Incoming Queens Borough President Announces Transition Team

December 01, 2020

Source: https://patch.com/new-york/jackson-heights-elmhurst/s/hbzey/incoming-queens-borough-president-announces-transition-team?utm_term=article-slot-1&utm_source=newsletter-daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter

KEW GARDENS, QUEENS — Incoming Queens Borough President Donovan Richards has released the list of people who will help him make the move to Queens Borough Hall come January.

Richards' transition team will be co-chaired by Queens Assembly Member Catalina Cruz, former Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messinger and Queens Public Library President Dennis Walcott.

Attorney Rhonda Binda, who leads the organization South Asian American Voice, will serve as executive director.

"As we look towards the future of Queens it's so important that we have community input from every corner of our borough," Richards said in a prepared statement.

"I ran my campaign with a vision of creating a stronger and more unified Queens that works for everyone. There's no question we have a tough road ahead, but with this diverse team of advocates, community leaders, and policy makers I know that we will start off on the path to success."

Here is the full list of transition team advisors and committee chairs:

Co-Chairs

Catalina Cruz- Assembly Member
Ruth Messinger - Former President, American Jewish World Service, Former President and current Global Ambassador, American Jewish World Service, Former Manhattan Borough President, Social Justice Activist and Consultant
Dennis Walcott - Former Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education and former Deputy Mayor

Executive Director

Rhonda S. Binda, Esq.

LGBTQ+ Advisor

Cecilia Gentili - Principal/Owner at Transgender Equity Consulting

Disability Advisory

Mike Schweinsburg - President of 504 Democratic Club

Technology Advisor

Mark Gold - Venture Partner at Acronym Venture Capital

Immigration

Jo-Ann Yoo, Chair - Executive Director of the Asian American Federation

Community Boards

Michael Mallon, Chair - Director of Communications at Office of Danny Dromm

Community Affairs

Bishop Taylor, Chair - Senior Pastor of Center Of Hope International (COHI), Founder of Urban Upbound, Community Leader & Author

Personnel/Appointments

Franck Joseph, Co-Chair - Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Commission on Human Rights
Ibrahim Khan, Co-Chair - Chief of Staff to the NYS AG

Communications

Juana Ponce de Leon, Chair - Media Diversity Strategist & Consultant

Planning

Costa Constantinides, Chair - New York City Council Member

External Affairs

Bertha Lewis - Executive Director of The Black Institute

Education

Jay Hershenson, Chair - Vice President for Communications and Marketing & Senior Advisor to the President at Queens College

Policy

Afua Atta-Mensah, Chair - Executive Director at Community Voices Heard

Transportation

I. Daneek Miller, Co-Chair - New York City Council Member
Juan Restrepo, Co-Chair - Queens Organizer for Transportation Alternatives

Economic Development

Annetta Seecharran, Chair - Executive Director of Chhaya

Tourism, Arts, Parks, Entertainment and Sports (TAPES)

Cathy Hung, Chair - Executive Director at the Jamaica Center For Arts And Learning

Seniors and Veterans Affairs

Major Sharon Sweeting-Lindsey, Chair - VETS, Inc.

Youth

Martha Ayon, Chair - Head of Azul Public Solutions