Power Lists
The 2025 Brooklyn Power 100
Power brokers in New York City’s center of power
City & State presents the 2025 Brooklyn Power 100. Steven Ferdman/Getty Images
A lot has changed since New York City Mayor Eric Adams declared himself the “Biden of Brooklyn” in early 2022. Joe Biden dropped his reelection bid last year and was succeeded by Donald Trump, who didn’t dominate the Democratic stronghold but made inroads in key neighborhoods. Facing federal corruption charges, Adams distanced himself from Biden and aligned himself with Trump. The two Brooklynites who lead the Democrat conferences in Congress saw their clout diminished in Washington, D.C. This year’s mayoral primary and other election clashes are reshaping the local power structure as well.
The Brooklyn Power 100, which was researched and written by journalist Lon Cohen in partnership with City & State, documents the borough’s reshuffled political hierarchy. The mayoralty, held by a Brooklyn politician for over a decade, could be seized by a contender from another corner of the city. Another high-profile contest is underway for three downstate casino licenses, and the Coney Island bid is in the mix. Meanwhile, a number of local leaders have taken on important new roles, including taking charge at Green-Wood Cemetery, the city’s health department and the NAACP in New York.
We’re pleased to present the 2025 Brooklyn Power 100.
1. Letitia James
Brooklyn’s top Democrats have had mixed results in their approach to President Donald Trump, whether it’s congressional leaders who have struggled to get on the same page or a mayor who may be indebted to the White House for killing his corruption case. Yet one borough standout is state Attorney General Letitia James, who’s leading multistate challenges to federal actions targeting immigrants and slashing disaster, education and transit funding. James, whose takedown of Trump’s business organization made national headlines, now faces a federal investigation over alleged mortgage misrepresentations, which she claims are politically motivated. Meanwhile, James’ backing of New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams in the New York City mayoral race wasn’t enough to secure a Democratic primary victory.
2. Eric Adams
Four years ago, New York City Mayor Eric Adams saw himself as the future of the Democratic Party. These days, his only chance at winning a second term is through a long-shot independent bid. It’s been a roller coaster ride for the former Brooklyn borough president, who was indicted on corruption charges that were eventually dropped by appointees of President Donald Trump. Of course, Adams is still in charge at City Hall, at least until the end of the year. He recently saw the governor secure some of his priorities in the latest state budget, and he claimed that his proposed city spending plan would be the “best budget ever.”
3. Hakeem Jeffries
When Donald Trump won a second term in the White House last fall, many Democrats looked to Rep. Hakeem Jeffries as their leader and defender in Washington, D.C. Yet Jeffries has taken a cautious approach and struggled to develop a consistent response amid internal disagreements over how hard to hit back against Trump – even as the anti-Trump “Fighting Oligarchy” tour by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has energized the party. Lately, Jeffries has called on lawmakers to step up their attacks on the White House and has criticized the president’s proposed budget – an argument that he hopes will give his conference the majority in the midterms.
4. Chuck Schumer
What a difference a year makes. After November losses, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer has found himself between a rock and a hard place as minority leader, trying to mount a cohesive defense in the Republican-led Congress even after he advanced a GOP bill in March that avoided a government shutdown – which earned him widespread criticism. He even postponed his book tour because of potential security concerns. Schumer recently called deep cuts in the Trump-proposed federal budget a “slap in the face” for New Yorkers.
5. Eric Gonzalez
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez’s brand of pragmatism has helped him sidestep the national backlash that unseated other progressive prosecutors and made Brooklyn measurably safer. The borough’s first Latino prosecutor touted a record drop in shootings in 2024 while expanding a conviction review unit that has exonerated 40 people. His office also launched a cybercrime unit targeting cryptocurrency scams in immigrant communities and developed charging policies to protect legal residents from deportation. A career prosecutor and East New York native, Gonzalez is running unopposed in 2025.
6. Jumaane Williams
In June, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams fended off a primary challenge from Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar, whose close alliance with Mayor Eric Adams didn’t propel her to victory. For a few weeks earlier this year, it looked like Williams might be installed as acting mayor following the federal government’s stunning move to drop a corruption case against the mayor, although Gov. Kathy Hochul ultimately decided against removing Adams. Williams, who faces only token opposition in November, endorsed New York City Comptroller Brad Lander and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams in the Democratic mayoral primary, neither of whom won.
7. Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn
Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn secured a third term as Brooklyn’s Democratic boss in September, even as intraparty tensions persisted between moderates and progressives. In 2025, she backed the more moderate Sabrina Gates in an unsuccessful challenge to New York City Council Member Lincoln Restler, deepening that divide. She abandoned New York City Mayor Eric Adams, endorsing former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the primary and then backed Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani after his win. The first Haitian American woman elected in New York City, she remains a fierce voice for her community. In May, she helped pass a resolution recognizing Haitian Heritage Month statewide.
8. Jabari Brisport, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Zellnor Myrie, Kevin Parker, Roxanne Persaud, Julia Salazar, Jessica Scarcella-Spanton & Sam Sutton
State Senate Budget and Revenue Committee Chair Andrew Gounardes passed legislation this session that holds artificial intelligence developers accountable for potential threats like cyberattacks or deploying bioweapons. He also passed legislation increasing social media safeguards for children and quadrupling the number of red light cameras citywide.
State Sen. Zellnor Myrie’s mayoral bid gained little traction in New York City, but he has seen his power grow in Albany. Now chair of the powerful Codes Committee, he has renewed calls for the codifying of the state’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention and has been pushing for more after-school programs.
Crime Victims, Crime and Correction Committee Chair Julia Salazar, who was the first Democratic Socialists of America member elected to the state Legislature, recently advanced legislation through the Senate to expand the three-person state Commission of Correction to nine members to improve oversight.
State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, another DSA member, is the only triborough state senator and the only senator to chair two full committees. Gonzalez picked up the gavel on the Elections Committee this year. The Internet and Technology Committee chair is driving artificial intelligence policy and regulations.
State Senate Children and Families Committee Chair Jabari Brisport is serving the youth of New York. The DSA-backed lawmaker advanced legislation to require the state to provide each foster child with a suitcase and has been pushing for universal child care.
Social Services Committee Chair Roxanne Persaud is a quiet but influential voice in Albany. An ally of state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Persaud helped secure funding for a state diaper bank, SNAP outreach and expanded legal aid.
Energy and Telecommunications Committee Chair Kevin Parker is helping to shape the state’s clean energy future, with a focus on addressing clean energy storage issues and federal clean energy rollbacks. However, he fell short in his run for city comptroller.
Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs Committee Chair Jessica Scarcella-Spanton authored legislation requiring state agencies to have a veterans liaison, expanding veterans’ tuition assistance and improving maternity care for veterans.
State Sen. Sam Sutton won a May special election to fill Simcha Felder’s open state Senate seat after the latter ran for the New York City Council. The moderate Democrat chairs the Administrative Regulations Review Commission.
9. Brad Lander
New York City Comptroller Brad Lander enjoyed key advantages entering the mayoral race: experience as a lawmaker and a manager, a track record of winning citywide and a lack of major scandals or controversies. But the left-leaning policy wonk from Park Slope never caught up with former Gov. Andrew Cuomo or Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani in the Democratic primary, even after establishing himself as a foil to New York City Mayor Eric Adams – and garnering headlines in June for his arrest by federal agents at an immigration court. But Lander played a key role in Mamdani's upset over Cuomo with his cross-endorsement. It’s an open question what Lander will do next after his tenure as comptroller wraps up at the end of the year.
10. Justin Brannan
It was Brooklyn vs. Manhattan, as term-limited New York City Council Finance Committee Chair Justin Brannan lost to Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine in the Democratic primary to succeed Brad Lander as city comptroller. A former punk rocker turned fiscal watchdog, Brannan pitched a five-point small-business plan, a “bad actor” corruption watchlist and a climate-conscious investment strategy for the city’s $300 billion pension fund. The lifelong Brooklynite softened his stance on the Coney Island casino bid in his district, which may have helped him secure backing from the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council. He also snagged endorsements from the Working Families Party, United Auto Workers Region 9A and 32BJ SEIU.
11. Antonio Reynoso
From his childhood in an immigrant family growing up in Section 8 housing in the Los Sures section of Williamsburg to his post at Borough Hall, Borough President Antonio Reynoso is Brooklyn to the bone. His administration steered $45 million, the entirety of his fiscal year 2023 capital budget, into building new maternal health facilities at local hospitals. He created the first borough-specific, large-scale plan in New York City. He publicly called for New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ removal amid scandal. And he’s set to serve another four years after dispatching Khari Edwards again in the Democratic primary.
12. Nydia Velázquez
Rep. Nydia Velázquez, a senior member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, has been outspoken in criticizing the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigrants, both in New York and nationwide. As a member of the Financial Services Committee, she has also pushed back against the White House’s moves against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The lawmaker, whose district straddles Brooklyn and Queens, was born in Puerto Rico, and she remains involved in political affairs on the island territory. She endorsed Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani as her top choice for mayor.
13. Frank Carone
Frank Carone has remained a key behind-the-scenes player in both politics and business since leaving City Hall. He has steered New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ unusual reelection campaign, an independent bid bypassing the Democratic primary. Carone’s firm has advised SL Green’s high-stakes Times Square casino bid, which is still in the mix as others drop out. In November, Carone expanded his reach with the launch of Oaktree Sports Ventures, bringing on former NBA player Jayson Williams to help athletes navigate sponsorships, finances and life after the game.
14. Dan Goldman
As a former assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York and lead counsel in the first impeachment of President Donald Trump, Rep. Dan Goldman tends to make headlines for taking on the president and weighing in on legal and judicial matters. But the lawmaker, who represents parts of lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, is also focused on his constituents. He chairs the Brooklyn Marine Terminal Task Force, working to secure revitalization funds for the terminal, and has advocated for Equinor’s Empire Wind 1 offshore wind project. He endorsed state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, a Brooklynite, for mayor.
15. Robert Carroll, Brian Cunningham, Maritza Davila, Erik Dilan, Simcha Eichenstein, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Latrice Walker & Jaime Williams
In her first session as Mental Health Committee chair, Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon opposed Gov. Kathy Hochul’s expansion of involuntary commitment for people with severe mental health struggles. Simon was in the middle of another legislative battle this year as sponsor of the NY HEAT Act, which was revised and rebranded as the Customer Savings and Reliability Act – but even that did not pass in both chambers.
Assembly Member Latrice Walker, who chairs the Committee on Election Law, opposed changes to her 2019 discovery law that the governor and district attorneys pushed through this year.
Assembly Member Emily Gallagher faced a challenger opposed to a bike-friendly redesign of McGuinness Boulevard last year, but easily won a third term. The DSA-backed lawmaker has been pushing for the creation of a state Social Housing Development Authority and increased prison oversight. She co-endorsed Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani and New York City Comptroller Brad Lander for mayor.
Assembly Member Maritza Davila chairs the Committee on Social Services. The Puerto Rican-born lawmaker previously chaired the Assembly’s Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force.
Assembly Member Erik Dilan fended off a primary challenge from the left in 2022 before easily coasting to victory in 2024. He chairs the Committee on Correction.
Assembly Member Robert Carroll is looking to add some guardrails on sports betting. He introduced legislation this year to impose a $5,000 limit on daily deposits and wagering. He’s also behind a bill to require new cars to alert drivers when they exceed the speed limit by 10 mph.
Assembly Member Brian Cunningham, who has been a proactive legislator since taking office in 2022, has been floated as Gov. Kathy Hochul’s next running mate. Cunningham was an early endorser of New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams for mayor.
Assembly Member Simcha Eichenstein became New York’s first Hasidic state lawmaker when he was elected in 2018. A key representative of Orthodox Jewish communities in Brooklyn and statewide, he spearheaded legislation this year that eases substantial equivalency requirements for yeshivas.
Assembly Member Jaime Williams chairs the Real Property Taxation Committee and the Subcommittee on Emergency Response/Disaster Preparedness, the latter being a top priority for the lawmaker ever since she helped constituents in her coastal district respond to Superstorm Sandy.
16. Jed Walentas
The apple didn’t fall far from the tree as Jed Walentas builds on his father’s original Dumbo vision. As CEO of development firm Two Trees, he has further transformed the neighborhood into a cultural and tech hub while funding assets like Brooklyn Bridge Park and a restored carousel. As the Real Estate Board of New York chair, Walentas is prioritizing sustainability and affordable housing. He’s also driving the adaptive reuse of the landmarked Domino Refinery into an all-electric, 460,000-square-foot office space with living landscapes and panoramic views. Through The David Prize, he awards $1 million annually to New Yorkers working to improve city life.
17. Yvette Clarke
As the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, Rep. Yvette Clarke has been outspoken in condemning the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown and ban on travel from certain countries. Clarke, who represents a Central Brooklyn congressional district, is the ranking member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. She endorsed New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams as her No. 1 choice in the Democratic mayoral primary.
18. David Greenfield
When David Greenfield took the reins of the Met Council in 2017, he was steering it out of scandal and into resurgence. The former New York City Council member has since expanded the organization’s reach, partnering with the UJA-Federation of New York to open a $12.5 million Borough Park hub in late 2024, offering kosher food, legal aid and crisis support in multiple languages. In April, the Met Council’s Passover distribution effort fed over 250,000 people. Greenfield called antisemitism the defining issue of the 2025 mayoral race, comparing its urgency to the role of Black Lives Matter in 2020.
19. Randy Peers
Randy Peers isn’t sleeping on Brooklyn’s small businesses, warning that federal tariffs and rising costs could deal a “final blow” to the borough’s mom-and-pop shops. Under his leadership, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce has spearheaded equity-driven initiatives, expanded international partnerships and backed programs like the Relocation and Employment Assistance Program – known as REAP – which offers tax credits to businesses relocating to the outer boroughs. He also launched the Brooklyn Made Stores, with retail locations at Industry City and the City Point mall. Peers serves on the boards of the New York City Industrial Development Authority and the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership.
20. Nicole Malliotakis
Third-term Rep. Nicole Malliotakis is one of the few Republicans representing New York City, with a district spanning Staten Island and part of southern Brooklyn. On the Ways and Means Committee, she helped craft the “Big Beautiful Bill,” expanding state and local tax deductions as well as senior relief, though critics warn the budget bill would add trillions to the national debt and threaten vital social programs. Breaking with her party, Malliotakis opposed Medicaid cuts and helped reinstate World Trade Center Health Program workers. She also backed the bipartisan infrastructure law, securing funds for projects like the Gowanus Expressway.
21. Alexa Avilés, Jennifer Gutiérrez, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Rita Joseph, Sandy Nurse, Chi Ossé & Lincoln Restler
The New York City Council’s Progressive Caucus is smaller than it once was, but its members retain outsized influence. New York City Council Member Crystal Hudson, who chairs the Committee on Aging and co-chairs the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus, is an early contender for council speaker. She authored legislation creating a direct cash assistance pilot program and last year secured $1.5 million to extend it to 161 expectant mothers in need.
New York City Council Member Rita Joseph, a former teacher, chairs the Education Committee. She has stood up for foster children, backing additional support for foster youths in the school system and introducing legislation last year to ensure they have luggage, instead of trash bags, to carry belongings to a new home.
Committee on Governmental Relations, State and Federal Legislation Chair Lincoln Restler has been a thorn in the side of New York City Mayor Eric Adams. This year, Restler passed legislation barring top city officials from lobbying city agencies for two years after resigning, a measure targeting Adams’ former chief of staff, Frank Carone. Restler recently defeated a primary challenger backed by the Brooklyn Democratic Party.
City Council Member Alexa Avilés chairs the Immigration Committee. She has held oversight hearings on the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs and mounted legal action to keep U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement off of Rikers Island.
City Council Member Sandy Nurse is a co-chair of the Progressive Caucus and she also heads up the Criminal Justice Committee. She has sought to speed up the closure of Rikers Island.
In early 2024, Council Members Shahana Hanif and Chi Ossé lost their committee chairs after voting against the city budget. Despite the demotion, Ossé made deft use of social media to pass legislation cracking down on broker fees – a measure that’s going into effect despite an industry challenge. Hanif, who co-chairs the Progressive Caucus alongside Nurse, also championed Ossé’s tenant-friendly legislation, dubbed the FARE Act. Hanif, the first Muslim woman elected to serve in the City Council, overcame a primary challenge in June amid scrutiny of her support for Palestinians.
In the past year, Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez, who chairs the Technology Committee, passed the Newborn Navigator Act and the Expanding Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities Act.
22. A.R. Bernard
The Rev. A.R. Bernard left a career in banking to lead the 37,000-member Christian Cultural Center, a spiritual anchor in Williamsburg, now with campuses on Long Island, in Florida and Georgia. Bernard was appointed to the mayor’s second Charter Revision Commission in December. In February, he joined fellow faith leaders in urging Gov. Kathy Hochul to resist calls to hastily oust New York City Mayor Eric Adams. In April, Bernard and several real estate partners secured $314 million in construction financing for the Innovative Urban Village, a mixed-use affordable housing development in East New York.
23. Carlo Scissura
A fixture in Brooklyn’s civic and infrastructure scene, Carlo Scissura has championed long-term investment in transit, housing and energy. As leader of a Brooklyn-Queens Expressway expert panel, he once called to “tear it down” entirely, advocating for a tunnel instead. While new plans lean toward rebuilding the existing structure, Scissura helped elevate the debate. He has also seen priorities including congestion pricing, the new 485-x tax incentive and the Gateway Program move forward. On his watch, the New York Building Congress has swelled to over 500 member organizations and 250,000 affiliated workers.
24. Howard Fensterman
Howard Fensterman’s law firm made its Brooklyn presence known when it opened a 23,000-square-foot office at MetroTech and adopted the slogan “We Are Brooklyn Law” in 2016. Under Fensterman’s leadership, the firm grew from 13 lawyers to more than 115, with alumni like Frank Carone and Frank Seddio and a long-standing relationship with the borough’s Democratic organization. Fensterman has urged politicians to work across party lines – like when he brought New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman together over dinner in January.
25. Joseph Nocella
Joseph Nocella was a surprise pick to lead the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, given his relative inexperience. And in the face of U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer’s opposition, Nocella was appointed on an interim basis in May – and will be out of a job after 120 days absent Senate confirmation. For now, the former Long Island judge with deep connections in Nassau County politics leads a prominent federal prosecutor’s office that covers Brooklyn as well as Queens, Richmond and Nassau and Suffolk counties.
26. Juanita Scarlett
Juanita Scarlett’s government affairs experience spans key roles in top New York administrations, serving under former Govs. Mario Cuomo, Eliot Spitzer and Andrew Cuomo. She has been a partner at Bolton-St. Johns, the state’s No. 2 lobbying firm, for over six years. She recently advised a firm behind an artificial intelligence reading tool that New York City considered using. She also served on the Spark Prize Committee supporting Brooklyn nonprofits focused on racial and social justice.
Editor’s note: Juanita Scarlett is a member of City & State’s advisory board.
27. L. Joy Williams
Handpicked by iconic civil rights activist and leader Hazel Dukes before she died, L. Joy Williams took over the top spot at NAACP New York State Conference this year after two decades of grassroots work in Brooklyn. She began her NAACP journey in 2005 during a pivotal reorganization of the Brooklyn branch, eventually rising through its ranks to become its president. A strategist by trade with a commitment to education, she also chairs Higher Heights for America PAC and hosts the award-nominated “Sunday Civics” podcast. This spring, Medgar Evers College honored her with its Trailblazer Award.
28. Jennifer Jones Austin
Jennifer Jones Austin fuses legal expertise, faith and policy to confront structural injustice. For over a decade, the Brooklyn resident has led FPWA, a coalition of 170 faith and community organizations advocating for disenfranchised people. She chaired the New York City Racial Justice Commission, where she spearheaded passage of three proposals to amend the city charter to dismantle structural racism. She’s now a co-chair of the National True Cost of Living Coalition, which was formed in partnership with the Community Service Society of New York.
29. Lindsay Greene
Lindsay Greene is the first Black woman and out LGBTQ+ leader to helm Brooklyn Navy Yard, and she’s steering its mission to connect underserved communities with careers of the future. Under her leadership, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, which is home to 550 businesses and over 13,000 employees, launched modern machining training and revitalized K–12 STEM programs. The former New York City Economic Development Corp. official has crafted inclusive economic strategies for job growth and innovation, with a focus on supporting businesses owned by women and minorities.
30. Linda E. Johnson
In the face of a federal executive order targeting libraries and threats of local budget cuts, Linda E. Johnson has doubled down. She has urged city leaders to boost funding, highlighting the Brooklyn Public Library’s role as a civic backbone, with nearly 6 million visits and 73,000 free programs last year. Her Books Unbanned initiative pushed back on censorship by offering teens in all 50 states free access to the library’s digital collection. She also expanded broadband equity as the borough’s largest provider of free Wi-Fi and 1,500 public computers.
31. Michelle Morse
As acting health commissioner, Dr. Michelle Morse is steering New York City’s public health strategy through a period of deep federal retrenchment. She took issue with the department’s loss of $100 million worth of federal grant cuts this year, calling them “catastrophic” to disease response infrastructure and warning of delayed testing for diseases like measles and tuberculosis as well as reduced vaccination access. She co-founded EqualHealth, led programs at Partners In Health and launched HealthyNYC to boost life expectancy, with a focus on racial equity. She was the city’s first chief medical officer and still practices at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn.
32. Sandra Scott
Dr. Sandra Scott became CEO of One Brooklyn Health in May after serving in an interim capacity since early 2024 at one of the borough’s most critical hospital systems. She’s striving to stabilize the health care system’s finances while expanding care access without the need for major new investment. A proud LGBTQ+ leader, Scott launched patient-centered cultural sensitivity training, advanced race-neutral kidney care reforms and overhauled the hospital’s cybersecurity response after a major data breach. She also helped unveil a state-of-the-art MRI suite at Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center.
33. Svetlana Lipyanskaya, Sheldon McLeod & Sandra Sneed
In a borough where public hospitals are lifelines, these CEOs are reshaping community care. At NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn, Svetlana Lipyanskaya recently reopened the long-shuttered Ida G. Israel Community Health Center, added a new cardiac facility and led a $20 million campus overhaul. At NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County, Sheldon McLeod has balanced financial strategy with cultural healing, expanding services while championing “We Gon’ Be Alright,” a community mural rooted in recovery. Sandra Sneed, who returned to the hospital system in 2025 to lead NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull, brings national executive experience and a proven record of cutting emergency room wait times and achieving Level IV maternal care certification.
34. Kenneth Gibbs
Taking the pulse of the community, Kenneth Gibbs has expanded Maimonides from a standalone hospital into Brooklyn’s largest health system. The hospital’s former board chair, Gibbs became CEO in 2016 and brought deep institutional knowledge to drive rapid growth at the $2 billion operation, now serving over 320,000 patients annually with expanded emergency care in Bay Ridge and Midwood. Under his leadership, Maimonides launched Brooklyn’s first hospital-based Menopause Center. Construction of new pediatric emergency and psychiatric emergency departments is set to be completed this year.
35. Chris Banks, Farah Louis & Mercedes Narcisse
After Chris Banks ousted Charles Barron from the New York City Council in the 2023 election, he and Manhattan Council Member Yusef Salaam opted not to join the Progressive Caucus, which now has 18 members. Since taking office in 2024, the East New York representative has chaired the Public Housing Committee, which builds on his familiarity with the New York City Housing Authority from his time as a tenant organizer.
Earlier in 2023, New York City Council Members Farah Louis and Mercedes Narcisse were among a group of 15 lawmakers who exited the Progressive Caucus when it imposed a set of principles that members must agree to. Louis was named chair of the Women and Gender Equity Committee last year, and she has been an advocate for maternal health funding. She also has championed affordable housing developments and the construction of the Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center, which broke ground in 2023 in Central Brooklyn with $141 million in funding secured by the lawmaker.
Narcisse is a registered nurse who chairs the Committee on Hospitals. She passed legislation last year to improve health outcomes for people with sickle cell anemia. She’s also a member of the legislative body’s budget negotiation team.
36. Regina Myer
Once a patchwork of parking lots and government buildings, Downtown Brooklyn has evolved into a hub of housing, culture and commerce. Regina Myer has played a central role in that shift, first as a city planner behind the 2004 rezoning and now as president of the partnership, where she wrangles business and government agencies. Myer leads efforts to beautify Brooklyn including a plan to remake Columbus Park and pressing for action on the blight of long-standing sidewalk construction sheds. As president of Brooklyn Bridge Park, she oversaw the transformation of miles of industrial waterfront into a popular parkland destination.
37. Gary Terrinoni
Gary Terrinoni leads one of the borough’s essential safety net hospitals, where nearly 80% of patients rely on Medicaid. Amid looming federal cuts, he has been a vocal advocate for preserving coverage and critical services, warning that reimbursement shortfalls could be disastrous. Over the past year, the 464-bed hospital opened a Family & Women’s Health Center on Fulton Mall and secured $2 million in state funding to replace aging infrastructure. Through new partnerships and grant-supported initiatives, Terrinoni has expanded access to cancer and cardiac care, dialysis and colorectal screenings.
38. André Richardson
Few political operatives know Brooklyn’s power map better than André Richardson. As principal of Paragon Strategies, he has spent over a decade advising House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries while shaping campaigns for figures like Eric Gonzalez, Zellnor Myrie and Crystal Hudson. His firm’s reach spans from Congress to community boards, with a focus on legislation that centers equity. Richardson is pushing Democrats to retool their messaging for younger and minority voters, and he helped the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee flip several House seats in New York last year.
39. Jocelynne Rainey
Jocelynne Rainey has pushed participatory grantmaking into the spotlight and championed racial justice through $130 million in total giving. A former Brooklyn Navy Yard executive, she helped double jobs and businesses there while designing workforce programs to uplift underserved communities. At Brooklyn Org, she’s made transparency and grassroots input central to boroughwide funding. In 2024, she oversaw $1.8 million in new grants to 18 grassroots organizations. She later called proposed federal tax exemption rollbacks “chilling,” warning they threaten the survival of Brooklyn’s community nonprofits.
40. Morgan Monaco & Iris Weinshall
Two leaders shape Prospect Park, one of New York City’s most cherished public spaces: Morgan Monaco and Iris Weinshall. Monaco, the first Black leader of the Prospect Park Alliance as well as the park’s administrator, draws from her background in youth development and city government to lead restoration efforts after a major woodland fire, reimagine historical programming and provide health services within the park. She also co-chairs the Parks and Open Space Partners coalition. Weinshall, a lifelong Brooklynite and former city transportation commissioner, serves as chair of the alliance while also overseeing the New York Public Library’s 92 locations and its $1.8 billion endowment as chief operating officer and treasurer. Married to U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, Weinshall returned to NYU Wagner this spring as a distinguished visiting urbanist.
41. Juan Mejia
Over two decades, Juan Mejia scrubbed in at every level in the health care system before taking the helm of NewYork-Presbyterian/Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, where he now leads clinical growth and long-term capital planning across the borough. He previously held senior roles at hospital campuses in Manhattan, gaining systemwide insight he now brings to Brooklyn. Driven by a belief in helping communities lead healthier lives, he now focuses on improving outcomes, deepening partnerships and tackling staff burnout. He also works closely with local leaders to expand access to care and shape neighborhood-based health programs.
42. Scott Lorin
Dr. Scott Lorin, who made his career at Mount Sinai, has led his hospital through major operational upgrades, clinical expansions and a nationally recognized focus on infection control. Under his leadership, the hospital earned top distinctions for stroke and sepsis care and became a statewide leader in reducing C. difficile infections. Last year, Lorin co-authored a study on enhanced screening to stop the spread of drug-resistant C. auris. Lorin was among the first in the country to implement handheld ultrasounds for internal medicine residents.
43. Joseph Tsai & Clara Wu Tsai
A Brooklyn basketball power couple, the Tsais got game. Joseph Tsai, the billionaire co-founder of Alibaba Group, chairs BSE Global and owns the Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty. He recently sold a minority stake at a $6 billion valuation while backing a franchise rebuild he calls a “labor of love.” He’s also a founding board member of The Asian American Foundation. Clara Wu Tsai, governor of the New York Liberty and BSE Global vice chair, brought the Liberty back to Brooklyn, recruited Breanna Stewart and helped lead the team to its first WNBA title. As founder of the Social Justice Fund, she’s also directing a $50 million, decadelong investment in racial equity and economic mobility across Brooklyn, including capital access for Black-owned businesses. She’s also a founding partner of the Reform Alliance, which focuses on criminal justice reform. Their Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation supports initiatives in education, research, social justice, economic mobility, the arts and humanitarian relief.
44. Robert J. Brennan
When Robert J. Brennan became bishop of Brooklyn in 2021, it marked a return for the Long Island-raised priest who was serving Catholics in Ohio’s capital as bishop of Columbus. He has since expanded pastoral outreach through the “Big City Catholics” podcast and weekly gospel videos. In May 2024, he led a historic moment as the Eucharist pilgrimage crossed the Brooklyn Bridge for the first time, drawing thousands. Amid scandal, Brennan recently removed a high-profile monsignor who was accused of mishandling nearly $2 million in parish funds.
45. Phara Souffrant Forrest, Marcela Mitaynes & Stefani Zinerman
Divisions between mainline Democrats and the Democratic Socialists of America have become an enduring fault line in Brooklyn, and these three lawmakers exemplify the divide. Assembly Members Phara Souffrant Forrest and Marcela Mitaynes both knocked out Democratic incumbents as part of a DSA-backed slate in 2020, and now both are entrenched enough that they faced no primary rivals in 2024. However, the DSA found less success with Eon Huntley, who fell short last year in his bid to oust Assembly Member Stefani Zinerman, who enjoyed the support of Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. Each of the three lawmakers now chairs an Assembly subcommittee: Forrest leads the Subcommittee on Intergenerational Care as well as the Task Force on New Americans, Mitaynes helms the Subcommittee on Regulated Mortgage Lenders and Zinerman presides over the Subcommittee on Emerging Workforce.
46. Richard Buery Jr.
Raised in East New York, Richard Buery Jr. brings both his neighborhood roots and citywide influence to every role he has held. As a New York City deputy mayor, he designed and was key to launching the city’s landmark universal pre-K program. Now leading Robin Hood, he oversees more than $140 million in anti-poverty investments annually. His team helped expand CUNY’s accelerated study program citywide, doubling graduation rates. He chairs the second Charter Revision Commission convened by New York City Mayor Eric Adams, where he’s pushing civic and housing reforms, and serves on the state’s Emerging Technology Advisory Board and the Independent Rikers Commission.
47. Joseph Sitt
Joseph Sitt has long built big in Brooklyn, but his latest gamble could be redefining. The Coney Island native and Thor Equities founder is pushing a $3 billion casino and entertainment complex that promises jobs and year-round vitality for the boardwalk, even as it faces vocal local resistance. Beyond Coney Island, Sitt’s real estate empire spans three continents and $20 billion in assets, including high-profile logistics sites like Amazon’s Red Hook facility. Thor recently added a sweet asset to its portfolio with the purchase of the former Tootsie Roll factory, now a mixed-use building in Clinton Hill.
48. Yvette Buckner
With decades of policy experience and an unshakable drive for equity, Yvette Buckner has built coalitions that unlocked over $10 million in state funding for community organizations. She played a key role in securing New York City Council approval for a mixed-use development in Coney Island, aimed at creating jobs and affordable housing. As co-chair of New Majority NYC, vice chair of YWCA Brooklyn and a board member of Vote Mama, she helps women, particularly mothers and women of color, run for public office.
49. Risa Heller
The bad boy business is good for Risa Heller, who has turned high-stakes reputation repair into a power lever of its own. Dubbed the “crisis-communications warrior of choice” by New York magazine, she has guided Jared Kushner, Anthony Weiner and Jeff Zucker through public firestorms. Her firm now counsels Fortune 500 companies along with political figures, navigating front-page fallout and litigation alike. With offices in Brooklyn and now Los Angeles, she brings blunt strategic clarity, famously warning leaders that sticking their head in the sand won’t save them. Netflix is reportedly developing a drama based on her work.
50. Simcha Felder & Kalman Yeger
Two of Brooklyn’s most influential Orthodox Jewish lawmakers were part of a game of musical chairs over the past year, with Kalman Yeger leaving the New York City Council to fill an open Assembly seat and Simcha Felder then exiting the state Senate to take Yeger’s spot in the City Council. As a junior lawmaker, Yeger doesn’t have a committee chair – but he remains a prominent defender of Israel and teamed up with others to ease substantial equivalency requirements for yeshivas this year. Felder has also been an advocate for yeshivas and a champion of a fully accessible playground at Kelly Park. Felder, a Democrat, gained notoriety years ago for tipping the balance of power in the state Senate by caucusing with Republicans, but he has not joined the City Council’s center-right Common Sense Caucus that Yeger had been a member of.
51. Moishe Indig
In the New York City mayoral race, candidates have been competing for support in Jewish communities in Brooklyn – which tend to vote in blocs – and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently secured one of the more important Democratic primary endorsements from Rabbi Moishe Indig. Indig, a political leader in a faction of the Satmar Hasidic Jewish group in Williamsburg, had been an ally of Mayor Eric Adams, but opted not to back the incumbent for reelection this year. Indig ranked Council Speaker Adrienne Adams as his second choice. He’s also the publisher of the Yiddish-language Hasidic newspaper Der Blatt.
52. David Niederman
The two Satmar Hasidic Jewish communities of Williamsburg don’t always get along – but this year they got on the same page in backing Andrew Cuomo in the New York City Democratic primary for mayor. In June, just one day after a rival Satmar faction endorsed Cuomo, the faction led by Rabbi Zalman Teitelbaum came out in favor of the former governor. The group’s political leader is Rabbi David Niederman, who’s also executive director of the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg, a nonprofit serving 75,000 Yiddish-speaking residents of North Brooklyn.
53. Jeffrey Denman
Yoswein New York is one of the top government relations firms, perennially ranking among the leading lobbying firms in New York City and in Albany, and it has deep roots in Brooklyn. The firm, led by former Brooklyn Assembly Member Joni Yoswein, counts Jeffrey Denman as one of its key staffers. Denman recently notched a victory helping to secure $13.2 million in state funding for the Brooklyn Public Library. The Brooklyn native also works with various clients, including SUNY Downstate, Brooklyn Defender Services and Wegmans Food Markets.
54. Kenneth Fisher
Once a New York City Council member, Kenneth Fisher remains one of the city’s most influential behind-the-scenes power players in real estate and land use law. His counsel has shaped major projects from the Gowanus rezoning to Downtown Brooklyn developments and waterfront energy storage ventures. A longtime adviser on zoning, ethics and public policy, he co-chairs the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce’s real estate committee and has advised on high-stakes matters from SUNY Downstate Medical Center to Halletts Point. He also continues to pen a monthly legal column and remains a go-to voice on urban development.
55. Michael Nieves
Michael Nieves helped reposition the Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network as a force for civic education and Latino cultural storytelling, pushing it beyond traditional public broadcasting. Under his leadership, the network expanded to 44 million homes and in 2024 received six Emmy nominations for its Spanish-language programming. He conceived “Tu Momento,” an acclaimed series on the U.S. electoral process, and was honored with a Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award presented at HITN’s Brooklyn studio by state Sen. Luis Sepúlveda. Nieves has also served as the New York City Council’s chief liaison on federal and state affairs.
Editor’s note: Michael Nieves is a member of City & State’s advisory board.
56. Juan de Pablo
Juan de Pablo came to NYU from the University of Chicago with a mandate to elevate the university into a top-tier science and tech powerhouse. A chemical engineer by trade and a prolific researcher with over 650 publications and two dozen patents, he’s equally focused on collaboration. From his perch at NYU Tandon in Downtown Brooklyn, he’s working to unify labs across institutions and disciplines, laying the groundwork for a quantum technologies coalition and artificial intelligence-guided materials discovery. He’s also leading a hiring push for more than 100 faculty and researchers.
57. Mark Treyger
The new leader of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, Mark Treyger – a former educator and the son of Ukrainian immigrants – brings a coalition-building mindset shaped by years in public service, from the New York City Council chamber to the city Department of Education. Since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, he has called the surge in antisemitism a “crisis-level emergency” and pushed for systemic reforms like Title VI enforcement and Jewish studies in classrooms. When President Donald Trump’s 2025 funding freeze threatened security grants and social services, he became a sharp public critic, warning it endangered both lives and democracy.
58. Jose Lopez, Arlenis Morel & Sienna Fontaine
Make the Road New York, one of the leading immigrant advocacy and rights organizations in New York, has deep roots in Brooklyn and a reach across the downstate region. Jose Lopez, a longtime organizer and coalition-builder, helped win state tenant protections and sits on the board of Communities United for Police Reform Action. Arlenis Morel, who rose from receptionist to co-leader over two decades, co-chaired Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso’s transition team and has expanded Know Your Rights workshops amid a surge in deportation fears. A former co-executive director, Theo Oshiro, recently transitioned to a new role helping lead the organization’s national branch. Sienna Fontaine, Make the Road New York’s former general counsel, was promoted to succeed Oshiro. The organization is suing the Trump administration over a federal immigrant registry rule.
59. Yeruchim Silber
Yeruchim Silber is the longtime government relations official in New York for Agudath Israel of America, a venerable advocacy organization for Orthodox Jews both nationally and locally. Silber is a familiar face at City Hall and in the state Capitol, where he helped get increased funding for yeshivas and other private schools. The organization has also been in the middle of the fight over the independence of yeshivas, and recently secured a major victory when the Hochul administration backed changes that weakened state oversight of the schools.
60. Sydney Altfield
Selected to become national director of the Orthodox Union-backed Teach Coalition earlier this year, Sydney Altfield now leads the national umbrella organization for Teach NYS after seven years of rising influence. When she headed up the New York chapter, she secured record STEM and security funding, led the inclusion of nonpublic schools in the universal free meals program, and built a powerful interfaith coalition with Catholic and Islamic leaders. A member of New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ Jewish Advisory Council, she is now scaling her advocacy across seven states.
61. Adrian Benepe
Adrian Benepe led a multiyear fight to block a 34-story Crown Heights tower that would have cast harmful shadows over rare plant collections at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, ultimately securing a downsized design to preserve essential sunlight. As cultural institutions face historic budget cuts, he has been a vocal critic warning of layoffs and reduced public access. Previously, as New York City’s parks commissioner, he helped shape hugely transformative spaces like Brooklyn Bridge Park and the High Line. He blends conservation with inclusion, from climate-resilient horticulture to expanding Caribbean and Japanese plant collections.
62. John Chan
John Chan has long been a local power broker operating behind the scenes in Brooklyn, but he has come under scrutiny lately for his ties to China’s Communist Party. He has his nonprofit, Asian American Community Empowerment. And he has backed candidates across party lines, most notably helping unseat Iwen Chu last year in the Asian-majority 17th state Senate District. He rallied hundreds in support of New York City Council Member Susan Zhuang after her arrest for allegedly biting a New York City Police Department chief during a shelter protest.
63. Elizabeth Yeampierre
Shaped by her upbringing among the environmental burdens of Sunset Park, surrounded by brownfields and high asthma rates, Elizabeth Yeampierre has spent nearly 30 years leading Brooklyn’s oldest Latino community-based organization as a force for grassroots climate action. She has been a proponent of the offshore wind hub in Sunset Park’s South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, which is moving ahead after the White House backed off threats to halt the Empire Wind 1 offshore wind project. She was the first Latina to chair the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Environmental Justice Advisory Council, where she helped launch a federal resilience workgroup for industrial waterfronts.
64. Kenrick Ross
Since taking the helm of Brooklyn Community Pride Center in 2023, Kenrick Ross has reimagined boroughwide LGBTQ+ support. He led the center’s move to its Crown Heights headquarters, consolidating operations and expanding community reach. Under his leadership, the center launched a ballroom series honoring O’Shae Sibley, a Black gay dancer killed in a 2023 anti-LGBTQ+ attack. He has also expanded mental health and workforce programs. A lifelong advocate for queer inclusion in sports, Ross founded the BK Beginners tennis program. He also chairs the board of Diaspora Community Services.
65. Jim Somoza & Alane Berkowitz
Industry City, a 35-acre business hub at the waterfront site of the old Bush Terminal in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park, is continuing to grow. The 16-building complex recently passed a major milestone by housing more than 650 companies at the site, including manufacturing and retail as well as dining and music venues. Last year, the state Board for Historic Preservation added the Bush Terminal Historic District to the state Register of Historic Places, making the industrial complex eligible for historic tax credits. Jim Somoza is Industry City’s longtime managing director, and Alane Berkowitz is its chief operating officer.
66. Alyssa Aguilera & Jeremy Saunders
Based in Brooklyn – on a street renamed Carl Stubbs Way in honor of its late leader – social services group VOCAL-NY is run by Alyssa Aguilera and Jeremy Saunders. The co-executive directors have helped the organization grow nationally, with new chapters in Texas and Kentucky. Aguilera, who previously organized around health equity at New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, leads VOCAL-NY’s charge to redirect public dollars from policing and prisons toward housing, harm reduction and care. Saunders began organizing in 2001 with groups like the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now – known as ACORN – and Community Voices Heard. He joined VOCAL-NY in 2007 and became co-executive director in 2016. VOCAL-NY has helped secure “good cause” eviction protections for 1.5 million tenants and expanded public health services, with over 400,000 clean syringes distributed annually.
67. Blondel Pinnock
Blondel Pinnock made history in 2022 as the first woman to lead Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corp., the nation’s oldest community development group. A veteran of Carver Federal Savings Bank, where she was the first woman chief lending officer, she brought deep experience from the Greater Jamaica Development Corp. to her current role. In October, Pinnock secured $3.5 million in federal funding and now oversees a $150 million plan to transform and rebrand its campus, doubling its cultural and commercial space and anchoring the redevelopment in arts, community programming and tech sector job creation.
68. Donald R. Boomgaarden
Donald R. Boomgaarden didn’t just guide St. Joseph’s University through a name change – he transformed its trajectory. Since taking the helm in 2017, he led the charge to achieve university status, adding master’s degree tracks in social work, English as a second language and speech-language pathology. He also doubled the endowment and broke ground on new facilities. In 2024, the school secured a $1 million scholarship benefiting its nursing programs and Academic, Career and Essential Skills program. Boomgaarden’s presidency was recently extended through 2030. A concert pianist who also plays fiddle and folk guitar, he still teaches too.
69. Meera Joshi
In February, Meera Joshi resigned as New York City’s deputy mayor for operations, joining three other deputy mayors stepping down in protest of the Trump administration’s move to drop a corruption case against Mayor Eric Adams and City Hall’s partnership with the federal government on an immigration crackdown. By May, Joshi had a new job as president of Green-Wood Cemetery, a role she’ll start in July. The Brooklyn cemetery is not just a burial site for more than 570,000 people, but also an expansive green space and an educational and cultural hub.
70. Anthony Genovesi Jr.
A fixture in Brooklyn legal and political circles, Anthony Genovesi Jr. brings litigation chops and party discipline to his dual roles as trial attorney and law chair for the borough’s Democratic Party. As a partner at Abrams Fensterman, he has argued precedent-setting cases in the state’s highest courts. He has helped fast-track judicial nominees and has mentored rising legal talent. In his legal practice, Genovesi helped to lead the defense of an Article 10 religious corporation, which preserved the integrity and future of a local synagogue.
71. Wayne Riley
Even as SUNY Downstate Medical Center faces an uncertain future under a state restructuring plan, Wayne Riley has held the line on science and equity as federal support for research and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts erode, asserting that equity and inclusion “are the essence of our mission.” Under his leadership, the institution has advanced artificial intelligence-powered mental health tools and safeguarded Brooklyn’s only kidney transplant program. In 2025, Hofstra University’s medical school honored Riley with an honorary degree as its commencement address speaker. He also received the National Humanism in Medicine Medal for his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.
72. Lupe Todd-Medina
Lupe Todd-Medina’s career spans presidential campaigns, City Hall press rooms and Brooklyn politics. Through her firm, she has shaped messaging for major figures from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to Gov. Kathy Hochul. She led communications for former Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson, where she built the office’s media operation. A Panama native now based in Bedford-Stuyvesant, she brings lived experience to campaigns in immigrant and urban communities. She was a top communications adviser for New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams’ mayoral bid this year.
Editor’s note: Lupe Todd-Medina is a member of City & State’s advisory board.
73. Trip Yang
Trip Yang has helped reshape how Democrats approach Asian American voters, pushing for targeted investment, multilingual outreach and policy follow-through. His firm’s messaging strategy proved decisive in recent flips, including Rep. Tom Suozzi’s 2024 return to Congress and the AAPI vote boost in Assembly Member Sam Berger’s special election win in Queens. A veteran of Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton campaigns, Yang launched his firm in Brooklyn during the COVID-19 pandemic. His team has worked with Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
Editor’s note: Trip Yang is a member of City & State’s advisory board.
74. Larry McReynolds
For two decades, Larry McReynolds has led one of the largest federally qualified health center networks in the country, headquartered in Sunset Park. Under his leadership, the health center reaches over 145,000 patients annually, including thousands of students, seniors and homeless New Yorkers. He oversees a $296 million system spanning primary care, dentistry, behavioral health and job training. The network runs New York City’s largest school-based health program, and McReynolds also serves on the board of the New York School-Based Health Foundation.
75. Leigh Clayton
Leigh Clayton brings decades of zoological leadership to one of the city’s most beloved institutions. Since taking the helm at the New York Aquarium in 2023, she has brought to Brooklyn immersive experiences like Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea, which uses ocean trash to spotlight the dangers of plastic pollution. A national voice on animal care, last year she led the New York Aquarium in becoming a member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums. Last fall, she helped debut two rescued sea otters, reinforcing the aquarium’s mission through hands-on conservation and public education.
76. Bryan Grimaldi
Bryan Grimaldi directs corporate affairs, overseeing communications, policy and community engagement at National Grid, while revitalizing corporate giving programs at the utility giant. A longtime Brooklyn resident, he previously served as chief operating officer of NYC & Company, helping steer the New York City tourism and event marketing agency. He also played a key role in National Grid’s long-term plan and helped secure legislative programs supporting low- and moderate-income customers.
77. Jelanie DeShong & Christian Loubeau
In Brooklyn and beyond, lobbying powerhouse Kasirer’s bench keeps growing. Jelanie DeShong, a Flatbush-raised policy strategist, helped lead SUNY Downstate Medical Center’s conversion into a COVID-only hospital at the height of the pandemic. He later advised Gov. Kathy Hochul and now drives real estate and health care development at Kasirer. Christian Loubeau, who joined Kasirer in October, is a former U.S. diplomat who led $100 million-plus infrastructure deals abroad and built policy campaigns at Grand St. Settlement and the New York City Department of Design and Construction, where he also advanced minority- and women-owned business enterprise initiatives. Now treasurer of Community Board 9, he helps global clients navigate New York’s political maze.
78. Tara L. Martin
Tara L. Martin has spent more than two decades building power behind the scenes, from union halls to campaign war rooms. A Brooklyn-based strategist and founder of her own boutique public affairs firm, she has led efforts for clients in tech, labor, sports and the arts. Her past roles include key posts with the New York State Nurses Association, Madison Square Garden Entertainment and REEF Technology. Martin has also played key roles in four presidential campaigns and assisted Brooklyn political heavyweights like former Borough President Marty Markowitz and Rep. Yvette Clarke.
Editor’s note: Tara L. Martin is a member of City & State’s advisory board.
79. Tucker Reed
For two decades, Tucker Reed has helped steer Brooklyn’s transformation, from waterfront revitalization in Dumbo to a $20 billion investment boom in Downtown Brooklyn. A former Bloomberg administration official tasked with workforce development policy and a Two Trees alum, he now co-leads Totem and Ailanthus, which have over 1,500 housing units in development and plan to deliver 10,000 more. His Herkimer-Williams project would bring up to 1,000 permanently affordable units and a new public plaza coordinated with the city. He serves on the BRIC and Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce boards.
80. Frank Seddio
Once the leader of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, Frank Seddio has returned to official power as Brooklyn’s Democratic commissioner on the New York City Board of Elections. A former Surrogate’s Court judge and past president of the Brooklyn Bar Association, he brings decades of behind-the-scenes influence to the city’s election system, although his nomination sparked opposition among good-government groups and progressives. Seddio insists he knows the board better than anyone and has pledged to boost poll worker recruitment and expand language access at voting sites.
81. Bernard Graham & Rosemarie Montalbano
Political machines don’t have the clout they used to, but in New York City they still hold sway over who gets to fill certain judicial posts. And that has often been the case with the Kings County Surrogate’s Court, which deals with the estates of people who have died. In 2023, the Brooklyn Democratic Party backed Bernard Graham to fill a Surrogate’s Court vacancy, and he coasted to victory with zero opposition and praise from across different Democratic factions in the borough. The borough’s other Surrogate’s Court judge, Rosemarie Montalbano, first secured her seat in 2021 despite running against a party-backed rival. Montalbano has called for changes to how administrators and other appointees are selected in order to crack down on patronage.
82. Mike Stamatis
A former dock laborer who once hauled crates of bananas on the Newark piers, Mike Stamatis now leads Red Hook Container Terminal – and he has spent decades fighting to preserve Brooklyn’s working waterfront, often against long odds. He modernized operations with refrigerated cargo, cross-harbor barge service and a shift to all-electric cranes. As a Waterfront Alliance trustee, he has pushed for climate resilience and equity across New York Harbor. He also helped relaunch the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, now being transformed into a major offshore wind hub.
83. Michelle Anderson
Michelle Anderson leads one of the country’s most diverse colleges, where students hail from 136 nations and speak 91 languages. Under her leadership, Brooklyn College has expanded mentoring, launched a perinatal mental health certificate and built pipelines to top employers like KPMG, PwC and Aon. The college contributes $2.6 billion annually to New York City’s economy and was recently ranked among the best in the nation for return on investment and social mobility. The college celebrated a century of impact with its 100th commencement, held at Barclays Center.
84. Anne Pasternak
The past year at the Brooklyn Museum has been marked by celebration and controversy. As the institution turned 200, Anne Pasternak led a major rebrand and spotlighted its vast collection through the Brooklyn Icons initiative. She became a personal target amid escalating protests over the museum’s ties to Israel when her Brooklyn Heights home was vandalized. Amid layoffs due to a $10 million deficit, leadership faced criticism and union protests. As city leaders weighed funding relief, Pasternak moved ahead with cuts to exhibitions and salaries while preserving civic leadership and public accessibility.
85. Simon Dushinsky
Simon Dushinsky has helped redraw Brooklyn’s skyline, mostly without drawing attention to himself. Through Rabsky Group, he quietly shaped projects from the Rheingold Brewery’s bold redesign to an 80-story tower planned for 625 Fulton St. Known for being hands-on, he navigates zoning minutiae as easily as multimillion-dollar deals. Rabsky also acquired the long-troubled Nassau Brewing redevelopment in Crown Heights and the redevelopment of the former Pfizer site. With at least 10 active projects totaling 1.7 million square feet, he remains one of the borough’s most enigmatic builders.
86. Eric Landau
Eric Landau has overseen the full buildout of Brooklyn Bridge Park since 2017, transforming the 85-acre public space from a post-industrial expanse to an urban oasis. Under his leadership, the park organization installed eco-friendly infrastructure, preserved maritime piers and debuted a Pier 1 gateway to mark its 15th anniversary. He championed a self-sustaining financial model while expanding public access, and recently unified the park’s programming and capital efforts by consolidating staff and operations with the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, positioning the waterfront jewel for its next phase of growth.
87. Russell K. Hotzler
Russell K. Hotzler has helped turn City Tech into the STEM anchor of the CUNY system, guiding two decades of curricular transformation and physical expansion in Downtown Brooklyn. He led the development and construction of a 360,000-square-foot academic complex with advanced labs, clinics and a wellness center, and helped launch the DNA Learning Center NYC with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Now a Carnegie-classified research institution, City Tech has become a hub for high-tech workforce development. Programs like College Now continue to expand access for Brooklyn’s first-generation and immigrant students.
88. Dordy Jourdain
Dordy Jourdain oversees seven Brooklyn YMCA branches, helping to guide operations that reach thousands through after-school programs, camps, swim lessons and wellness initiatives. He also directs the Prospect Park YMCA, following past leadership roles in Flatbush and Bedford-Stuyvesant. A veteran of the organization since 1992, he played a pivotal role in its COVID-19 pandemic response, which included food distributions and vaccination efforts. Born in Haiti, he returned to provide disaster training in 2011 following the devastating earthquake, part of a lifelong commitment to service – both in Brooklyn and abroad.
89. Patricia Ramsey
Patricia Ramsey made history in 2021 as the first woman and first scientist to lead Medgar Evers College, and she quickly established herself in Central Brooklyn’s academic and civic life. She has secured a record $20 million grant, launching Cultivating Holistic Academic Mindsets to Promote Student Success and the Brooklyn Recovery Corps to fund scholarships and internships for local students. She also pushed for a new 60,000-square-foot student center. In October, she partnered with JPMorgan Chase & Co. for a financial health summit.
90. Coco Killingsworth
In a time of transition at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Coco Killingsworth is bringing both stability and a forward-looking vision to the venerable arts organization. Killingsworth, who has been at BAM since 2017, serves as its vice president of creative social impact while also holding interim roles as head of virtual programming and co-president. She also is the chair of the Cultural Institutions Group, an influential coalition of 34 leading nonprofit New York City arts and cultural organizations, including the American Museum of Natural History, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Carnegie Hall.
91. Somia El-Rowmeim
After arriving in Brooklyn from Yemen with a mathematics and physics degree but no English skills, Somia El-Rowmeim built her own future and then created space for others to do the same. As founder of the Women’s Empowerment Coalition of NYC, she has helped over 10,000 women and families from hubs in Bay Ridge and Sunset Park, with calls to expand her organization beyond the borough. Earlier this year, she was chosen by the state Attorney General’s Office to distribute baby formula following a price-gouging settlement. She has advocated for $15 million in state funding for culturally competent services for Middle Eastern and North African communities.
92. Suri Duitch
A longtime higher education innovator and two-time CUNY alum, Suri Duitch was formally named president of Kingsborough Community College in 2025 after serving on an interim basis. On her watch, Kingsborough became the only state semifinalist for the 2024 Aspen Prize and completed its Middle States accreditation visit. She previously helped launch CUNY’s School of Professional Studies and the CUNY Service Corps. She’s now developing Kingsborough’s new strategic plan and advancing its mission as an engine of economic mobility. Before coming to Kingsborough, Duitch worked as dean and vice president for academic innovation at the Tulane University School of Professional Advancement.
93. Michael Rochford
Michael Rochford has spent decades turning advocacy into bricks, mortar and opportunity so that many who live in Brooklyn can afford to stay. Since its founding in 1975, St. Nicks Alliance has built more than 2,800 affordable units, with another 1,800 in development across North Brooklyn, serving over 17,000 people annually. That includes 311 deeply affordable homes and a $1 million public space investment as part of the Kingsland Commons redevelopment, which is transforming a hospital site abandoned for 40 years into housing and community space. Rochford helped develop Throop Corners and the upcoming Third Act Apartments.
94. Wes Jackson
After becoming BRIC Arts & Media’s president in 2022, Wes Jackson launched the BRIC Film Festival, expanded public media programming and deepened community ties through Stoop Share and BRIC House Party. He oversees the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn Festival, a 47-year tradition that draws global icons like Grace Jones and Janelle Monáe. A former trustee of the Brooklyn Public Library and board member at Ember Charter Schools, he continues to shape Brooklyn’s creative future through civic engagement and cultural innovation. He founded the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival, helping launch careers from Mos Def to Talib Kweli, Jackson’s work blends grassroots and global.
95. Jordan Barowitz
Jordan Barowitz has helped shape New York City, first within City Hall, then along its skyline. A veteran of a half-dozen campaigns, he served as deputy press secretary to then-Mayor Mike Bloomberg before spending 16 years at The Durst Organization, where he assisted on transformative projects like Via 57 West and One World Trade Center. Now leading Barowitz Advisory, he is working with Silverstein Properties on the Avenir hotel and casino bid. The Boerum Hill resident is also an Atlantic Avenue Business Improvement District board member and a Brooklyn Public Library trustee.
96. Josh Zegen
Through high-stakes lending, Josh Zegen has steered billions toward transformative development. Under his leadership, Madison Realty Capital has executed $48 billion in transactions and now manages over $21 billion in assets. He recently executed a $720 million loan for the largest office-to-residential conversion in city history, to transform Pfizer’s former headquarters into 1,602 housing units, including hundreds of affordable apartments. The company recently funded a residential tower in Downtown Brooklyn and a 45-story condo tower in Fort Greene.
97. Vaughn Mayers
Vaughn Myers established himself in Brooklyn’s political trenches, campaigning for New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Rep. Yvette Clarke and Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez – while launching a law career and a cannabis dispensary. He opened Fireleaf on Ralph Avenue, a cannabis dispensary, and the Trinidadian American attorney calls it a “reparative moment” for communities that had been criminalized. As the founder of Effective Strategy Group and a longtime state Senate staffer, Mayers blends political savvy with a drive for equity and redemption.
98. Julie Jackson & Brett Peiser
Starting with one school in Newark in 1997, Uncommon Schools has expanded to 52 schools serving 19,000 students in New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts, including 24 public charter schools across Brooklyn. Co-CEOs Julie Jackson and Brett Peiser preside over the charter school network, which recently announced that 17 students in the network’s Brooklyn schools will be receiving QuestBridge scholarships providing full coverage of college tuition. Jackson, a Teach for America alum, has worked her way at Uncommon Schools starting as a teacher. Peiser was the founding managing director of Uncommon Schools NYC and is a former history teacher at Midwood High School in Brooklyn.
99. Lara Birnback
Lara Birnback has reenergized the Brooklyn Heights Association by marrying historic preservation with public space innovation. From pushing for a sustainable Brooklyn-Queens Expressway reconstruction solution to organizing the borough’s first Longest Table event – bringing 750 neighbors to a shared lunch down Remsen Street – she has turned civic life into street life. A former New York City Department of Small Business Services official, she led capacity-building efforts for business improvement districts and development groups across the five boroughs.
100. Scott Middleton
Last year, Scott Middleton became the first full-time executive director of the Marine Park Alliance, a milestone in the evolution of Brooklyn’s largest park. He led implementation of the group’s first strategic plan, helping guide its shift from a volunteer-run effort to a professional nonprofit. He secured resources for native replanting after major wildfires, aiming to strengthen the park’s climate resilience. A trained planner with roots in transportation and environmental policy, he brings long-term vision, strategy and equity to the job, restoring landscapes and expanding community programming alike.
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