I have spent my career advocating for our community’s most pressing issues, from affordability and safety to public education, accessibility, and grassroots public engagement. 

Most recently, I served as the Senior Director of Strategy at the ASPCA, where I worked to protect animals and strengthen our communities. I previously ran for City Council, placing in a close second place and am thrilled to be stepping up once again to serve our community.

Before entering politics, I was a NYC public school teacher, deeply committed to students, families, and our community. Prior to that, I spent a decade as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer, representing our country on the global stage. While at the UN, I negotiated multi-million dollar agreements that provided food assistance to 795 million people - a testament to my ability to deliver real results. Throughout my career, I have fearlessly lived my values and promoted democracy, safety and security.

A former member of two unions - the UFT and AFSA - I know the critical role unions and union members play in keeping our City strong and our economy fair. As a member of the State Assembly, I will be a steadfast voice for labor and working people.

I am a tireless, tested and trusted champion for the East Side and an experienced organizer and mobilizer in NYC Democratic politics. As the former President of the Lexington Democratic Club, I grew membership by 400% and continue to recruit and empower new East Side voices in the political process and defend our values. Additionally, I serve as a New York County Judicial Delegate and Democratic Committee member, roles that ensure our judiciary and local politics reflect community needs.

My commitment to service extends beyond politics - I’m also a former Community Board 8 member and previously co-chaired the Tikkun Olam ("social justice") Committee at Park Avenue Synagogue, where I worked to support our most vulnerable neighbors and ensure the community’s voice would be heard. My academic credentials include degrees from University of Chicago and Harvard. I live on the Upper East Side with my husband, Reid, and our two children.

My candidacy is built on long-standing community ties, visible public service, and a proven ability to bring people together to deliver results. The 73rd Assembly District is almost entirely contiguous with Council District 4, where I ran in 2025 and came in a close second place. That race established strong name recognition and a durable base of support rooted in years of engagement across the East Side.

I announced my campaign with endorsements from District Leaders and State Committee Members across the 73rd, 74th, and 76th Assembly Districts, and have since added elected officials from my district and across the City, Democratic clubs, advocacy organizations and labor. I am renewing support from City Council endorsers while expanding my coalition to include organized labor and key advocacy partners.

I maxed out the New York State matching funds program by the first filing in January, raising more than $50,000 overall to date, and I continue to pursue additional fundraising opportunities to demonstrate strength and deter potential challengers. The campaign is supported by an experienced, professional team and a strong volunteer network developed through years of local organizing.

As a longtime leader in local Democratic politics and civic life, I have built a broad and resilient following. I served as President of the Lexington Democratic Club, growing membership by more than 400 percent, and have been active on Manhattan Community Board 8 and through Park Avenue Synagogue’s Tikkun Olam Committee. Voters across the district recognize me as a bridge-builder and consensus leader whose values align with the community.

My path to victory runs through a coalition that includes supporters and volunteers from my City Council race; an engaged local community, including strong ties within the Jewish community; organized labor; trusted neighborhood leaders; and a robust, data-driven field operation. 

I am a proven vote-getter, fundraiser, and longtime East Side leader. After coming within a narrow margin of victory against an entrenched political machine, I enter this race with momentum, a broad coalition, and a clear path to win while advancing the priorities that Democrats in the 73rd Assembly District care about most. 

With only two days left of petitioning, we are not aware of another Democratic candidate launching a Primary Election campaign.

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Civil service exams must be fair, accessible, and truly reflective of the work being performed. I support ensuring exams are job-related and properly validated, expanding outreach and preparation resources so all qualified candidates can compete, and continuing to eliminate financial barriers such as application fees. I also believe modernization should improve access, through better accommodations and updated testing methods, while preserving objective, competitive standards. By protecting merit and strengthening equity, I will work to ensure civil service exams remain a fair and reliable pathway to public service and career advancement.

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In the midst of a housing crisis, New York State needs to take a more direct approach to create and sustain housing that remains affordable. I will support efforts to allow the State to directly and efficiently invest in affordable housing on a much larger scale.

We need a long-term, comprehensive approach to permanent housing and mental health care for unhoused and low-income New Yorkers. I support Housing First policies that prioritize providing permanent housing without preconditions, a proven, cost-effective strategy used successfully in countries like Australia, Canada, Finland, France, and Japan. This approach helps prevent recurring homelessness and addresses root causes early.

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As a member of Manhattan Community Board 8, I was involved in discussions and votes related to congestion pricing. At the time, there were many loud critics and skeptics. Concerns ranged from cost burdens to questions about fairness and implementation. Rather than dismissing those concerns, I focused on listening to understand. I spent time engaging directly with fellow board members and community stakeholders, taking their perspectives seriously and working to identify areas of alignment.

The obstacle was not just disagreement on the policy itself, but a lack of trust in whether the system would work as intended. I worked to build relationships and create space for more constructive dialogue, helping to move the conversation from entrenched positions toward shared goals, including reducing congestion, improving transit reliability, and making our streets function more effectively.

Through that approach, I was able to help build a coalition of support among colleagues, demonstrating that even on complex and contentious issues, it is possible to move forward by focusing on outcomes and shared interests.

This is an issue I continue to engage on regularly with voters, both during my City Council campaign and now in my race for State Assembly. There are real examples where the current system creates challenges for people, and I take those concerns seriously. I always listen to understand and work to be an advocate for all New Yorkers.

This experience reflects how I approach public policy more broadly. Achieving abundance requires not only good ideas, but the ability to build consensus and move projects forward. Whether it is congestion pricing, housing, or infrastructure, we need leaders who can bring people together, address legitimate concerns, and ensure that critical systems are implemented in a way that delivers real results.

Affordability: I want to retain New York’s residents and talent by making it more affordable. I will work to protect affordable housing stocks to the full extent provided by current law, support the creation of additional affordable housing stocks by working with non-profit and other developers who prioritize affordable housing, and hold developers receiving tax breaks accountable to delivering the affordable units that our community needs. I will fight for job training, technology training, and job placement through age-smart employment practices to value and retain older workers. I will support social programs and technology investments that allow seniors to age-in-place in the homes that connect them to family, friends, and their communities. 

Public Education: As a former public school teacher and current public school parent, I have both the context to understand the complex issues facing local schools and the commitment to deliver results for families and the future of our city. First and foremost, my priority is keeping our students safe by ensuring school entrances have well-functioning surveillance cameras, schools are supported by data-driven programs to combat bullying, funding is safeguarded for free school lunch, and students are safe from any attempts to pull them out of school by deportation agents. I began my teaching career through Teach For America training at a charter school and after that experience, was adamant about finding a position at a district school, ultimately finding my own placement through a DOE job fair. The school I taught at in Washington Heights (MS319) was co-located with a charter school (KIPP) and I saw first-hand how colocation resulted in students losing access to resources and spaces for art, PE, and technology. At a time when our federal government is actively against public education, I commit to supporting stronger local protections for public education and standing up against threats to public school resources, including charter schools, which I believe have no place in our community.

Healthcare: I am committed to expanding access to care, including policies that address health disparities for low-income families, people of color, immigrants, and the LGBT+community. This includes increasing funding for NYC Health + Hospitals to support underserved communities and expanding home care services with fair pay for aides and better patient access. Efforts to expand access must also address healthcare affordability. I will seek to partner with local hospitals and nonprofits to eliminate medical debt for low-income New Yorkers, following models used in other states. I will also hold hospitals and clinics accountable to their legal requirement to provide clear, upfront pricing on medical services and medications. I support legislation to crack down on excessive or unjustified prescription drug prices by giving the state stronger oversight and enforcement tools. I will also hold healthcare providers in New York accountable to our local laws and ensure that they never refuse services to a class of individuals based on their protected status.