Power Lists
The 2025 Albany Power 100
The ever-evolving hierarchy in state politics.
City & State presents the 2025 Albany Power 100. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
In Albany, the players may change, but the game remains the same. Gov. Kathy Hochul, who entered office with a pledge to collaborate with lawmakers, has adopted a more hardball style. Her strong-arm tactics echo the approach of her predecessor, Andrew Cuomo, who’s now looking for political redemption as the front-runner in the New York City mayoral race. As for the current New York City mayor, Eric Adams notched some wins in the latest state budget – although he may not be around much longer to enjoy them.
Some politicians also sense weakness in the governor, who won a close race in 2022. Her own lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado, has already entered the fray for 2026, and a trio of Republicans are positioning themselves for a potential run. Overshadowing the entire political landscape, of course, is a former New Yorker who’s back in the White House – and he’s slashing federal funding, hunting down immigrants and asserting control over prosecutions, infrastructure investment and higher education.
City & State’s Albany Power 100, written and researched in partnership with journalist Aaron Short, recognizes dozens of key players in state politics and government – and ranks them based on their wins and losses over the past year.
1. Kathy Hochul
Gov. Kathy Hochul didn’t make many friends when she kept legislators in Albany debating the budget well into May, but she ultimately got most of what she wanted in the budget. Hochul touted school cellphone bans, discovery law rollbacks, changes to the state’s involuntary commitment policy, “inflation refund” checks and new penalties for mask-wearing criminals in the state’s $254 billion budget. Will it be enough to ward off the governor’s prospective opponents in the 2026 elections? With an approval rating that’s been slowly climbing since January, Hochul has answered, “Bring it on!”
2. Carl Heastie
The governor’s hardball negotiating tactics ensured the budget was more than a month late, but Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie made sure his conference had a substantial say in the final product. The speaker fought for measures to pay off the state’s $6 billion unemployment insurance debt, spend more educational aid on English for speakers of other languages and tweak campaign finance rules, as well as imposing a Buffalo hotel occupancy tax to help the city’s finances. Heastie was also instrumental in breaking a stalemate over discovery law reform and persuading the governor to drop an outright mask ban in favor of a new criminal charge.
3. Andrea Stewart-Cousins
There wasn’t any doubt that state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins would be reelected as the chamber’s leader despite losing her conference’s supermajority last fall. She still helped steer budget discussions toward her one-house spending priorities, including more funding for climate priorities, tax relief for working families and seniors, and investments in public transit. Stewart-Cousins has acknowledged the economy’s volatility could force lawmakers to make mid-year budget cuts (and granted Hochul more authority to make them). But with the budget wrapped up, Stewart-Cousins focused on legalizing physician-assisted suicide and installing speed limiters on the cars of reckless drivers.
4. Donald Trump
Donald Trump has shaken up New York like no other president. Trump has tried to halt congestion pricing, temporarily blocked a wind power project and sought to deport a Columbia University student activist. Trump seized control of any Penn Station overhaul, and his tariff policies are threatening New York’s agricultural and semiconductor industries. His Department of Justice moved to drop charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams without prejudice, prompting Hochul to consider removing Adams herself, but the charges were ultimately dropped with prejudice. Politically, Trump is shaping next year’s Republican gubernatorial primary, reinserting Rep. Elise Stefanik into state politics by pulling her U.N. ambassador nomination and backing Rep. Mike Lawler for reelection.
5. Letitia James
State Attorney General Letitia James continues to lead the charge against President Donald Trump. Over the past several months, James joined other state attorneys general to sue the Trump administration for dismantling the Department of Health and Human Services and canceling National Institutes of Health grants, blocking offshore wind power projects and requiring proof of citizenship to vote. Now James is searching for insider trading within Trump’s inner circle as MAGA allies, irate since she sued the Trump Organization for fraud, have promoted a story accusing her of mortgage fraud, which she has denied.
6. Hakeem Jeffries
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries didn’t win quite enough votes to become the first Black speaker of the House of Representatives last fall, but the former Assembly member has been flexing his muscle in his old stomping grounds in Albany. Jeffries has been a staunch ally of Gov. Kathy Hochul, a fellow moderate Democrat, backing (if not driving) her decision to temporarily pause congestion pricing, influencing her stance on whether to remove New York City Mayor Eric Adams and teaming up on everything from elections to appointments. Last year, Hochul named longtime Jeffries ally Walter Mosley as secretary of state.
7. Kathryn Garcia, Karen Persichilli Keogh, Stacy Lynch & Blake Washington
Although she’s far more low-key than her predecessor, Melissa DeRosa, Karen Persichilli Keogh wields immense power in Albany in her role as Gov. Kathy Hochul’s right hand. She has quietly racked up a number of wins, including negotiating a major housing package, passing a school cellphone ban and revising discovery laws. Keogh, who also serves on the Stony Brook Council, was a top adviser to then-U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Four years ago, Kathryn Garcia came close to winning the Democratic primary for New York City mayor. Today, she’s effectively the chief operating officer of New York state government. The former New York City sanitation commissioner and career technocrat oversees more than 70 state agencies, played a key role in the implementation of congestion pricing in New York City and has helped shutter illegal cannabis stores.
The daughter of legendary political strategist Bill Lynch, Stacy Lynch is the first woman of color to serve as chief of staff to a New York governor. A onetime entertainment lawyer, Lynch was former Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin’s chief of staff before joining Hochul’s inner circle.
The buck stops with Blake Washington. The state budget director brings decades of experience in state spending to his job as Hochul’s top fiscal adviser – a role that includes using delay tactics to get what his boss wants, even if the budget is weeks late. Washington is warning that any cuts to New York’s billions of dollars in federal funding won’t be able to be made up by Albany, meaning cuts could be on the horizon.
8. Rowan Wilson & Joseph Zayas
After a contentious battle over the appointment of the chief judge of the state Court of Appeals, the eventual ascension of Rowan Wilson to the state’s top judiciary post in 2023 has ultimately shifted New York’s highest court away from its more conservative bent. Wilson, who first joined the Court of Appeals in 2017, has presided over major rulings calling for a new round of redistricting and striking down noncitizen voting in New York City. Wilson is also the chief judicial officer overseeing the entire state court system. In 2023, he appointed Joseph Zayas as chief administrative judge of the New York State Unified Court System. Zayas handles day-to-day operations of a massive court system that has a $3.7 billion budget and 3,300 judges. Zayas has worked with the Hochul administration and lawmakers to fund the court system and address backlogs in family, housing and criminal courts.
9. Thomas DiNapoli
State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has been the state’s top financial official for 18 years and the Long Island politician is gearing up for another reelection bid. His biggest challenge isn’t a nominal primary opponent, but forecasting how President Donald Trump’s budget proposal would harm New Yorkers – especially those who receive federal aid – and keeping the state’s pension funds in good shape. DiNapoli released a report in March delving into the impact cuts to the Inflation Reduction Act would have on climate spending and urged New York City to divert $1 billion to its reserves. A month later, he warned that tariffs would decimate household spending power and devastate the securities industry.
10. Betty Rosa
As legislative leaders finalized the state budget, Betty Rosa had to sweat out the details of changes to Foundation Aid lawmakers left to the end. She was not pleased that lawmakers altered regulations giving religious and private schools more chances at compliance. But her biggest task remains ensuring the state won’t lose federal education funding after refusing to comply with the Trump administration’s anti-diversity, equity and inclusion mandates. On her watch, the state Education Department last year changed state guidelines to allow high school students to graduate without passing the Regents exam while adopting alternative pathways to demonstrate proficiency.
11. Michael Gianaris & Crystal Peoples-Stokes
Both state Sen. Michael Gianaris and Assembly Member Crystal Peoples-Stokes are not afraid to make tough calls to rein in their colleagues and get legislation passed for the good of the state. Gianaris helped lawmakers reach a compromise on mask restrictions and involuntary commitment laws in order to break a logjam on budget negotiations this year. He also called for New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ removal after the federal government moved to drop corruption charges, and he backed Steve Cohen’s parkland alienation proposal tied to his casino bid despite opposition from fellow Queens state Sen. Jessica Ramos. An architect of legal cannabis in New York, Peoples-Stokes has sought to amend the marijuana law and called for aid to struggling cannabis fund borrowers. She also supported a 3% hotel bed tax proposal to address Buffalo’s $50 million budget shortfall.
12. Liz Krueger & J. Gary Pretlow
State Sen. Liz Krueger and Assembly Member J. Gary Pretlow had the task of knowing when to compromise with the governor and when to draw a red line on their respective conferences’ spending priorities. Krueger, a power broker who has served in her role since 2018, crafted a one-house budget that included climate priorities like the formerly named NY HEAT Act. She also criticized the governor for putting contentious policies into the budget that contributed to its lateness. Pretlow, the longtime gambling committee chair, was appointed to lead the Ways and Means Committee in December. He admonished his colleagues when they peppered New York City Mayor Eric Adams with campaign questions at a February budget hearing and also was irked when the governor prematurely declared the budget was finished in late April.
13. Eric Adams
These days, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has fewer friends in Albany than he used to, but he has still gotten what he wanted. The mayor sought $1.1 billion to pay for the migrant crisis, the elimination of personal income taxes for low-income New Yorkers, a relaxation of discovery laws and rules making it easier to remove and hospitalize mentally ill and homeless people. Despite a heated “Tin Cup Day” hearing, lawmakers ultimately included an involuntary commitment measure, discovery rollbacks and agreed on an income-tax cut for New Yorkers, although Hochul rejected migrant aid. But a return trip to the state Capitol next year is in question as the scandal-plagued official hasn’t fared well in mayoral polling so far.
14. Jeremy Cooney, Kristen Gonzalez, Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Brian Kavanagh, John Liu, Shelley Mayer, Roxanne Persaud, Gustavo Rivera & James Skoufis
President Donald Trump may control the future of Penn Station, but state Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Brad Hoylman-Sigal wants to keep Trump’s name off the building. His bill would bar the naming of public buildings after convicted felons. Hoylman-Sigal is also running for Manhattan borough president.
State Senate Education Committee Chair Shelley Mayer has ensured full funding of the state’s Foundation Aid to local school districts, an important suburban issue. This year, she secured more funding for career and technical education and became chair of the Ethics and Internal Governance Committee.
The chamber’s New York City Education Committee is chaired by John Liu, who previously passed legislation capping class sizes in New York City schools. He backed Mets owner Steve Cohen’s casino dreams, sponsoring legislation that removes state parkland status for Citi Field’s parking lot to allow a casino there.
Housing didn’t dominate this year’s agenda, but Housing Committee Chair Brian Kavanagh did secure a four-year pilot program of the Housing Access Voucher Program. He has focused on rental assistance, reducing evictions and foreclosure protection.
A close ally of state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Social Services Committee Chair Roxanne Persaud quietly wields power. This year, the Brooklyn lawmaker secured funding for a state diaper bank, disability legal aid and SNAP outreach.
Health Committee Chair Gustavo Rivera is warning about the impact of federal policies on public health. A perennial advocate for Coverage for All legislation, Rivera has also taken aim at medical debt and passed legislation setting up an opioid settlement fund.
Democratic Socialists of America-backed state Sen. Kristen Gonzalez took the reins of the Elections Committee this year, while still chairing the Internet and Technology Committee, becoming the only senator to lead two full policy committees. Gonzalez has driven state artificial intelligence policy and passed abortion rights legislation protecting private health data.
Transportation Committee Chair Jeremy Cooney has made high-speed rail his passion. His other priorities include upstate transit, increased child tax credits and Buffalo’s Kensington Expressway. He chairs the Cannabis Subcommittee.
Investigations and Government Operations Committee Chair James Skoufis didn’t end up as Democratic National Committee chair, but he’s a rising star in Albany. He spearheaded a measure making it a crime to wear a mask while committing another crime. He also questioned expanding the state’s film tax credit program.
15. Janno Lieber
Janno Lieber has been proven right at every turn in the saga of congestion pricing. When Gov. Kathy Hochul iced the tolling program weeks before it was supposed to launch last summer, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority leader continued arguing it would reduce traffic, lower pollution and raise revenue. In November, Hochul reversed course and reinstated the $9 toll. Lieber has since beat back lawsuits seeking to halt it, stared down Trump Transportation Department Secretary Sean Duffy – who threatened to halt federal MTA funding over it – and won over many skeptical New Yorkers who support faster commutes in recent polls.
16. Chuck Schumer & Kirsten Gillibrand
The start to this year was one that U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand might want to forget. Schumer, the Democratic minority leader, has done little to slow down President Donald Trump. In March, Schumer’s vote to avoid a government shutdown by passing a Republican spending bill that he had initially opposed led to protests outside his Brooklyn home and calls to step down. Schumer’s popularity has slid to a 20-year low and polls show he would trail Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a theoretical primary match. Gillibrand, who won reelection in 2024, will be tasked with turning Democrats’ fortunes around in her new role as chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. She raised eyebrows for supporting a continuing resolution that House Democrats opposed and noting Andrew Cuomo’s “talent as an executive” in his New York City mayoral bid – after calling on him to resign as governor following sexual harassment allegations.
17. Michael McMahon
When Gov. Kathy Hochul’s plan for discovery reform stalled during budget negotiations this spring, she called up District Attorneys Association of the State of New York President Michael McMahon and his cadre of district attorneys to make their case to skeptical legislators. The longtime Staten Island district attorney argued that changes were necessary because the due diligence standard needed clarification and that judges were often dismissing cases due to technical violations. Legislative leaders made some changes Hochul suggested, and McMahon, who had clashed with legislators over bail reform laws, took a victory lap once they finalized the budget.
18. Kenneth Raske
One of Kenneth Raske’s biggest fiscal victories occurred before the governor even proposed her budget. Raske’s influential Greater New York Hospital Association lobbied for a new tax on managed care organizations, which the Biden administration approved in December. Raske warned about excessive spending on home care programs and secured a $34.2 billion Medicaid investment in the state budget. But the real battle could occur this summer, as House Republicans contemplate slashing $880 billion in Medicaid spending, which could force the state to drop 2 million enrollees, reduce benefits or raise $7 billion in taxes.
19. Yvonne Armstrong
1199SEIU, which has long been one of the most powerful labor unions in New York, has a new leader: Yvonne Armstrong. She brings plenty of experience to her new role, having served as a top lieutenant in the union as a senior executive vice president for downstate long-term care. In a May election, Armstrong and her No. 2, Veronica Turner-Biggs, ousted veteran labor leader George Gresham, who had been hobbled by allegations of misspent funds. In April, the 450,000-member, multistate union endorsed former Gov. Andrew Cuomo for mayor of New York City.
20. Marie Therese Dominguez, Adrienne Harris, Hope Knight, James McDonald, Walter Mosley, Jeanette Moy, Roberta Reardon, Robert Rodriguez & RuthAnne Visnauskas
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight is bolstering the state’s economy and workforce. She worked with Chobani on a $1.2 billion facility to be sited in Oneida County. She also opened a global trade office in Taiwan and a biotechnology incubator in West Harlem, while also overseeing a universal connectivity program and sending more state contracts to firms owned by women and minorities.
No matter his title, Robert Rodriguez is a trusted gubernatorial adviser. The former state lawmaker and ex-secretary of state now leads the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York, the state’s main construction and public financing agency. He also oversees the cannabis equity fund and could be Gov. Kathy Hochul’s running mate next year.
Department of Financial Services Superintendent Adrienne Harris is the state’s chief banking and insurance regulator – and she’s modernizing department operations, cracking down on insurance discrimination and implementing new banking regulations.
State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas has been busy implementing last year’s housing measures. Visnauskas has designated over 70 municipalities as “pro-housing communities” under a new state program. She completed a five-year, 100,000-home housing plan and launched a new $25 billion housing plan for another 100,000 homes.
State Transportation Department Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez is reconnecting communities, promoting roadworker safety and spearheading the state’s unprecedented $34.3 billion capital plan.
Office of General Services Commissioner Jeanette Moy is reshaping downtown Albany. Moy awarded the contract to rebuild the Capitol’s east steps and is championing Hochul’s $400 million downtown Albany revitalization initiative. Moy was also chosen to fix the state’s cannabis management program.
State Health Department Commissioner James McDonald has kept his agency vigilant, responding to measles, federal funding cuts and other unexpected health care crises. McDonald indicated he could work with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., but defended the use of vaccines.
Former Assembly Member Walter Mosley became secretary of state last year, taking over a wide-ranging agency. The ally of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries just replaced Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado as chair of the state’s Regional Economic Development Councils.
Children and parents are on the mind of state Labor Department Commissioner Roberta Reardon, who is overseeing the implementation of the state’s new paid prenatal leave law. She is encouraging laid off federal employees to apply to state government jobs.
21. Mario Cilento
Mario Cilento is one of the state’s few veteran labor leaders not facing a challenge to his leadership post at the moment. The New York State AFL-CIO chief was unanimously reelected to another four-year term in August, then worked with the governor to sign a law regulating how the state would use artificial intelligence and another requiring school districts to protect teachers and students from extreme heat in the classroom. This year, Cilento supported workers seeking fairer contracts and better working conditions at places like New York magazine, Alamo Drafthouse and Albany Medical Center.
22. Gary LaBarbera
Last year, Gary LaBarbera broke a stalemate over the governor’s housing proposals during budget negotiations while ensuring his members received higher wage standards to work on affordable housing developments. The union leader didn’t play a kingmaker role in this year’s budget, but he has advocated for prevailing wage requirements in private projects that receive some public funding. LaBarbera recently launched a new campaign to pressure President Donald Trump to use proceeds from the sale of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to invest in building workforce housing.
23. Zohran Mamdani, Zellnor Myrie & Jessica Ramos
Three state legislators are looking to make the jump from Albany to Gracie Mansion this year, although one – Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani – has pulled away from the pack. Commanding the democratic socialist lane in the Democratic primary, Mamdani has solidified himself in second place behind former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Despite a thin legislative record in Albany, the charismatic lawmaker is catching on with ambitious proposals, including city-run grocery stores, drop-in mental health and homeless services centers in the subway system, free buses and a Department of Community Safety for mental health-related safety crises.
State Sens. Zellnor Myrie and Jessica Ramos are also in the mix, but they’ve been mired in single digits in the polls. Myrie has generated some buzz with proposals like expanded after-school programs. Myrie wants to build a million new homes in the city, increased community engagement for city police, 2,000 new detectives and all-day pre-K. In Albany this year, Myrie traded the Elections Committee chair to become chair of the powerful Codes Committee.
Ramos, the state Senate Labor Committee chair, has a mayoral campaign overshadowed by issues back in her Queens district. Ramos refused to introduce legislation that would allow Mets owner Steve Cohen to remove a state parkland designation on the Citi Field parking lot. However, state Sen. John Liu introduced the legislation instead, ending her plans to thwart Cohen’s casino proposal. On the campaign trail, Ramos turned heads by endorsing Cuomo for mayor, even though he declined to return the favor.
24. Michael Mulgrew
Like other state educators and education leaders, Michael Mulgrew was closely tracking this year’s budget negotiations on Foundation Aid, which sent New York City $539 million more than last year but less than what it would have received under the original formula. The longtime United Federation of Teachers leader faced two insurgent rivals seeking the union’s top post in May, and he emerged victorious with 54% of the vote. The UFT also has been deeply involved in the New York City mayoral race, holding a candidate forum in May ahead of what had been an expected endorsement from the union.
25. Melinda Person
Melinda Person was thrust into the middle of protracted budget negotiations when Gov. Kathy Hochul made adjusting Foundation Aid and a school cellphone ban part of the budget. A longtime Foundation Aid champion, the New York State United Teachers leader insisted that the state’s funding formula should be updated to account for the increased needs that schools meet in their communities. She also supported the governor’s bell-to-bell cellphone restriction. Person has touted several under-the-radar wins that were important for her membership, including a bill managing extreme classroom heat and free lunches for 2.7 million students.
26. James Whelan
The head of New York City’s powerful real estate lobby, James Whelan knows the ups and downs of Albany. Last year’s compromise housing legislation gave him wins, although he has had to face off with a growing crop of progressive state lawmakers. Whelan worked with Habitat for Humanity to secure the Affordable Housing Retention Act, creating new housing opportunities citywide. Whelan also partnered with key allies to create a new statewide housing voucher program and championed the full funding of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s capital plan.
27. Harry Bronson, Catalina Cruz, Jeffrey Dinowitz, Charles Lavine, John T. McDonald III, Amy Paulin, Linda Rosenthal, Nily Rozic & Latrice Walker
Health Committee Chair Amy Paulin is among Albany’s most prolific lawmakers. Her Medical Aid in Dying Act, which would let doctors help some terminally ill patients end their lives, passed both chambers in historic votes, but it’s unknown whether the governor will sign it.
A version of Codes Committee Chair Jeffrey Dinowitz’s “masked harassment” bill was incorporated into the state budget, allowing prosecutors to add an additional criminal charge for anyone who wears a mask while committing another crime.
Along with Dinowitz, Assembly Member Charles Lavine is one of Albany’s staunchest defenders of Israel. The Judiciary Committee chair is president of the New York chapter of the National Association of Jewish Legislators.
Assembly Member John T. McDonald III chairs the Committee on Governmental Operations. McDonald, a pharmacist and the brother of state Health Department Commissioner James McDonald, has backed the streamlining of the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program, a state home care program, but raised concerns about its rushed transition.
Assembly Labor Committee Chair Harry Bronson helped secure $7 billion in the budget to eliminate the Unemployment Trust Fund debt, which skyrocketed as small businesses struggled with coronavirus-era layoffs. Bronson also passed the Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act, which was signed late last year.
As the Housing Committee chair, Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal passed the Housing Access Voucher Program measure to support homeless New Yorkers and others at risk of eviction. Last year, her Puppy Mill Pipeline Act – targeting large-scale pet breeding operations – took effect.
Gov. Kathy Hochul last year signed Assembly Member Nily Rozic’s Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation For Kids Act, which requires social media companies to restrict social media feeds for those under 18. This year, the Consumer Affairs and Protection Committee chair added to the budget a measure requiring artificial intelligence companions to disclose that they’re not human.
This year, Election Law Committee Chair Latrice Walker opposed changes to her 2019 discovery reform law, arguing to maintain some defendant-friendly provisions for how evidence is shared in court. She endorsed former Gov. Andrew Cuomo for New York City mayor.
Assembly Member Catalina Cruz isn’t a committee chair, but she keeps busy as a proactive lawmaker while serving on a dozen committees and caucuses. She introduced an immigrant rights package to counter hardline federal immigration policies, including a proposed prohibition on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement entering schools.
28. Rich Maroko
Hotel occupancy has lagged in the years after the COVID-19 pandemic, but Hotels and Gaming Trades Council President Rich Maroko has hospitality workers well-positioned for the future. The influential HTC chief backed New York City legislation requiring hotels to maintain front desk staff and housekeepers, which the City Council overwhelmingly passed in October. More hotel jobs could be in the pipeline. Maroko’s union is supporting a number of applicants for new downstate casinos, which could create thousands of new middle-class jobs for his membership once the state awards up to three downstate licenses this year.
29. Kathryn Wylde
Kathryn Wylde is going out at the peak of her powers. The leader of the Partnership for New York City announced in May that she would step down next year. She has been an effective advocate for congestion pricing as well as increased investment in public transit. When Hochul halted congestion pricing last year, Wylde made the case that benefits like reduced traffic and increased productivity outweighed the cost to drivers. By November, Hochul reversed her decision. Wylde also mobilized support for changes to the discovery process in court and involuntary commitment in Albany this year.
30. Steve Cohen
When Steve Cohen wants something, he usually finds a way to get it. Lately that has included outfielder Juan Soto, who signed for a 15-year, $765 million deal, and a parkland alienation bill that he maneuvered through Albany in his high-profile bid for one of three downstate casino licenses. Cohen convinced state Sen. John Liu to introduce a proposal permitting Citi Field parking lots to be redeveloped into an $8 billion casino complex after local state Sen. Jessica Ramos opposed the move, paving the way for Senate approval in May. His Metropolitan Park plan includes a concert hall and 25 acres of parks.
31. John King
Higher education is facing existential attacks from the federal government, but John King is the front-line general in leading SUNY’s defense. The SUNY chancellor secured $1.2 billion for capital investments, $114 million for raises for faculty and staff, and $28 million for free community college tuition for those ages 25 to 55 – a priority for the governor – in this year’s budget. But King, a former U.S. education secretary, has also grappled with the Trump administration’s efforts to revoke visas for international students and the National Institutes of Health’s proposal to cut $97 million from the SUNY Research Foundation, endangering its programs studying treatments for 9/11 first responders.
32. Félix V. Matos Rodríguez
Félix V. Matos Rodríguez has much to brag about when it comes to the city’s public university system. The CUNY chancellor recently touted that enrollment was up last year for the second year in a row and praised state officials for increasing funding for community college tuition programs, artificial intelligence investments, financial aid and academic counseling. But Matos Rodríguez has come under attack from some lawmakers for demonstrations over the Israel-Hamas war on several CUNY campuses. This spring, CUNY trustees gave Matos Rodríguez a positive performance review, granting the chancellor more job security.
33. Grace Lee, Karines Reyes & Michaelle Solages
Dominican-born Assembly Member Karines Reyes chairs the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force. Reyes is a prime sponsor of the New York for All Act, which would prohibit state and city agencies from assisting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with detaining undocumented individuals. She has been outspoken against federal mass deportation efforts.
Assembly Member Michaelle Solages, the first Haitian American elected to the state Legislature, is the chair of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus. The caucus recently released its Empower Black New York Agenda, which calls for funding for initiatives that address mental health, housing inequity, workforce preparation and more in Black communities.
The first Korean American woman to be elected to the state Legislature, Assembly Member Grace Lee chairs its Asian Pacific American Task Force. Lee and the task force advocated for increased funding to support the Asian American Pacific Islander community in the latest budget – to the tune of $54.35 million spread among Asian nonprofits and research institutions. She has been outspoken about how federal tariffs are harming small businesses, including immigrant-owned establishments in Chinatown, which is in her district.
34. Michael Dowling
After leading the state’s largest private employer for 23 years, Michael Dowling announced that he would be retiring from Northwell Health in October. During his tenure, Dowling led the rapid growth of the Long Island-based health system to include 28 hospitals across New York and Connecticut as well as 104,000 employees. In the past year, Dowling celebrated the expansion of Northwell’s 20,000-square-foot ambulatory care facility in Flushing, Queens, and a 288,000-square-foot surgical pavilion at North Shore University Hospital. He’ll pass the baton of completing Lenox Hill Hospital’s $2 billion redevelopment and his many other duties to his successor John D’Angelo.
35. Heather Mulligan
New York business leaders may have been stressed out about President Donald Trump’s tariffs and their effects on the market lately, but Heather Mulligan has found ways to reduce that stress at the state level by securing several state budget wins. The Business Council of New York State chief lobbied Gov. Kathy Hochul to pay off $8 billion in unemployment insurance debt that employers carried since the COVID-19 pandemic, and she has worked with Hochul on efforts toward redeveloping downtown Albany. There’s no rest for Mulligan though, as she indicated a need to play defense on a number of issues before the legislative session ends.
36. Wayne Spence
When state corrections officers went on strike this spring, Wayne Spence’s parole officers and nurses were ordered by the Hochul administration to fill some roles inside state prisons. Spence, who was reelected to his fourth term last summer, quickly reached a deal with the state Department of Corrections to protect his members from doing jobs for which they hadn’t received training and worked with Gov. Kathy Hochul to secure an overtime rate during the strike. Spence has also helped keep SUNY Downstate Medical Center open and presided over union membership growth and pay raises for his members.
37. Mary Sullivan
Mary Sullivan isn’t afraid to make tough decisions if it benefits local civil servants. The Civil Service Employees Association leader chose not to endorse a candidate in the 2024 presidential election after the union’s endorsement of former President Joe Biden rankled members. Then Sullivan replaced Nassau County union leaders after they accepted a health care option that included unaffordable deductibles. And while state correctional officers engaged in a wildcat strike this spring, Sullivan reached an agreement with the governor ensuring CSEA staff could refuse dangerous work assignments and avoid performing security duties.
38. Evan Stavisky
Evan Stavisky knows that in Albany, sports is big business. The longtime operative was an architect of the state’s mobile sports betting system, which generated $58 billion in bets in the first three years after its legalization. Stavisky continues to represent the Sports Betting Alliance, Major League Baseball and the New York Liberty. Stavisky, one of New York’s most well-connected consultants, previously led The Parkside Group’s political team, where he was a key adviser to the state Senate Democrats.
39. Giorgio DeRosa & Emily Giske
Giorgio DeRosa and Emily Giske have built Bolton-St. Johns into a multifaceted government affairs shop that provides grassroots campaign consulting, regulatory representation and even political training. DeRosa, the firm’s managing partner and chief Albany lobbyist, has helped drive the state’s medical marijuana and prescription drug programs, upstate casino expansion, state funding for a new soccer stadium in Rochester and the modernization of the state Thruway Authority’s communications infrastructure. Giske, a vice chair of the state Democratic Party, played a key role in the passage of the state’s Marriage Equality Act and helped create the Eleanor’s Legacy Baker Project, which recruited state Senate candidates. Last year, Bolton-St. Johns reported $18.1 million in compensation, the second largest amount for a lobbying firm in the state.
40. Charlie King, Jan Feuerstadt & Jake Dilemani
Before former Gov. Andrew Cuomo officially declared he was running for New York City mayor, he hired longtime ally Charlie King and the Mercury team to serve as his campaign brain trust. Mercury executives, including Jake Dilemani, helped set up Cuomo’s mayoral campaign, and Cuomo has continued to lead in primary polling. Mercury’s Jan Feuerstadt has been handling a mix of Albany clients and pitched in to run the Unmask Hate campaign, which led to mask provisions being included in the budget. King was Cuomo’s regional director at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, his running mate during an unsuccessful 2002 gubernatorial campaign and executive director of the state Democratic Party early in Cuomo’s governorship.
41. Robert DeSalvio
Robert DeSalvio hopes lady luck is on his side when the state Gaming Commission evaluates bids before awarding up to three new downstate casino licenses at the end of the year. After investing $3 billion into Resorts World properties, the Genting Americas East president helped develop a $5 billion proposal that would expand its Queens racino to include a 350,000-square-foot gambling hall, a 7,000-seat entertainment venue, a 1,600-room hotel and a park. The company also proposed a $50 million investment in the Genting Innovation Campus, a Kenny “The Jet” Smith basketball academy and a Queens STEAM Institute as well as 50,000 units of workforce housing citywide.
42. Harold Iselin & Samir NeJame
Harold Iselin and Samir NeJame run Albany’s preeminent full-service legal practice, with attorneys and lobbyists who can manage advocacy campaigns to get legislation passed, help political hopefuls comply with campaign finance laws or delve into regulatory complexities of health care, environmental and energy laws. Among Iselin’s recent accomplishments is helping the New York Health Plan Association navigate legislative and regulatory challenges and advising the College of Saint Rose on the creation of a public authority to purchase and repurpose the college’s campus. Iselin also consulted with The New Jewish Home on major transactions. NeJame is playing a role in a number of issues statewide, including by serving on the 2026 New York/New Jersey Host Committee for FIFA to bring the World Cup to the New York City metropolitan area. In his hometown of Syracuse, NeJame counseled Micron in negotiating with state and federal officials on the creation of an up to $100 billion microchip plant in Central New York. He also provided counsel to the Real Estate Board of New York on the development of state housing policy.
43. Pat Kane & Nancy Hagans
Four years ago, Pat Kane and Nancy Hagans mobilized health care workers to get state lawmakers to pass increased staffing standards for hospitals and nursing homes. But they encountered resistance from hospitals like NewYork-Presbyterian, which fired a union organizer and challenged a judge’s arbitration ruling in federal court; Northwell Health/South Shore University Hospital, where nurses have rallied for improved staffing levels; and Albany Medical Center, where nurses have decried staffing levels and worked without a contract since August. Lawmakers are now weighing in on the dispute between nurses and management.
44. Shontell Smith
After serving as a top legal adviser to state Senate Democrats for nearly 14 years, Shontell Smith joined Tusk Strategies in 2022 as an executive vice president to give the government relations firm more sway in Albany. Smith was soon promoted to Tusk’s head of practice, a role in which she assisted Mets owner Steve Cohen in his successful effort to get the state Senate to pass a parkland alienation bill he needs for his casino proposal. This year, Smith added a new title of political director for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s New York City mayoral campaign; Cuomo has maintained his status as the front-runner.
45. Suri Kasirer & Julie Greenberg
Suri Kasirer has built her eponymous government affairs firm into New York City’s top lobbying shop and a powerhouse statewide. Alongside her executive vice president, Julie Greenberg, Kasirer and her firm have assisted a bevy of real estate and nonprofit clients, helping to shape the future of New York. This year, Kasirer was a key driver behind state budget funding for the NYC Small Business Resource Network, which will allow the five borough chambers of commerce to continue one-on-one technical assistance to local businesses. The lobbying firm has been behind a number of top real estate projects, including the 5 Times Square office-to-residential conversion.
46. Jon Silvan & Jefrey Pollock
When Kathy Hochul became governor, she quickly moved to put her own stamp on the state and installed a new team – but she retained Global Strategy Group, founded by Jefrey Pollock and Jon Silvan. Since 1995, the pair has built Global Strategy Group into one of the nation’s top polling, communications and public affairs firms. The firm’s client list is a who’s who of New York Democrats, including U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Reps. Pat Ryan, George Latimer and Paul Tonko. Pollock helped to steer Ryan to a healthy victory in a battleground district last year, including outperforming Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket. The firm has also worked for a number of key organizations, including the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Everytown for Gun Safety, AFSCME, MGM Resorts, TalkSpace and Bloomberg Philanthropies.
47. Donato Bianco
After rising through the ranks of Local 271 in Rhode Island, Donato Bianco became Laborers’ International Union of North America’s vice president and New England regional manager in 2023. An affiliate of the AFL-CIO, LIUNA represents half a million members, including 40,000 in New York, who help build the state’s roads, bridges, schools and airports as well as lay sewer lines and remove asbestos. This spring, Bianco’s union endorsed former Gov. Andrew Cuomo for New York City mayor, citing his experience managing some of the state’s largest infrastructure projects over the past decade. Bianco was a driving force behind the passage of the Roadway Excavation Quality Assurance Act in 2023.
48. Carolyn Kerr
After serving as vice president of government affairs at UnitedHealth Group in New York for four years, Carolyn Kerr in 2024 joined Brown & Weinraub, where she manages Albany’s top-ranked lobbying firm’s health care practice. Kerr, who also served in former Gov. George Pataki’s office for three years and as a congressional staffer, has been invaluable in tracking the state’s Medicaid spending and health care funding, health information technology and reform initiatives for her clients. Last year, Brown & Weinraub reported a whopping $22.1 million in compensation.
49. Rick Ostroff & Diana Ostroff
Since launching his government relations shop with a single client back in 1995, Rick Ostroff has built it into a go-to consulting firm providing budget advocacy, lobbying and procurement services for Capital Region clients and beyond. Rick and his wife, Diana Ostroff, have advised a mix of Fortune 50 companies, including Tesla, Siemens and Salesforce, as well as a number of trade associations, labor unions, utilities, pharmaceutical companies and universities.
50. Neal Kwatra
Veteran consultant Neal Kwatra often takes on clients with tough obstacles to overcome, and he keeps quietly delivering. Kwatra, who launched Metropolitan Public Strategies in 2013, recently helped Riders Alliance keep New York City’s congestion pricing program in place and has advised Resorts World in Queens and Bally’s in the Bronx as each company seeks one of three lucrative downstate casino licenses. He has also worked with offshore wind clients, helped raise the statewide minimum wage and paved the way for increased investment in affordable housing in New York.
51. Sean Doolan
Sean Doolan has made Hinman Straub one of the top places to work in the Albany region, where employees tend to stay for decades. A partner at the Albany firm since 1987, Doolan has provided legal, legislative and regulatory representation for a range of clients in the health care, insurance, energy, telecommunications and technology industries. Doolan prefers to operate behind the scenes, a trait valued by his clients, and has used his deep expertise to provide solid advice and insights to his clients and lawmakers alike. He has frequently served as a lead negotiator on budget and legislative issues for his clients across the health care sector.
52. Camille Joseph-Goldman
Camille Joseph-Goldman has spent nearly a decade at Charter Communications, a leading telecommunications company operating in New York and 40 other states. Joseph-Goldman, who serves as group vice president at Charter, brings plenty of political experience to her work, having served under U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and as a New York City deputy comptroller. Charter is a major player in Albany, spending over a million dollars on state lobbying in 2024, and it is poised to increase its national footprint in a planned merger with Cox Communications, pending federal approval.
53. Patrick B. Jenkins
Patrick B. Jenkins has built a powerhouse lobbying firm whose impact is felt from Queens to Albany. The longtime Queens political operative helped pass Sammy’s Law, a pedestrian safety initiative allowing New York City to lower its speed limit to 20 mph. This year, he teamed up with restaurant workers to launch the One Fair Wage campaign that would end the two-tiered wage system and require a higher base pay for tipped workers. Jenkins, a close ally of Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, has advised Resorts World New York City on its proposal for a full downstate casino license.
54. Dennis Trainor
Dennis Trainor has secured several victories for his 145,000 members spread throughout the Northeast. Last year, the CWA leader got the state Legislature to pass new protections for call center workers when their jobs are outsourced. He supported fellow CWA worker Chris Ryan, who won his state Senate campaign in Central New York by a razor-thin margin last year. Then Trainor mobilized New York Times tech workers to strike in November and helped them reach a tentative three-year contract with the company a month later.
55. Eric Linzer
Eric Linzer joined the New York Health Plan Association in 2018 with a mission of ensuring that New Yorkers receive affordable health care. Linzer is now pushing for fully funding the state’s Medicaid Managed Care Quality Incentive Program and he was a key player behind the passage of state legislation to provide early warning of prescription drug price hikes of 16% or more. Next up on Linzer’s plate: Dealing with President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” which contains major Medicaid cuts.
56. Jay Jacobs
After a closer-than-expected gubernatorial race in 2022, Jay Jacobs wanted to give Democrats a better chance at taking back the House. So the state party leader hired 80 staffers and opened 35 campaign offices in seven congressional districts last summer in a $5 million coordinated campaign. Democratic leaders agreed with his approach, reelecting Jacobs to a sixth term in September. Democrats ultimately flipped three seats in November, narrowing the gap in Washington, D.C., for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Now Jacobs is focused on defending Gov. Kathy Hochul from rivals inside and outside her party.
57. Bea Grause
Bea Grause has been calling for wholesale changes to the state’s health care system since the Healthcare Association of New York State released a report last year highlighting the concurrent risks of an aging population, a shortage of health care workers, rising costs of insurance and persistent disparities. The health care leader urged state policymakers to address these challenges beyond an increase in funding. Among Grause’s policy wins were increased Medicaid investments for the state’s hospitals and nursing homes, increased support for distressed hospitals and addressing workforce shortages.
58. Anthony Carone, Onida Coward Mayers & Jeff Lewis
When Frank Carone launched Oaktree Solutions two years ago, he didn’t rely solely on the many connections he had cultivated in New York government to ensure its success. He also recruited an impressive roster of experienced executives to join his public affairs and venture consulting firm, including Jeff Lewis, a former chief of staff to Gov. Kathy Hochul. Lewis, who first worked for Hochul as an intern back when she was Erie County clerk and was also on her congressional staff, joined the firm in 2024. Onida Coward Mayers also came aboard in 2024 as chief government affairs officer, after stints at the MirRam Group and the New York City Campaign Finance Board. The firm’s CEO is Anthony Carone, Frank’s brother, who is also an attorney and a partner at the law firm Abrams Fensterman.
59. Mike Elmendorf
Mike Elmendorf wasn’t thrilled that the Trump administration put a 25% tariff on Canadian and Mexican goods earlier this year. The trade association leader argued that higher lumber and gypsum prices and the volatility of the tariffs would raise housing costs and ultimately lead to fewer housing projects while New York is experiencing a severe housing crisis. Elmendorf also pressed lawmakers to add $800 million in the state budget for transportation infrastructure investments to ensure bridges remain sound.
60. Kenny Burgos
Kenny Burgos left the state Legislature last summer to run the New York Apartment Association, a new landlord advocacy group created when the Community Housing Improvement Program and the Rent Stabilization Association merged last year. While prohibited from lobbying his former colleagues for two years, Burgos has been making a mark. In New York City, the association helped get the City of Yes zoning overhaul passed late last year. On the state level, Burgos supported the creation of a state Housing Access Voucher Program, which Gov. Kathy Hochul added to the budget this year.
61. Maury Litwack
Maury Litwack founded Teach Coalition in 2013 to organize religious schools and advocate for more funding. Recently, Litwack transitioned to doing more political work, founding Jewish Voters Unite and the Jewish Voters Action Network to boost Jewish voter turnout. He mobilized Jewish voters to help Rep. George Latimer topple incumbent Jamaal Bowman in a high-profile Democratic primary. Litwack has since been inundated with requests to replicate his efforts in other states and launched a $7 million get-out-the-vote campaign to influence a dozen New York City Council races in this year’s primaries.
62. Steve Malito
For more than 25 years, Steve Malito has managed Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP’s esteemed state government relations team that steers clients through the state budget process and helps pass significant legislation. Malito has represented a mix of corporate and nonprofit clients, including Warner Bros. Discovery and the Metropolitan Package Store Association. He leads the firm’s fast-growing cannabis group, which has helped small-business entrepreneurs. Malito and his team secured increased state aid for a school for students with severe physical disabilities and to boost pay for assigned counsels and automobile technicians.
63. Lisa Marrello, David Poleto & Gregory Serio
Park Strategies is fortunate to have the talents of Lisa Marrello, David Poleto and Gregory Serio making up its formidable state government team. Marrello joined in 2019 after serving as a managing partner for the old lobbying powerhouse Wilson Elser for nearly 18 years and serving as an attorney with the D’Amato Law Group. Poleto, who heads Park Strategies’ hospitality practice and helps clients engage with the state Liquor Authority, came aboard in 2003 after a stint in the Pataki administration. Serio, one of the state’s top insurance and risk management experts, served as state superintendent of insurance before becoming Park Strategies’ managing director in 2005.
64. Mike O’Leary
Mike O’Leary joined Albany Strategic Advisors in 2013 after serving as a deputy counsel for the state Senate Democrats and as an assistant state comptroller for intergovernmental and community affairs. The Albany Law School graduate has specialized in working with clients in such sectors as education, insurance, economic development, gambling, entertainment and tourism, including with 92Y, AlticeUSA, Bally’s, Genting New York, Lyft and Madison Square Garden. O’Leary ascended to become the firm’s president in September.
65. Michael Avella & Christina Dickinson
Michael Avella and Christina Dickinson formed a business partnership in 2009 and have since broadened their client base to include a mix of multinational corporations, tech startups and nonprofits, including Delaware North, the Orthodox Union, Nassau County and the New York Mets. Avella, Dickinson and their staff have been at the forefront of advancing same-sex marriage, cannabis legalization, an overhaul of the state’s voting policies and expanding the state Film Tax Credit Program, which has expanded this economic sector statewide.
66. Jack O’Donnell
Jack O’Donnell has had his finger on the political pulse of Western New York for 25 years, but his reach is statewide. After getting his start under U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, O’Donnell founded his firm in 2001 and established it as a leader in economic development, fintech and cultural institutions. O’Donnell lobbied for a state Office of Gun Violence Prevention and passage of the bell-to-bell cellphone ban in schools. O’Donnell also secured state funding for the town of Tonawanda, the American Museum of Natural History and the University at Buffalo.
67. Beth Finkel
When Beth Finkel talks, Albany listens. The influential AARP leader advocates for New York’s older adult population, which is predicted to grow by 25% over the next two decades. Finkel launched Disrupt Disparities, the first holistic approach to addressing inequities in the population over the age of 50, which is now a national AARP program. She also co-created the state’s Medicare Savings Program Task Force. This year, she has praised Gov. Kathy Hochul’s affordability initiatives for the senior population and pushed for additional funding to reduce waitlists for senior meals, transportation and personal care services.
68. Matt Cohen
Matt Cohen has built a career out of being an advocate for Long Island. As president and CEO of the Long Island Association, Cohen has fought for more state investments in the Long Island Rail Road, encouraged voters to support water and sewage treatment infrastructure upgrades through a Suffolk County bond act that ultimately passed last year, and defended offshore wind and solar projects on the East End. This year, Cohen asked Congress to repeal the cap on state and local taxes in addition to criticizing new tariffs on lumber, which could hinder the region’s homebuilding industry.
69. Katrell Lewis
Katrell Lewis’ support for the development of affordable housing with Habitat for Humanity’s downstate chapter helped prepare him for his government relations work at Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, a lobbying and communications firm affiliated with the law firm Cozen O’Connor. He has paved the way for hundreds of new homes, securing $400 million in funding from the state and championing policies to reform the state affordable homeownership program. Lewis also has secured funding for nonprofits including the Harlem YMCA and the Brooklyn United marching band.
70. Michael McKeon & Rachel Noerdlinger
Michael McKeon and Rachel Noerdlinger left Mercury three years ago to launch Actum’s growing New York government affairs practice. Both have helped manage some of the biggest stories in the news cycle. McKeon, a public affairs veteran who advised then-Gov. George Pataki, is one of Mets owner Steve Cohen’s consultants in his bid for a downstate casino license. McKeon also built up Actum’s union practice and secured state funding for dune replenishment on Fire Island. Noerdlinger advised the Rev. Al Sharpton when he met with Gov. Kathy Hochul and other leaders to determine whether to remove New York City Mayor Eric Adams from office. She is the co-founder of the Health Equity in Transplantation Coalition, which last year got the federal government to restore cuts to Medicare related to funding lifesaving blood tests.
71. Anthony “Skip” Piscitelli
Few Albany stalwarts have as much experience prowling the halls of state Capitol as Anthony “Skip” Piscitelli. After a long stint as director of legislative affairs in the Giuliani and Bloomberg administrations, Piscitelli served as senior counsel to the state Senate majority leader in 2015. At CMW Strategies (formerly Connelly McLaughlin & Woloz), Piscitelli has advised a range of clients, including the Hotel Association of New York City and championed the state’s landmark retail theft legislation and historic state funding for Hudson Valley Shakespeare.
72. John Cordo
For more than two decades, John Cordo has dispensed political advice to clients and shaped public policy. Since founding Cordo & Company in 2007, Cordo has helped Genting New York win a bid to open a racino in Southeast Queens, assisted with the Amerigroup and HealthPlus merger and fought with 1199SEIU for a living wage for home care workers. This year, Cordo joined a team of Albany veterans to run a super PAC supporting former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s mayoral campaign and helped secure the health care worker union’s endorsement.
73. Christopher Duryea
Christopher Duryea found a home as managing partner at Statewide Public Affairs in 2013 after several years at Marsh, Duryea & Associates and at the Cable Telecommunications Association of New York. Over the past decade, he has built Statewide into one of Albany’s go-to lobbying firms. The firm recently created a new practice in the Hudson Valley and Westchester County, which is led by Senior Vice President Kelly MacMillan-Akram, a former senior official at Empire State Development.
74. Tommy Meara
After serving for more than a decade in top leadership roles at Kivvit and then at Avoq – which was created through Kivvit’s merger with Subject Matter – Tommy Meara rejoined his old colleague Maggie Moran a few months after she founded Moxie Strategies last year. Meara’s win list includes leading communications to oppose a state constitutional convention, developing and implementing earned media strategy to pass comprehensive criminal justice reform, and guiding strategy and media for a campaign to bail women and children out of Rikers Island.
75. Morgan Hook
After leading SKDKnickerbocker’s state government team for more than 13 years, Morgan Hook joined forces with Peter Kauffmann’s Bluejacket Strategies to launch a new Albany office in March. The veteran public affairs strategist has helped dozens of Democratic candidates win higher office in battleground districts throughout upstate and the Hudson Valley. A former communications chief for SUNY and then-Gov. David Paterson, Hook helped secure an additional $90 million for Empire AI in the state budget and oversees communications for the consortium running Empire AI.
76. Alexis Grenell
Few people in and around state government can write effortlessly and dispense political advice as incisively as Alexis Grenell. The Pythia co-founder has led a myriad of issue-based campaigns regarding gender equality and climate change. She has also helped pass laws that allowed sexual abuse survivors to seek justice, granted a moratorium on cryptomining and established New York City’s ranked choice voting system. She has also pushed for legislation to protect children from social media algorithms and reducing plastics and also played a key role in establishing the Sexual Harassment Working Group.
77. Bruce Blakeman, Mike Lawler & Elise Stefanik
We’re not past competitive mayoral races in New York City and Buffalo, but Albany’s eyes are already looking at the race for governor next year – and three Republicans are laying the groundwork to try to take on Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, who had a relatively narrow reelection win over Republican Lee Zeldin in 2022.
Rep. Elise Stefanik was in line to move into the United Nations ambassador’s Manhattan penthouse, but the Executive Mansion could be a suitable alternative for the North Country Republican. Since President Donald Trump pulled her nomination, Stefanik has been making her case for the governorship. Early polling has Stefanik in a commanding lead for the Republican nomination and competitive with Hochul. Stefanik has announced plans for a statewide listening and speaking tour while describing Hochul as the country’s “worst governor.”
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has been staking out the MAGA lane on Long Island seemingly in an effort to set himself up for a gubernatorial bid. Blakeman’s record in Nassau County includes a face mask ban, a prohibition on transgender athletes from partaking in women’s sports at county facilities and authorizing local law enforcement to participate in immigration enforcement. He’s also declared Nassau County the “most patriotic” county in America.
Rep. Mike Lawler is omnipresent even by New York political standards, and the moderate Republican has been increasingly focused on state issues. But Trump has hindered the Hudson Valley lawmaker’s gubernatorial ambitions by endorsing him for reelection. Trump is not the only one who wants Lawler to seek reelection in his swing district, as House Speaker Mike Johnson has said he’d like Lawler to stop looking at Albany. If Lawler decides not to seek the governorship, seven Democrats have already announced congressional campaigns in his swing district.
78. Antonio Delgado & Ritchie Torres
Governors and lieutenant governors are not in it to make a buddy comedy, but Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado’s icy split with Gov. Kathy Hochul is bringing back the 1990s drama of then-Gov. George Pataki’s dysfunctional and failed partnership with his No. 2, Betsy McCaughey. Delgado, a former member of Congress, has been distancing himself from Hochul, who banished him from the Capitol’s third floor, stripping him of staff and all but his constitutional and statutory duties. This month, Delgado announced plans to challenge Hochul for governor next year.
Delgado may not be the only Democrat to jump into a primary against Hochul. Rep. Ritchie Torres, a Bronx lawmaker, has also been openly mulling a bid – and seizing on opportunities to criticize Hochul. Torres has blasted the governor on public safety, her decision to temporarily pause congestion pricing only to reverse it in November, as well as over lost revenue due to fare evasion. However, despite Hochul’s lackluster approval ratings, she is far ahead of Delgado and Torres in early polling, due in part to her much higher name recognition.
79. Tonio Burgos & Kristen Walsh
A longtime fixture in New York and New Jersey politics, Tonio Burgos has provided strategic insight and government consulting services for a long list of tristate area companies. Burgos stepped back from his 30-year tenure as a Democratic National Committeeman from New Jersey last year, but he is still advising political heavyweights and served as an intermediary for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s New York City mayoral campaign this year. Kristen Walsh, who joined Burgos in 2014 after stints with U.S. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Hillary Rodham Clinton, and the entire team were focused on a number of client budget needs this year, including funding financially distressed hospitals, preserving the independent dispute resolution process for Medicaid managed care plans and fully funding the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s capital plan.
80. Clare Cusack
For over a dozen years, Clare Cusack has guided the New York banking industry’s interests through periods of turbulence, from the rise of cryptocurrency markets to unpredictable tariff hikes. Cusack has opposed calls for a public bank in the state, supported an appeal in the state attorney general’s lawsuit involving wire transfers and defended overdraft fees as Gov. Kathy Hochul has sought to cap them for state-chartered banks. The New York Bankers Association represents financial institutions large and small, and its members collectively employ 200,000 New Yorkers and have $2 trillion in deposits.
81. Ed Cox
Ed Cox’s first stint leading New York Republicans had many downturns, but now the party is seeing its best performances in decades. Cox returned as party chair in 2023 after Republicans unexpectedly won 11 congressional seats in 2022 and immediately vowed to put the party “on the offensive.” Cox has since helped Republicans gain ground in Albany, defended Rep. Mike Lawler’s seat and saw President Donald Trump close the gap in the state. With an eye on 2026, Cox could have a competitive gubernatorial primary on his hands.
82. Sabrina Rezzy
The New York State Trial Lawyers Association is a heavyweight in Albany, shaping legislation on plaintiffs’ rights – and clocking in as a top state lobbying spender. A current priority for NYSTLA is the Grieving Families Act, which would strengthen the state’s wrongful death statute but has been repeatedly vetoed by the governor. Sabrina Rezzy came on as NYSTLA’s director of communications two years ago, after stints at George Arzt Communications and as an aide to Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, the Brooklyn Democratic Party boss. NYSTLA’s annual Law Day Gala this year featured state Chief Judge Rowan Wilson and U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff of California.
83. Chris Bombardier
Chris Bombardier started out as a state legislative staffer and then as a lobbyist at some of the state’s top shops before striking out on his own and founding Catalyst Government Relations in 2021. He has advised multinational conglomerates, global tech companies and startups in navigating Albany’s complex legislative and regulatory processes. Catalyst’s clients have included Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Honeywell and Churchill Downs, along with a number of trade associations.
84. Jessica Ottney-Mahar
Jessica Ottney-Mahar is making sure New York recognizes the urgency of environmental policy. She has led the Nature Conservancy in developing diverse coalitions to pass major initiatives, including a measure to generate billions of dollars for clean water and conservation in Suffolk County and the 2022 Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act. Ottney-Mahar praised Gov. Kathy Hochul’s environmental budget proposals but urged Hochul to expedite the cap-and-invest program to reduce carbon emissions, which she delayed in January.
85. Melissa Fleischut
The New York State Restaurant Association notched a couple big wins last year. Lawmakers passed a five-year extension of the pandemic-era drinks-to-go law as well as the Restaurant Reservation Anti-Piracy Act, a first-in-the-nation measure that prohibits unauthorized reservation postings. The trade association, which has been led by Melissa Fleischut since 2013, also joined other business groups this year to advocate successfully for funding in the state budget to pay off unemployment insurance debt. Fleischut also serves on the board of the Council of State Restaurant Associations.
86. Daniel Ortega
Daniel Ortega has sought to ensure natural gas remains in the conversation as New York shifts away from using fossil fuels in the future. Last year, he became executive director of New Yorkers for Affordable Energy, a pro-natural gas coalition, after serving as its interim head. He has clashed with environmental advocates over the costs of using renewable energy and presided over a 20% growth in membership, an inaugural Affordable Energy Conference and creation of a PAC. The organization opposed the NY HEAT Act, which was recently pulled by sponsors and replaced with the revised and rebranded Customer Savings and Reliability Act.
87. Crystal McQueen-Taylor
Crystal McQueen-Taylor had always wanted to improve New York City’s public schools, which she attended as a child and returned to as a teacher after graduating from college. She joined StudentsFirstNY in 2020 and rose to lead the charter-friendly organization two years later. McQueen-Taylor has lobbied state legislators to lift the regional cap on the number of New York City charters, potentially allowing the state to issue 84 new ones, and to provide rental assistance for 8,600 Bronx students enrolled in charter schools.
88. Susan Arbetter
The Albany press corps has suffered from a wave of retirements in recent years, but Susan Arbetter has the institutional knowledge and easy charm to draw revealing insights from the state’s top leaders. Arbetter makes the state’s opaque budget negotiations and legislation making process more transparent, though her recent interviews with political stakeholders on the outer edges of power are even more illuminating. She has provided a platform for discussing mental health care, everyday ways to reduce air pollution and the future of Albany cultural institutions.
89. Cea Weaver
After years of lobbying, Cea Weaver got legislators to include “good cause” eviction in the state budget last year. However, the measure contained carve-outs for landlords and primarily covered New York City properties, so Weaver is mobilizing upstate municipalities to opt into the new protections. So far, 15 upstate cities have adopted the measure. In January, she and other organizers launched the New York State Tenant Bloc to support tenant-friendly candidates who want to limit rent increases and neutralize the real estate lobby’s campaign spending.
90. Kelly Ryan
This is shaping up to be a dramatic year for the pharmaceutical industry and Kelly Ryan has been on top of it. Since joining PhRMA in 2017, Ryan has served as the industry association’s national state policy lead on Medicaid, new therapies and private insurance issues. She has been following how proposed federal Medicaid reductions will affect New York’s health care spending in addition to keeping track of President Donald Trump’s drug price cuts executive order. PhRMA recently welcomed AstraZeneca to its lobby group.
91. Vicki Been
Vicki Been’s reading list for this summer is about to get a lot longer. One year ago, the New York University law professor was appointed chair of the board that will award up to three downstate casino licenses by the end of this year. Been and her colleagues will be sifting through hundreds of pages of proposals from a number of bids starting June 27. The field in the closely watched competition is beginning to thin after the Related Companies ended its Hudson Yards bid in the face of community opposition.
92. Tom Stebbins
For three years, lawmakers have passed the Grieving Families Act, which would update the state’s wrongful death statute to allow for compensation based on grief and anguish, not just economic loss. Tom Stebbins’ Lawsuit Reform Alliance of New York has opposed the bill as a bid “to exploit tragedy for profit” and applauded Gov. Kathy Hochul for vetoing it again last year. Stebbins’ organization, which aims to reduce “lawsuit abuse,” also opposes state Attorney General Letitia James’ FAIR Business Practices Act, arguing that the consumer protection measure would expose small businesses to frivolous litigation.
93. Ryan Delgado
In a time of transition and uncertainty in the energy sector, Ryan Delgado is capitalizing on his connections to New York public officials on behalf of the electricity and natural gas company National Grid. Delgado, who joined National Grid in January, emphasizes the importance of reliable, accessible energy in order to spur economic growth and has advocated for legislation on decarbonization, reliability and affordability. He previously handled government, communications and public affairs at the New York State AFL-CIO and other labor unions.
94. William Floyd
The average New Yorker might need a search engine to figure out who William Floyd is, but the Google official is well-known within the world of government relations. The veteran government relations consultant has been with Google for well over a decade, and now is a point person on U.S. state and local policy for the tech giant. He influences legislation on artificial intelligence, protecting children online and cybersecurity, while forging community and government partnerships, such as an AI pilot program to detect track defects with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
95. Todd Shapiro
Todd Shapiro is always the life of the party – especially if it’s being held at his restaurant, the Albany War Room Tavern. The gregarious publicist celebrated 30 years in the public relations business with four different festivities, including one with 200 people at his tavern’s cigar lounge hosted by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Shapiro waded into Texas politics by sending a cease-and-desist letter to Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick for having the audacity to rename the New York strip steak.
96. Jeffrey B. Schwartz
In August, Jeffrey B. Schwartz celebrated the launch of a new 5,300-square-foot office for Phillips Lytle on 3 Winners Circle in Albany’s fast-growing business corridor. Schwartz, who has served as the firm’s Albany head since 2021 and will be celebrating 20 years there next year, was thrilled with the move to a more modern office. He has sought to hire more attorneys and is focused on keeping the Capital Region’s economy humming. A specialist in working with entrepreneur clients, Schwartz also serves as a lateral recruitment partner for the firm.
97. Sydney Altfield
Sydney Altfield is going national, but that doesn’t mean she’s stepping away from New York state politics. This spring, Altfield was promoted to be the national director of Teach Coalition, a $10 million organization that advocates for government funding for yeshivas in New York and other states. Altfield had previously spent seven years heading up the New York division of the Orthodox Union-based organization, and she succeeded Maury Litwack in her new role. She recently secured additional funding for security, STEM programs and free school meals in the latest state budget.
98. Ryan Silva
High-end manufacturing faces an uncertain future in New York, but Ryan Silva has vowed to defend it. The experienced economic development leader joined U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in April to oppose federal cuts to the state’s manufacturing extension partnership centers, which Silva noted helped create or retain 6,500 jobs and generated $200 million in economic activity. Silva worked with a national coalition to pass the federal Onshore Act, which will provide federal funding for site development and successfully advocated for the reappropriation of funding for FAST NY, the PowerUp Program and Restore New York funds.
99. David Lombardo
David Lombardo settled into the host seat of “The Capitol Pressroom” radio show in 2019, putting him in position to hold Albany’s elite accountable to his listeners. Lombardo, who fell in love with state politics as a Legislative Gazette intern, went on to work at The Daily Gazette, StateWatch and the Times Union, with stops at the Empire Center and in the Assembly along the way. Lombardo brings a quirky voice to the daily public radio show, digging into overlooked details of state policymaking. He also hosts the weekly “Dispatches from Planet Albany” podcast.
100. Katie Bender & Lauren Keating
Republicans had a strong performance in 2024, with President Donald Trump making gains across New York and the party winning the U.S. Senate and holding on to the House of Representatives. But in the Assembly, Democrats expanded their ranks, winning two open seats and flipping a Republican seat on their way to expanding their supermajority. Much of the credit for the strong Election Day outcome goes to Katie Bender and Lauren Keating, who quietly run the Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee.
Correction: This post has been updated with the correct dollar amount of the state's $34.3 billion capital plan. This post has also been updated to clarify Mercury's role in helping to launch Andrew Cuomo's mayoral campaign, but not a pro-Cuomo super PAC.
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