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\n Friends Banking on Banks; William Alatriste, NYC Council; Roman Vail; NYC Council<\/p>\n

The Julie Menin era in the New York City Council may not be a bad thing for the legislative body\u2019s moderates. Menin, who was elected speaker over progressive favorite Crystal Hudson, elevated southern Brooklyn Council Member Susan Zhuang \u2013\u00a0a member of the center-right Common Sense Caucus \u2013 to chair the Aging Committee. Menin also kept southeastern Brooklyn Council Member Mercedes Narcisse as chair of the Hospitals Committee and East New York Council Member Chris Banks at the helm of the Public Housing Committee. Meanwhile, Council Member Farah Louis of Flatbush was installed as chair of the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises under the Land Use Committee. Council Member Simcha Felder did not get named as a chair of any committee, though that could partly be a function of his well-documented independent streak.<\/p>\n

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\n 24. Linda Johnson<\/p>\n

President and CEO, Brooklyn Public Library<\/p>\n

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Linda Johnson
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\n Gregg Richards<\/p>\n

After reversing drastic cuts to library funding that would have led to branch closures in 2024, Linda Johnson helped the Brooklyn Public Library avoid steep reductions to its operating budget and even expand weekend hours at several branches. Her plans to renovate several branches are moving forward too. In September, Johnson announced the redevelopment of the 70-year-old New Utrecht Library, which will include affordable residences over its new facility, and celebrated the reopening of the Ryder Library in Bensonhurst in December after a three-year renovation.<\/p>\n

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\n 25. Howard Fensterman<\/p>\n

Managing Partner, Abrams Fensterman<\/p>\n

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Howard Fensterman
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\n Alex Towle Photography<\/p>\n

Since 2000, Howard Fensterman has led the expansion of his law firm from 13 attorneys to more than 120 lawyers and 250 total employees across five offices. The veteran Democratic heavyweight has cultivated relationships across the aisle, representing Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman on several matters and organizing a dinner in January 2025 between the county executive and then-New York City Mayor Eric Adams. He also chairs the board of Chabad of Port Washington.<\/p>\n

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\n 26. L. Joy Williams<\/p>\n

President, NAACP New York State Conference<\/p>\n

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L. Joy Williams
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\n Kristen Blush<\/p>\n

When Hazel Dukes died last year, L. Joy Williams was one of the few leaders who could pick up the torch and continue her civil rights legacy. Williams had brought younger members into Brooklyn\u2019s NAACP chapter and is now aiming to strengthen county chapters across the state while using its organizing power to influence the state budget and legislative process. Williams stood by state Attorney General Letitia James when she was targeted by the U.S. Department of Justice and sought to build connections between Zohran Mamdani and Black voters during the 2025 election.<\/p>\n

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\n 27. A.R. Bernard<\/p>\n

Founder, Christian Cultural Center<\/p>\n

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A.R. Bernard
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\n Keith Major<\/p>\n

The Rev. A.R. Bernard\u2019s pastoral legacy is on firm ground, but he has also been taking steps to ensure the vitality of his congregation. Gov. Kathy Hochul and then-New York City Mayor Eric Adams joined Bernard in July to break ground on construction of the first phase of Innovation Urban Village, a $270 million affordable housing complex that would bring 385 affordable homes to East New York and ultimately create 2,000 new units. In September, Bernard celebrated the installation of his son Jamaal as the new senior pastor of the Christian Cultural Center.<\/p>\n

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\n 28. Sandra Scott<\/p>\n

CEO, One Brooklyn Health<\/p>\n

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Sandra Scott
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\n Nicole Mondestin<\/p>\n

After serving as One Brooklyn Health\u2019s interim CEO since January 2024, the health system made Sandra Scott\u2019s appointment permanent in May. The former Brookdale Hospital Medical Center executive director led a systemwide strategic planning process for One Brooklyn Health, which includes Brookdale, Interfaith Medical Center and Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center. Scott has navigated several unforeseen challenges. She warned about the effects of congressional cuts to Medicaid last year and negotiated with nurses to reach a tentative labor agreement that averted a strike in January.<\/p>\n

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\n 29. Jennifer Guti\u00e9rrez, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Rita Joseph, Sandy Nurse & Lincoln Restler<\/p>\n

Members, New York City Council Progressive Caucus<\/p>\n

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Jennifer Guti\u00e9rrez, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Rita Joseph, Sandy Nurse & Lincoln Restler
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\n New York City Council; Corey Torpie; City Council; Emil Cohen, NYC Council Media Unit; New York City Council Media Unit; New York City Council<\/p>\n

The New York City Council Progressive Caucus didn\u2019t get one of their own elevated to council speaker, but progressives are still influential in the city\u2019s legislative body \u2013 and they saw their ranks increase in the last election. Council Member Crystal Hudson, who represents Crown Heights, Prospect Heights, Clinton Hill and Fort Greene, couldn\u2019t muster enough speaker votes and lost to Manhattan\u2019s Julie Menin. Hudson, a prolific legislator, moved from chairing the Aging Committee to chairing the General Welfare Committee. Menin reshuffled other committee chairs, notably bumping Council Member Rita Joseph, a Progressive Caucus member, from the Education Committee chair to the Higher Education Committee despite some calls to keep the Flatbush lawmaker in place. Council Member Shahana Hanif, a former Progressive Caucus co-chair who represents Park Slope, Windsor Terrace and Kensington, was removed as chair of the Committee on Immigration under the last speaker, but was named chair of the Committee on Disabilities this time around. Council Member Lincoln Restler, whose district stretches along the waterfront from Greenpoint to Brooklyn Heights, chaired the Committee on Governmental Operations last session and now leads the Contracts Committee. Council Member Jennifer Guti\u00e9rrez, who pushed an internet master plan and artificial intelligence oversight as the Technology Committee chair, moved over to helm the Subcommittee on Early Childhood Education \u2013\u00a0which may be more consequential than a typical subcommittee post given the push for universal child care.\u00a0She represents Williamsburg, Bushwick and Ridgewood. Meanwhile, Council Member Sandy Nurse now chairs the Civil and Human Rights Committee, moving over from the Committee on Criminal Justice. Nurse, whose district is in and around Cypress Hills, is currently a co-chair of the Progressive Caucus.<\/p>\n

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\n 30. Lindsay Greene<\/p>\n

President and CEO, Brooklyn Navy Yard<\/p>\n

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Lindsay Greene
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\n JC Cancedda Photography<\/p>\n

Lindsay Greene joined the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 2022 with a deep background in industrial advocacy. She has since recruited tenants including the Pratt Institute, which signed a 60,000-square-foot lease inside Dock 72, and R\/GA, which relocated its global headquarters from Manhattan. She also readied the ninth floor of Building 303 for life sciences and medical technology startups. Thanks to Greene, tenants have taken advantage of a new microbusiness support program that she launched and participated in a public art installation that will open this spring.<\/p>\n

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\n 31. Alexa Avil\u00e9s & Chi Oss\u00e9<\/p>\n

New York City Council Members<\/p>\n

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Alexa Avil\u00e9s & Chi Oss\u00e9
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\n Chris Bartlett; New York City Council<\/p>\n

Local and state lawmakers often envision themselves going to Washington, D.C., but there are usually plenty of obstacles in the way. That was the case recently for New York City Council Members Alexa Avil\u00e9s and Chi Oss\u00e9, both progressive lawmakers who are members of the New York City Democratic Socialists of America. Late last year, Avil\u00e9s explored a Democratic primary challenge against Rep. Dan Goldman, only to clear out and later endorse former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander. Similarly, Oss\u00e9 sought the DSA\u2019s backing for a primary challenge against House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, but the effort fizzled. Avil\u00e9s has been outspoken against federal immigration actions and spearheaded a lawsuit to keep U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement off Rikers Island, while Oss\u00e9 is known for authoring a 2024 law banning broker fees.<\/p>\n

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\n 32. Juanita Scarlett<\/p>\n

Partner, Bolton-St. Johns<\/p>\n

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Juanita Scarlett
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\n Roger Archer<\/p>\n

Juanita Scarlett joined Bolton-St. Johns seven years ago after honing her lobbying skills at Park Strategies as well as McKenna Long & Aldridge \u2013 and serving as an executive at Empire State Development. She guides clients in the education, energy and economic development sectors and has helped position Bolton-St. Johns as a top lobbying firm in New York City, reporting over $10 million in compensation in 2024. Scarlett has published op-eds about health care and was featured in a New York Times story about Brooklyn\u2019s sisterhood of Black leaders.<\/p>\n


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\n 33. Kenneth Gibbs<\/p>\n

President and CEO, Maimonides Health<\/p>\n

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Kenneth Gibbs
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\n Maimonides Health<\/p>\n

Amid financial challenges facing many safety net hospitals, Kenneth Gibbs is stabilizing Maimonides Health through a recently announced merger with NYC Health + Hospitals, the city\u2019s public health care system. The merger comes as Gov. Kathy Hochul is providing Maimonides a $2.2 billion lifeline over five years to preserve the Brooklyn institution. Once the merger is completed this spring, Maimonides will be able to access higher Medicaid reimbursement rates to improve its finances. The hospital also reached a tentative contract agreement with unionized nurses in January, avoiding a strike.<\/p>\n

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\n 34. Daveth Forbes-Thomas, Svetlana Lipyanskaya, Sheldon McLeod & Sandra Sneed<\/p>\n

McKinney CEO; South Brooklyn Health CEO; Kings County CEO; Woodhull CEO, NYC Health + Hospitals<\/p>\n

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Daveth Forbes-Thomas, Svetlana Lipyanskaya, Sheldon McLeod & Sandra Sneed
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\n NYC Health + Hospitals; NYC Health + Hospitals; NYC Health + Hospitals; Samuel Rodriguez<\/p>\n

After serving as chief operating officer of NYC Health + Hospitals\/Kings County, Sheldon McLeod was appointed CEO in 2018. McLeod has helped set the strategic vision of the hospital and partnered with community-based organizations to address systemic health inequities. He secured $8 million from the New York City Council to upgrade Kings County\u2019s trauma center and primary care clinic in October. This year, the 639-bed hospital will adopt an advanced non-invasive technology to detect the progression of breast cancer before swelling occurs.<\/p>\n


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Svetlana Lipyanskaya became the first woman to lead NYC Health + Hospitals\/South Brooklyn Health when she was appointed in 2020. Since then, the 371-bed Coney Island hospital campus has undergone a dramatic redesign and renamed its $923 million hospital building after former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Lipyanskaya helped launch the hospital\u2019s inpatient facility, secured funding for infrastructure projects and set out a long-term strategic vision while prioritizing comprehensive care.<\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

Sandra Sneed became CEO of the 310-bed Woodhull hospital last spring after longtime public health executive Gregory Calliste retired after 33 years of service. Sneed, who served as chief operating officer of Memorial Regional Hospital in Florida, returned to the health system where she started her career. Last year, she announced new clinical team appointments, opened a new suite for same-day procedures and honored breast cancer survivors at a special event at the hospital.<\/p>\n


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After six years helping run McKinney, NYC Health + Hospitals appointed Daveth Forbes-Thomas as CEO of the Crown Heights rehabilitation and nursing facility last March. In her time at McKinney, Forbes-Thomas helped develop a formal environment of care and life safety program for residents, visitors and staff, and built a quality assurance program improvement. McKinney is the city\u2019s only nursing home with five-star ratings for staffing, quality measures and health inspections.<\/p>\n

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\n 35. Juan Mejia<\/p>\n

President, NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital<\/p>\n

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Juan Mejia
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\n Brandon Herman, NewYork-Prebyterian Media Services<\/p>\n

After helping NewYork-Presbyterian improve its operations, emergency management and patient safety over two decades, Juan Mejia took the reins of Brooklyn Methodist Hospital in 2023. The health care executive has expanded the hospital\u2019s clinical, inpatient and ambulatory services, and zeroed in on improving patient care, which was recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Mejia has also managed layoffs amid a staffing reduction last year and grappled with the consequences of steep Medicaid cuts that Congress approved.<\/p>\n

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\n 36. Gary Terrinoni<\/p>\n

President and CEO, The Brooklyn Hospital Center<\/p>\n

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Gary Terrinoni
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\n Rick Schwab<\/p>\n

Over the past decade, Gary Terrinoni has revitalized The Brooklyn Hospital Center through his multimillion-dollar fundraising efforts and community partnerships. Terrinoni helped secure a $9.2 million federal grant to upgrade the Fort Greene hospital\u2019s emergency department, doubled the capacity of its cardiac catheterization lab and opened Physicians Pavillion, a 45,000-square-foot medical office housing 20 specialties across six floors. Last year, Terrinoni raised more than $1.4 million at the hospital\u2019s annual gala, which commemorated its 180th anniversary.<\/p>\n

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\n 37. Bret Rudy<\/p>\n

Executive Vice President and Chief of Hospital Operations, NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn<\/p>\n

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Bret Rudy
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\n NYU Langone Health<\/p>\n

In January, Dr. Bret Rudy marked the 10-year anniversary of Lutheran Medical Center\u2019s merger and integration into NYU Langone Health. Rudy, who was previously chief medical officer at the hospital, has helped the Sunset Park facility earn high ratings and a designation of excellence for its nursing program. Under his leadership, the hospital has invested in advanced technologies and established a Comprehensive Stroke Center and a Level I trauma center, which contributed to making the hospital\u2019s mortality rate one of the lowest in Brooklyn.<\/p>\n

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\n 38. Andr\u00e9 Richardson<\/p>\n

Founder and Principal, The Richardson Agency<\/p>\n

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Andr\u00e9 Richardson
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\n Soul B. Photos<\/p>\n

As one of Rep. Hakeem Jeffries\u2019 most trusted advisers, Andr\u00e9 Richardson has a key role helping Democrats plot their strategy to retake Congress in 2026. The founder of Paragon Strategies, which has rebranded as The Richardson Agency, has worked with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and House Majority PAC to refine messaging on the country\u2019s cost of living and extending subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. Richardson has advised Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, in addition to recently hiring former New York City Council aide Saye Joseph.<\/p>\n

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\n 39. Regina Myer<\/p>\n

President, Downtown Brooklyn Partnership<\/p>\n

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Regina Myer
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\n Downtown Brooklyn Partnership<\/p>\n

Regina Myer has been on a mission to make Downtown Brooklyn a more livable and walkable neighborhood. Over the past nine years, Myer has transformed the central business district\u2019s streetscapes by adding more curb extensions, bollards and other features, exemplified by the completion of an $8 million renovation of the Fulton Mall corridor. Myer has also initiated a \u201cclimate pitch\u201d to promote startups\u2019 innovative climate solutions. Thanks to her efforts, Downtown Brooklyn added 3,700 new units of housing in the first half of 2025 alone.<\/p>\n

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\n 40. Frank Carone<\/p>\n

Founder and Chair, Oaktree Solutions<\/p>\n

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Frank Carone
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\n Sean Turi, Turi Production<\/p>\n

Frank Carone has been among Eric Adams\u2019 most loyal consiglieres, but even he could see the writing on the wall. He helped set up the former mayor\u2019s Florida meeting with President Donald Trump that led to federal charges against Adams being dropped. Carone also cultivated ties with Andrew Cuomo before his New York City mayoral campaign launched and successfully helped push Adams to drop out and endorse Cuomo. Carone\u2019s luck may be running out, as he is reportedly the focus of a federal corruption probe, though he has denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged with any crimes.<\/p>\n

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\n 41. Jocelynne Rainey<\/p>\n

President and CEO, Brooklyn Org<\/p>\n

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Jocelynne Rainey
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\n Regina Fleming<\/p>\n

As Brooklyn\u2019s nonprofits face increased financial pressures, Jocelynne Rainey has sought to fill in the gap. During Rainey\u2019s tenure, the borough\u2019s premier charity has collected $130 million in contributions and launched a microgrant program distributing up to $10,000 to organizations with annual budgets below $100,000. The work is unceasing. Brooklyn Org\u2019s annual survey found 94% of organizations reported more demand for services in 2025 compared to the previous year, even as 60% lost federal funding. Rainey\u2019s expertise landed her on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani\u2019s Social Services Transition Committee.<\/p>\n

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\n 42. Scott Lorin<\/p>\n

President and Chief Operating Officer, Mount Sinai Brooklyn<\/p>\n

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\n Mount Sinai<\/p>\n

For over a decade, Dr. Scott Lorin has been focused on transforming Mount Sinai Brooklyn into an integral medical center serving one of the borough\u2019s most diverse patient bases. Lorin oversaw the renovation of its ambulatory pavilion, developed a new residency program and expanded its faculty practice, including the Tisch Cancer Center. He also helped modernize its nursing education center and ICU rooms while investing in a Siemens MRI and nuclear imaging machine.<\/p>\n

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\n 43. Morgan Monaco & Iris Weinshall<\/p>\n

President and Park Administrator; Board Chair, Prospect Park Alliance<\/p>\n

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Morgan Monaco & Iris Weinshall
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\n Paul Martinka; Jonathan Blanc<\/p>\n

Morgan Monaco is no stranger to urban parkland restoration. She came to the Prospect Park Alliance in 2022 after overseeing the Red Hook Initiative and the Bloomberg administration\u2019s MillionTreesNYC. In recent years, Monaco has completed the $8.9 million rehabilitation of Grand Army Plaza, upgraded the LeFrak Center at Lakeside with new amenities, secured $10 million to conserve the borough\u2019s only forest and another $50 million for flood prevention improvements. She also managed re-greening efforts after a brush fire incinerated two acres in 2024. Iris Weinshall has chaired the Prospect Park Alliance since 2014. The former city transportation commissioner has raised funds to support a slew of restoration projects and helped select Monaco as the conservancy\u2019s president. Thanks to Weinshall\u2019s leadership, the 585-acre park has continued to serve as an oasis for millions of New Yorkers with new nature trails, the LeFrak Center\u2019s revitalized ice rink and a more pedestrian friendly entranceway at Grand Army Plaza. Weinshall is also chief operating officer and treasurer of the New York Public Library.<\/p>\n

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\n 44. Robert Brennan<\/p>\n

Bishop, Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn<\/p>\n

Pope Francis appointed Robert Brennan as the bishop of Brooklyn in 2021, and Francis\u2019 death last year profoundly affected the Brooklyn diocese\u2019s leader. Brennan had hoped the next pontiff would continue Francis\u2019 legacy and was pleased that an American with a long history as a missionary was selected. Change has come to Brooklyn\u2019s parishes too. Facing a priest shortage, Brennan announced that Latin mass would no longer be offered at St. Cecilia\u2019s Church but would continue at Our Lady Queen of Peace in Carroll Gardens.<\/p>\n

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\n 45. Joe Tsai & Clara Wu Tsai<\/p>\n

Chair; Vice Chair, Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment<\/p>\n

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Joe Tsai & Clara Wu Tsai
\n \/
\n Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment<\/p>\n

Joe Tsai has the Brooklyn Nets in a rebuilding year while banking on a high pick in the next NBA draft, but that hasn\u2019t changed his long-term commitment to professional sports in the borough. The Alibaba Group chair brought the Nets to China last year in their first visit since 2019 and said he wouldn\u2019t want to be a majority NFL owner until the Nets got better. He also is a member of the JPMorgan International Council, Exor Partners Council and a trustee of The Lawrenceville School. As founder of the Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation, Clara Wu Tsai has given tens of millions of dollars through their foundation to support its economic mobility, social justice and humanitarian initiatives. She also oversees fan development and community engagement matters for the Nets and New York Liberty and serves on the boards of trustees for NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Last year, after deciding not to renew Liberty coach Sandy Brondello\u2019s contract, she led the search for its new coach, Chris DeMarco.<\/p>\n

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\n 46. Moishe Indig<\/p>\n

Rabbi, Satmar Hasidic Jewish Sect<\/p>\n

Moishe Indig knows how to read the political tea leaves. The influential Satmar rabbi, who galvanized Hasidic voters to get behind Eric Adams in 2021, endorsed former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic mayoral primary in New York City but hosted Zohran Mamdani at a Sukkot event in October where he congratulated him on his likely victory. Indig\u2019s remarkable endorsement of Mamdani ultimately split Williamsburg\u2019s Ahronim sect. But Indig explained in an interview with Mishpacha that Mamdani earned his support fairly by promising to work with the Hasidic community.<\/p>\n

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\n 47. Audrey Sasson<\/p>\n

Executive Director, Jews For Racial & Economic Justice<\/p>\n

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Audrey Sasson
\n \/
\n Gili Getz<\/p>\n

Audrey Sasson is at the forefront of building a progressive Jewish community in New York that is not politically tied to Israel. Since joining JFREJ a decade ago, Sasson has tripled the organization\u2019s size and supported candidates who share the organization\u2019s values. Last year, Sasson applauded Zohran Mamdani and Brad Lander\u2019s cross-endorsements, and the organization\u2019s volunteers knocked on over 10,000 doors and made more than 80,000 calls to Jewish voters during the election cycle. She has noted her organization\u2019s diversity and has continued to speak out against mass killings in Gaza.<\/p>\n

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\n 48. Melissa \u201cMisty\u201d Cantwell<\/p>\n

Commander, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Hamilton<\/p>\n

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Melissa \u201cMisty\u201d Cantwell
\n \/
\n Mark Getman, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Hamilton Public Affairs<\/p>\n

Col. Melissa \u201cMisty\u201d Cantwell became the second woman officer to lead Fort Hamilton when she started her two-year term as its garrison commander in 2024. The West Point alum completed five combat deployments in Iraq, served as an army detention and correction adviser in Afghanistan and most recently worked as the U.S. Military Academy\u2019s deputy chief of staff. At Fort Hamilton, Cantwell helped secure $43 million in federal funds to renovate the base, helped open a Red Cross office on the installation and designated a highway recognizing the sacrifices of Brooklyn\u2019s military veterans.<\/p>\n

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\n 49. Rachel Timoner<\/p>\n

Senior Rabbi, Congregation Beth Elohim<\/p>\n

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Rachel Timoner
\n \/
\n Julie Markes<\/p>\n

When many rabbis came out against Zohran Mamdani\u2019s New York City mayoral campaign, Rachel Timoner kept an open door while cautioning him about his rhetoric. Timoner, who joined Congregation Beth Elohim in 2015, has used her bimah to promote a message of peace after the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel while defending self-determination for Israelis and Palestinians alike. After hosting a meeting between Mamdani and her congregants in October, she was invited to join his transition committee a month later. She\u2019s also a co-founder and board member of the liberal New York Jewish Agenda.<\/p>\n

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\n 50. Jose Lopez, Arlenis Morel & Sienna Fontaine<\/p>\n

Co-Executive Directors, Make the Road New York<\/p>\n

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Jose Lopez & Arlenis Morel
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\n Scott Heins; Make the Road New York<\/p>\n

Make the Road New York has been facing severe threats as the Trump administration has sought to shrink pathways to citizenship and remove millions of undocumented immigrants. But Make the Road co-leaders Jose Lopez, Arlenis Morel and Sienna Fontaine have fought to block the White House\u2019s most aggressive impulses. Last year, they joined a lawsuit to halt Trump\u2019s executive order to roll back birthright citizenship, led rallies against cuts to Medicaid and Medicare, and sued to stop U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from fast-tracking deportations. The organization also grappled with financial uncertainty after its board passed a resolution to reduce its operating deficit, which resulted in 22 layoffs. The organization recently announced a triumvirate of leaders who will guide the organization starting on April 1: Natalia Aristizabal and Rebecca Telzak along with Fontaine.<\/p>\n

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\n 51. David Niederman<\/p>\n

President and Executive Director, United Jewish Organizations<\/p>\n

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David Niederman
\n \/
\n David Katz<\/p>\n

After six decades of working out of rented offices, David Niederman celebrated the groundbreaking of a new $9 million headquarters on Bedford Avenue that the United Jewish Organizations would own outright. The five-story building will allow UJO to expand its kosher food distribution, housing assistance and senior aid programs. Niederman, an influential leader of Williamsburg\u2019s Zalonim Hasidic sect, backed Andrew Cuomo in the mayoral primary but was deeply impressed with Mamdani after meeting with the then-mayor-elect in December.<\/p>\n

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\n 52. Juan de Pablo<\/p>\n

Executive Dean, NYU Tandon School of Engineering<\/p>\n

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Juan de Pablo
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\n Myaskovsky, Courtesy of NYU Photo Bureau<\/p>\n

With more than 650 published works and dozens of patents, Juan de Pablo was an inspired choice to succeed Jelena Kova\u010devi\u0107 at the helm of NYU Tandon School of Engineering. Since 2024, the Mexican-born chemical engineer has made NYU Tandon a nexus of technological innovation and entrepreneurship. Last semester, de Pablo helped reorganize the Courant Institute linking computer science programs across disciplines, launched a new robotics and artificial intelligence hub, and created master\u2019s degree programs for emerging technologies and quantum science. He hopes to work with other institutions to attract more investment to New York.<\/p>\n

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\n 53. Joni Yoswein<\/p>\n

Founder and CEO, Yoswein New York<\/p>\n

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Joni Yoswein
\n \/
\n Yoswein New York<\/p>\n

Over more than three decades, Joni Yoswein has built her boutique public affairs firm into a Brooklyn institution representing some of the borough\u2019s biggest real estate players. Two Trees, Ikea and Wegmans have all turned to Yoswein to shepherd projects through the city\u2019s zoning process. Last year, she helped the Brooklyn Public Library garner $13 million in state aid to repair its branches, worked to secure state funding for SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, preventing the closure of its hospital and received $5 million from the New York City Council for Brooklyn Tech\u2019s Foundry project.<\/p>\n

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\n 54. Ken Fisher<\/p>\n

Member, Cozen O\u2019Connor<\/p>\n

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Ken Fisher
\n \/
\n Cozen O’Connor<\/p>\n

When developers need to navigate New York City\u2019s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, they call Ken Fisher. The Cozen O\u2019Connor attorney recently represented The Domain Companies, which snagged a $205 million refinancing for a redevelopment of 420 Carroll St. in the Gowanus. Fisher also repped RYBAK Development, which New York City picked in October to develop a 505-unit project on a Coney Island site. The former New York City Council member has also advocated for the state to lead planning for the Interborough Express line, and he has advised Two Trees and the Brooklyn Democratic Party.<\/p>\n

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\n 55. Mark Treyger<\/p>\n

CEO, Jewish Community Relations Council of New York<\/p>\n

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Mark Treyger
\n \/
\n Perry Bindelglass, Bindelglass Photography<\/p>\n

Mark Treyger\u2019s experience as a history teacher shapes his efforts to combat antisemitism in New York. Since the former Brooklyn City Council member and New York City schools official joined the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York in 2024, he has sought to strengthen ties among the city\u2019s Jewish communities. Yet the task hasn\u2019t been easy in the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel and a divisive 2025 mayoral race in New York City. Treyger has also sought to bolster school curricula by promoting an initiative to teach students about Jewish American history.<\/p>\n


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\n 56. Melanie La Rocca<\/p>\n

Chief Operating Officer, RiseBoro Community Partnership<\/p>\n

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Melanie La Rocca
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\n Melanie La Rocca<\/p>\n

Melanie La Rocca joined RiseBoro Community Partnership last fall as the housing and senior services-focused nonprofit expands well beyond its Bushwick footprint. Last year, RiseBoro announced the opening of a 216-unit development in Brownsville and rehabbed six Bushwick tenements. La Rocca, a former New York City Department of Buildings commissioner and ex-BFC Partners executive, has been running the nonprofit\u2019s operations and helped raise $800,000 at RiseBoro\u2019s annual gala last year.<\/p>\n

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\n 57. Yeruchim Silber<\/p>\n

Director of New York Government Relations, Agudath Israel<\/p>\n

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Yeruchim Silber
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\n Moshe Gershbaum, Agudath Israel of America<\/p>\n

Yeruchim Silber has become one of the state\u2019s leading religious education advocates thanks to his work ensuring that Agudath Israel has a voice in Albany. The government relations veteran supported the passage of legislation giving nonpublic schools more pathways to comply with substantial equivalency requirements, helped secure funding for added security for private schools and worked on a record get-out-the-vote drive in the Orthodox community during the New York City mayoral election.<\/p>\n

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\n 58. Sydney Altfield<\/p>\n

National Director, Teach Coalition<\/p>\n

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Sydney Altfield
\n \/
\n Jamie Collins Photography<\/p>\n

After eight years advocating for government funding for Jewish day schools and yeshivas at Teach NYS, Sydney Altfield moved up to become national director of Teach Coalition in May. The education advocate has organized school trips to lobby in Albany, helped secure more funding for security guards at religious schools and pushed for nonpublic schools to be included in the state\u2019s universal free meals program. Altfield recently urged New York to opt into a federal scholarship program that could help families pay for tuition, tutoring and other religious school expenses.<\/p>\n

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\n 59. Michael Nieves<\/p>\n

President and CEO, Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network<\/p>\n

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Michael Nieves
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\n HITN<\/p>\n

In the past decade, Michael Nieves has made the Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network the largest noncommercial Spanish-language network in the country. Based at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the network has added 10 million Latino households to its audience under Nieves\u2019 leadership and won an Emmy Award in 2024 for its Puerto Rican heritage series, \u201cRamon and Irmgard.\u201d Last year, HITN announced a partnership with Camb.AI to dub its content into Spanish, worked with NYC Media to show episodes of the Spanish-language program \u201cVOCES,\u201d and featured five documentaries on Puerto Rican trailblazers.<\/p>\n

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\n 60. Blondel Pinnock<\/p>\n

President and CEO, Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corp.<\/p>\n

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Blondel Pinnock
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\n Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corp.<\/p>\n

Since becoming president and CEO of the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corp. in 2022, Blondel Pinnock has pursued her mission to reduce the racial wealth gap and promote economic growth across Central Brooklyn. The BSRC leader unveiled ambitious plans to double the amount of office space at Restoration Plaza with an 840,000-square-foot complex. The new site will consist of educational and cultural space, including the 218-seat Billie Holiday Theater. Pinnock has also drawn attention to gentrification and the rising cost of living in the neighborhood.<\/p>\n

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\n 61. Wayne Riley<\/p>\n

President, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University<\/p>\n

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Wayne Riley
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\n SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University<\/p>\n

When Dr. Wayne Riley took the role to lead SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in 2017, he knew it would be an enormous challenge \u2013\u00a0and that was years before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The safety net provider served as a coronavirus-only hospital but soon amassed a $160 million deficit. But Riley lobbied state lawmakers and the governor, who agreed to invest $950 million over the past two fiscal years for SUNY Downstate\u2019s capital and operation costs. The state aid will help make several upgrades to its facilities and medical equipment \u2013 and prevent further downsizing.<\/p>\n

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\n 62. Lupe Todd-Medina<\/p>\n

President, Effective Media Strategies<\/p>\n

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Lupe Todd-Medina
\n \/
\n Celeste Sloman<\/p>\n

After stints working with Dan Klores and George Arzt, Lupe Todd-Medina founded her political consulting business in 2013 to help Democratic candidates win higher office. She helped Ken Thompson win a historic Brooklyn district attorney race, shaped communications strategies for Ray McGuire and Adrienne Adams\u2019 New York City mayoral campaigns, and has advised numerous state and local candidates, including Gov. Kathy Hochul. She also helped House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries break through early on in his political career.<\/p>\n


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\n 63. Trip Yang<\/p>\n

Founder and CEO, Trip Yang Strategies<\/p>\n

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Trip Yang
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\n Buck Ennis<\/p>\n

Trip Yang leaned on his experience on Barack Obama\u2019s presidential reelection campaign to establish a consulting firm that has elevated a growing number of Democrats into higher office. Yang has assisted New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez on their reelection efforts, as well as Rep. Tom Suozzi\u2019s comeback campaign in 2024. He has also been perhaps the preeminent expert on Asian American voting trends in New York and has also opined on why national Democrats were slow to embrace Zohran Mamdani \u2013\u00a0who Yang\u2019s firm backed through an independent expenditure committee in last year\u2019s general election.<\/p>\n


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Editor\u2019s note: Trip Yang is a member of City & State\u2019s advisory board.<\/p>\n

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\n 64. Meera Joshi<\/p>\n

President, Green-Wood Cemetery<\/p>\n

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Meera Joshi
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\n USDOT<\/p>\n

A cemetery might seem like an unusual landing spot for a former top City Hall official, but Green-Wood Cemetery was eager to utilize Meera Joshi\u2019s unique skill set. The former New York City deputy mayor, who resigned last year when then-Mayor Eric Adams was poised to see his corruption case controversially tossed, now manages Green-Wood\u2019s notable public spaces and ambitious cultural programs. Since coming on board in July, Joshi has been preparing for the grand opening of a new visitor center coming this spring, helped secure $1.86 million in state funds for stormwater mitigation initiatives and planted 600 trees on its grounds.<\/p>\n

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\n 65. Donald Boomgaarden<\/p>\n

President, St. Joseph\u2019s University<\/p>\n

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Donald Boomgaarden
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\n Jorg Meyer<\/p>\n

Donald Boomgaarden led St. Joseph\u2019s University through the most significant transition in the Clinton Hill institution\u2019s history three years ago when the former college received its designation as a university. The St. Joseph\u2019s president has increased the school\u2019s endowment by 160% since 2017, restored enrollment to pre-pandemic levels and oversaw several construction projects on its Brooklyn and Long Island campuses. In October, Boomgaarden secured $250,000 in state capital funding to renovate O\u2019Connor Hall in Patchogue, and he\u2019s establishing a master\u2019s degree program in speech language pathology.<\/p>\n

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\n 66. Tucker Reed<\/p>\n

Co-Founder and Principal, Totem<\/p>\n

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Tucker Reed
\n \/
\n Ailanthus, Totem<\/p>\n

When Tucker Reed launched his own real estate startup in 2017, he had already attracted substantial investment toward redeveloping Downtown Brooklyn. Totem has since become an essential player in the market, with 3,000 homes in its portfolio and potentially thousands more through its housing platform Ailanthus. In December, the New York City Council approved Totem\u2019s rezoning plan for Herkimer-Williams, a mixed-use project that could create up to 1,000 affordable homes near Broadway Junction. Two Totem sites at 1057 Atlantic Ave. and 737 Fourth Ave. will begin leasing this year.<\/p>\n

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\n 67. Michelle J. Anderson<\/p>\n

President, Brooklyn College<\/p>\n

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Michelle J. Anderson
\n \/
\n David Rozenblyum<\/p>\n

Michelle J. Anderson has vaulted Brooklyn College to new heights as one of the nation\u2019s top schools for its return on student investment and value. During her tenure, Anderson has launched a lecture series bringing executives and public officials to campus, promoted a mentoring initiative and explored integrating artificial intelligence literacy across school disciplines. She also established a dual enrollment program that allowed yeshiva students to take CUNY classes without leaving their school. Now, Anderson is promoting the Interborough Express, which would allow more students to commute to Brooklyn College without a car.<\/p>\n

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\n 68. Nick Pepe<\/p>\n

Director and Licensing Specialist, Kasirer<\/p>\n

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Nick Pepe
\n \/
\n Julian Silverman<\/p>\n

Nick Pepe landed at Kasirer in 2020 after graduating from the University at Albany and completing internships with U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and then-Assembly Member Brian Barnwell. Pepe\u2019s constituent services experience has served him well at Kasirer, New York City\u2019s top lobbying firm, where he works on land use projects and community engagement strategies for clients on the firm\u2019s real estate team. He also runs the firm\u2019s hospitality practice, helping restaurants, bars and membership clubs obtain liquor licenses and secure necessary permits from local government agencies.<\/p>\n

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\n 69. Larry McReynolds<\/p>\n

Executive Director, Family Health Centers at NYU Langone<\/p>\n

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Larry McReynolds
\n \/
\n NYU Langone Health<\/p>\n

For 20 years, Larry McReynolds has been responsible for overseeing one of the nation\u2019s largest federally qualified health networks. Family Health Centers at NYU Langone serves about 145,000 individuals annually, operates eight primary care sites, 61 school-based health clinics and nine community sites serving 7,000 homeless individuals. In 2023, McReynolds oversaw the expansion of a 4,500-square-foot health center in Red Hook, which provides primary care, women\u2019s health services and dental care. Last summer, NYU announced plans for a $78 million office consolidating two health centers in Sunset Park.<\/p>\n

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\n 70. Andrea Parker<\/p>\n

Executive Director, Gowanus Canal Conservancy<\/p>\n

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Andrea Parker
\n \/
\n Katherine Marks<\/p>\n

The Gowanus Canal could eventually be safe enough to swim in, thanks to Andrea Parker\u2019s yearslong efforts to clean up the federal Superfund site. Parker and other advocates demanded New York City eliminate sewage overflows before a neighborhood rezoning, persuading the city to invest $53 million in sewer upgrades. Parker\u2019s Gowanus Canal Conservancy has also used sensor technology to monitor pollution, filled tree beds with native plants and pushed new developments to build roof gardens and basement tanks to reduce the flow of wastewater into the canal.<\/p>\n

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\n 71. Michelle de la Uz<\/p>\n

Executive Director, Fifth Avenue Committee<\/p>\n

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Michelle de la Uz
\n \/
\n Paula Vlodkowsky<\/p>\n

Michelle de la Uz has dedicated her career to building affordable housing in areas that desperately need it. The Fifth Avenue Committee leader partnered with the Brooklyn Public Library on a five-year plan to redevelop the Sunset Park branch with 49 affordable homes above it, delivered an 84-unit senior apartment development and secured $450 million in investment from the Gowanus rezoning. Last year, de la Uz served on the task force behind the Brooklyn Marine Terminal plan, a project that envisions thousands of new homes while preserving a working port on the Red Hook waterfront.<\/p>\n

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\n 72. Mike Stamatis<\/p>\n

President and CEO, Red Hook Container Terminal<\/p>\n

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Mike Stamatis
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\n David Mineo<\/p>\n

For years, Mike Stamatis opposed any effort to scale back operations on the last stretch of Brooklyn\u2019s industrial waterfront. But when the Adams administration proposed revitalizing the 122-acre Brooklyn Marine Terminal while setting aside some land for housing and open space, Stamatis embraced the vision. In the plan, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey would swap land with the city, which would rebuild three defunct piers, replace cranes and retain 60 acres for modernized port operations. Not everyone is on board, but a task force approved the $3.5 billion plan in September.<\/p>\n

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\n 73. Elizabeth Yeampierre<\/p>\n

Executive Director, Uprose<\/p>\n

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Elizabeth Yeampierre
\n \/
\n Yamini Potluri<\/p>\n

For decades, Elizabeth Yeampierre has fought for environmental justice in communities disproportionately affected by pollution while reshaping what climate activism looks like in the process. She was instrumental in leading Uprose\u2019s campaign to secure a special purpose district designation in Sunset Park and launched New York City\u2019s first community-led solar project in July. Now, Yeampierre is recalibrating, figuring out how to protect progress made and support environmental organizations across the country as the Trump administration accelerates fossil fuel production and slashes funding for climate initiatives.<\/p>\n

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\n 74. Kenrick Ross<\/p>\n

Executive Director, Brooklyn Community Pride Center<\/p>\n

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Kenrick Ross
\n \/
\n Joseph Jones<\/p>\n

Kenrick Ross knows the importance of safe and welcoming spaces for marginalized groups at a time when the LGBTQ+ community is under attack. He joined the Brooklyn Community Pride Center in 2023 after leading the National Queer Asian American Pacific Islander Alliance, where he sought to combat discrimination and raise awareness about gender identity. Ross has since consolidated BCPC\u2019s in-person offerings at its Crown Heights headquarters, after closing its Bedford-Stuyvesant office. He also has alliances with other Brooklyn-based queer community organizations and has supported events such as the Brooklyn Pride Comic Book Fair.<\/p>\n

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\n 75. Charles Capetanakis<\/p>\n

Partner, Davidoff Hutcher & Citron<\/p>\n

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Charles Capetanakis
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\n DHC<\/p>\n

Charles Capetanakis is an expert in real estate law, trusts and estates, and other specialties at the intersection of the public and private sectors. The Brooklyn attorney has advised many clients in the borough, including the Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk, St. Francis College and The HOPE Program. Capetanakis has also been involved in New York politics and government, having run for state Senate in a district straddling Brooklyn and Staten Island in 2000 and also serving in various task forces and commissions at the New York City and state levels.<\/p>\n

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\n 76. David Picket<\/p>\n

CEO, Gotham Organization<\/p>\n

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David Picket
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\n Gotham Organization<\/p>\n

As the fourth generation of his family to run the Gotham Organization, David Picket and his relatives have provided homes for countless New Yorkers. Picket\u2019s latest Brooklyn site is a mixed-use development on Quay Street, with 40% of its units set to be permanently affordable. In the past 18 months, Gotham Organization has also opened The Maybury, a 453-unit tower on Manhattan\u2019s West Side and announced plans for a $200 million development with income-based residential units in Jamaica, Queens. The company is also planning a 157-unit transit-oriented complex near the Westbury Long Island Rail Road station.<\/p>\n

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\n 77. Josh Mehlman<\/p>\n

Chair, Flatbush Jewish Community Coalition<\/p>\n

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Josh Mehlman
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\n FJCC<\/p>\n

For years, Josh Mehlman has advocated for southern Brooklyn\u2019s growing Jewish institutions, which now comprise more than 200 synagogues, yeshivas and Talmudic learning centers. His Flatbush Jewish Community Coalition has weighed in on plenty of races on both sides of the aisle, endorsing Democrat Farah Louis for New York City Council in 2019 and Republican Lee Zeldin for governor in 2022. Even though members of his coalition didn\u2019t support Zohran Mamdani, Mehlman attended the mayor\u2019s inauguration and acknowledged that Mamdani\u2019s team had sought to work together to meet his community\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n

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\n 78. Leigh Clayton<\/p>\n

Director, New York Aquarium<\/p>\n

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Leigh Clayton
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\n Julie Larsen<\/p>\n

Since joining the Wildlife Conservation Society in 2023, Leigh Clayton has maintained New York Aquarium\u2019s status as one of Brooklyn\u2019s top attractions. The aquarium has bulked up its \u201cSea Cliffs\u201d exhibit with a pair of rescued California otters, organized a multiweek \u201cShark Party\u201d educational program last summer and promoted Halloween activities for families. Clayton has also been the force behind the aquarium\u2019s wildlife rehabilitation efforts, such as healing sea turtles affected by hypothermia and caring for corals confiscated at JFK International Airport.<\/p>\n

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\n 79. Sam Charney<\/p>\n

Founder and Principal, Charney Companies<\/p>\n

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Sam Charney
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\n Charney Companies<\/p>\n

Sam Charney is a builder in Brooklyn and beyond. Charney, who launched Charney Companies in 2013, has over 3,000 units in development across the five boroughs. His firm is behind the four-project Gowanus Wharf campus; 95 Rockwell Place, a 150,000-square foot, 182-unit condominium in Fort Greene; and The Dime in Williamsburg with 177 rental apartments. Charney, who previously worked at Two Trees, also backed the City of Yes zoning initiative and serves on the construction committee of the Brooklyn Public Library and on the Brooklyn Museum\u2019s Board of Advisors.<\/p>\n

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\n 80. Eric Landau<\/p>\n

President, Brooklyn Bridge Park<\/p>\n

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Eric Landau
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\n Alexa Hoyer<\/p>\n

Eric Landau is making Brooklyn Bridge Park, an 85-acre space on the borough\u2019s waterfront, into one of New York City\u2019s top recreation destinations. Under his leadership, Landau has reorganized the park\u2019s conservancy to strengthen its ability to support the space long term. Park leaders also unveiled a new pavilion and plaza, providing an accessible entranceway to Pier 1, and welcomed Bargemusic to the park\u2019s boathouse after 50 years on the water. Last year, Landau and his team raised $1.5 million in celebration of the park\u2019s 15th anniversary.<\/p>\n

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\n 81. Suri Duitch<\/p>\n

President, Kingsborough Community College<\/p>\n

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Suri Duitch
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\n Kingsborough Community College<\/p>\n

Suri Duitch has charted Kingsborough Community College\u2019s course since former President Claudia Schrader moved to York College. She was named interim president of the 25,000-student school in early 2024 and president in May 2025. Duitch has developed a five-year strategic plan, secured reaccreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and saw the college named as a semifinalist for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence for its student diversity and high graduation rates.<\/p>\n

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\n 82. Frank Seddio<\/p>\n

Commissioner, New York City Board of Elections<\/p>\n

Frank Seddio has remained ensconced in Brooklyn politics despite stepping down as Democratic county leader in 2020. The former Assembly member last year was named a New York City Board of Elections commissioner by the City Council after a contentious vote by its Brooklyn delegation. Seddio represented the opponents of the Bedford Avenue bike lane and has filed hundreds of no-fault auto insurance lawsuits on behalf of a Brooklyn-based physician. His biggest case has involved an escrow attorney and $2 million in missing funds, which made headlines when Seddio called the case\u2019s latest judge on his cellphone.<\/p>\n

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\n 83. Anne Pasternak<\/p>\n

Director, Brooklyn Museum<\/p>\n

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Anne Pasternak
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\n Paula Abreu Pita<\/p>\n

As the Brooklyn Museum commemorated its 200th anniversary in 2024, Anne Pasternak put the beloved institution on a path to sustain its next 200 years. She has reinstalled the American Art galleries, acquired 600 new works and launched the Brooklyn artist exhibition featuring more than 200 Brooklyn-based artists. Last year featured some of its buzziest exhibits, including Christian Marclay\u2019s \u201cDoors,\u201d in recent memory. Pasternak has also navigated federal cuts and budget deficits, which spurred dozens of layoffs a year ago, but she secured $10 million in state aid in November.<\/p>\n

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\n 84. Coco Killingsworth<\/p>\n

Chief Experience and Impact Officer, Brooklyn Academy of Music<\/p>\n

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Coco Killingsworth
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\n Jesse Winter<\/p>\n

Coco Killingsworth has ensured that the Brooklyn Academy of Music has maintained its preeminent role developing groundbreaking programs despite its recent shakeups. The arts administrator has produced a diverse array of initiatives despite the drop off of donors since the COVID-19 pandemic and helps run the institution\u2019s annual Martin Luther King Jr. tribute, which just celebrated its 40th year. Until recently, Killingsworth chaired the city\u2019s Cultural Institutions Group, which represents the city\u2019s top arts institutions. She also has added leadership responsibilities while BAM searches for a new president.<\/p>\n

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\n 85. Wes Jackson<\/p>\n

President, BRIC<\/p>\n

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Wes Jackson
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\n Skyelar MacLeod<\/p>\n

Wes Jackson has ushered BRIC into a new era, with the Brooklyn-based media and arts organization joining the distinguished New York City Cultural Institutions Group in September. The move allows BRIC to access more city funding. Over the past three years, Jackson has run innovative programming, including the premiere of BRIC TV\u2019s \u201cProblematic\u201d digital series, artist Sarah Khan\u2019s exhibition \u201cSpeak Sing Shout: We, Too, Sing America\u201d and the 11th annual BRIC JazzFest. Late last year, Jackson was appointed to Mayor Zohran Mamdani\u2019s Arts and Culture Transition Committee.<\/p>\n

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\n 86. Debbie Almontaser<\/p>\n

Founder and CEO, Bridging Cultures Group<\/p>\n

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Debbie Almontaser
\n \/
\n Syed Yaqeen<\/p>\n

Debbie Almontaser founded the Bridging Cultures Group nearly a decade ago with a mission of fostering a greater understanding of Arab and Muslim life in New York. A veteran public school educator, Almontaser spearheaded Arab Heritage Week, developed the curriculum of the Muslim Communities Project and founded Brooklyn\u2019s Khalil Gibran International Academy, the first English-Arabic public school in the country. She recently celebrated New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani\u2019s inauguration and promoted the governor\u2019s proclamation of January as Muslim American Heritage Month.<\/p>\n

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\n 87. Joe Reubens<\/p>\n

Partner, The Parkside Group<\/p>\n

Joe Reubens is a veteran consultant and a key player at The Parkside Group, one of the top political campaigning and government relations firms in New York. Reubens has spent more than two decades in the field helping Democrats win competitive races \u2013\u00a0and helped position the party to retake the state Senate in the 2018 election cycle. Reubens is an expert on crafting television ads and direct mail and is part of a team that has won multiple Pollie and Reed awards recognizing their efforts.<\/p>\n

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\n 88. Nicholas Liakas<\/p>\n

Senior Partner, Liakas Law<\/p>\n

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Nicholas Liakas
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\n Joseph Ryder<\/p>\n

Nicholas Liakas is a personal injury attorney who co-founded Liakas Law. The Manhattan-based firm has shaped policy debates around protections for hospital patients, safety standards for space heaters and reforms to bail and solitary confinement, while Nicholas Liakas has stood with survivors of the Twin Parks fire in the Bronx and spoken out against the death of Robert Brooks while in state custody. The firm has notable political ties, with election attorney Ali Najmi serving as special counsel and former Rep. Ed Towns as a senior adviser.<\/p>\n

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\n 89. Gregg Bishop<\/p>\n

Executive Director, Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation Social Justice Fund<\/p>\n

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\n Gregg Bishop<\/p>\n

Gregg Bishop came to the Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation in 2021, a year after the Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty owners launched a social justice fund. Bishop, the former New York City Department of Small Business Services commissioner, helped the Tsais focus their philanthropic efforts toward founders of color and women pursuing initiatives that improve economic mobility and combat discrimination. The fund, which will commit $50 million through 2030, gave its first set of grants in 2020 to an ER doctor, a climate think tank, a journalist, a charter school leader and a formerly incarcerated activist.<\/p>\n


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\n 90. Patricia Ramsey<\/p>\n

President, Medgar Evers College<\/p>\n

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Patricia Ramsey
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\n David Patterson<\/p>\n

When CUNY appointed Patricia Ramsey to become the first woman president of Medgar Evers College in 2021, the hope was that the biologist would improve its enrollment, boost graduation rates and close the deficit. Ramsey has put the college on the right path, seeing a 5% bump in enrollment between 2022 and 2023 and launching an online bachelor\u2019s degree in education to help address New York City\u2019s teacher shortage. Ramsey has ensured the school continues its civil rights legacy, hosting events for students, including one with Malcolm X\u2019s daughter.<\/p>\n

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\n 91. Milton Santiago<\/p>\n

Interim President, New York City College of Technology<\/p>\n

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Milton Santiago
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\n City Tech<\/p>\n

When the New York City College of Technology needed a higher education executive with experience in the CUNY system, they turned to Milton Santiago. Over the past 30 years, the higher education leader has championed undergraduate support systems, career-focused educational programs and student-centered governance at Lehman College, the College of Staten Island and Bronx Community College, which he led as its interim president for two years. Now, as interim president at City Tech, Santiago is bringing new graduate programs to the school. He was appointed last year after longtime leader Russell Hotzler retired.<\/p>\n

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\n 92. Leah Archibald<\/p>\n

Executive Director, Evergreen<\/p>\n

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Leah Archibald
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\n Daniel Corry<\/p>\n

Few leaders have done more to protect Brooklyn\u2019s shrinking manufacturing sector than Leah Archibald. The Evergreen leader helps 300 industrial businesses a year obtain financing, advocate for smart industrial policy and find factory and warehouse space in North Brooklyn\u2019s dedicated industrial business zones. Over the past two years, Archibald shared input to develop the Adams administration\u2019s citywide industrial plan and helped Brooklyn Brewery, one of the borough\u2019s top employers, expand its facility without leaving Williamsburg.<\/p>\n

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\n 93. Porez Luxama<\/p>\n

Co-Founder, President and Executive Director, Life of Hope<\/p>\n

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Porez Luxama
\n \/
\n Solwazi Olusola<\/p>\n

Since launching Life of Hope two decades ago, Porez Luxama has built a community center offering a variety of programs to Brooklyn\u2019s Haitian community \u2013 of which Luxama is a member. In 2024, the organization took its most significant step by acquiring an 18,000-square-foot warehouse for $12 million to become a community hub and its permanent headquarters. Luxama, who has raised $15 million for the project, hopes to serve Haitian Americans for years to come.<\/p>\n

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\n 94. Dianne Morales<\/p>\n

Executive Director, El Puente<\/p>\n

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Dianne Morales
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\n El Puente<\/p>\n

Dianne Morales is best known for waging an insurgent campaign for New York City mayor in 2021 that briefly excited left-wing voters before she finished in sixth amid a campaign staff walkout. In the meantime, Morales founded a leadership consulting firm and took the reins of El Puente in September. She has sought to bulk up El Puente\u2019s leadership training, organizing and advocacy work at a moment when federal immigration agents are targeting immigrants.<\/p>\n

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\n 95. Alex Budnitskiy<\/p>\n

Executive Director and CEO, Marks JCH of Bensonhurst<\/p>\n

Alex Budnitskiy left Ukraine over two decades ago and has since helped make one of New York City\u2019s most diverse neighborhoods a welcoming place. He has positioned Marks JCH of Bensonhurst to help refugees fleeing the Russo-Ukrainian war navigate the city\u2019s housing market, afford rent, connect with employers and even provide a forum for them to tell their stories. Last spring, Marks JCH co-hosted the Shalom Dragon street festival, showcasing the traditions of Jewish and Asian immigrant cultures in Bensonhurst.<\/p>\n

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\n 96. Jude Bernard<\/p>\n

Founder and CEO, The Brooklyn Bank<\/p>\n

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Jude Bernard
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Jude Bernard founded The Brooklyn Bank in 2017 after his experiences purchasing brownstones convinced him to share his wealth-building strategies with his community. The real estate entrepreneur\u2019s organization has raised $325,000 since 2016, served more than 12,000 people and held more than 75 community programs. Bernard hosts podcasts on wealth creation and has taught nonprofit groups about financial management and organized a Thanksgiving turkey giveaway that fed a thousand Brooklyn families during the holiday season.<\/p>\n

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\n 97. Lara Birnback<\/p>\n

Executive Director, Brooklyn Heights Association<\/p>\n

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Lara Birnback
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\n Lindsay May<\/p>\n

The Brooklyn Heights Association has benefited from Lara Birnback\u2019s experience in international development and capacity building \u2013 not just in the outer boroughs, but also in the Balkans, Kenya and Washington, D.C. Lately, Birnback has zeroed in on improving Montague Street\u2019s dining and retail options and making streets safer and more accessible with curb extensions, new seating and planters. She has been a key voice in opposition to proposals to rebuild the aging Brooklyn-Queens Expressway before an environmental review and instead called for short-term repairs and a broader vision of the highway\u2019s future.<\/p>\n

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\n 98. Bronwyn Breitner<\/p>\n

Coordinator, Make McGuinness Safe<\/p>\n

Three days into New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani\u2019s tenure, street safety advocates finally got the road diet that they wanted for McGuinness Boulevard. Bronwyn Breitner spent years pressing public officials to eliminate travel lanes, extend a protected bike path and add daylighting on the borough\u2019s most dangerous thoroughfare after tragic traffic injuries and fatalities. The Adams administration had promised to complete the safety project, but progress stalled after a prominent donor objected and his top aide allegedly accepted a bribe to weaken the city Department of Transportation\u2019s plan. Mamdani revived the redesign in one of his first official acts, with Breitner on hand for the announcement.<\/p>\n

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\n 99. Hunter Armstrong<\/p>\n

Executive Director, Brooklyn Greenway Initiative<\/p>\n

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Hunter Armstrong
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Hunter Armstrong knows how critical New York City\u2019s protected pathways are for commuters and pedestrians. His group helped shape the Adams administration\u2019s planned expansion for a new route connecting Highland Park to Prospect Park while resurfacing the path on Ocean Parkway while also supporting the city\u2019s first comprehensive greenways master plan in decades. Armstrong released a user study of these corridors in 2024 showing that commuters took one quarter of all bike trips on coastal greenways. He is planning an NYC Greenways Summit this year.<\/p>\n

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New York City Council Member<\/p>\n

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Inna Vernikov
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In response to a surge in antisemitic attacks, the New York City Council this year created a Task Force to Combat Antisemitism \u2013\u00a0but the move has largely drawn attention to one of its co-chairs, Council Member Inna Vernikov. The southern Brooklyn Republican, who said it was her idea to create the task force, has been a lightning rod in the legislative body for bringing a handgun to a protest, referring to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as a \u201cterrorist-lover\u201d and even using a derogatory term for Jews with whom she disagreed.<\/p>\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"1. Hakeem Jeffries House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries \/ U.S. House Rep. Hakeem Jeffries will have his work…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":127735,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[98,9,24,11,10,769],"class_list":["post-127765","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-york","tag-brooklyn","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-new-york-headlines","tag-new-york-news","tag-power-list"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127765","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=127765"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127765\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/127735"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=127765"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=127765"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=127765"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}