New York City's next mayor, Zohran Mamdani, has announced two key appointments as he prepares to take over City Hall on January 1. Dean Fuleihan, a seasoned veteran from Bill de Blasio's administration, will serve as first deputy mayor, while Elle Bisgaard-Church, who managed Mamdani's campaign, will be chief of staff.
Fuleihan brings significant experience and management expertise to the role, having previously served as first deputy mayor under de Blasio. As first deputy mayor, he is considered the second-in-command at City Hall and is expected to play a crucial role in shaping the city's budget and policy decisions.
Bisgaard-Church, who was one of Mamdani's closest confidants during the campaign, has pledged to bring a "open-minded, strategically oriented and pragmatically focused" approach to her new role. Her appointment suggests that City Hall under Mamdani will prioritize collaboration and consensus-building, rather than divisive politics.
The appointments come just weeks after Mamdani won the election and appointed his transition team, including four co-chairs with diverse government experience. At 34, Mamdani will be the city's youngest mayor in over a century, as well as its first Asian and Muslim leader.
Mamdani has stated that he plans to assemble a diverse team of appointees, and may consider retaining existing appointments from Mayor Eric Adams' administration if they have performed well in their roles. However, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch's future remains uncertain.
The news has been welcomed by some as a positive development for the city, but others have expressed skepticism about Mamdani's ability to unite the city's diverse communities and tackle pressing issues like the cost of living crisis.
Fuleihan brings significant experience and management expertise to the role, having previously served as first deputy mayor under de Blasio. As first deputy mayor, he is considered the second-in-command at City Hall and is expected to play a crucial role in shaping the city's budget and policy decisions.
Bisgaard-Church, who was one of Mamdani's closest confidants during the campaign, has pledged to bring a "open-minded, strategically oriented and pragmatically focused" approach to her new role. Her appointment suggests that City Hall under Mamdani will prioritize collaboration and consensus-building, rather than divisive politics.
The appointments come just weeks after Mamdani won the election and appointed his transition team, including four co-chairs with diverse government experience. At 34, Mamdani will be the city's youngest mayor in over a century, as well as its first Asian and Muslim leader.
Mamdani has stated that he plans to assemble a diverse team of appointees, and may consider retaining existing appointments from Mayor Eric Adams' administration if they have performed well in their roles. However, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch's future remains uncertain.
The news has been welcomed by some as a positive development for the city, but others have expressed skepticism about Mamdani's ability to unite the city's diverse communities and tackle pressing issues like the cost of living crisis.
... I gotta say, I think it's cool that he's bringing in some heavy hitters from de Blasio's admin, Dean Fuleihan and Elle Bisgaard-Church 
They've both got the experience and skills to help shape up City Hall. I'm a bit concerned about NYPD Commissioner Tisch's future though, fingers crossed she stays on 
What I do love is that Mamdani's trying to build a diverse team - that's super important for this city. Can't wait to see how he gets on with tackling the cost of living crisis and keeping everyone united 
i'm lowkey hyped abt dean fuleihan gettin that deputy mayor spot - dude knows what he's doin 
& elle bisgaard-church as chief of staff is like the ultimate power move 
. gotta say, i'm loving the "open-minded" vibe she's got goin on 
. Mamdani's all about buildin a team that's diverse & inclusive, which is def needed in this city 
. some ppl might be skeptical, but i think he's gonna surprise us all 
. can't wait to see what he does w/ the budget & policy decisions 
. But Fuleihan's experience is valuable – hopefully it won't get lost in the shuffle 
.
. Fingers crossed!
and yeah, diversity on his team sounds like a good start 
. It's interesting that Mamdani is going for a more collaborative approach, but I'm not sure if that'll translate into concrete results... we'll have to wait and see how it plays out 
.
he's got some solid people around him tho 
i'm not sure what to make of jessica tisch's future tho 
. i mean seriously though, first deputy mayor dean fuleihan is a no-brainer, he's got experience under bill de blasio's administration which is like the ultimate test of sanity in city hall 
. and elle bisgaard-church being chief of staff makes sense too, she was one of zohran's inner circle during the campaign so i guess that's like getting a personal cheerleader 
. but what about jessica tisch tho? nypd commissioner future is uncertain? like what even is that 
. anywayz, fingers crossed that mamdani can live up to all the expectations and make ny city an actual utopia 
.
. Bisgaard-Church too, she was all cozy with Mamdani during the campaign, maybe that's what they mean by "open-minded" and "pragmatic"? 
at least it's a start, I guess. 34 years old, youngest mayor in over a century... hope he knows how to handle all that weight on his shoulders 
also, elle bisgaard-church's approach sounds kinda nice and all, but how does that translate to actual policy changes? 
I'm so hyped for Zohran Mamdani! 
Dean Fuleihan is going to be an amazing deputy mayor, I know he'll help shape some awesome budget decisions 
And Elle Bisgaard-Church as chief of staff? Yaaas, she's got the skills to bring people together 
Can't wait to see what he does in his first year!