Mamdani's transition team: From Lina Khan to Melanie Hartzog- NYC Mayor-elect taps top allies
NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani named his transition team, co-chaired by Lina Khan, with Melanie Hartzog, Grace Bonilla, and Maria Torres-Springer.
A day after being declared the winner of New York City's Mayoral election, Zohran Mamdani has revealed his transition team as he prepares to take charge as the new NYC Mayor on January 1, 2026. The 34-year-old announced his first decision after winning at a rally in the city's Flushing Meadows Tuesday.
Mamdani said that his transition team will be co-chaired by former Federal Trade Commission chair, Lina Khan. Three other prominent names in New York City will hold the position with her: Melanie Hartzog, president and CEO of the non-profit New York Foundling; Grace Bonilla, president and CEO of the non-profit United Way of New York City; and Maria Torres-Springer, NYC's former first deputy mayor.
Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist of America member who was endorsed by Democrats in the NYC mayoral election, will become the youngest and the first ever Muslim Mayor of New York City when he takes charge on January 1.
Mamdani's Transition Team Co-Chairs: Who Are They?
The most celebrated name in Zohran Mamdani's transition team is Lina Khan, the former FTC Chair. A professor at Columbia University's law school, Khan is widely regarded as one of the leading scholars of anti-monopoly legislation.
“What we saw last night was New Yorkers not just electing a new mayor, but clearly rejecting a politics where outsized corporate power and money too often end up dictating our politics,” Khan said Tuesday in Flushing Meadows.
Melanie Hartzog, currently the President and CEO of non-profit The New York Foundling, served as the former Deputy Mayor of New York City for Health and Human Services. She is reportedly partnering with Mamdani to strengthen child and family welfare initiatives.
Maria Torres-Springer was the former NYC First Deputy Mayor of New York City. She is known for her work in housing and economic development and is reportedly partnering with him to push the affordable housing agenda - one of Mamdani's biggest election promises.
Grace Bonilla is the President and CEO of United Way of New York City. Per the non-profit's website, it works to advance equity and improve the lives of low-income groups through education, health, and financial stability programs.
