New York – Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced five new appointments to lead core agencies across city government and advance the administration’s vision for a safer and more affordable New York City.
Mayor Mamdani appointed Dr. Alister Martin as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and Stanley Richards as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Correction, the first formerly incarcerated individual to serve in this position.
Additionally, Mayor Mamdani announced Yesenia Mata as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Veterans’ Services, making her the first Latina to serve in the role; Sandra Escamilla-Davies as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development; and Vilda Vera Mayuga as Commissioner of the New York City Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings.
These appointments – which include leaders in public health, criminal justice, youth programming, and more – reinforce the Mamdani Administration’s steadfast commitment to recruiting and retaining world-class professionals to lead New York City government.
“New York City is built on the often unseen work of public servants who show up every day to care for our neighbors, support our young people, and make government work for the people who rely on it most. Today, we are entrusting five dedicated leaders with the responsibility to carry that work forward,” said Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani. “I hope New Yorkers see the impact of their leadership in young people growing into happy and healthy adults, in justice that is administered fairly across our city, and in a government that listens, responds, and treats every person with dignity.”
About Dr. Alister Martin
Dr. Alister Martin will serve as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). A national leader in both public health and civic engagement, Dr. Martin currently practices medicine as an Emergency Room physician at Mass General Hospital and leads coursework as an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School. He also leads “A Healthier Democracy,” a nonprofit healthcare organizing incubator based out of Northeastern University’s Burnes Center for Social Change.
Dr. Martin previously served as an advisor to Vice President Kamala Harris and a Fellow in the White House Office of Public Engagement. He founded Vot-ER – a nonpartisan nonprofit working to integrate civic engagement into healthcare. Dr. Martin earned his M.D. from Harvard Medical School as a Presidential Scholar, his M.P.P. from the Harvard Kennedy School as a fellow in the Center for Public Leadership, and graduated Summa Cum Laude from Rutgers University. Dr. Martin has built his career turning healthcare settings into platforms for social change – addressing opioid addiction, vaccine access, financial instability, and civic participation. His organizations have trained over 80,000 clinicians, reached millions of patients, disbursed $5.5 million in benefits, and partnered with over 1,700 hospitals across all 50 states.
As Commissioner of DOHMH, Dr. Martin will help oversee the city’s public health apparatus; monitor and manage disease outbreaks; and advance the Mamdani Administration’s vision for a city where every New Yorker can find affordable, accessible, world-class healthcare.
“As a kid from Jackson Heights, nothing means more to me than coming home to serve the city I was born in,” said DOHMH Commissioner Dr. Martin. “I’ve spent my career building programs that turn healthcare settings into launchpads for opportunity, and I’m ready to work alongside Mayor Mamdani to deliver real results, connecting New Yorkers to the care and resources they deserve and building a healthier, more affordable city for every family and every neighborhood.”
“Dr. Alister Martin has built his career on getting results,” said Michael Collins, former White House Director of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs, Office of Vice President Kamala Harris. “From the emergency room to the White House, he has built programs that deliver at scale, and he will bring that same results-driven approach to improving the health of all New Yorkers.”
“I have had the pleasure of working with Dr. Alister Martin over the years, and he is a visionary leader who has experience at the frontlines of healthcare, in neighborhoods and communities, and in the halls of public health and health policy,” said Joseph Betancourt, MD, MPH, President, The Commonwealth Fund. “His leadership will be incredibly influential in helping New Yorkers live safe and healthy lives.”
“Dr. Alister Martin is a visionary physician leader whose deep commitment to partnering with communities turns shared priorities into real action and impact. I am excited by the momentum his leadership will unlock and the lasting benefits it will bring to New York City,” said Elizabeth G. Cohn, PhD, NP, RN; Founder, Nurses Who Vote; RCMI Professor of Medicine, City University of New York.
“On behalf of the Fountain House community, I offer my congratulations to Dr. Alister Martin for being appointed to Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Commissioner and Stanley Richards as the Department of Correction Commissioner. DOHMH is a key, historic partner in making clubhouses for people living with serious mental illness (SMI) part of the behavioral health ecosystem in New York City and making our collaborative efforts a model for the country,” said Ken Zimmerman, CEO, Fountain House. “Fountain House is eager to partner with Dr. Martin, and the growing coalition of clubhouses in New York City to further clubhouse involvement in the continuum of care. Additionally, people living with SMI are vastly and wrongly overrepresented on Rikers Island. There is no one better poised to change that and the other wrongs of the system than our long-time partner Mr. Richards.”
About Stanley Richards
Stanley Richards will serve as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Correction (DOC). Commissioner Richards is a formerly incarcerated man of color with decades of experience in the criminal justice field. Commissioner Richards previously served as Executive Vice President of the Fortune Society, where he helped individuals successfully reenter society from jail and promoted alternatives to incarceration. He first joined the Fortune Society in 1991 as a Re-Entry Counselor before gradually rising through the non-profit’s ranks. For his commitment to supporting individuals impacted by the justice system, Commissioner Richards was recognized by the Obama Administration as a Champion for Change.
In addition to his work at the Fortune Society, Commissioner Richards previously served as First Deputy Commissioner for DOC, the first formerly incarcerated individual to hold a high-level position at the Department. He also became the first formerly incarcerated person to be appointed to the New York City Board of Correction, where he led the Working Group to End Punitive Segregation. Commissioner Richards received his A.A. from Medaille University as well as his B.A. and M.P.H. from Hunter College.
Commissioner Richards will lead DOC at a pivotal moment, with a clear mandate and strong support to improve conditions in the city’s jail system. Working closely with the remediation manager, he will focus on improving safety, closing Rikers Island and ensuring DOC delivers on its core responsibility to care for people in custody and support the staff who serve them.
“I am deeply honored and grateful to Mayor Mamdani for this appointment. This role represents the culmination of my lifelong commitment to criminal justice reform, drawing directly from my own experience of incarceration on Rikers, which fueled my decades of work at The Fortune Society and with the Department of Correction, helping thousands rebuild their lives through reentry programs, leadership roles, and advocacy,” said DOC Commissioner Richards. “This appointment is an opportunity to lead from the top, advocating for both incarcerated individuals and correction officers to create safer jails and real pathways to rehabilitation. This is a chance to drive upstream change, connecting people to services like those at Fortune Society that transformed my own life. I will work tirelessly with this administration to ensure that we prioritize humane and safe conditions and ensure justice for all New Yorkers.”
“We are thrilled to see that Mayor Mamdani has chosen a commissioner to lead the Department of Correction who is committed to not just safeguarding the human rights of incarcerated people, but also investing in their humanity and their potential,” said Darren Mack, Co-Director, Freedom Agenda. “Stanley Richards has exactly the experience needed to lead DOC during this historic transition, away from Rikers Island, and into an entirely new era.”
“Stanley Richards has been a remarkable champion for reform in the way New York City treats those in the corrections system. We applaud Mayor Mamdani on his excellent appointment of Stanley to the position of Commissioner for the NYC Department of Correction,” said Rev. Wendy Calderón-Payne, Executive Director of Bronx Connect / Urban Youth Alliance Coalition. “DOC will benefit tremendously from Commissioner Richards’ integrity, knowledge, and wisdom. BronxConnect and all of the Urban Youth Alliance look forward to continuing to work with Commissioner Richards as we envision a city where redemption and hope are centered in our corrections system.”
“Callen-Lorde congratulates Stanley Richards on his appointment as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Correction and Dr. Alister Martin on his appointment as Commissioner of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene,” said Patrick McGovern, CEO, Callen-Lorde Community Health Center. “Their combined leadership – rooted in lived experience, civic leadership, and a deep commitment to equity – reflects the kind of visionary stewardship New York City needs. As a global leader in LGBTQ healthcare, Callen-Lorde looks forward to partnering with both Commissioners to advance health, dignity, and justice for all New Yorkers. We commend Mayor Zohran Mamdani for assembling such an impressive team.”
About Sandra Escamilla-Davies
Sandra Escamilla-Davies will serve as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD). A visionary social worker and executive leader with more than 25 years of service, Commissioner Escamilla-Davies most recently worked as Executive Vice President of Children’s Aid, overseeing a wide portfolio of community schools and center-based programs and leading initiatives to reduce chronic absenteeism; expand college and career access; strengthen culturally responsive services; and advance operational, fiscal, and talent strategies across the organization. Additionally, Commissioner Escamilla-Davies spent 15 years with the Youth Development Institute, where she helped key city agencies embed youth development principles into policy and practice. She holds an M.S.W. from Columbia University and a B.A. in sociology from Hunter College.
As head of DYCD, Commissioner Escamilla-Davies will help bolster the city’s afterschool programming, Summer Youth Employment Program, runaway and homeless youth programming, and more. She will support the city’s community-based organizations and advance the Mamdani Administration’s vision for a city where young people, families, and communities can flourish.
“Youth development is community development, and I am humbled to lead an agency that sits at that intersection. Our young people deserve systems that respond to their realities, honor their voices, and invest in their futures,” said DYCD Commissioner Escamilla-Davies. “I look forward to working with our partners across the city to strengthen access, deepen collaboration, and build the kind of ecosystem where every young person can thrive, and every community is supported to do its best work.”
“Sandra Escamilla has been a visionary partner to East Side House and to youth-serving organizations across New York City for many years. From the early days of the small schools’ movement to the development of transfer school partnerships, she has always understood what young people need to succeed – and how systems must evolve to meet them where they are,” said Daniel Diaz, Executive Director, East Side House, Inc. “She was championing career-connected learning long before it became common language, and she did it by investing in people: developing leaders, creating space for reflection, and strengthening organizations from the inside out. Sandra leads with integrity, clarity, and purpose. Her appointment as Commissioner of DYCD is a powerful affirmation of a career devoted to equity and lasting impact for New York City’s young people. This is the kind of leadership our city’s youth deserve.”
“Sandra is a trailblazer and leading voice in the work to ensure young people and our communities have what they need to be safe, resilient and strong,” said Dominique R. Jones, Executive Director, Global Kids. “Many of us committed to our city’s youth have been taught and mentored by Sandra, and we are thrilled that she is now positioned as Commissioner to pour her commitment, expertise and care into building an even stronger and impactful DYCD.”
“Sandra Escamilla-Davies’ appointment as Commissioner of the Department of Youth and Community Development marks a significant milestone for New York City and the children and youth services field. Sandra is a deeply respected, values-driven leader who understands – at the most practical level – what it takes for young people and families to thrive. Her community-based approach recognizes the vital connections between education, health, family stability, and opportunity,” said Phoebe C. Boyer, President and CEO, Children’s Aid. “As a long-time nonprofit practitioner, Sandra knows that systems are strongest when government works in true partnership with community-based organizations. We are incredibly proud to see her bring her experience to this role and we are confident her leadership will strengthen outcomes for children and youth across New York City.”
“We congratulate Sandra Escamilla on her appointment as DYCD Commissioner. With over a decade of experience working with youth, we know she will bring a strong voice that children and their families need in this role,” said Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari, Co-Executive Director, Alliance for Quality Education. “We look forward to working together to improve the lives of young people in New York City.”
About Yesenia Mata
Yesenia Mata will serve as Commissioner of the Department of Veterans’ Services (DVS). Commissioner Mata is an established advocate for both immigrants and veterans, most recently serving as Executive Director of La Colmena, an immigration and day labor rights organization. She also serves as a Military Police Sergeant in the U.S. Army.
Commissioner Mata represents Staten Island as a member of the New York City Racial Justice Commission, and her work has been published in The Hill, Huffington Post, and Univision. Commissioner Mata previously organized Latino communities in Chicago, Arizona, New York, Pennsylvania, California, and Florida as the former National Latino Outreach Strategist for Bernie Sanders’ Presidential Campaign and served as the Political Director for the Dream Action Coalition, a national organization that advocates for immigration reform. She has been recognized by City & State as top 100 in Labor and top 100 Staten Islander and by the New York State Hispanic Coalition as a “40 under 40 Rising Star.” Commissioner Mata received an A.A. in Legal Assistant and Paralegal work, a B.A. in Business Administration, and an M.B.A. in Human Resources from Robert Morris University.
At DVS, Commissioner Mata will help connect the city’s veterans to the housing, health care, entrepreneurship, and supportive services they deserve. She will ensure that New Yorkers who protected their city as a member of the Armed Forces can continue to live there as a veteran afterwards.
“I am deeply honored to accept the role of Commissioner of the New York City Department of Veterans’ Services and grateful to Mayor Mamdani and Deputy Mayor Arteaga for their leadership and trust,” said DVS Commissioner Mata. “Service has been the foundation of my life – both in the military and in my work with immigrant and veteran communities. As Commissioner, I am committed to ensuring that every veteran and military family in New York City is seen, supported, and empowered. Our responsibility to those who serve does not end when the uniform comes off, and I am ready to serve them with the dedication, care, and respect they deserve.”
“Yesenia Mata is a powerful leader in the immigrant rights movement and a U.S. Army Officer – a living reminder that immigrants and the children of immigrants serve and uphold the Constitution every day. She has stood alongside immigrant service members, military families facing deportation, and deported veterans whose stories are too often ignored,” said Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO, The New York Immigration Coalition. “Yesenia brings the credibility, compassion, and leadership this moment demands. In a time when the contributions of immigrant service members are often invisible, she ensures their voices and struggles are seen, recognized, and supported.”
“Our uniforms may change, but our mission never ends. True service is about supporting the people around you. Today, we carry that commitment forward at NYCID, still showing up for those around us and leading with the values we learned in uniform,” said Michael De Vito Jr., Executive Director, and Naadira Brown, Wellness Coach, New York Center for Interpersonal Development. “Yesenia’s appointment reminds us that veterans don’t just return to our communities – we return for them, bringing the same energy, determination, and dedication that defined our military service into every role we take on after. We are still serving, still supporting one another, and still answering the call – just in different ways.”
“Hispanic Federation congratulates the appointment of Yesenia Mata as Commissioner for Veterans’ Services. She is a remarkable Latina leader whose life embodies the values of our community – dedication, service, and leadership,” said Frankie Miranda, President and CEO, Hispanic Federation. “Latinos have long served across every branch of the U.S. military, yet their contributions are too often unseen. Through her service as a U.S. Army officer and her leadership in the immigrant rights movement, Yesenia shows what it truly means to lead, serve, and represent our community. She reminds us that the military is not just a place of duty, but also where Latino culture, values, and leadership thrive.”
About Vilda Vera Mayuga
Vilda Vera Mayuga will serve as Commissioner of the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH). A seasoned public servant, Commissioner Mayuga most recently served as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, where she secured approximately $2 billion for New Yorkers. Commissioner Mayuga previously served as Deputy Secretary for Economic Opportunity at the New York State Department of State; as Deputy Commissioner for Worker Protection at the New York State Department of Labor; and as Chair of the New York State Industrial Board of Appeals, the first Latina to hold the position. She also worked as an Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Bureau of the Office of the New York Attorney General, where she managed a diverse caseload of civil rights cases and handled every stage of litigation. Commissioner Mayuga graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in International Relations from Boston University. She received her law degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico and is a member of the New York Bar.
As Commissioner, she will oversee the city’s central, independent administrative law court and ensure that justice is administered fairly and transparently for all New Yorkers who come before OATH.
“It is an honor and a privilege for me to become part of history as we embark on a journey to make New York City a city for all,” said OATH Commissioner Mayuga. “As OATH Commissioner and Chief Administrative Law Judge, I will look to modernize and make more accessible the quasi-judicial system so the agency can tackle both small and big cases, and better serve sister agencies and businesses of all sizes.”
“I’m thrilled to see Vilda Vera Mayuga appointed as OATH Commissioner and Chief Administrative Law Judge. Having worked with her in the last administration, I know her to be a leader of deep integrity, sharp legal skill, and profound respect for public service,” said Maria Torres-Springer, President, The Charles H. Revson Foundation. “OATH’s mission – to uphold fairness, due process, and trust in government – is essential to the functioning of our city, and Vilda brings exactly the judgment and values needed to lead that work with credibility and care.”
“New Yorkers are lucky to have Vilda Mayuga at the helm of OATH at this time in our history. She is an experienced public servant, a sharp legal mind and an amazing Puerto Rican leader,” said Rossana Rosado, Commissioner, New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services.
“Vilda Vera Mayuga brings a deep understanding of how city government impacts small businesses, informed by her tenure as Commissioner of the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection,” said Andrew Rigie, Executive Director, New York City Hospitality Alliance. “That experience will serve both small businesses and government well, and we congratulate her on this well-deserved appointment.”