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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline FEBRUARY 06, 2026 | The Indian Eye 18

Mayor Mamdani Announces

Key Appointments, Names City’s

First ‘World Cup Czar’

OUR BUREAU
New York, NY

ayor Zohran Mamdani on
Tuesday announced a new
Mslate of appointments and
reappointments across critical city of-
fices, including the creation of a first-
of-its-kind role to prepare New York
City for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The appointments, spanning gover-
nance, labor relations, procurement,
and strategic coordination, under-
score the administration’s focus on
experienced leadership and its com-
mitment to building a city where work-
ing-class New Yorkers can thrive.
Among the new appointments,
Mayor Mamdani named Stephanie
Silkowski as Director of the Mayor’s
Office of Appointments, Bitta Mostofi
as Special Advisor for Strategic Coor-
dination and Operations to the First
Deputy Mayor, and Maya Handa as and housing-insecure New Yorkers, such as the city’s municipal ID pro- OLR for more than 20 years, holding
the city’s inaugural “World Cup Czar.” low-income families, and food assis- gram and a COVID-19 emergency re- multiple senior roles and previous-
The mayor also reappointed Renee tance recipients. Her earlier roles in- lief effort for residents excluded from ly negotiating contracts on behalf of
Campion as Commissioner of the clude serving as Chief of Staff to City federal aid. In her new role, Mostofi thousands of public and private sec-
Office of Labor Relations and Kim Councilmember Tiffany Cabán and will work across agencies to ensure tor doctors as Director of Contract
L. Yu as Director of the Mayor’s Of- Policy Director to Councilmember efficient service delivery and help pre- Administration for Doctors Council
fice of Contract Services and the city’s Brad Lander, where she played a key pare the city to respond to national SEIU. As commissioner, she will con-
Chief Procurement Officer. These role in advancing minimum wage pro- policy shifts. tinue overseeing labor negotiations
announcements follow earlier ap- tections for app-based delivery work- A centerpiece of the announce- for the city’s 150 collective bargain-
pointments to lead the Departments ers, expanding child care access, and ment was the appointment of Maya ing units, representing approximately
of Probation, Citywide Administrative promoting reproductive rights and Handa as New York City’s first World 360,000 employees.
Services, and Environmental Protection. gender equity. Silkowski holds degrees Cup Czar, a role created to coordinate Kim L. Yu was reappointed as Di-
“These leaders prove there is no from Providence College and NYU’s city agencies, mayoral offices, and pri- rector of the Mayor’s Office of Con-
one way to serve the public,” Mayor Wagner School of Public Service. In her vate-sector partners ahead of the 2026 tract Services and Chief Procurement
Mamdani said in a statement. “They new position, she will focus on recruit- FIFA World Cup. Handa previously Officer, a role she has held since April
have expanded access to child care, ing and retaining diverse, high-qual- served as campaign manager for May- 2025. Yu previously served as First
stood up for immigrant communities, ity talent across city government. or Mamdani’s general election cam- Deputy Commissioner at MOCS and
and secured essential contracts for Bitta Mostofi, appointed as Spe- paign and as a political advisor on the held senior positions at the New York
working people. I am excited to wel- cial Advisor for Strategic Coordina- transition team. Her background in- City Office of the Comptroller and the
come them into our administration, tion and Operations, brings extensive cludes senior roles with Run for Some- Department of Transportation. In her
where they will help lead our city with experience in immigrant rights and thing, Way to Win, and the Working role, she will continue efforts to mod-
the excellence, accountability, and in- government operations. Most recently Families Party, as well as experience in ernize procurement, strengthen trans-
tegrity New Yorkers deserve.” a fellow at Hyphen Partnerships and smart cities consulting at Accenture. A parency, and ensure that city contracts
Stephanie Silkowski brings more Cornell University, Mostofi previously lifelong soccer player and fan, Handa are awarded fairly and efficiently.
than a decade of experience in public served as Senior Advisor to the Direc- will oversee the city’s preparations to Together, the appointments re-
sector and nonprofit leadership to her tor of U.S. Citizenship and Immigra- ensure the global event delivers eco- flect Mayor Mamdani’s emphasis on
new role overseeing the Mayor’s Of- tion Services under the Biden adminis- nomic and community benefits for experienced leadership, inter-agency
fice of Appointments. She previously tration, where she worked to improve New Yorkers. coordination, and inclusive gover-
served as Director of Policy and Stra- service delivery and reduce barriers to Mayor Mamdani also confirmed nance as the administration advances
tegic Initiatives and Chief of Staff at work authorization. She earlier led the the reappointment of Renee Campion its policy agenda and prepares the city
The Bridge Project, where she helped New York City Mayor’s Office of Im- as Commissioner of the Office of La- for major global events in the years
launch programs supporting pregnant migrant Affairs, overseeing initiatives bor Relations. Campion has worked at ahead.

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