tag:reuters.com,2025:newsml_RC2R1HA1AFWE:814338474
(New York, NY) – As the late New York City mayor Ed Koch used to say, “how am I doin’?”
Nearly two weeks have passed since Election Day, and Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is gradually putting together his cabinet, after naming an all-female transition team.
The 34-year-old political newcomer’s transition will be headed up by women leaders who’ve worked in the administrations of outgoing Mayor Eric Adams, Bill de Blasio and Michael Bloomberg.
Former first deputy mayor Maria Torres-Springer, former Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, United Way of New York City President Grace Bonilla and city budget expert Melanie Hartzog will serve as transition co-chairs. Progressive political strategist Elana Leopold will be the transition’s executive director.
One week into the transition from Mayor Eric Adams to Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani the administration also started to take shape. Mamdani named Dean Fuleihan as first deputy mayor and Elle Bisgaard-Church as chief of staff saying, “Few have played a more central role in this movement, or in every victory we have achieved together in the Assembly, than Elle.”
“I do like that he seems to be bringing people in who have experience doing this,” said Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
When Mamdani advertised that he is hiring people to join his administration, he received more than 50,000 resumes.
Zohran Mamdani made free buses one of his signature policy proposals during the New York City mayor’s race. However, back in the summer of 2024, the MTA was in the midst of a funding crunch that was exacerbated by a troubling problem – fare evasion. At the time nearly 50% of bus riders weren’t paying, resulting in $315 million in lost revenue. On Nov. 8, Gov. Kathy Hochul said she “cannot set forth a plan right now that takes money out of a system that relies on the fares of the buses and the subways.”
