Fourth Cohort of Kriegel Fellowship for Public Service Leaders Kicks Off
The 2023 Cohort of the Kriegel Fellowship for Public Service Leaders kicked off in October, welcoming 19 chiefs of staff and other legislative office leaders to a 13-week professional development program where they will tackle pressing public policy issues and build networks.
In state and local legislative offices, the role of chief of staff is as diverse in its responsibilities as the array of public policy issues they delve into. To support their success as a legislative champion as well as a community advocate, CUNY ISLG established the Kriegel Fellowship for Public Service Leaders in 2020 as a professional development and peer-to-peer learning opportunity for legislative chiefs of staff. The Fellowship seeks to help chiefs of staff and other legislative office leaders excel in their current positions, network with other chiefs of staff, and grow confidently into the next generation of elected officials and public service leaders. This past week, we welcomed the 2024 Kriegel Fellows as the fourth cohort of the program, who will meet weekly over 13 weeks in a shared learning space.
Each year, the Fellows engage in informative, open-dialogue sessions with policy experts on the pressing issues facing New York like budgeting, housing, criminal legal reform, and more. The idea for the Kriegel Fellowship grew out of CUNY ISLG’s successful Lindsay Fellowship in Government Leadership and Practice, a fellowship program for newly elected New York City and State legislators, which ISLG launched in 2017. Speaking with participants in the Lindsay Fellowship, ISLG learned about the diverse demands and responsibilities of the chief of staff role and uncovered the great opportunity to support chiefs of staff – many of whom move into elected positions and other roles in government.
ISLG is thrilled to welcome the fourth class of the Kriegel Fellowship, who are a talented and powerful group of leaders with a shared commitment to public service, government, and the communities they represent. This cohort reflects representation across New York City’s boroughs and a wealth and breadth of experience, including growing up across the city, serving various legislative and executive roles in government, and a range of other unique career experiences.
For our first session, Assemblymember Steven Raga joined the new Fellows to speak about the strategic role of chief of staff and how to best support policymakers. A former chief of staff – and member of the first Kriegel cohort – Assemblymember Raga will also be joining the Lindsay Fellowship this fall.
The 2023 Kriegel Fellows are:
Liznel Aybar-Ventura, Deputy Chief of Staff to Senator Jabari Brisport, Brooklyn
Jay Baez, Legislative Director to Senator Senator Gustavo Rivera (Bronx, D33)
Maia Berlow, Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director to Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Manhattan
Ornela Beshiri, Chief of Staff to Assembly Member John Zaccaro Jr., The Bronx
Sabriena Campbell, Chief of Staff to Assembly Member Chantel Jackson, The Bronx
Samantha Day, Chief of Staff to Assembly Member Grace Lee, Manhattan
Sydney Renwick, Chief of Staff to Assembly Member Brian Cunningham, Brooklyn
Yi (Jane) Duong, Chief of Staff to Senator Iwen Chu, Brooklyn
Elsie Encarnacion, Chief of Staff to Council Member Diana Ayala, Manhattan
Jackson Fischer-Ward, Chief of Staff to Assembly Member Harvey Epstein, Manhattan
Tyreke Israel, Deputy Chief of Staff and District Director to Council Member Althea Stevens, The Bronx
Kenan Kurt, Chief of Staff & Counsel to Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Manhattan
Daniel Kurzyna, Chief of Staff to Council Member Robert Holden, Queens
Victoria Leahy, Chief of Staff to Assembly Member Steven Raga, Queens
Ricky Malone, Chief of Staff to Assembly Member Daniel Rosenthal, Queens
Elizabeth Marte, Community Affairs Director to Senator Luis Sepulveda, The Bronx
Bryan McNamara, Chief of Staff to Assembly Member Alex Bores, Manhattan
Salvattore Morello, Chief of Staff to Senator Jamaal T. Bailey, The Bronx
Matthew Tighe, Deputy Chief of Staff to Assembly Member Tony Simone, Manhattan
ABOUT THE KRIEGEL FELLOWSHIP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE LEADERS
The Kriegel Fellowship for Public Service Leaders is a leadership and professional development program, designed for chiefs of staff of city and state legislators serving the New York City area. Since the Fellowship launched in 2022, its membership has expanded to include legislative staffers with role-adjacent positions to chiefs of staff, such as deputy chiefs of staff, district directors, and budget directors. Now, the Fellowship aims to support these leaders to excel in their current positions, network with other chiefs of staff and experts, and grow confidently into the next generation of elected officials and public service leaders.
The Kriegel Fellowship honors the legacy of Jay L. Kriegel, who served as chief of staff to New York City’s Mayor John Lindsay and was dedicated to mentoring chiefs of staff, legislators, and other public service leaders. The program was developed based on research and interviews with New York City and State legislators and chiefs of staff to understand the demands of the chief of staff position and corresponding needs for leadership development, learning community, and other support. The program builds on CUNY ISLG's experience running the Lindsay Fellowship in Government Leadership and Practice for city and state legislators.