Mamdani's administration is built around five deputy mayors, agency commissioners, a progressive City Council majority and the state government in Albany. The mayor controls the city executive, but the most difficult promises depend on boards, budgets, state law and public authorities that City Hall cannot command alone.
The early personnel choices show a mix of governing experience and movement-aligned policy. Dean Fuleihan gives the administration budget and City Hall experience. Leila Bozorg leads housing. Julie Su brings national labour experience. Helen Arteaga carries health and community services. Julia Kerson holds the operations brief.
Dean Fuleihan
Former first deputy mayor under Bill de Blasio and a long-serving budget official. He is the institutional anchor for daily city operations.
Leila Bozorg
Former associate commissioner at NYC Housing Preservation and Development. Her brief covers housing policy, tenant protection and social housing.
Julie Su
Former acting US Secretary of Labor. She links labour policy, workforce development and the fare free transit agenda.
Julia Kerson
Responsible for operational agencies, including city administrative services and environmental protection.
Helen Arteaga
Former president and CEO of NYC Health and Hospitals Elmhurst. Her portfolio includes B-HEARD and community health programmes.
Sherif Soliman
Former CUNY, MTA and mayoral policy official. He controls the fiscal route through the city budget and Albany negotiations.
Jessica Tisch
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch was appointed during the Adams administration and retained by Mamdani. The live accountability issue is coordination between the NYPD and the new Office of Community Safety.
Retained from AdamsLillian Bonsignore
The FDNY commissioner is a veteran EMS leader who served through COVID-19. Her appointment made her the second woman and first openly LGBTQ+ person to hold the role.
Mamdani appointmentDr. Alister Martin
The health commissioner is an emergency physician and public policy graduate. His department sits at the centre of disease response, healthcare access and city health guidance.
Mamdani appointmentKamar Samuels
The schools chancellor is a New York City public school veteran. He oversees the nation's largest school district and the education budget attached to it.
Mamdani appointmentStanley Richards
The correction commissioner is the first formerly incarcerated person to lead the department. His main question is Rikers closure and jail conditions before closure.
Mamdani appointmentDr. Mitchell Katz
NYC Health and Hospitals runs the largest public hospital system in the United States. Katz's retention signals continuity during federal health funding pressure.
Retained from AdamsThe legislative counterweight
The City Council has 51 members. It passes legislation, adopts the city budget and can override a mayoral veto with 34 votes. Speaker Julie Menin is the administration's main legislative partner and one of its most important public constraints.
Julie Menin
City Council SpeakerMenin is the administration's central Council counterpart. The FY27 budget passed 45 to 6, but the Council has also pressed the administration on NYPD headcount, agency coordination and service delivery.
Tiffany Caban
Council member and public safety voiceCaban is one of the Council's strongest progressive public safety voices. Her position is relevant because the administration's safety agenda depends on both police management and civilian response capacity.
Kathy Hochul
Governor of New YorkHochul controls the state budget route, the MTA environment and the willingness of Albany to authorise city tax changes. No relationship matters more for the next round of budget and transit fights.
Ana Maria Archila
International Affairs CommissionerArchila became central to the administration's foreign affairs boundary after the attempted meeting with Iran's UN ambassador. The issue now sits in the public record as a measure of approval rules inside City Hall.
Maya Handa
World Cup CzarHanda is responsible for coordinating the 2026 FIFA World Cup across agencies. The role is relevant because the tournament is a visible delivery record for transport, safety, tourism and public space.
Cea Weaver
Tenant protectionWeaver leads the mayor's tenant protection work. Her role connects the rent freeze, enforcement, housing court pressure and the administration's promise to make tenant rights usable.
New York State
Albany controls the state budget, the MTA and authorisation for city tax changes beyond normal city powers. Mamdani cannot deliver the full tax, childcare and transit agenda without state cooperation.
City Charter
The mayor appoints commissioners and runs the executive branch. The Council passes laws, adopts the budget and can override vetoes. The Comptroller audits spending independently.
The MTA
The MTA is a state authority. The mayor appoints only 4 of 23 board members, so fare free buses require state funding, MTA action or a city revenue path that Albany accepts.
The Council
A working Council majority can move the budget and pass local laws. A frustrated Council can hold hearings, block priorities, amend the budget and force public answers from commissioners.