Trailblazers
The 2026 Black Trailblazers
Notable New Yorkers who are paving the way for others.
City & State presents the 2026 Black Trailblazers. The Community Preservation Corporation; Emily James, UFT; Roger G. Arrieux, Jr.
New York is ahead of the pack in elevating Black politicians into positions of power. The state has elected a Black governor, attorney general, comptroller and several lieutenant governors, while both houses of the state Legislature currently have Black leaders. New York City has had two mayors, two public advocates, a comptroller and a council speaker who are Black, not to mention Black politicians who have served as district attorney, borough president or county leader.
Yet there’s still plenty of ground to be gained – and progress is being made every election cycle. City & State’s annual Black Trailblazers list, which is published at the start of Black History Month, puts a spotlight on key leaders who are breaking through in an array of fields, from government and politics to business, social services, higher education and organized labor. This year’s cohort includes the first Black woman to become mayor of Syracuse, the state’s first Black woman to be elected sheriff and dozens more exceptional individuals who are blazing a trail for others to follow.
Featured Q&A:
Ron Abad
For nearly five years, Ron Abad has led Community Housing Innovations, a nonprofit organization delivering housing and social services on Long Island and in the Hudson Valley and New York City. Abad, who has decades of experience in nonprofit leadership roles, oversaw CHI’s opening of a new headquarters in White Plains last year, which is nearly double the size of its old office. In November, the organization was awarded a $250,000 Citi Foundation grant. Earlier in his career, Abad was an assistant commissioner in the New York City Department of Homeless Services.
Jomo Akono
Jomo Akono is a key worker advocate in Western New York in his role as a council representative for Local 276 on the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters. For over two decades, Akono has worked with the Buffalo-area Local 276 and has advocated for labor rights across the state. For a decade, Akono has been a representative with the North Atlantic States Regional Council Carpenters, which represents some 30,000 carpenters and other workers in related job types in New York and other states in the region.
K.L. Allen
For the past two years, K.L. Allen has been the point person in the Northeast at Western Governors University, an online higher education institution. In that role, Allen is tasked with providing strategic leadership and overseeing university operations in New York and 11 other states. With more than two decades of experience working in higher education, Allen has made strides in community engagement, developing key relationships, helping underserved students and advancing policy initiatives.
Dwayne M. Andrews
Dwayne M. Andrews has enjoyed an accomplished career as an attorney and government relations policy expert. Andrews worked as a partner in the government relations practices at Cozen O’Connor and Blank Rome after working as a congressional staffer for then-Rep. Floyd Flake and the House Small Business Committee for several years. Andrews currently serves as senior vice president and general counsel at Patrick B. Jenkins & Associates, a notable New York lobbying firm. He also serves on the board of the Greater Allen Development Corp.
Garrett Armwood
Garrett Armwood is a government relations adviser at the real estate powerhouse SL Green. Armwood, who formerly was deputy state director to the U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, has long been involved in key policy initiatives on the city and state levels. At SL Green, Armwood deals with affordable housing policy, office-to-residential conversions and business revitalization. Armwood helped advance the company’s bid to secure a downstate casino license in Times Square, although it was ultimately blocked by a local community advisory board.
Roger G. Arrieux Jr.
Roger G. Arrieux Jr. holds two major roles at Deloitte as the East region market leader and as managing partner for the New York City office, which is the Big Four accounting and consulting firm’s largest U.S. location and its U.S. headquarters. With over three decades of experience in finance and business, Arrieux is a seasoned expert specializing in risk, strategy and regulatory compliance. He is also active in mentorship and supporting nonprofits, serving on the boards of the YMCA of Greater New York, Carnegie Hall, Braven and A Better Chance.
Larry Scott Blackmon
The Blackmon Organization, a consulting firm connecting commerce and culture with community and constituency, is the brainchild of Larry Scott Blackmon. With decades of experience in the public and private sectors, Blackmon has worked with a number of high-ranking elected officials, including U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and former New York City Mayors Mike Bloomberg and Bill de Blasio. He’s also president of the New York Association of Chapters of Alpha and board chair of the Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan New York.
Editor’s note: Larry Scott Blackmon is a member of City & State’s advisory board.
Deneane Brown-Blackmon
Deneane Brown-Blackmon connects elected officials, community and social services leaders and other power brokers as president of the African American Day Parade Breakfast. In 2025, the breakfast gathering – held each year ahead of the African American Day Parade in Harlem – honored the life and accomplishments of the late civil rights leader Hazel Dukes. The founder and chair of the breakfast event is Manhattan Democratic Party Chair Keith Wright. Brown-Blackmon is a dedicated leader who lifts up the community and supports college students with scholarships.
Yvette Buckner
Yvette Buckner, who launched the Buckner Group two years ago, has long been established as an effective advocate for her clients and a coalition-builder who gets results. She recently helped advance an authorizing resolution in the New York City Council to extend a franchise agreement for a client operating LinkNYC. She also backed a major rezoning plan for OneLIC in Queens. Buckner is also co-chair of the board of The New Majority NYC, an organization that aims to get more women elected to public office.
Arsella Burton
Arsella Burton handles a government affairs portfolio at Healthix, the country’s largest public health information exchange. Last year, she helped expand patient access to health care records in New York with the launch of My Health Record NY. She has also organized many volunteer activities – supporting diabetes and cancer education, harm reduction programs and other efforts – through the Healthix Connects initiative. Prior to joining Healthix in 2024, she had stints at LTC Health Management Solutions, CenterLight Healthcare and ArchCare Advantage.
Tracey Capers
Tracey Capers has led The HOPE Program, a New York City-based job training and career support nonprofit, since 2023. With over three decades of experience in community service and economic development, Capers is dedicated to creating opportunities for underserved communities. Last year marked the organization’s 40th anniversary, and to mark the milestone Capers unveiled a new five-year strategic plan rooted in helping underserved communities. She previously spent over two decades at the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corp.
Melissa Chapman-Samad
Melissa Chapman-Samad is a key member of the team at Davidoff Hutcher & Citron, a high-powered lobbying firm in New York. With more than a decade of experience working at the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and spending years serving on the business group’s Government Affairs Committee, Chapman-Samad is no stranger to policy advocacy at the local and state levels. She joined the firm in 2019 after a dozen years at the Brooklyn Chamber. Earlier in her career, the Guyanese immigrant had a career in journalism.
Shams DaBaron
Shams DaBaron is a real estate developer, a repeat New York City Charter Revision Commission appointee and a board member of the social services nonprofit Project Renewal. But with his passion for tackling homelessness in New York, he’s best known as “Da Homeless Hero.” DaBaron has been open about his own journey experiencing homelessness, which informs his battle against housing insecurity. He was an advocate for the Adams administration’s City of Yes rezoning overhaul, and as the founder of LionFox Development, he has been an outspoken proponent of the One45 project in Harlem.
Cedric Dew
With over three decades of nonprofit experience, Cedric Dew is a staunch advocate for New Yorkers facing housing insecurity and homelessness. At the YMCA of Greater New York, Dew serves dual roles as the vice president of transitional housing and executive director of the Jamaica Y. He oversees 1,200 beds for homeless New Yorkers and drives the organization’s Dignity and Empowerment Initiative. A $500,000 donation by the Citi Foundation last year is helping the Jamaica Y expand on its work providing resources, support and training to the community.
Jessica Douglas
As Gov. Kathy Hochul’s director of African American affairs, Jessica Douglas works to raise awareness and advocate for Black community in New York as well as forging connections between constituents and policymakers. The Afro-Latina public servant brought over a decade of political and policymaking expertise when she joined the Hochul administration nearly two years ago, having served in past staff roles in the state Legislature, the New York City Council and in New York City government, as well as political director with the New York Immigration Coalition and Community Voices Heard.
Carla Downie
With a decade and a half of experience in the public and private sectors, Carla Downie has extensive knowledge in government relations in New York. Prior to joining Top 10 lobbying firm Hinman Straub in 2024, Downie served as senior manager of government affairs and social impact for Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. and as communications director for then-Assembly Member Michele Titus. Downie also volunteers regularly and sits on the Project Ready advisory board for the New York Urban League.
Sheila Duke
Sheila Duke has over two decades of experience in youth development services. As the CEO of Roads to Success since 2023, Duke is helping the nonprofit organization deliver youth services support and programming for schools and communities. Duke led the organization as it celebrated its 25th anniversary last year while supporting some 8,000 young people. Over the years, Duke has held multiple leadership roles in the nonprofit sector, with stints at The Fresh Air Fund, Union Settlement and New York Edge.
Jahmila Edwards
Jahmila Edwards is no stranger to New York City government. During a decade at District Council 37 – the city’s largest public sector labor union – Edwards was influential in securing a $15 minimum wage and securing funding for CUNY. Prior to that, Edwards worked in city government for then-Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and handled intergovernmental affairs for the New York City Board of Education. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani recently appointed Edwards to lead the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, making her one of the top Black appointees in his administration.
Christopher Ellis
Christopher Ellis is bringing his experience in state government and big-city governance to his role as Albany’s deputy mayor. Ellis, who most recently was the Albany lead for government relations firm Constantinople & Vallone Consulting, is joining the administration of Albany Mayor Dorcey Applyrs, who recently became the city’s first Black mayor. Ellis previously oversaw state legislative affairs for New York City in the Adams administration and was a voting member of the New York State Association of Counties and the New York Conference of Mayors. He also has chaired the Albany Planning Board.
Ann-Marie Foster
Ann-Marie Foster is the longtime leader of Phoenix Houses of New York & Long Island, a nonprofit organization that provides support and resources to those with substance use disorders and related mental health conditions. Foster brings a robust background in health care leadership to the organization, with over a decade and a half at NYC Health + Hospitals, including eight years running Bellevue Hospital’s 359-bed psychiatric department. Since joining Phoenix Houses in 2017, Foster has expanded the organization's health and education outreach. Last year, she opened a new clubhouse in Harlem.
Chad Franklin
Chad Franklin wears two similar hats at Goddard Riverside, a New York City-based human services nonprofit. He is associate vice president for education pathways, capitalizing on his studies and his curriculum-building background. He’s also director of the Options Center, which helps hundreds of high school students and other young adults get into college. He has helped neurodiverse students, young men of color and recent immigrants successfully navigate the education system. He has also presented at the National Conference on Higher Education in Prison and at the Somos conference in Puerto Rico.
Drew Gabriel
At CAMBA, a Brooklyn-based social services nonprofit that serves nearly 80,000 individuals and families citywide each year, Drew Gabriel is tasked with coordinating and communicating with government officials to secure financial support. With past experience in local and federal government, Gabriel has advocated for the nonprofit’s programs, which include adult literacy, college readiness and housing initiatives. Gabriel has also served on the New York City Commission on Racial Equity and the New York City Council’s New Arrivals Strategy Team.
Charlene Gayle
Charlene Gayle knows the importance of advocacy and creating opportunities for marginalized communities. With a long career partnering with city and state officials, Gayle has built a reputation for being able to make things happen. As executive director of the New York State Association of Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislators since 2018, Gayle works with a state legislative caucus supporting diverse communities to advance their policy agenda. She also engages with the highest levels of state government via the organization’s Caucus Weekend gathering in February each year.
Charles J. Gibbs
At Metropolitan College of New York, Charles J. Gibbs has been driving the New York City institution’s growth, innovation and diversity initiatives. Gibbs has deep experience in higher education and mentorship, having served as national CEO of 100 Black Men and president of the Propel Center, a $50 million initiative to support research and workforce development opportunities at historically Black colleges and universities. At MCNY, he has partnered with the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services to help municipal employees earn high school equivalency diplomas while earning college credits.
Vanessa Gibson
Last year, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson faced a high-profile challenge from then-New York City Council Land Use Committee Chair Rafael Salamanca Jr. Yet Gibson coasted to victory in the pivotal primary with more than two-thirds of the vote. Gibson, who also has served in the Assembly and in the New York City Council, has been an effective advocate for the borough’s 1.4 million residents by maintaining a focus on serving constituents. She helped establish a Bronx birthing center, funded local schools and played a role in developing a new plan for the Kingsbridge Armory.
DaMia Harris-Madden
DaMia Harris-Madden was confirmed in 2024 as commissioner of the $6 billion state Office of Children and Family Services, and she’s well positioned to make the case for Gov. Kathy Hochul’s multibillion-dollar plan for universal child care. On her watch, the office implemented the state’s largest child care assistance program, with 30% enrollment growth last year. Harris-Madden, who previously held key government roles in Westchester County, has also seen increased funding for after-school, sports and homeless youth programs.
Tyquana Henderson-Rivers
Tyquana Henderson-Rivers is a sought-after political consultant in Queens who has expanded her scope to support candidates seeking citywide and statewide posts. She’s the principal at Connective Strategies, a firm she founded to provide community and government relations services. Through the years, Henderson-Rivers has built a career in campaigns and political strategy for some of New York’s most influential politicians, from Gov. Kathy Hochul to Rep. Greg Meeks. Henderson-Rivers has also had a successful lobbying career, advocating on behalf of clients including the Real Estate Board of New York, FedEx and NYC Health + Hospitals.
Editor’s note: Tyquana Henderson-Rivers is a member of City & State’s advisory board.
Janella Hinds
Janella Hinds is an education and labor leader advocating for policy issues on the local and state levels. With 25 years of experience, Hinds has been part of the leadership team with the United Federation for Teachers for four terms. Now serving as the UFT’s vice president for academic high schools, Hinds has been committed to addressing some of the most pertinent challenges for secondary schools and helping to advocate for policy solutions. She’s also secretary-treasurer for the New York City Central Labor Council, an influential, 300-union labor umbrella organization.
Cassaundra Howell
At the start of the year, Cassaundra Howell made history as the first Black woman to serve as president and CEO of Public Health Solutions, a public health organization that provides medical services and conducts groundbreaking research. Howell brings more than two decades of experience in public health, finance, procurement and organizational strategy to the job, most recently serving as chief operating officer and chief administrative officer at the nonprofit. The Bronx native succeeded Lisa David, who retired after a decade at the helm of Public Health Solutions.
Omar Jackson
As chief advocacy officer at the New York City reentry nonprofit Getting Out and Staying Out, Omar Jackson supports and empowers youths ages 16-24 and helps them avoid returning to jail. Jackson is also the director of Stand Against Violence East Harlem, GOSO’s Cure Violence program, which aims to shift people’s mindsets and provide services in order to reduce gun violence across the neighborhood. He has also expanded GOSO’s Junior Violence Interruptor program and implemented restorative justice practices at the organization.
Angela Jefferson
At the student-focused social services nonprofit Partnership with Children, Angela Jefferson has helped expand its mental health footprint through school-based counseling and community initiatives. The 117-year organization held a gala last year to celebrate its mental health work and to honor local leaders making strides to help New York City schoolchildren. Jefferson, a social worker, is no stranger to social and community health care work, having spent two decades in a variety of leadership roles with New York Methodist Hospital, NYU Langone and the DREAM nonprofit organization.
Monique Jefferson
Monique Jefferson oversees human resources as the chief people officer at Community Preservation Corp., a nonprofit organization that finances multifamily housing across New York. Jefferson joined the organization in 2022 after holding HR leadership positions at New York Public Radio, the international law firm Hogan Lovells and New York Life. At CPC, Jefferson has carried out key initiatives for the community development financial institution, including establishing a corporate culture council to advance belonging, commissioning a pay equity study and implementing a medical expense reimbursement plan.
Ken Jenkins
Ken Jenkins made history last year as the first Black county executive in Westchester County. Jenkins, who succeeded now-Rep. George Latimer in the post and won a full term last fall, has had a long career in Westchester government – previously serving as deputy county executive and chair of the Westchester County Board of Legislators – while focusing on reducing crime, improving roadways and promoting housing affordability. Apart from his career in public service, Jenkins has also served as the president of the NAACP’s Yonkers branch and was the chair of the state’s Independent Redistricting Commission.
Christopher Johnson
Christopher Johnson is a trusted executive at the public affairs firm Geto & de Milly. He got his start as an intern for Thomas DiNapoli back when the now-state comptroller was still in the Assembly. Johnson went on to work for municipal elected officials on Long Island before moving into the private sector. He now ensures lobbying compliance, coordinates special events and has helped Emma L. Bowen Community Service Center in securing government funding, including money to preserve the nonprofit’s clubhouse program and to expand food pantry operations during the recent federal government shutdown.
Lauren Johnson
Lauren Johnson has had an expansive career working to engage and lift up vulnerable populations. Johnson has dramatically expanded the Leadership Education Achievement Pathways program at the child welfare nonprofit JCCA, helping to provide academic support and career resources to younger adults facing mental health challenges while incorporating counseling into everyday activities. Before joining JCCA in 2018, Johnson was a program specialist for Westchester Jewish Community Services and a guardianship advocate at Arc of Westchester.
Jennifer Jones Austin
Jennifer Jones Austin isn’t just the leader of the anti-poverty organization FPWA – she’s an advocate who engages with government to make New York a better place. Coming from a long line of social and faith leaders, she has pushed for policy changes to protect marginalized communities. Jones Austin chaired the groundbreaking New York City Racial Justice Commission. She was also appointed by Gov. Kathy Hochul to the state Community Commission on Reparation Remedies, was named to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s transition team and co-chairs the National True Cost of Living Coalition.
Patricia C. Jordan
After retiring as the director of operations for the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development after three decades, Patricia C. Jordan has remained steadfast in helping people. She’s still busy serving as board chair of the Emma L. Bowen Community Service Center, which is marking its 40th anniversary this year. Jordan helped guide the nonprofit through the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing opioid and mental health crises, and she recently worked with New York City government to ensure the center’s programs continued during a redevelopment of its Harlem-based headquarters.
Khary Lazarre-White
Khary Lazarre-White has spent over three decades as a civil rights activist, with overlapping experience in law, education and writing. Lazarre-White is the leader of The Brotherhood Sister Sol, a Harlem-based community and social justice organization he helped launch in 1995. Since the organization moved into its $22 million, 19,000-square-foot headquarters in Harlem in 2022, the space has been used for various social initiatives to support the local community. Lazarre-White is also a novelist, public speaker and a member of the Community Service Society of New York’s board.
Astrid Leonard
Astrid Leonard is a vice president overseeing care coordination for the Institute for Community Living, a New York City behavioral health organization serving individuals with serious mental illness, substance use disorder or developmental disabilities. Leonard, who joined the nonprofit in 2017 as a care coordinator, now runs its growing health home care management programs while improving the coordination of care to better serve New Yorkers with acute needs. She also helped implement ICL’s Community Mental Health Promotion Services program.
Ann-Marie Louison
Ann-Marie Louison is a key player bolstering mental health in New York. Serving as the chief impact officer for the Brooklyn-based Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services, or CASES, Louison assesses the effectiveness of services aiming to reduce incarceration and support behavioral health. She joined CASES in 1999 and helped launch its Nathaniel Project, an innovative incarceration alternative program for people with mental health challenges. Louison has also helped lead CASES’ fiscal support for the NYC Justice Peer Initiative, a network to support individuals navigating the criminal justice system.
Valerie Mason Cunningham
Valerie Mason Cunningham is a veteran business leader with over three decades of experience in corporate strategy, marketing, sales and operations. After spending three decades at Xerox Corp. in key positions, Mason Cunningham is now using her business savvy to spark change and build professional networks. She’s the co-founder and co-CEO of Mason & Rice, a business consulting firm. She’s also the managing principal of PRIDE Matters LLC, an executive coaching firm that supports women leaders. She’s a frequent public speaker and serves on the board of Mercy University.
Eichakeem McClary
Eichakeem McClary is a seasoned nonprofit veteran who has risen through the ranks at the United Way of New York City, a nonprofit organization serving low-income New Yorkers. McClary oversees the legal, operational and strategic work of the nonprofit, helping more than 57,000 New Yorkers access preventive health care and over 800 households avoid eviction and loss of utilities. McClary, who previously held counsel roles with the New York City Department of Small Business Services, also served on the New York City Nonprofit Advisory Council.
Toni McLaurin
Dr. Toni McLaurin is the chief of orthopedics for New York City Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, an 844-bed public facility that bills itself as the oldest hospital in the country. McLaurin has enjoyed a long career in health services, treating chronic conditions, bone injuries and post-traumatic reconstruction. McLaurin is president of the Bellevue Medical Board and is part of the Trauma Division of NYU Langone Orthopedics. She is also a professor of orthopedic surgery at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, nurturing the next generation of medical professionals.
Jermaine Meadows
As the Bronx and Manhattan government affairs director with Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors, Jermaine Meadows cultivates connections and advocates for housing policies backed by the real estate brokers and agents that the trade association represents. Meadows, who joined the White Plains-based trade association last year, helped advance a co-op transparency bill in the New York City Council. He previously was at Everytown for Gun Safety and also founded a nonprofit organization, The Neighborhood Role Model, which focuses on bringing mental health support and resources to marginalized communities.
Gordon Miller
Gordon Miller makes sure that BronxWorks really works in his role of chief financial officer of the social services nonprofit. Miller, who joined the Bronx-based organization in 2019, handles its financial planning, accounting, grants management while balancing a budget that he has helped increase to $140 million – ensuring that the mission of promoting the economic and social well-being of Bronxites continues. The former director of finance at JCCA also serves as treasurer on the board of Homeless Services United.
Roger Milliner
MetroPlusHealth was launched in 1985, and five years later Roger Milliner launched his career at the low-cost health plan affiliated with NYC Health + Hospitals. Milliner left MetroPlusHealth, returned in 2000, and has been there ever since. He and the health plan have been growing, and in his role as chief growth officer, Milliner has seen membership rise to over 525,000 members, up from around 50,000 in August 2000. The expert marketer and business strategist now oversees three departments and manages a staff of more than 350 people.
Nadjete Natchaba
Nadjete Natchaba knows the ins and outs of Services for the UnderServed, thanks to her nearly 18 years at the nonprofit. Natchaba has held a number of positions at the organization before getting promoted to chief program officer in 2022, a role in which she oversees millions of dollars in funding and programs across New York City. Her portfolio includes transitional housing, crisis services, behavioral health, eviction prevention and veterans services. She’s also a licensed clinical social worker, an adjunct assistant professor at Hunter College’s Silberman School of Social Work and a published writer.
Sharon Owens
Before Sharon Owens was elected mayor of Syracuse in November, the city had never had a Black woman – or any person of color – in its top elected office. Yet Owens was already quite familiar with Syracuse City Hall, having served eight years as deputy mayor and chief of staff to the previous mayor, Ben Walsh, and as a deputy commissioner before that. Owens, an Olympic-qualifying long jumper at Syracuse University, won last year’s Democratic primary and general election handily. She campaigned on public safety and economic growth and will be dealing with the dismantling of the Interstate 81 viaduct.
Philip Ozuah
At Montefiore Einstein, Dr. Philip Ozuah presides over a major health care system that is made up of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine as well as Montefiore Health System’s 13 member hospitals and 300 ambulatory sites. And on Ozuah’s watch, Montefiore is continuing to expand. Last summer, he announced a project to nearly double the footprint of White Plains Hospital, and, in December, New York City and state officials joined Ozuah to celebrate a new 21-bed pediatric mental health center in the Bronx, where Montefiore is headquartered. The hospital system has also been grappling with a major nurses strike.
Aisha Parillon
Aisha Parillon manages 17 senior citizen centers for JASA, a nonprofit organization providing food, legal assistance, home care and other services to thousands of older New Yorkers. Parillon is an accomplished leader in the nonprofit space, previously holding key positions with JASA’s Bronx Friendship House and then rising up through the ranks at JASA. Parillon has been influential in the organization’s commitment to providing social services and community resources to older adults as well as developing growth strategies for senior programming within the organization.
Dennis Prude
Dennis Prude is a well-connected figure at the intersection of the construction industry and government in New York. As secretary for the Building Contractors Association – one of the leading networks representing and advocating for the needs of unionized construction contractors in the New York metropolitan region – Prude cultivates relationships and supports growth in the industry. Aside from the Building Contractors Association, Prude is a principal and executive vice president of field operations at CNY Group, a construction management firm with offices in Times Square.
Brian Quiara
Statewide Public Affairs lives up to its name – advocating for policy change for clients across New York – and Brian Quiara helps bolster its advocacy efforts in the state capital. Quiara has held a number of state government roles in Albany, serving as director of policy to then-Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul (and her predecessor, Robert Duffy), and also worked for then-Govs. Andrew Cuomo and David Paterson. He now focuses on government relations, communications and issue advocacy for Christopher Duryea’s firm, notching a recent win with legislation allowing retail-to-retail alcohol sales.
Shanifah Rieara
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is one of the biggest, most complex transit systems in the world – and it’s Shanifah Rieara’s job to try to ensure that the millions of MTA riders have an enjoyable experience. Rieara has transformed how the MTA connects with commuters, helping to implement real-time service alerts with the launch of a new app and the opening of 30 customer service centers across New York City. She has also teamed up with celebrities like Cardi B and BMX rider Nigel Sylvester to emphasize public safety.
Xellex Rivera
Xellex Rivera is the chief program officer for the nonprofit organization Housing Solutions of New York. Rivera, also known as Dr. X, has had an accomplished career in mental health and human services. At Housing Solutions of New York, Rivera works to expand the organization’s commitment to addressing New York City’s housing insecurity crisis and supporting people experiencing homelessness. Rivera has also founded her own organization, #iAmSHE, aimed at supporting minority women and girls.
Jackie Salvatore
Jackie Salvatore made history last fall when she was elected sheriff of Columbia County, earning her the designation of the first Black woman to serve as a sheriff in New York state. Salvatore’s also only the second woman to be a sheriff in New York and the first in Columbia County. Before her election, Salvatore had been second in command as undersheriff in the Hudson Valley county and had also enjoyed a decadeslong career with the New York State Police.
Timothy E. Sams
Since Timothy E. Sams took the reins of SUNY Old Westbury five years ago, he has spearheaded the school’s focus on student success and social progress. The Long Island institution recently debuted its “Speak Out” mural, a space intended to reflect the campus’s diversity and inclusion. Sams also has prioritized artificial intelligence instruction and integration. In his three-decade career, Sams has held leadership roles at several higher education institutions, including Morehouse College and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Tricia Singh
Tricia Singh is the chief administrative officer for WellLike Network, overseeing human resources, communications, regulatory compliance and other functions for the nonprofit health and human resources organization serving New York City and Long Island. She has spearheaded quality improvement initiatives, making the experience for employees and clients alike. Singh, who has over 25 years of experience in the private and public sectors, worked at ADAPT Community Network and held leadership positions with several New York City government agencies before joining WellLife Network.
Matthew Smalls
Matthew Smalls is an executive at the MirRam Group, a government affairs firm known for its lobbying prowess and its formidable campaign operation. Smalls, whose career includes stints as special counsel and director of operations for the state Senate Democrats and as an assistant district attorney in Manhattan, is now a key player on the firm’s lobbying team. Last year, he helped the state’s Black Legislative Task Force secure $30 million for underserved communities. He also championed a new law requiring pharmacies that close to notify patients and share nearby alternative pharmacy options.
Paul Thomas
The Parkside Group is a force in New York City and state politics and policy, winning races on the campaign trail and securing legislative changes and funding. Paul Thomas, a partner who was one of the first Black lobbyists to have that title at a major public affairs firm in New York, is a member of the firm’s government relations team, which serves major clients like AT&T, Major League Baseball, Microsoft and the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. Thomas enjoys strong relationships with key power brokers like Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and state Sen. Kevin Parker, both former bosses.
Jessica Walker
As the leader of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, Jessica Walker isn’t just a cheerleader for big corporations housed in New York City’s gleaming skyscrapers. She’s also focused on supporting small businesses and minority- and women-owned business enterprises. As the leader of an organization that represents some 125,000 businesses, she packs a punch with her policy advocacy. She helps improve access to capital, marketing, leasing and MWBE certification and supports the NYC Small Business Resource Network. She backed changes to New York’s discovery laws and is a big tourism booster.
Troy Welch
Troy Welch is a seasoned graphic designer and brand coordinator for the Staten Island Economic Development Corp., a nonprofit economic development organization seeking to create jobs in the borough. With a robust career in design, illustration and web development, Welch has helped craft successful digital and marketing materials for the organization, including a major business conference. Welch, who grew up on Staten Island, ensures that the organization’s commitment to helping communities across the borough remains at the forefront of its work.
Darlene Williams
In her 30-year career with the New York State Public Employees Federation, Darlene Williams has established herself as an advocate for the rights and needs of public sector employees in New York. PEF, which represents over 55,000 professional, technical and scientific employees in the state, is where Williams got her start in union activism. Now, as vice president with the influential union, Williams is tackling staffing issues and workplace violence while educating members and ensuring the union continues to have a seat at the table.
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