Experienced hands and fresh voices take key roles under the city’s first Muslim mayor
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has announced a cabinet that blends establishment experience with progressive ideology.
A Careful Balance of New and Old
Dean Fuleihan, 74, becomes first deputy mayor after serving under Bill de Blasio, signaling the need for experienced administrators alongside ideological allies. Elle Bisgaard-Church, chief of staff and Mamdani’s longtime political partner, represents continuity with his DSA base.
Key Cabinet Positions
Leila Bozorg leads housing and planning efforts, bringing experience from negotiating the City of Yes for Housing policy under Adams. Julie Su, former acting U.S. Labor Secretary, fills a new deputy mayor position focused on economic justice, emphasizing worker protections and corporate accountability. Sherif Soliman directs the Office of Management and Budget, overseeing the city’s 115 billion dollar budget.
Police and Public Safety Continuity
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch remains in her role despite philosophical differences with Mamdani on policing strategy, suggesting pragmatic choices about governance continuity.
What the Appointments Signal
The cabinet composition reveals Mamdani’s intent to pursue aggressive progressive policy while maintaining enough institutional knowledge to actually implement it. Whether experienced administrators can maintain practical governance while the mayor pursues ideological transformation remains a central question for the Mamdani administration. Learn more at NYC.gov official city portal. Explore municipal leadership at City and State NY Politics Coverage. Understand budget details through New York State Comptroller. Research administration structures at Governing Magazine.
