De Blasio Promotes More Women in Cabinet

Come January, women will occupy five of the top seven jobs in Mayor Bill de Blasio's inner circle. That includes three of the five deputy mayors, the city’s budget director and the mayor’s chief of staff. De Blasio announced the appointments Thursday, the first organizational changes of his second term at City Hall.

Three of those women will be promoted from current, lower-level jobs within the administration. In addition, Deputy Mayors Alicia Glen and Dr. Herminia Palacio will continue in their current roles overseeing economic development and human services, respectively.

"Clearly these are the best people for the job there's no question about that," de Blasio said. But he added the personnel moves are also part of a larger commitment. "From the beginning of the administration, more than 50 percent of the senior leadership roles have been held by women. That's something we fundamentally believe in."

Taking into account other positions, such as agency heads and City Hall aides, the composition of the de Blasio administration's senior leadership will remain roughly the same as it is currently: 52 percent female and 42 percent of people of color, according to the mayor’s press office.  

New York City's First Lady Chirlane McCray,who vets potential candidates with her husband, said that putting women in leadership positions matters — especially as headlines show the ubiquity of sexual harassment.

"It means a great deal to me to support them, to set an example for other governments and industries and to have them as partners going forward," said McCray, 

Her new "partners" include Laura Anglin, currently the city's chief administrative officer, who will become the deputy mayor of operations, a new position in this administration. Emma Wolfe, a long-time de Blasio aide, will transition from the city's top liaison to state and federal governments to the mayor's chief of staff.  Melanie Hartzog, who currently works in the city’s budget office, will take over as the budget director. She'll be the first African-American to hold the position in the city's history.

"My mother and her family came to this country from Guyana seeking better opportunities," Hartzog said. "My father moved from South Carolina to Brooklyn with the hopes of a better future."

She said it’s an honor to work in public service and help struggling families, not unlike her own.

"Poverty was a constant struggle for my family. Homelessness, unemployment and hunger are struggles I’m all too familiar with," she added.

Deputy Mayor Richard Buery, an African-American who launched the city's pre-kindergarten initiative, and First Deputy Mayor Anthony Shorris, who oversaw the day-to-day operations of city government, will both be leaving the administration.

Dean Fuleihan, currently the city’s budget director, will assume the role of first deputy mayor.

The mayor said more changes are coming.