Power Lists
The 2026 Brooklyn Power 100
The political hierarchy of Kings County.
City & State presents the 2026 Brooklyn Power 100. U.S. Senate; U.S. House; Kyle O'Leary
Who’s the kingpin of Kings County? That used to be an easier question, as the last two New York City mayors were powerful, proud Brooklynites. Today, is it Rep. Hakeem Jeffries or U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, who both have navigated the chaotic second term of President Donald Trump – but might secure majorities in Congress this fall? Or state Attorney General Letitia James, who’s won several battles versus Trump? Or perhaps another politician on the rise, like Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso?
This year, there is a new No. 1 on the Brooklyn Power 100, and it’s not the only big change on the list. Former New York City Mayor Eric Adams is still making some noise, but he didn’t make the list. Meanwhile, allies of the new mayor – like Gustavo Gordillo and Grace Mausser – have been added. The list, researched and written in partnership with journalist Aaron Short, also accounts for other major developments across the borough, such as Maimonides Health’s merger with NYC Health + Hospitals, an approved plan for the Brooklyn Marine Terminal and a street safety design for McGuinness Boulevard that’s moving ahead.
Check out all of this – and more – on the 2026 Brooklyn Power 100.
1. Hakeem Jeffries
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries will have his work cut out for him to wrest control of the House from Republicans. Several New York incumbents are facing serious primaries or retiring, and some Democratic candidates have not committed to backing him for speaker. Jeffries nearly encountered a challenge from New York City Council Member Chi Ossé, but after Jeffries gave Zohran Mamdani a last-minute endorsement, Mamdani helped convince the NYC-DSA not to support Ossé’s candidacy. Jeffries has plenty on his plate, from fighting for an Obamacare subsidy extension to pushing for policy changes in response to violent immigration enforcement tactics.
2. Chuck Schumer
U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer’s happy warrior approach to politics may not fit the current era, as voters want the Democratic leader to oppose President Donald Trump more forcefully and have given him dismal approval ratings. The senior senator led rallies against cuts from the Department of Government Efficiency, but his support for a GOP spending plan sparked demonstrations in Park Slope last year. Schumer never endorsed Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor, and got booed at the Met Opera and faced calls for his removal after eight senators ended the 40-day shutdown without concessions. He is now demanding new restrictions in the wake of the shooting deaths of two Minneapolis protesters by federal immigration agents.
3. Letitia James
In the wake of state Attorney General Letitia James’ financial fraud case against The Trump Organization, the U.S. Department of Justice brought a mortgage fraud case against her, only for an indictment to be tossed and two more grand juries declined to indict her again. As Brooklyn Democrats rushed to her defense, James remained defiant. Politically, she embraced Zohran Mamdani, which helped consolidate support in the New York City mayoral race and defeat her old rival, Andrew Cuomo. Mamdani invited James to swear him in, and she sat in the front row at his inaugural address.
4. Eric Gonzalez
Eric Gonzalez was a candidate to be Gov. Kathy Hochul’s running mate, but her selection of Adrienne Adams means he’ll be staying put in Brooklyn. Unlike other progressive prosecutors, the Brooklyn district attorney has largely avoided negative headlines lately and neutralized potential challenges by taking an individual approach to cases, emphasizing nonjail outcomes and expanding his conviction review unit. No one bothered to run against him in the 2025 Democratic primary or general election, and by year’s end Gonzalez announced Brooklyn had achieved significant declines in homicides, shootings and other violent crimes.
5. Jumaane Williams
For a moment last February, Jumaane Williams was preparing to run New York City while Gov. Kathy Hochul contemplated removing then-Mayor Eric Adams from office due to corruption charges against the mayor that Trump appointees had moved to dismiss. But Adams held on and the public advocate stayed in his watchdog role, urging the mayor to rein in police violence while questioning his involuntary hospitalization program. In June, Williams trounced his primary opponent, Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar, with over 71% of the vote. He also sponsored successful legislation to establish a Division of Street Vendor Assistance.
6. Andrew Gounardes, Zellnor Myrie, Kevin Parker, Roxanne Persaud, Jessica Scarcella-Spanton & Sam Sutton
Since state Sen. Andrew Gounardes knocked Republican Martin Golden out of office in 2018, he has established himself as a force in the Senate Democratic conference. The Bay Ridge lawmaker, who chairs the Committee on Budget and Revenue, last year passed the RAISE Act to create artificial intelligence protections and the New York Child Data Protection Act. He also was a vice chair of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal Advisory Task Force, whose plan aims to maintain a working waterfront while paving the way for new development.
State Sen. Roxanne Persaud is a veteran lawmaker from Canarsie who’s close with the Democratic conference’s leadership and chairs the Committee on Social Services. Last year, she saw eight of her bills signed into law.
State Sen. Kevin Parker, who chairs the Energy and Telecommunications Committee, is also a productive lawmaker. The Flatbush politician has proposed property tax abatements for energy storage to support clean energy and combat climate change. He mounted an unsuccessful bid for New York City comptroller last year.
State Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton’s district is largely on Staten Island, but she does represent pockets of southern Brooklyn, including Fort Hamilton. Scarcella-Spanton, who chairs the Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs Committee, unveiled a Fort Hamilton Veterans Memorial Highway sign last year that recognizes the base, which is the only remaining active-duty military installation in New York City.
State Sen. Zellnor Myrie made headlines last year for his bid for New York City mayor, which fell short as then-Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani took over the progressive lane and followed it to victory. The Central Brooklyn politician chairs the influential Codes Committee in Albany.
State Sen. Sam Sutton ensured Democrats would retain a southern Brooklyn seat last year when the Sephardic Jewish leader was elected to fill a vacancy left by Simcha Felder, who returned to the New York City Council. Sutton chairs the Administrative Regulations Review Commission.
7. Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn
Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn contemplated resigning as Brooklyn Democratic leader three years ago, but she’s still boss in the borough. Bichotte Hermelyn had supported Andrew Cuomo for mayor, but immediately endorsed Zohran Mamdani after his stunning Democratic primary victory and encouraged other Brooklyn Democrats to get on board. On the state level, she blasted Gov. Kathy Hochul’s selection of former New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams as a running mate and yanked the Brooklyn Democrats’ endorsement – only to quickly pivot back to supporting the governor’s reelection bid.
8. Antonio Reynoso
One month after easily winning reelection, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso announced he would run for Congress when Rep. Nydia Velázquez unexpectedly decided to retire. The Williamsburg native has deep roots in North Brooklyn, helping found the New Kings Democrats political club and serving as a New York City Council member for two terms. The district’s DSA members favor Queens Assembly Member Claire Valdez, who’s backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and City Council Member Julie Won is running too. But Reynoso has already been endorsed by Velázquez and other Brooklyn electeds.
9. Yvette Clarke
Rep. Yvette Clarke isn’t afraid of a little competition. The Brooklyn lawmaker has staved off challenges from a progressive candidate in 2018 and 2020 and had no primary opponent in the past two cycles. This year might not be a total cakewalk, since challenger Michael Goldfarb raised over $100,000 in his first 48 hours. But Clarke has retained support and remained accessible to voters in her district and also endorsed Zohran Mamdani for mayor before some of her colleagues. She also chairs the influential Congressional Black Caucus.
10. Dan Goldman & Brad Lander
Rep. Dan Goldman and former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander have teamed up against aggressive immigration enforcement, but that hasn’t stopped Lander from launching a campaign in Goldman’s district straddling Brooklyn and Manhattan. A redistricting ruling could put them back on the same team, but the legal wrangling isn’t over. In January, a judge ruled that the largely Staten Island district represented by Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis is unconstitutional, which could result in Goldman taking on Malliotakis instead in a new Staten Island-Manhattan district – and Lander running unopposed in Brooklyn. Goldman, a former federal prosecutor who survived a crowded congressional primary in 2022, announced his reelection bid in January, touting his lawsuit forcing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to allow members of Congress to visit detention areas as well as his fight against antisemitism. As for Lander, he lost his mayoral bid but came out ahead politically by cross-endorsing Zohran Mamdani. Lander has pledged to fight President Donald Trump’s policies, stand up for immigrant rights and oppose Israel’s actions in Gaza.
11. Nydia Velázquez
After serving more than three decades in Congress, Rep. Nydia Velázquez announced in November that she will retire at the end of the year. As the first Puerto Rican woman to be elected to Congress, she was at the vanguard of a generation of Latino legislators in Washington, D.C, Albany and New York City that promoted the enfranchisement of Puerto Rico, fought for immigrant rights and helped elevate Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court. Now Velázquez will pave the way for the next generation, although she’s found herself in a power struggle with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani over who should fill her seat, even after she backed Mamdani’s mayoral campaign.
12. Jabari Brisport, Emily Gallagher, Kristen Gonzalez, Marcela Mitaynes, Julia Salazar & Phara Souffrant Forrest
The delegation of state lawmakers aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America temporarily saw their ranks shrink slightly – but only because former Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City. Most of the Socialists in Office represent at least part of Brooklyn, including state Sens. Julia Salazar, Jabari Brisport and Kristen Gonzalez and Assembly Members Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher and Marcela Mitaynes, and they’re aligned with Mamdani on priorities like raising taxes on the wealthy, countering aggressive immigration enforcement and protecting tenants.
Salazar, who chairs the Committee on Crime Victims, Crime and Correction, was the first DSA member elected to the state Legislature. She has championed “good cause” eviction, the HALT Solitary Confinement Act and other prison oversight reforms and is pushing for the passage of the New York for All Act and the Dignity Not Detention Act. Brisport, who chairs the Committee on Children and Families, is a proponent of universal child care, which Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul are prioritizing this year. He represents Bedford-Stuyvesant and other Brooklyn neighborhoods. Gonzalez hails from Queens but represents a district covering western Queens, eastern Manhattan and Brooklyn’s Greenpoint and Williamsburg neighborhoods. Gonzalez, who chairs the Internet and Technology Committee as well as the Elections Committee, has sought to regulate artificial intelligence. She has also backed the redesign of McGuinness Boulevard to improve pedestrian safety.
On the Assembly side, Gallagher has also been outspoken in calls to move ahead with the McGuinness Boulevard street redesign, which had stalled under the Adams administration but is advancing under Mamdani. Gallagher, a North Brooklyn lawmaker, penned two bills included in the prison reform omnibus package: one reforming the state Commission on Correction and the other improving autopsy procedures. She’s also the sponsor of the Social Housing Development Authority bill. Souffrant Forrest, who represents Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, is the sponsor of the Treatment Court Expansion Act and has proposed a four-day workweek. Mitaynes, who represents Red Hook, Sunset Park and northern Bay Ridge, has joined other lawmakers in calling for changes to address stolen EBT benefits.
13. Jahmila Edwards
When Zohran Mamdani needed someone to run his intergovernmental affairs operation and help advance his ambitious legislative agenda in the New York City Council, Albany and Washington, D.C., he turned to Jahmila Edwards. The veteran labor and municipal official served as associate director of District Council 37 and was executive director of the New York City Department of Education’s intergovernmental affairs office during the de Blasio administration. In January, Edwards joined the mayor and Gov. Kathy Hochul to announce a plan for universal child care.
14. Gustavo Gordillo & Grace Mausser
Gustavo Gordillo and Grace Mausser were key architects who laid the groundwork for one of the most shocking political upsets in New York City’s history. As a New York City Democratic Socialists of America co-chair since 2024, Grace Mausser has built a robust canvassing operation and raised millions of dollars from grassroots donors. Her chapter, an early endorser of Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign, boasts more than 13,000 members and has helped elect a number of candidates to state and city offices. Mausser joined Mamdani’s transition committee for small businesses and will be mobilizing DSA members this year behind the mayor’s plans to raise taxes on the wealthy. Fellow NYC-DSA co-Chair Gustavo Gordillo also helped secure Mamdani’s breakout win. After the primary, the unionized electrician began strategizing how to ensure that DSA members would stay engaged in the race and support a legislative agenda in Albany. Gordillo was selected to join Mamdani’s transition team and will be working this year to advance proposals to impose higher taxes on millionaires, expand free child care and make city buses free.
15. Jed Walentas
Jed Walentas’ relationship with the Mamdani administration will be among the most closely watched in New York City. The Two Trees CEO and Real Estate Board of New York chair had been skeptical of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s policies, donating $100,000 to a super PAC supporting Eric Adams but also meeting with Mamdani twice last summer. Walentas has invested in Brooklyn’s future, including the leasing of One Domino Square and the construction of twin skyscrapers that will be the final development in the firm’s 11-acre Domino Sugar site on the Williamsburg waterfront.
16. Randy Peers
Brooklyn can feel like a small town in some ways, and Randy Peers has prioritized boosting the bottom lines of the borough’s small businesses. Peers has warned about the adverse effects of federal tariffs, which was the top concern among his members in a Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce survey. He has also launched a tourism platform, sent trade missions to China and El Salvador, and partnered with Google on an artificial intelligence curriculum for small businesses. He has also opposed several street redesigns, arguing they would slow traffic and impede vehicle access to local businesses.
17. Robert Carroll, Maritza Davila, Erik Dilan, Simcha Eichenstein, Jo Anne Simon, Latrice Walker, Jaime Williams, Kalman Yeger & Stefani Zinerman
Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon notched a major policy victory when the governor signed her measure to end the “100-foot rule,” which had required residents to subsidize new gas lines. The Boerum Hill lawmaker and Mental Health Committee chair also assailed energy rate hikes.
Assembly Member Latrice Walker, who represents Brownsville, chairs the Election Law Committee and has defended criminal justice reforms. She turned heads by backing Andrew Cuomo for mayor in June and November.
Assembly Member Robert Carroll has tackled myriad issues, from dyslexia to election access to trying to bring the Winter Olympics to New York. The Park Slope resident chairs the Committee on Libraries and Education Technology, securing funding for local libraries.
Assembly Members Simcha Eichenstein and Kalman Yeger are leaders in Brooklyn’s Jewish enclaves. Eichenstein has represented Borough Park, Kensington and Midwood since 2019, when he became New York’s first Hasidic Jewish state lawmaker. Last year, he championed a substantial equivalency law that facilitates nonpublic religious schools’ compliance with state standards. Yeger, who transitioned from the New York City Council to the Assembly last year to replace former Ways and Means Committee Chair Helene Weinstein, has introduced few bills – but is an influential representative of the Orthodox Jewish community.
Assembly Member Maritza Davila, who chairs the Social Services Committee, represents Bushwick and Williamsburg. A 2025 analysis suggested she could be vulnerable, as she’s somewhat more moderate and her constituents overwhelmingly supported Zohran Mamdani, but so far she’s not facing a primary.
Assembly Members Erik Dilan, Stefani Zinerman and Jaime Williams are already facing primaries. Dilan, the Correction Committee chair, has long been a target of leftists, but his backing of Mamdani in November may make it harder for challenger Christian Celeste Tate to gain traction in this matchup. Zinerman is in a Central Brooklyn rematch against Eon Huntley, who like Tate is aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America. Williams, a Democrat in a southern Brooklyn district along Jamaica Bay, is further to the right, backing Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa last year. The Working Families Party recently endorsed her challenger, Jibreel Jalloh.
18. Linda Sarsour
Linda Sarsour may be keeping a relatively low profile in New York City writ large, but she remains a close ally of Mayor Zohran Mamdani and a key leader in the Muslim community in Brooklyn and beyond. Sarsour, a Palestinian American activist, has welcomed a shift in New York City in which support for Palestinians has become less of a political liability. She has touted the role of a Council on American-Islamic Relations-backed political action committee in backing Mamdani for mayor – and she remains a lightning rod on the right, with conservatives claiming that she’s antisemitic.
19. David Greenfield
David Greenfield has run the Met Council since he left the New York City Council at the end of 2017, overseeing the country’s largest Jewish anti-poverty nonprofit as it delivers food and social services to hundreds of thousands of people in need. The organization distributed kosher food during the High Holidays last fall and another $1 million worth of food to 105,000 first responders and SNAP beneficiaries during the federal government shutdown. Greenfield has touted the benefits of artificial intelligence and is building a $25 million AI-backed warehouse in Brooklyn.
20. Joseph Nocella Jr.
So far, U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. has avoided the political drama bedeviling his counterparts in Manhattan, New Jersey and elsewhere across the country. The veteran prosecutor served as an assistant U.S. attorney and a Nassau County Family Court judge before President Donald Trump appointed him in May. When his temporary term expired 120 days later, Brooklyn’s federal judges approved Nocella – although U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer has continued to oppose his appointment. Nocella has led high-profile sports gambling investigations involving NBA figures and rigged poker games, as well as major league baseball players.
21. Carlo Scissura
Carlo Scissura is a vocal advocate for upgrading New York City’s infrastructure, which improves quality of life and provides work for some 250,000 skilled tradespeople. His trade association, the New York Building Congress, has advocated for expanding alternative delivery to expedite projects, promoted a natural gas pipeline and the redevelopment of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal, and pushed for a new federal infrastructure law. Scissura was appointed by the Adams administration to lead its first Charter Revision Commission and supported several housing-related recommendations the Adams administration’s second Charter Revision Commission made last year that would speed up development.
22. Jennifer Jones Austin
Jennifer Jones Austin had sounded the alarm over the affordability crisis well before it became a defining issue in elections in New York City and across the nation. Jones Austin helped advance a revision to the city charter mandating officials calculate the true cost of living. She strongly opposed federal SNAP and Medicaid cuts. In September, the FPWA released a report arguing New Yorkers needed a $71,300 annual income to achieve basic economic security. Now she’s warning that universal child care must close the inequality gap instead of further widening it.
23. Chris Banks, Simcha Felder, Farah Louis, Mercedes Narcisse & Susan Zhuang
The Julie Menin era in the New York City Council may not be a bad thing for the legislative body’s moderates. Menin, who was elected speaker over progressive favorite Crystal Hudson, elevated southern Brooklyn Council Member Susan Zhuang – a member of the center-right Common Sense Caucus – to chair the Aging Committee. Menin also kept southeastern Brooklyn Council Member Mercedes Narcisse as chair of the Hospitals Committee and East New York Council Member Chris Banks at the helm of the Public Housing Committee. Meanwhile, Council Member Farah Louis of Flatbush was installed as chair of the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises under the Land Use Committee. Council Member Simcha Felder did not get named as a chair of any committee, though that could partly be a function of his well-documented independent streak.
24. Linda Johnson
After reversing drastic cuts to library funding that would have led to branch closures in 2024, Linda Johnson helped the Brooklyn Public Library avoid steep reductions to its operating budget and even expand weekend hours at several branches. Her plans to renovate several branches are moving forward too. In September, Johnson announced the redevelopment of the 70-year-old New Utrecht Library, which will include affordable residences over its new facility, and celebrated the reopening of the Ryder Library in Bensonhurst in December after a three-year renovation.
25. Howard Fensterman
Since 2000, Howard Fensterman has led the expansion of his law firm from 13 attorneys to more than 120 lawyers and 250 total employees across five offices. The veteran Democratic heavyweight has cultivated relationships across the aisle, representing Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman on several matters and organizing a dinner in January 2025 between the county executive and then-New York City Mayor Eric Adams. He also chairs the board of Chabad of Port Washington.
26. L. Joy Williams
When Hazel Dukes died last year, L. Joy Williams was one of the few leaders who could pick up the torch and continue her civil rights legacy. Williams had brought younger members into Brooklyn’s NAACP chapter and is now aiming to strengthen county chapters across the state while using its organizing power to influence the state budget and legislative process. Williams stood by state Attorney General Letitia James when she was targeted by the U.S. Department of Justice and sought to build connections between Zohran Mamdani and Black voters during the 2025 election.
27. A.R. Bernard
The Rev. A.R. Bernard’s pastoral legacy is on firm ground, but he has also been taking steps to ensure the vitality of his congregation. Gov. Kathy Hochul and then-New York City Mayor Eric Adams joined Bernard in July to break ground on construction of the first phase of Innovation Urban Village, a $270 million affordable housing complex that would bring 385 affordable homes to East New York and ultimately create 2,000 new units. In September, Bernard celebrated the installation of his son Jamaal as the new senior pastor of the Christian Cultural Center.
28. Sandra Scott
After serving as One Brooklyn Health’s interim CEO since January 2024, the health system made Sandra Scott’s appointment permanent in May. The former Brookdale Hospital Medical Center executive director led a systemwide strategic planning process for One Brooklyn Health, which includes Brookdale, Interfaith Medical Center and Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center. Scott has navigated several unforeseen challenges. She warned about the effects of congressional cuts to Medicaid last year and negotiated with nurses to reach a tentative labor agreement that averted a strike in January.
29. Jennifer Gutiérrez, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Rita Joseph, Sandy Nurse & Lincoln Restler
The New York City Council Progressive Caucus didn’t get one of their own elevated to council speaker, but progressives are still influential in the city’s legislative body – and they saw their ranks increase in the last election. Council Member Crystal Hudson, who represents Crown Heights, Prospect Heights, Clinton Hill and Fort Greene, couldn’t muster enough speaker votes and lost to Manhattan’s Julie Menin. Hudson, a prolific legislator, moved from chairing the Aging Committee to chairing the General Welfare Committee. Menin reshuffled other committee chairs, notably bumping Council Member Rita Joseph, a Progressive Caucus member, from the Education Committee chair to the Higher Education Committee despite some calls to keep the Flatbush lawmaker in place. Council Member Shahana Hanif, a former Progressive Caucus co-chair who represents Park Slope, Windsor Terrace and Kensington, was removed as chair of the Committee on Immigration under the last speaker, but was named chair of the Committee on Disabilities this time around. Council Member Lincoln Restler, whose district stretches along the waterfront from Greenpoint to Brooklyn Heights, chaired the Committee on Governmental Operations last session and now leads the Contracts Committee. Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez, who pushed an internet master plan and artificial intelligence oversight as the Technology Committee chair, moved over to helm the Subcommittee on Early Childhood Education – which may be more consequential than a typical subcommittee post given the push for universal child care. She represents Williamsburg, Bushwick and Ridgewood. Meanwhile, Council Member Sandy Nurse now chairs the Civil and Human Rights Committee, moving over from the Committee on Criminal Justice. Nurse, whose district is in and around Cypress Hills, is currently a co-chair of the Progressive Caucus.
30. Lindsay Greene
Lindsay Greene joined the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 2022 with a deep background in industrial advocacy. She has since recruited tenants including the Pratt Institute, which signed a 60,000-square-foot lease inside Dock 72, and R/GA, which relocated its global headquarters from Manhattan. She also readied the ninth floor of Building 303 for life sciences and medical technology startups. Thanks to Greene, tenants have taken advantage of a new microbusiness support program that she launched and participated in a public art installation that will open this spring.
31. Alexa Avilés & Chi Ossé
Local and state lawmakers often envision themselves going to Washington, D.C., but there are usually plenty of obstacles in the way. That was the case recently for New York City Council Members Alexa Avilés and Chi Ossé, both progressive lawmakers who are members of the New York City Democratic Socialists of America. Late last year, Avilés explored a Democratic primary challenge against Rep. Dan Goldman, only to clear out and later endorse former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander. Similarly, Ossé sought the DSA’s backing for a primary challenge against House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, but the effort fizzled. Avilés has been outspoken against federal immigration actions and spearheaded a lawsuit to keep U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement off Rikers Island, while Ossé is known for authoring a 2024 law banning broker fees.
32. Juanita Scarlett
Juanita Scarlett joined Bolton-St. Johns seven years ago after honing her lobbying skills at Park Strategies as well as McKenna Long & Aldridge – and serving as an executive at Empire State Development. She guides clients in the education, energy and economic development sectors and has helped position Bolton-St. Johns as a top lobbying firm in New York City, reporting over $10 million in compensation in 2024. Scarlett has published op-eds about health care and was featured in a New York Times story about Brooklyn’s sisterhood of Black leaders.
Editor’s note: Juanita Scarlett is a member of City & State’s advisory board.
33. Kenneth Gibbs
Amid financial challenges facing many safety net hospitals, Kenneth Gibbs is stabilizing Maimonides Health through a recently announced merger with NYC Health + Hospitals, the city’s public health care system. The merger comes as Gov. Kathy Hochul is providing Maimonides a $2.2 billion lifeline over five years to preserve the Brooklyn institution. Once the merger is completed this spring, Maimonides will be able to access higher Medicaid reimbursement rates to improve its finances. The hospital also reached a tentative contract agreement with unionized nurses in January, avoiding a strike.
34. Daveth Forbes-Thomas, Svetlana Lipyanskaya, Sheldon McLeod & Sandra Sneed
After serving as chief operating officer of NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County, Sheldon McLeod was appointed CEO in 2018. McLeod has helped set the strategic vision of the hospital and partnered with community-based organizations to address systemic health inequities. He secured $8 million from the New York City Council to upgrade Kings County’s trauma center and primary care clinic in October. This year, the 639-bed hospital will adopt an advanced non-invasive technology to detect the progression of breast cancer before swelling occurs.
Svetlana Lipyanskaya became the first woman to lead NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health when she was appointed in 2020. Since then, the 371-bed Coney Island hospital campus has undergone a dramatic redesign and renamed its $923 million hospital building after former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Lipyanskaya helped launch the hospital’s inpatient facility, secured funding for infrastructure projects and set out a long-term strategic vision while prioritizing comprehensive care.
Sandra Sneed became CEO of the 310-bed Woodhull hospital last spring after longtime public health executive Gregory Calliste retired after 33 years of service. Sneed, who served as chief operating officer of Memorial Regional Hospital in Florida, returned to the health system where she started her career. Last year, she announced new clinical team appointments, opened a new suite for same-day procedures and honored breast cancer survivors at a special event at the hospital.
After six years helping run McKinney, NYC Health + Hospitals appointed Daveth Forbes-Thomas as CEO of the Crown Heights rehabilitation and nursing facility last March. In her time at McKinney, Forbes-Thomas helped develop a formal environment of care and life safety program for residents, visitors and staff, and built a quality assurance program improvement. McKinney is the city’s only nursing home with five-star ratings for staffing, quality measures and health inspections.
35. Juan Mejia
After helping NewYork-Presbyterian improve its operations, emergency management and patient safety over two decades, Juan Mejia took the reins of Brooklyn Methodist Hospital in 2023. The health care executive has expanded the hospital’s clinical, inpatient and ambulatory services, and zeroed in on improving patient care, which was recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Mejia has also managed layoffs amid a staffing reduction last year and grappled with the consequences of steep Medicaid cuts that Congress approved.
36. Gary Terrinoni
Over the past decade, Gary Terrinoni has revitalized The Brooklyn Hospital Center through his multimillion-dollar fundraising efforts and community partnerships. Terrinoni helped secure a $9.2 million federal grant to upgrade the Fort Greene hospital’s emergency department, doubled the capacity of its cardiac catheterization lab and opened Physicians Pavillion, a 45,000-square-foot medical office housing 20 specialties across six floors. Last year, Terrinoni raised more than $1.4 million at the hospital’s annual gala, which commemorated its 180th anniversary.
37. Bret Rudy
In January, Dr. Bret Rudy marked the 10-year anniversary of Lutheran Medical Center’s merger and integration into NYU Langone Health. Rudy, who was previously chief medical officer at the hospital, has helped the Sunset Park facility earn high ratings and a designation of excellence for its nursing program. Under his leadership, the hospital has invested in advanced technologies and established a Comprehensive Stroke Center and a Level I trauma center, which contributed to making the hospital’s mortality rate one of the lowest in Brooklyn.
38. André Richardson
As one of Rep. Hakeem Jeffries’ most trusted advisers, André Richardson has a key role helping Democrats plot their strategy to retake Congress in 2026. The founder of Paragon Strategies, which has rebranded as The Richardson Agency, has worked with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and House Majority PAC to refine messaging on the country’s cost of living and extending subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. Richardson has advised Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, in addition to recently hiring former New York City Council aide Saye Joseph.
39. Regina Myer
Regina Myer has been on a mission to make Downtown Brooklyn a more livable and walkable neighborhood. Over the past nine years, Myer has transformed the central business district’s streetscapes by adding more curb extensions, bollards and other features, exemplified by the completion of an $8 million renovation of the Fulton Mall corridor. Myer has also initiated a “climate pitch” to promote startups’ innovative climate solutions. Thanks to her efforts, Downtown Brooklyn added 3,700 new units of housing in the first half of 2025 alone.
40. Frank Carone
Frank Carone has been among Eric Adams’ most loyal consiglieres, but even he could see the writing on the wall. He helped set up the former mayor’s Florida meeting with President Donald Trump that led to federal charges against Adams being dropped. Carone also cultivated ties with Andrew Cuomo before his New York City mayoral campaign launched and successfully helped push Adams to drop out and endorse Cuomo. Carone’s luck may be running out, as he is reportedly the focus of a federal corruption probe, though he has denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged with any crimes.
41. Jocelynne Rainey
As Brooklyn’s nonprofits face increased financial pressures, Jocelynne Rainey has sought to fill in the gap. During Rainey’s tenure, the borough’s premier charity has collected $130 million in contributions and launched a microgrant program distributing up to $10,000 to organizations with annual budgets below $100,000. The work is unceasing. Brooklyn Org’s annual survey found 94% of organizations reported more demand for services in 2025 compared to the previous year, even as 60% lost federal funding. Rainey’s expertise landed her on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Social Services Transition Committee.
42. Scott Lorin
For over a decade, Dr. Scott Lorin has been focused on transforming Mount Sinai Brooklyn into an integral medical center serving one of the borough’s most diverse patient bases. Lorin oversaw the renovation of its ambulatory pavilion, developed a new residency program and expanded its faculty practice, including the Tisch Cancer Center. He also helped modernize its nursing education center and ICU rooms while investing in a Siemens MRI and nuclear imaging machine.
43. Morgan Monaco & Iris Weinshall
Morgan Monaco is no stranger to urban parkland restoration. She came to the Prospect Park Alliance in 2022 after overseeing the Red Hook Initiative and the Bloomberg administration’s MillionTreesNYC. In recent years, Monaco has completed the $8.9 million rehabilitation of Grand Army Plaza, upgraded the LeFrak Center at Lakeside with new amenities, secured $10 million to conserve the borough’s only forest and another $50 million for flood prevention improvements. She also managed re-greening efforts after a brush fire incinerated two acres in 2024. Iris Weinshall has chaired the Prospect Park Alliance since 2014. The former city transportation commissioner has raised funds to support a slew of restoration projects and helped select Monaco as the conservancy’s president. Thanks to Weinshall’s leadership, the 585-acre park has continued to serve as an oasis for millions of New Yorkers with new nature trails, the LeFrak Center’s revitalized ice rink and a more pedestrian friendly entranceway at Grand Army Plaza. Weinshall is also chief operating officer and treasurer of the New York Public Library.
44. Robert Brennan
Pope Francis appointed Robert Brennan as the bishop of Brooklyn in 2021, and Francis’ death last year profoundly affected the Brooklyn diocese’s leader. Brennan had hoped the next pontiff would continue Francis’ legacy and was pleased that an American with a long history as a missionary was selected. Change has come to Brooklyn’s parishes too. Facing a priest shortage, Brennan announced that Latin mass would no longer be offered at St. Cecilia’s Church but would continue at Our Lady Queen of Peace in Carroll Gardens.
45. Joe Tsai & Clara Wu Tsai
Joe Tsai has the Brooklyn Nets in a rebuilding year while banking on a high pick in the next NBA draft, but that hasn’t changed his long-term commitment to professional sports in the borough. The Alibaba Group chair brought the Nets to China last year in their first visit since 2019 and said he wouldn’t want to be a majority NFL owner until the Nets got better. He also is a member of the JPMorgan International Council, Exor Partners Council and a trustee of The Lawrenceville School. As founder of the Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation, Clara Wu Tsai has given tens of millions of dollars through their foundation to support its economic mobility, social justice and humanitarian initiatives. She also oversees fan development and community engagement matters for the Nets and New York Liberty and serves on the boards of trustees for NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Last year, after deciding not to renew Liberty coach Sandy Brondello’s contract, she led the search for its new coach, Chris DeMarco.
46. Moishe Indig
Moishe Indig knows how to read the political tea leaves. The influential Satmar rabbi, who galvanized Hasidic voters to get behind Eric Adams in 2021, endorsed former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic mayoral primary in New York City but hosted Zohran Mamdani at a Sukkot event in October where he congratulated him on his likely victory. Indig’s remarkable endorsement of Mamdani ultimately split Williamsburg’s Ahronim sect. But Indig explained in an interview with Mishpacha that Mamdani earned his support fairly by promising to work with the Hasidic community.
47. Audrey Sasson
Audrey Sasson is at the forefront of building a progressive Jewish community in New York that is not politically tied to Israel. Since joining JFREJ a decade ago, Sasson has tripled the organization’s size and supported candidates who share the organization’s values. Last year, Sasson applauded Zohran Mamdani and Brad Lander’s cross-endorsements, and the organization’s volunteers knocked on over 10,000 doors and made more than 80,000 calls to Jewish voters during the election cycle. She has noted her organization’s diversity and has continued to speak out against mass killings in Gaza.
48. Melissa “Misty” Cantwell
Col. Melissa “Misty” Cantwell became the second woman officer to lead Fort Hamilton when she started her two-year term as its garrison commander in 2024. The West Point alum completed five combat deployments in Iraq, served as an army detention and correction adviser in Afghanistan and most recently worked as the U.S. Military Academy’s deputy chief of staff. At Fort Hamilton, Cantwell helped secure $43 million in federal funds to renovate the base, helped open a Red Cross office on the installation and designated a highway recognizing the sacrifices of Brooklyn’s military veterans.
49. Rachel Timoner
When many rabbis came out against Zohran Mamdani’s New York City mayoral campaign, Rachel Timoner kept an open door while cautioning him about his rhetoric. Timoner, who joined Congregation Beth Elohim in 2015, has used her bimah to promote a message of peace after the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel while defending self-determination for Israelis and Palestinians alike. After hosting a meeting between Mamdani and her congregants in October, she was invited to join his transition committee a month later. She’s also a co-founder and board member of the liberal New York Jewish Agenda.
50. Jose Lopez, Arlenis Morel & Sienna Fontaine
Make the Road New York has been facing severe threats as the Trump administration has sought to shrink pathways to citizenship and remove millions of undocumented immigrants. But Make the Road co-leaders Jose Lopez, Arlenis Morel and Sienna Fontaine have fought to block the White House’s most aggressive impulses. Last year, they joined a lawsuit to halt Trump’s executive order to roll back birthright citizenship, led rallies against cuts to Medicaid and Medicare, and sued to stop U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from fast-tracking deportations. The organization also grappled with financial uncertainty after its board passed a resolution to reduce its operating deficit, which resulted in 22 layoffs. The organization recently announced a triumvirate of leaders who will guide the organization starting on April 1: Natalia Aristizabal and Rebecca Telzak along with Fontaine.
51. David Niederman
After six decades of working out of rented offices, David Niederman celebrated the groundbreaking of a new $9 million headquarters on Bedford Avenue that the United Jewish Organizations would own outright. The five-story building will allow UJO to expand its kosher food distribution, housing assistance and senior aid programs. Niederman, an influential leader of Williamsburg’s Zalonim Hasidic sect, backed Andrew Cuomo in the mayoral primary but was deeply impressed with Mamdani after meeting with the then-mayor-elect in December.
52. Juan de Pablo
With more than 650 published works and dozens of patents, Juan de Pablo was an inspired choice to succeed Jelena Kovačević at the helm of NYU Tandon School of Engineering. Since 2024, the Mexican-born chemical engineer has made NYU Tandon a nexus of technological innovation and entrepreneurship. Last semester, de Pablo helped reorganize the Courant Institute linking computer science programs across disciplines, launched a new robotics and artificial intelligence hub, and created master’s degree programs for emerging technologies and quantum science. He hopes to work with other institutions to attract more investment to New York.
53. Joni Yoswein
Over more than three decades, Joni Yoswein has built her boutique public affairs firm into a Brooklyn institution representing some of the borough’s biggest real estate players. Two Trees, Ikea and Wegmans have all turned to Yoswein to shepherd projects through the city’s zoning process. Last year, she helped the Brooklyn Public Library garner $13 million in state aid to repair its branches, worked to secure state funding for SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, preventing the closure of its hospital and received $5 million from the New York City Council for Brooklyn Tech’s Foundry project.
54. Ken Fisher
When developers need to navigate New York City’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, they call Ken Fisher. The Cozen O’Connor attorney recently represented The Domain Companies, which snagged a $205 million refinancing for a redevelopment of 420 Carroll St. in the Gowanus. Fisher also repped RYBAK Development, which New York City picked in October to develop a 505-unit project on a Coney Island site. The former New York City Council member has also advocated for the state to lead planning for the Interborough Express line, and he has advised Two Trees and the Brooklyn Democratic Party.
55. Mark Treyger
Mark Treyger’s experience as a history teacher shapes his efforts to combat antisemitism in New York. Since the former Brooklyn City Council member and New York City schools official joined the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York in 2024, he has sought to strengthen ties among the city’s Jewish communities. Yet the task hasn’t been easy in the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel and a divisive 2025 mayoral race in New York City. Treyger has also sought to bolster school curricula by promoting an initiative to teach students about Jewish American history.
Editor’s note: Mark Treyger is a member of City & State’s advisory board.
56. Melanie La Rocca
Melanie La Rocca joined RiseBoro Community Partnership last fall as the housing and senior services-focused nonprofit expands well beyond its Bushwick footprint. Last year, RiseBoro announced the opening of a 216-unit development in Brownsville and rehabbed six Bushwick tenements. La Rocca, a former New York City Department of Buildings commissioner and ex-BFC Partners executive, has been running the nonprofit’s operations and helped raise $800,000 at RiseBoro’s annual gala last year.
57. Yeruchim Silber
Yeruchim Silber has become one of the state’s leading religious education advocates thanks to his work ensuring that Agudath Israel has a voice in Albany. The government relations veteran supported the passage of legislation giving nonpublic schools more pathways to comply with substantial equivalency requirements, helped secure funding for added security for private schools and worked on a record get-out-the-vote drive in the Orthodox community during the New York City mayoral election.
58. Sydney Altfield
After eight years advocating for government funding for Jewish day schools and yeshivas at Teach NYS, Sydney Altfield moved up to become national director of Teach Coalition in May. The education advocate has organized school trips to lobby in Albany, helped secure more funding for security guards at religious schools and pushed for nonpublic schools to be included in the state’s universal free meals program. Altfield recently urged New York to opt into a federal scholarship program that could help families pay for tuition, tutoring and other religious school expenses.
59. Michael Nieves
In the past decade, Michael Nieves has made the Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network the largest noncommercial Spanish-language network in the country. Based at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the network has added 10 million Latino households to its audience under Nieves’ leadership and won an Emmy Award in 2024 for its Puerto Rican heritage series, “Ramon and Irmgard.” Last year, HITN announced a partnership with Camb.AI to dub its content into Spanish, worked with NYC Media to show episodes of the Spanish-language program “VOCES,” and featured five documentaries on Puerto Rican trailblazers.
60. Blondel Pinnock
Since becoming president and CEO of the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corp. in 2022, Blondel Pinnock has pursued her mission to reduce the racial wealth gap and promote economic growth across Central Brooklyn. The BSRC leader unveiled ambitious plans to double the amount of office space at Restoration Plaza with an 840,000-square-foot complex. The new site will consist of educational and cultural space, including the 218-seat Billie Holiday Theater. Pinnock has also drawn attention to gentrification and the rising cost of living in the neighborhood.
61. Wayne Riley
When Dr. Wayne Riley took the role to lead SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in 2017, he knew it would be an enormous challenge – and that was years before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The safety net provider served as a coronavirus-only hospital but soon amassed a $160 million deficit. But Riley lobbied state lawmakers and the governor, who agreed to invest $950 million over the past two fiscal years for SUNY Downstate’s capital and operation costs. The state aid will help make several upgrades to its facilities and medical equipment – and prevent further downsizing.
62. Lupe Todd-Medina
After stints working with Dan Klores and George Arzt, Lupe Todd-Medina founded her political consulting business in 2013 to help Democratic candidates win higher office. She helped Ken Thompson win a historic Brooklyn district attorney race, shaped communications strategies for Ray McGuire and Adrienne Adams’ New York City mayoral campaigns, and has advised numerous state and local candidates, including Gov. Kathy Hochul. She also helped House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries break through early on in his political career.
Editor’s note: Lupe Todd-Medina is a member of City & State’s advisory board.
63. Trip Yang
Trip Yang leaned on his experience on Barack Obama’s presidential reelection campaign to establish a consulting firm that has elevated a growing number of Democrats into higher office. Yang has assisted New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez on their reelection efforts, as well as Rep. Tom Suozzi’s comeback campaign in 2024. He has also been perhaps the preeminent expert on Asian American voting trends in New York and has also opined on why national Democrats were slow to embrace Zohran Mamdani – who Yang’s firm backed through an independent expenditure committee in last year’s general election.
Editor’s note: Trip Yang is a member of City & State’s advisory board.
64. Meera Joshi
A cemetery might seem like an unusual landing spot for a former top City Hall official, but Green-Wood Cemetery was eager to utilize Meera Joshi’s unique skill set. The former New York City deputy mayor, who resigned last year when then-Mayor Eric Adams was poised to see his corruption case controversially tossed, now manages Green-Wood’s notable public spaces and ambitious cultural programs. Since coming on board in July, Joshi has been preparing for the grand opening of a new visitor center coming this spring, helped secure $1.86 million in state funds for stormwater mitigation initiatives and planted 600 trees on its grounds.
65. Donald Boomgaarden
Donald Boomgaarden led St. Joseph’s University through the most significant transition in the Clinton Hill institution’s history three years ago when the former college received its designation as a university. The St. Joseph’s president has increased the school’s endowment by 160% since 2017, restored enrollment to pre-pandemic levels and oversaw several construction projects on its Brooklyn and Long Island campuses. In October, Boomgaarden secured $250,000 in state capital funding to renovate O’Connor Hall in Patchogue, and he’s establishing a master’s degree program in speech language pathology.
66. Tucker Reed
When Tucker Reed launched his own real estate startup in 2017, he had already attracted substantial investment toward redeveloping Downtown Brooklyn. Totem has since become an essential player in the market, with 3,000 homes in its portfolio and potentially thousands more through its housing platform Ailanthus. In December, the New York City Council approved Totem’s rezoning plan for Herkimer-Williams, a mixed-use project that could create up to 1,000 affordable homes near Broadway Junction. Two Totem sites at 1057 Atlantic Ave. and 737 Fourth Ave. will begin leasing this year.
67. Michelle J. Anderson
Michelle J. Anderson has vaulted Brooklyn College to new heights as one of the nation’s top schools for its return on student investment and value. During her tenure, Anderson has launched a lecture series bringing executives and public officials to campus, promoted a mentoring initiative and explored integrating artificial intelligence literacy across school disciplines. She also established a dual enrollment program that allowed yeshiva students to take CUNY classes without leaving their school. Now, Anderson is promoting the Interborough Express, which would allow more students to commute to Brooklyn College without a car.
68. Nick Pepe
Nick Pepe landed at Kasirer in 2020 after graduating from the University at Albany and completing internships with U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and then-Assembly Member Brian Barnwell. Pepe’s constituent services experience has served him well at Kasirer, New York City’s top lobbying firm, where he works on land use projects and community engagement strategies for clients on the firm’s real estate team. He also runs the firm’s hospitality practice, helping restaurants, bars and membership clubs obtain liquor licenses and secure necessary permits from local government agencies.
69. Larry McReynolds
For 20 years, Larry McReynolds has been responsible for overseeing one of the nation’s largest federally qualified health networks. Family Health Centers at NYU Langone serves about 145,000 individuals annually, operates eight primary care sites, 61 school-based health clinics and nine community sites serving 7,000 homeless individuals. In 2023, McReynolds oversaw the expansion of a 4,500-square-foot health center in Red Hook, which provides primary care, women’s health services and dental care. Last summer, NYU announced plans for a $78 million office consolidating two health centers in Sunset Park.
70. Andrea Parker
The Gowanus Canal could eventually be safe enough to swim in, thanks to Andrea Parker’s yearslong efforts to clean up the federal Superfund site. Parker and other advocates demanded New York City eliminate sewage overflows before a neighborhood rezoning, persuading the city to invest $53 million in sewer upgrades. Parker’s Gowanus Canal Conservancy has also used sensor technology to monitor pollution, filled tree beds with native plants and pushed new developments to build roof gardens and basement tanks to reduce the flow of wastewater into the canal.
71. Michelle de la Uz
Michelle de la Uz has dedicated her career to building affordable housing in areas that desperately need it. The Fifth Avenue Committee leader partnered with the Brooklyn Public Library on a five-year plan to redevelop the Sunset Park branch with 49 affordable homes above it, delivered an 84-unit senior apartment development and secured $450 million in investment from the Gowanus rezoning. Last year, de la Uz served on the task force behind the Brooklyn Marine Terminal plan, a project that envisions thousands of new homes while preserving a working port on the Red Hook waterfront.
72. Mike Stamatis
For years, Mike Stamatis opposed any effort to scale back operations on the last stretch of Brooklyn’s industrial waterfront. But when the Adams administration proposed revitalizing the 122-acre Brooklyn Marine Terminal while setting aside some land for housing and open space, Stamatis embraced the vision. In the plan, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey would swap land with the city, which would rebuild three defunct piers, replace cranes and retain 60 acres for modernized port operations. Not everyone is on board, but a task force approved the $3.5 billion plan in September.
73. Elizabeth Yeampierre
For decades, Elizabeth Yeampierre has fought for environmental justice in communities disproportionately affected by pollution while reshaping what climate activism looks like in the process. She was instrumental in leading Uprose’s campaign to secure a special purpose district designation in Sunset Park and launched New York City’s first community-led solar project in July. Now, Yeampierre is recalibrating, figuring out how to protect progress made and support environmental organizations across the country as the Trump administration accelerates fossil fuel production and slashes funding for climate initiatives.
74. Kenrick Ross
Kenrick Ross knows the importance of safe and welcoming spaces for marginalized groups at a time when the LGBTQ+ community is under attack. He joined the Brooklyn Community Pride Center in 2023 after leading the National Queer Asian American Pacific Islander Alliance, where he sought to combat discrimination and raise awareness about gender identity. Ross has since consolidated BCPC’s in-person offerings at its Crown Heights headquarters, after closing its Bedford-Stuyvesant office. He also has alliances with other Brooklyn-based queer community organizations and has supported events such as the Brooklyn Pride Comic Book Fair.
75. Charles Capetanakis
Charles Capetanakis is an expert in real estate law, trusts and estates, and other specialties at the intersection of the public and private sectors. The Brooklyn attorney has advised many clients in the borough, including the Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk, St. Francis College and The HOPE Program. Capetanakis has also been involved in New York politics and government, having run for state Senate in a district straddling Brooklyn and Staten Island in 2000 and also serving in various task forces and commissions at the New York City and state levels.
76. David Picket
As the fourth generation of his family to run the Gotham Organization, David Picket and his relatives have provided homes for countless New Yorkers. Picket’s latest Brooklyn site is a mixed-use development on Quay Street, with 40% of its units set to be permanently affordable. In the past 18 months, Gotham Organization has also opened The Maybury, a 453-unit tower on Manhattan’s West Side and announced plans for a $200 million development with income-based residential units in Jamaica, Queens. The company is also planning a 157-unit transit-oriented complex near the Westbury Long Island Rail Road station.
77. Josh Mehlman
For years, Josh Mehlman has advocated for southern Brooklyn’s growing Jewish institutions, which now comprise more than 200 synagogues, yeshivas and Talmudic learning centers. His Flatbush Jewish Community Coalition has weighed in on plenty of races on both sides of the aisle, endorsing Democrat Farah Louis for New York City Council in 2019 and Republican Lee Zeldin for governor in 2022. Even though members of his coalition didn’t support Zohran Mamdani, Mehlman attended the mayor’s inauguration and acknowledged that Mamdani’s team had sought to work together to meet his community’s needs.
78. Leigh Clayton
Since joining the Wildlife Conservation Society in 2023, Leigh Clayton has maintained New York Aquarium’s status as one of Brooklyn’s top attractions. The aquarium has bulked up its “Sea Cliffs” exhibit with a pair of rescued California otters, organized a multiweek “Shark Party” educational program last summer and promoted Halloween activities for families. Clayton has also been the force behind the aquarium’s wildlife rehabilitation efforts, such as healing sea turtles affected by hypothermia and caring for corals confiscated at JFK International Airport.
79. Sam Charney
Sam Charney is a builder in Brooklyn and beyond. Charney, who launched Charney Companies in 2013, has over 3,000 units in development across the five boroughs. His firm is behind the four-project Gowanus Wharf campus; 95 Rockwell Place, a 150,000-square foot, 182-unit condominium in Fort Greene; and The Dime in Williamsburg with 177 rental apartments. Charney, who previously worked at Two Trees, also backed the City of Yes zoning initiative and serves on the construction committee of the Brooklyn Public Library and on the Brooklyn Museum’s Board of Advisors.
80. Eric Landau
Eric Landau is making Brooklyn Bridge Park, an 85-acre space on the borough’s waterfront, into one of New York City’s top recreation destinations. Under his leadership, Landau has reorganized the park’s conservancy to strengthen its ability to support the space long term. Park leaders also unveiled a new pavilion and plaza, providing an accessible entranceway to Pier 1, and welcomed Bargemusic to the park’s boathouse after 50 years on the water. Last year, Landau and his team raised $1.5 million in celebration of the park’s 15th anniversary.
81. Suri Duitch
Suri Duitch has charted Kingsborough Community College’s course since former President Claudia Schrader moved to York College. She was named interim president of the 25,000-student school in early 2024 and president in May 2025. Duitch has developed a five-year strategic plan, secured reaccreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and saw the college named as a semifinalist for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence for its student diversity and high graduation rates.
82. Frank Seddio
Frank Seddio has remained ensconced in Brooklyn politics despite stepping down as Democratic county leader in 2020. The former Assembly member last year was named a New York City Board of Elections commissioner by the City Council after a contentious vote by its Brooklyn delegation. Seddio represented the opponents of the Bedford Avenue bike lane and has filed hundreds of no-fault auto insurance lawsuits on behalf of a Brooklyn-based physician. His biggest case has involved an escrow attorney and $2 million in missing funds, which made headlines when Seddio called the case’s latest judge on his cellphone.
83. Anne Pasternak
As the Brooklyn Museum commemorated its 200th anniversary in 2024, Anne Pasternak put the beloved institution on a path to sustain its next 200 years. She has reinstalled the American Art galleries, acquired 600 new works and launched the Brooklyn artist exhibition featuring more than 200 Brooklyn-based artists. Last year featured some of its buzziest exhibits, including Christian Marclay’s “Doors,” in recent memory. Pasternak has also navigated federal cuts and budget deficits, which spurred dozens of layoffs a year ago, but she secured $10 million in state aid in November.
84. Coco Killingsworth
Coco Killingsworth has ensured that the Brooklyn Academy of Music has maintained its preeminent role developing groundbreaking programs despite its recent shakeups. The arts administrator has produced a diverse array of initiatives despite the drop off of donors since the COVID-19 pandemic and helps run the institution’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. tribute, which just celebrated its 40th year. Until recently, Killingsworth chaired the city’s Cultural Institutions Group, which represents the city’s top arts institutions. She also has added leadership responsibilities while BAM searches for a new president.
85. Wes Jackson
Wes Jackson has ushered BRIC into a new era, with the Brooklyn-based media and arts organization joining the distinguished New York City Cultural Institutions Group in September. The move allows BRIC to access more city funding. Over the past three years, Jackson has run innovative programming, including the premiere of BRIC TV’s “Problematic” digital series, artist Sarah Khan’s exhibition “Speak Sing Shout: We, Too, Sing America” and the 11th annual BRIC JazzFest. Late last year, Jackson was appointed to Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Arts and Culture Transition Committee.
86. Debbie Almontaser
Debbie Almontaser founded the Bridging Cultures Group nearly a decade ago with a mission of fostering a greater understanding of Arab and Muslim life in New York. A veteran public school educator, Almontaser spearheaded Arab Heritage Week, developed the curriculum of the Muslim Communities Project and founded Brooklyn’s Khalil Gibran International Academy, the first English-Arabic public school in the country. She recently celebrated New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s inauguration and promoted the governor’s proclamation of January as Muslim American Heritage Month.
87. Joe Reubens
Joe Reubens is a veteran consultant and a key player at The Parkside Group, one of the top political campaigning and government relations firms in New York. Reubens has spent more than two decades in the field helping Democrats win competitive races – and helped position the party to retake the state Senate in the 2018 election cycle. Reubens is an expert on crafting television ads and direct mail and is part of a team that has won multiple Pollie and Reed awards recognizing their efforts.
88. Nicholas Liakas
Nicholas Liakas is a personal injury attorney who co-founded Liakas Law. The Manhattan-based firm has shaped policy debates around protections for hospital patients, safety standards for space heaters and reforms to bail and solitary confinement, while Nicholas Liakas has stood with survivors of the Twin Parks fire in the Bronx and spoken out against the death of Robert Brooks while in state custody. The firm has notable political ties, with election attorney Ali Najmi serving as special counsel and former Rep. Ed Towns as a senior adviser.
89. Gregg Bishop
Gregg Bishop came to the Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation in 2021, a year after the Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty owners launched a social justice fund. Bishop, the former New York City Department of Small Business Services commissioner, helped the Tsais focus their philanthropic efforts toward founders of color and women pursuing initiatives that improve economic mobility and combat discrimination. The fund, which will commit $50 million through 2030, gave its first set of grants in 2020 to an ER doctor, a climate think tank, a journalist, a charter school leader and a formerly incarcerated activist.
Editor’s note: Gregg Bishop is a member of City & State’s advisory board.
90. Patricia Ramsey
When CUNY appointed Patricia Ramsey to become the first woman president of Medgar Evers College in 2021, the hope was that the biologist would improve its enrollment, boost graduation rates and close the deficit. Ramsey has put the college on the right path, seeing a 5% bump in enrollment between 2022 and 2023 and launching an online bachelor’s degree in education to help address New York City’s teacher shortage. Ramsey has ensured the school continues its civil rights legacy, hosting events for students, including one with Malcolm X’s daughter.
91. Milton Santiago
When the New York City College of Technology needed a higher education executive with experience in the CUNY system, they turned to Milton Santiago. Over the past 30 years, the higher education leader has championed undergraduate support systems, career-focused educational programs and student-centered governance at Lehman College, the College of Staten Island and Bronx Community College, which he led as its interim president for two years. Now, as interim president at City Tech, Santiago is bringing new graduate programs to the school. He was appointed last year after longtime leader Russell Hotzler retired.
92. Leah Archibald
Few leaders have done more to protect Brooklyn’s shrinking manufacturing sector than Leah Archibald. The Evergreen leader helps 300 industrial businesses a year obtain financing, advocate for smart industrial policy and find factory and warehouse space in North Brooklyn’s dedicated industrial business zones. Over the past two years, Archibald shared input to develop the Adams administration’s citywide industrial plan and helped Brooklyn Brewery, one of the borough’s top employers, expand its facility without leaving Williamsburg.
93. Porez Luxama
Since launching Life of Hope two decades ago, Porez Luxama has built a community center offering a variety of programs to Brooklyn’s Haitian community – of which Luxama is a member. In 2024, the organization took its most significant step by acquiring an 18,000-square-foot warehouse for $12 million to become a community hub and its permanent headquarters. Luxama, who has raised $15 million for the project, hopes to serve Haitian Americans for years to come.
94. Dianne Morales
Dianne Morales is best known for waging an insurgent campaign for New York City mayor in 2021 that briefly excited left-wing voters before she finished in sixth amid a campaign staff walkout. In the meantime, Morales founded a leadership consulting firm and took the reins of El Puente in September. She has sought to bulk up El Puente’s leadership training, organizing and advocacy work at a moment when federal immigration agents are targeting immigrants.
95. Alex Budnitsky
Alex Budnitsky left Ukraine over three decades ago and has since helped make one of New York City’s most diverse neighborhoods a welcoming place. Under his leadership, Marks JCH of Bensonhurst – a major Jewish community center and human service agency in Brooklyn – has expanded its role as a lifeline for thousands of refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. The center helps them navigate the complex resettlement landscape, including housing, child care, mental health services and employment, while fostering a supportive community where displaced individuals can share their stories and raise awareness.
96. Jude Bernard
Jude Bernard founded The Brooklyn Bank in 2017 after his experiences purchasing brownstones convinced him to share his wealth-building strategies with his community. The real estate entrepreneur’s organization has raised $325,000 since 2016, served more than 12,000 people and held more than 75 community programs. Bernard hosts podcasts on wealth creation and has taught nonprofit groups about financial management and organized a Thanksgiving turkey giveaway that fed a thousand Brooklyn families during the holiday season.
97. Lara Birnback
The Brooklyn Heights Association has benefited from Lara Birnback’s experience in international development and capacity building – not just in the outer boroughs, but also in the Balkans, Kenya and Washington, D.C. Lately, Birnback has zeroed in on improving Montague Street’s dining and retail options and making streets safer and more accessible with curb extensions, new seating and planters. She has been a key voice in opposition to proposals to rebuild the aging Brooklyn-Queens Expressway before an environmental review and instead called for short-term repairs and a broader vision of the highway’s future.
98. Bronwyn Breitner
Three days into New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s tenure, street safety advocates finally got the road diet that they wanted for McGuinness Boulevard. Bronwyn Breitner spent years pressing public officials to eliminate travel lanes, extend a protected bike path and add daylighting on the borough’s most dangerous thoroughfare after tragic traffic injuries and fatalities. The Adams administration had promised to complete the safety project, but progress stalled after a prominent donor objected and his top aide allegedly accepted a bribe to weaken the city Department of Transportation’s plan. Mamdani revived the redesign in one of his first official acts, with Breitner on hand for the announcement.
99. Hunter Armstrong
Hunter Armstrong knows how critical New York City’s protected pathways are for commuters and pedestrians. His group helped shape the Adams administration’s planned expansion for a new route connecting Highland Park to Prospect Park while resurfacing the path on Ocean Parkway while also supporting the city’s first comprehensive greenways master plan in decades. Armstrong released a user study of these corridors in 2024 showing that commuters took one quarter of all bike trips on coastal greenways. He is planning an NYC Greenways Summit this year.
100. Inna Vernikov
In response to a surge in antisemitic attacks, the New York City Council this year created a Task Force to Combat Antisemitism – but the move has largely drawn attention to one of its co-chairs, Council Member Inna Vernikov. The southern Brooklyn Republican, who said it was her idea to create the task force, has been a lightning rod in the legislative body for bringing a handgun to a protest, referring to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as a “terrorist-lover” and even using a derogatory term for Jews with whom she disagreed.
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