The 2023 Manhattan Power 100

Originally posted at: https://www.cityandstateny.com/power-lists/2023/08/2023-manhattan-power-100/389246/

By City & State

For the first time in recent memory, the most powerful county in the world is not represented in the upper rungs of city and state government leadership. All three of New York City’s citywide elected officials, the New York City Council speaker, all six statewide elected officials and the leaders of both houses of the state Legislature all reside outside of Manhattan. What’s an island dominated by gleaming skyscrapers to do?

Wield power in other ways. Prominent city, state and federal lawmakers call Manhattan home, as do many of the most powerful titans of real estate, finance, business, health care, the arts and the nonprofit sector. Top national and international organizations are based in the borough. Recent ex-presidents have significant ties to Manhattan, as do many deep-pocketed donors to current presidential campaigns.

City & State’s Manhattan Power 100 highlights the most influential political actors in the borough, including key members of Congress, powerful policymakers, trailblazing prosecutors, outspoken advocates and others who are leading the way in New York and beyond.

1. Jerry Nadler

Member of Congress

Rep. Jerry Nadler has had a lot of ups and downs in the last year. Redistricting threw him into New York’s battle of the titans, and he came out on top, defeating longtime Rep. Carolyn Maloney to represent a new district spanning Manhattan’s West Side and East Side. At the same time, the new GOP majority in Congress cost Nadler being the chair of the Judiciary Committee. On the policy front, Nadler led approved legislation such as the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and the Fairness for 9/11 Families Act. Additionally, Nadler secured more than $22.6 million that will go to funding 15 community projects across his old Manhattan and Brooklyn district.

2. Adriano Espaillat

Member of Congress

Rep. Adriano Espaillat is serving his fourth term in Congress, where he is on the influential Appropriations Committee overseeing the federal government’s spending. He is co-chair of the relaunched Congressional New Americans Caucus and, in June, led the New York delegation in securing another $104.7 million in FEMA funds to support relief efforts for asylum-seekers. Locally, Espaillat is a known kingmaker who’s an ally of New York City Mayor Eric Adams and has successfully backed Dominican American candidates to occupy seats representing Upper Manhattan.

3. Liz Krueger

State Senator

In two decades, state Sen. Liz Krueger has gone from narrowly losing a state Senate race to being a key Albany power player. The influential chair of the state Senate Finance Committee was instrumental in shaping the state’s contentious (and late) $229 billion budget this past session. Among the approved budget priorities were increased penalties on unlicensed pot businesses, which Krueger championed personally, funding for the battered Metropolitan Transportation Authority and a modest minimum wage hike. She is co-sponsoring a bill to restore the old-time champerty law as a means to rein in Wall Street hedge funds.

4. Alvin Bragg

Manhattan District Attorney

Harlem native Alvin Bragg was elected as Manhattan’s chief prosecutor in 2021 amid a rising desire for reform-minded prosecutors against conservative practices rooted in New York City’s justice system – an environment that has made him a prime target for progressives and conservatives alike. Bragg is now in the midst of carrying out the biggest case of his career yet: leading New York’s criminal case against Donald Trump over the former president’s alleged hush money scheme following his March indictment.

5. Brad Hoylman-Sigal

State Senator

State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal chairs the powerful state Senate Judiciary Committee, which placed him at the center of the successful effort on the left to scuttle Hector LaSalle’s nomination for state chief judge this year. As one of New York’s highest-ranking out gay elected officials, Hoylman-Sigal has passed multiple equal rights protections, including the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act supporting transgender people. Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that limits protections for LGBTQ+ customers, the state senator wrote, “New York will continue to stand as a refuge for LGBTQ people and I’ll do whatever I can to keep it that way.”

6. Cordell Cleare, Kristen Gonzalez, Robert Jackson, Brian Kavanagh & Jose M. Serrano

State Senators

State Senate Housing, Construction and Community Development Committee Chair Brian Kavanagh has been at the forefront of a number of major housing policy changes since Democrats took control in 2019, but this year’s legislative ended with little to show on that front. Kavanagh supported Gov. Kathy Hochul’s recently announced inclusion of 1,200 housing units at 5 World Trade Center.

After overcoming a primary challenge from a candidate backed by Rep. Adriano Espaillat last year, state Sen. Robert Jackson returned to Albany advocating for increasing taxes on the ultrawealthy and requiring schools to inform parents about bullying. Jackson is also a longtime proponent of increased school funding.

The Senate majority conference chair and longtime chair of the Senate Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation Committee, state Sen. Jose M. Serrano pushed for increased state commitment to the arts.

State Sen. Cordell Cleare, who took office in 2021 after winning a special election, has pushed for the elimination of the statute of limitations on sex trafficking and advocated for the passage of “good cause” eviction legislation. 

The city’s only tri-borough state senator is Kristen Gonzalez, a Democratic Socialists of America-backed lawmaker elected last year who has been pushing for progressive measures such as the Build Public Renewables Act, a version of which was included in the state budget this year. She chairs the Internet and Technology Committee.

7. Kathryn Wylde

President and CEO, Partnership for New York City

Kathryn Wylde is a preeminent business leader with deep political connections that she has nurtured for the past two decades as head of Partnership for New York City. An ally of Mayor Eric Adams, Wylde heads a group that supports public transit policies and initiatives that push economic growth, such as congestion pricing and the Transit Tech Lab, which her group launched with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Wylde also has advocated for passing the Clean Slate Act, which she argues would help overcome the state’s worker shortage.

8. Al Sharpton

President and Founder, National Action Network

A prominent civil rights leader whose approval is regularly sought by political candidates courting support in Harlem’s predominantly Black districts, the Rev. Al Sharpton wields undiminished influence in New York and nationwide. He decried the U.S. Supreme Court ruling against race-based affirmative action as “a dagger in the back of Black America,” and advocated policies to mitigate police violence during mental health crises. In May, Sharpton delivered an impassioned eulogy for Jordan Neely, who was killed during a mental health episode on a subway car by a bystander.

9. Diana Ayala, Gale Brewer & Keith Powers

New York City Council Members

Some people just know how to brew power. These Manhattan lawmakers may have been rivals in the previous race for the New York City Council speakership, but in the end they all backed Adrienne Adams and joined her leadership team. Gale Brewer, a former borough president, chairs the powerful Oversight and Investigations Committee; Diana Ayala is deputy speaker and General Welfare Committee chair; and Keith Powers is the majority leader. In July, the City Council voted 42-8 to override Mayor Eric Adams’ veto on a slate of bills meant to address housing and homelessness, a key Ayala priority. It was the first council veto override since the Bloomberg era.

10. Mark Levine

Manhattan Borough President

As a borough president representing 1.6 million Manhattanites, Mark Levine is largely focused on redevelopment. Earlier this year, the former New York City Council member unveiled his plans to address Manhattan’s housing crisis, which involve utilizing abandoned plots across the island, and, in June, opened calls for public proposals as part of the East Harlem Downtown Revitalization Initiative. Levine said that he backs redevelopment plans for Penn Station that would require shrinking – not razing – Madison Square Garden.

11. Damian Williams

U.S. Attorney, Southern District of New York

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams broke barriers as the first Black U.S. attorney for the prestigious Southern District of New York, which covers Manhattan, the Bronx and a few Hudson Valley counties. He has taken on the cryptocurrency industry, toppled a lieutenant governor and called for a federal takeover of Rikers Island. As an assistant U.S. attorney, he was involved in the high-profile prosecutions of former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Ghislaine Maxwell. Williams also chairs the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee, an advisory group to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.

12. Alex Bores, Manny De Los Santos, Inez Dickens, Harvey Epstein, Charles Fall, Eddie Gibbs, Deborah Glick, Grace Lee, Daniel O’Donnell, Linda Rosenthal, Rebecca Seawright, Tony Simone & Al Taylor

Assembly Members

Assembly Member Deborah Glick – New York’s first out LGBTQ+ state lawmaker – traded her longtime perch atop the Higher Education Committee for the Environmental Conservation Committee’s gavel this year, putting her in the thick of debates over everything from climate policy to whether or not there should be cash prizes for hunters. Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal, who became the first woman to chair the Housing Committee as of this year, will have to wait at least until next year to address a number of key housing issues that went unaddressed, including creating a housing voucher protection fund.

Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright assumed the chair of the People with Disabilities Committee this year and has outlined an ambitious policy agenda.

Assembly Member Daniel O’Donnell promoted increased state investment in the arts in his role chairing the Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development Committee.

Assembly Member Harvey Epstein is pushing for increased funding for reproductive education programs for medical interns and access to abortion pills on CUNY and SUNY campuses.

Assembly Member Grace Lee touted an increase to $30 million in the state budget for the Asian American Pacific Islander community, and she also introduced legislation with state Sen. John Liu to mandate AAPI history in public school curriculums statewide.

Assembly Members Alex Bores and Tony Simone have had unique first years in Albany. Bores passed measures to mandate gender-neutral terms in state law and to create new judgeships from Manhattan to Niagara Falls. Simone found himself in a feud with James Dolan over the use of facial recognition to bar attorneys suing him from entering Madison Square Garden.

Assembly Member Manny De Los Santos, a former school social worker, is pushing for protections for retail workers from violent crime, while Assembly Member Eddie Gibbs, New York’s first formerly incarcerated state lawmaker, wants to rename city properties in Harlem named after Thomas Jefferson.

Assembly Members Inez Dickens and Al Taylor fell short in a high-profile New York City Council race in Harlem won by newcomer Yusef Salaam.

Assembly Member Charles Fall represents a newly drawn district that includes part of Staten Island and Lower Manhattan. 

13. Dan Goldman

Member of Congress

Rep. Dan Goldman represents the new lower Manhattan and Brooklyn district. The first-term lawmaker occupies a seat on the influential House Oversight and Accountability Committee, where the former prosecutor has not shied away from clashing with his GOP counterparts. He has called for Rep. George Santos’ removal and teamed up with Rep. Ritchie Torres to file an ethics complaint against Santos. Alongside Rep. Jerry Nadler, Goldman was a major proponent of Manhattan’s approved congestion pricing plans. Goldman is well known for his love of bagels and showing Washington a world outside of Bethesda Bagels.

14. Michael Dowling

President and CEO, Northwell Health

Michael Dowling has led Northwell Health for two decades, making him one of New York’s most seasoned and influential health care executives. As the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, Dowling has shifted his focus toward another less tangible yet equally pressing public health concern: gun violence, which has emerged as the country’s leading cause of death among children. In addition to Northwell’s forum on gun violence prevention this year, Dowling helped create the National Health Care CEO Council on Gun Violence Prevention and Safety.

15. Sid Davidoff & Keith Wright

Founding Partner; Director of Strategic Planning, Davidoff Hutcher & Citron

Both Sid Davidoff and Keith Wright are veterans of New York politics. Davidoff, who co-founded the law firm in 1974, was counsel to the New York City Council and various city agencies. Wright currently chairs the Manhattan Democratic Party and served 23 years in the Assembly. Wright was a key force behind Yusef Salaam’s victory over two state legislators in the race for a New York City Council seat in Harlem. Since October, the firm has been embroiled in an unusual legal fight with Madison Square Garden after nearly 60 of the firm’s lawyers were banned from the venue following a separate case by its client against MSG.

16. Shaun Abreu, Erik Bottcher, Carmen De La Rosa, Kristin Richardson Jordan, Christopher Marte, Julie Menin & Carlina Rivera

New York City Council Members

New York City Council Member Julie Menin became the Upper East Side’s representative after holding three key leadership posts in the de Blasio administration and a stint chairing Manhattan Community Board 1 following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The former Manhattan borough president candidate passed major legislation this year creating the new New York City Office of Healthcare Accountability.

Council Member Shaun Abreu, an ally of Rep. Adriano Espaillat, has passed legislation to ban height and weight discrimination in the workplace and is touting city funding he brought to his district. Council Member Erik Bottcher, an out gay lawmaker representing a district long held by members of the LGBTQ+ community, has been a stalwart supporter for drag queen story hours, in spite of protesters storming his Chelsea apartment building. Bottcher has also worked on cleaner streets and homeless services issues.

Four other Manhattan representatives are part of the City Council’s Progressive Caucus: Carlina Rivera, Carmen De La Rosa, Christopher Marte and Kristin Richardson Jordan. Coming off an unsuccessful run for Congress last year, Rivera won 60% of the June primary vote for her reelection. As the Criminal Justice Committee chair, Rivera has focused on closing Rikers Island. Marte also fended off a primary challenge in June and continues to advocate for such issues as limiting overdevelopment and shifting some police funding to social services. De La Rosa, the Civil Service and Labor Committee chair, backed Mayor Eric Adams’ controversial plan to move city retirees to a new health insurance plan, while also pushing City Hall to implement the city’s new climate law targeting building emissions. 

Richardson Jordan announced she wouldn’t seek reelection following a tumultuous two-year tenure marked by battles over real estate development and policing.

17. Bill Thompson & Félix V. Matos Rodríguez

Chair; Chancellor, CUNY

Bill Thompson and Félix V. Matos Rodríguez are CUNY’s top brass, overseeing a system hosting nearly half a million students as it remains among the nation’s top public colleges – even after a brutal pandemic. CUNY won $32 million back to the public college’s funding in the city’s budget amid fears of cuts. Like other higher education institutions, CUNY is in the midst of a contract battle with staff and faculty unions. Thompson, a former New York City comptroller, enters his seventh year on the job while Matos Rodríguez, the first Latino to lead the institution, has begun his fourth year as chancellor.

18. Mike Bloomberg

Founder and CEO, Bloomberg LP

Mike Bloomberg may no longer be New York City mayor – the only one with enough juice to demand a third term despite the city’s two-term limit – but his influence remains strong. The billionaire was a big backer of Eric Adams’ successful mayoral campaign, with some of his former advisers now embedded in Adams’ administration, and shelled out $10 million to the House Majority PAC to support Democrats during midterms. His charity, Bloomberg Philanthropies, may soon get a hefty financial boost as he reportedly intends to surrender Bloomberg LP to the foundation.

19. Steven Roth

CEO, Vornado Realty Trust

Steven Roth made headlines this summer with his proclamation that Fridays in the office are “dead forever.” The return of office employees in Manhattan is certainly top of mind for Roth, who leads one of New York’s largest real estate investment firms. But business for the prolific political donor is still booming: Beyond the $1.2 billion Penn Station project he paused, Roth’s firm closed on related leasing deals with Citadel and Rudin that include a $1.4 billion buyout option. However, a plan to partner with the state on an overhaul of Penn Station has been dropped.

20. James & Merryl Tisch

President and CEO; Board Chair, Loews Corp.; SUNY

The Tisch family name remains one of the most powerful in New York. Merryl Tisch, a seasoned education executive, has served as SUNY chair since 2019 and is on the New York City Public Design Commission. James Tisch, meanwhile, is chief executive of the family’s conglomerate jewel, Loews Corp., and holds prominent seats on multiple boards, including as recurring co-chair for Mount Sinai Health System. A top Manhattan power couple, James and Merryl Tisch are both trustees of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and their foundation holds a reported $59 million in assets.

21. Jeff Blau & Bruce Beal Jr.

CEO; President, Related Companies

With over $60 billion in assets, Related Companies continues to be a leader in Manhattan and the country’s real estate industries. Jeff Blau and Bruce Beal Jr. are leading the development company’s new push to win a downstate casino license in conjunction with Wynn Resorts. The proposal includes a 1,700 room resort hotel, an office tower and a high-end shopping and dining district next to Related-owned Hudson Yards. Related Chair Stephen Ross has been focused lately on South Florida development, where he believes New Yorkers will be relocating due to concerns over taxes and crime.

22. Steven Rubenstein

President, Rubenstein

Steven Rubenstein leads public relations juggernaut Rubenstein, founded by his late father, Howard, in 1954. Under the younger Rubenstein, the firm has continued to flourish with a portfolio of 400 clients that includes the likes of Estée Lauder, the Walt Disney Co. and the Museum of Modern Art. The University of Pennsylvania graduate serves as chair of the Association for a Better New York and sits on a plethora of executive boards including the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City and the Partnership for New York City.

23. Suri Kasirer & Julie Greenberg

Founder and President; Executive Vice President, Kasirer

Kasirer is New York City’s top lobbying firm by revenue, pulling in nearly $15.5 million from clients last year. Driving its ongoing success is founder Suri Kasirer, whose connections and business savvy have landed notable clients like the Hotel Association of New York City, Lincoln Center and SL Green Realty Corp. A key member of Kasirer’s leadership team is Executive Vice President Julie Greenberg, whose prior work in the Assembly has proven beneficial to the firm’s work with intergovernmental agencies.

24. Emily Giske & Violet Moss

Senior Partner; Partner, Bolton-St. Johns

Emily Giske and Violet Moss have been instrumental in the success of the lobbying firm Bolton-St. Johns, which is now the second-ranking lobbying firm in New York City by revenue. Both have political ties across the city and state. Giske – who helped push the passage of New York’s Marriage Equality Act in 2011 – is a longtime member of the Democratic National Committee and serves as a vice chair for the New York Democratic Party, the first out LGBTQ+ person to do so. Moss, meanwhile, served as a senior legislative analyst for the Assembly Health Committee before pivoting to the private sector to work for top firms like Mercury and The Parkside Group.

25. James Capalino

Founder and CEO, Capalino

James Capalino was embedded in New York politics even before launching his lobbying firm, Capalino, now among the top-earning firms in New York City while raking in $5.5 million last year. He helped former New York City Mayor Ed Koch win reelection twice and fostered a close relationship with then-Mayor Bill de Blasio during his administration. Capalino’s firm has been involved in high-stakes real estate developments like Hudson Yards and secured deals for clients such as Related Companies, Somos Community Care and UPS.

26. James Whelan

President, Real Estate Board of New York

James Whelan is among New York’s top real estate power brokers. The Real Estate Board of New York, which Whelan has led since 2019, has been significant in advancing the interests of developers. Amid efforts to revive New York’s 421-a tax break incentive and block a state “good cause” eviction proposal, the trade group is also looking at broker fees as lawmakers push to shift the cost away from tenants. Whelan sits on the Fordham Real Estate Institute’s executive advisory council alongside other influential real estate executives to support the school’s talent retention.

27. Ed Wallace, John Mascialino & Jonathan Bing

Co-Chair, New York Office; Shareholders, Greenberg Traurig

This trio from Greenberg Traurig is hypertapped into New York politics. Ed Wallace, who runs the global firm’s Manhattan office, was a New York City Council member and serves as general counsel to the Citizens Budget Commission. John Mascialino, who oversees the firm’s New York Government Law and Policy Practice, served under various city agencies including as counsel and deputy chief of staff for deputy mayor for operations. And Jonathan Bing is a former Assembly member. The firm represented SL Green Realty Corp. in its major purchase of 450 Park Ave. and a $300 million partial sale of the Lipstick Building to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

28. Luis Miranda Jr.

Founding Partner, MirRam Group

Luis Miranda Jr. is a seasoned politico. He served as an adviser to former New York City Mayor Ed Koch and was involved in the successful U.S. Senate campaigns of Democratic bigwigs like Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chuck Schumer. The Puerto Rico native was the founding president of the Hispanic Federation before launching his own consulting and lobbying firm, MirRam Group, in 2000, while serving high-profile elected officials as a campaign adviser. He also enjoys strong ties in New York’s art circles – Miranda was elected unanimously as the new chair of The Public Theater’s board of trustees last fall.

29. Rob Speyer

President and CEO, Tishman Speyer

Rob Speyer is heir to the Tishman Speyer real estate empire and has taken on key civic roles like chairing the advisory board of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City under three different mayors, including Mayor Eric Adams. Among his priorities for the firm is the revitalization of Manhattan’s iconic Rockefeller Center, which could see a future hotel addition. This year, Tishman Speyer locked in a $1.1 billion property deal in Shanghai and secured $750 million in financing to build Harvard’s research campus.

30. Yusef Salaam

New York City Council Democratic Nominee

Yusef Salaam’s life story as a political newcomer is quite unique. He was one of five Black teenagers who were wrongfully convicted over the rape of a white woman in Central Park in the 1980s. The convictions were overturned after Salaam spent nearly seven years behind bars. Now, Salaam is poised to represent Harlem in the New York City Council after a shock victory in a primary where he defeated two state legislators, including one who had previously held the council seat. Cutting the school-to-prison pipeline was a motivating factor of his candidacy.

31. Allen Roskoff

President, Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club

The Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club is one of a handful of LGBTQ+ political clubs in New York and is named for the late gay rights icon Jim Owles, who founded the Gay Activists Alliance. Longtime club leader Allen Roskoff this year invited Mary Trump – who is out gay and a vocal critic against her uncle, former President Donald Trump – to headline the club’s winter dinner. In a show of its political force, all but one of the Democratic candidates endorsed by the club in the June primaries won their races.

32. Larry Silverstein & Marty Burger

Chair; CEO, Silverstein Properties

Larry Silverstein is the latest real estate mogul to join the bidding war over New York City’s planned casinos, proposing his firm’s plot four blocks west of Times Square as the location for a new gambling hub. Silverstein Properties owns over $10 billion in commercial and residential real estate, and is the engine behind the World Trade Center’s decades long rebuilding as the site’s primary leaseholder. The firm’s CEO, Marty Burger, oversees its business activities, which recently include the acquisition of 55 Broad Street, which the company will convert to residences, and the recently approved residential tower at 5 World Trade Center. 

33. Jessica Lappin

President, Alliance for Downtown New York

A former New York City Council member representing the Upper East Side, Jessica Lappin now devotes her efforts toward the prosperity of lower Manhattan as head of the Alliance for Downtown New York. Last year was a busy year for the group as its area saw about 12 million visitors, representing a 59% hike from 2021. Lappin’s group launched a business incubator for small entrepreneurs and helped secure $4.2 billion for environmental projects through the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Bond Act.

34. William Floyd & Angela Sung Pinsky

Senior Director, U.S. State and Local Government Affairs and Public Policy; Head of Government Affairs and Public Policy, New York, Google

Google has been maintaining strong relations with New York officials as it wraps up construction on a new 1.3-million-square-foot headquarters, and William Floyd and Angela Sung Pinsky are at the heart of the company’s government affairs and public policy. Google can rest easy after a U.S.-EU deal was reached over the flow of data sharing between tech companies in the separate jurisdictions this summer. Meanwhile, the company’s New York priorities have included building economic and educational opportunities as the state continues through its post-pandemic recovery.

35. Jessica Walker

President and CEO, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce

Jessica Walker has become among New York City’s biggest supporters and critics over its efforts to bring back business to the Big Apple. She has praised Mayor Eric Adams’ business-friendly governing style but has been vocal about the need for increased government support. Walker joined other chamber leaders in Albany to lobby for further criminalization of shoplifting offenses, a key priority for retail businesses. She has also come out against congestion pricing, which she believes could hurt Manhattan’s recovery.

36. Wellington Chen

Executive Director, Chinatown Partnership Local Development Corp.

Wellington Chen spearheads development initiatives and interagency collaborations as head of the Chinatown Partnership Local Development Corp. A longtime leader among New York City’s Chinese American communities, Chen is often privy to the city’s development plans including how redeveloping Citi Field stadium’s parking lot could take shape. Chen has called for government support to build a Chinatown archway for decades and finally secured its funding as part of $20 million in state funding dedicated to Chinatown’s post-coronavirus pandemic revitalization.

37. Christine Quinn

President and CEO, Win

Christine Quinn has been a trailblazing Manhattan power player since her New York City Council days, where she served two terms as the first woman and first out gay speaker. Now Quinn runs Win, the city’s largest family shelter and supportive housing provider. She has pushed Mayor Eric Adams to increase funding for housing and showed she knows how to get stuff done in City Hall, with the City Council approving her plan to give those in shelters housing vouchers earlier than the previous 90 day wait and expanding voucher eligibility – which overwhelmingly passed despite Adams’ objections.

38. Douglas Durst

Chair, The Durst Organization

In addition to carrying on the work of his family’s third-generation business, Douglas Durst chairs the powerful Real Estate Board of New York. Despite industry woes over Manhattan’s vacancies, Durst’s company plans to move from its flagship One Bryant Park tower to its old digs on 1155 Sixth Ave. – which went through a $150 million makeover – to accommodate its expanding workforce. Durst believes that building conversions, expanded housing vouchers and development incentives like the 421-a program are key to addressing the housing shortage.

39. Robert Grossman

Dean and CEO, NYU Langone Health

Dr. Robert Grossman is not afraid to push the envelope, evidenced by his move to provide full-tuition scholarships to all NYU Grossman School of Medicine five years ago. That tenacity lives on through the evolution of NYU Langone's award-winning health care system under Grossman’s stewardship. The hospital recently teamed up with researchers at Brown University to study the impact of the overdose prevention centers opened in New York and Rhode Island, and it has begun experimenting with artificial intelligence-assisted treatment for patients using a program dubbed NYUTron.

40. Steven Corwin

President and CEO, NewYork-Presbyterian

New York-Presbyterian stayed afloat during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic in large part thanks to Dr. Steven Corwin’s strong leadership, with the hospital shelling out $1 billion to cover protective gear and other measures to keep staff safe. NewYork-Presbyterian has made fresh strides amid its pandemic recovery. In addition to greenlighting the hospital’s revamped marketing campaign, Corwin secured a $35 million boost to support and expand its behavioral health services and extra funding for its Iona School of Health Sciences in Bronxville.

41. Kenneth Davis

CEO, Mount Sinai Health System

As CEO of Mount Sinai Health System, Dr. Kenneth Davis launched a $2 billion capital campaign to enhance the hospital system’s operations. Among the supported initiatives: artificial intelligence and machine learning upgrades to support doctors in treating patients and further investments in its medical research activities. Davis also encountered big challenges as Mount Sinai’s CEO this year – in January, the hospital inked a tentative contract with the nurses union to end a multiday strike involving more than 7,000 nurses.

42. Anthony Marx

President and CEO, New York Public Library

In a time when books are being banned and politicized, public spaces like New York’s iconic public library system hold a greater impact. New York Public Library President and CEO Anthony Marx and his city library counterparts led an effort to dodge a $36 million cut in this year’s city budget after a vigorous campaign to draw public support against the cuts. But the tussle has left library executives like Marx, who raked in a salary of upward of $1 million in 2020, as potential targets for future budget considerations.

43. S. David Wu

President, Baruch College

Baruch College has a lot in the works and spearheading it all is its president, S. David Wu. In addition to launching an independent entrepreneurship department, Wu wants to expand the college’s successful community college partnerships, which Wu said would allow for Baruch to further diversify its student body. Baruch so far has pipeline partnerships for its business academy with Borough of Manhattan Community College, Queensborough Community College and LaGuardia Community College. Wu recently lured Bruce Weber away from the deanship of the University of Delaware’s business school to become the new dean of the Zicklin School of Business.

44. Nemat “Minouche” Shafik

President, Columbia University

A respected economist and former deputy managing director at the International Monetary Fund, Nemat “Minouche” Shafik is no stranger to being first. The first woman to lead the prestigious London School of Economics and Political Science and the first woman permanent secretary of the U.K.’s former Department for International Development, she is currently on leave from the House of Lords, where she sits as Baroness Shafik. Shafik started as Columbia University’s president this summer – the first woman to occupy the role in the school’s 269 years.

45. Linda Mills

President, New York University

Linda Mills joins a slate of elite universities with newly appointed leaders, many of whom are the first women to serve as presidents like Mills. Mills is no stranger to New York University’s inner workings as she transitions from her posts as NYU’s vice chancellor and senior vice provost for global programs. At the top of her to-do list will be overseeing NYU’s planned campus expansion and managing its relations with the school’s unions, which staged multiple rallies outside of the NYU president’s office last spring.

46. Stacy Lynch

Chief of Staff, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

As Gov. Kathy Hochul’s chief of staff, Stacy Lynch is one of Hochul’s top advisers and part of the Executive Chamber’s inner sanctum. Lynch grew up amid the dynamic politics of West Harlem as the daughter of political strategist Bill Lynch, who was pivotal to David Dinkins’ election as the New York City’s first Black mayor. Lynch has held posts under other New York officials before serving as chief of staff to then-Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin. She transitioned to Hochul’s staff after Benjamin’s resignation.

47. Ronald Lauder

Chair, Clinique Laboratories

Ronald Lauder’s mother was the icon behind the eponymous beauty brand Estée Lauder. He has chaired Clinique Laboratories since 1994 and now holds an estimated net worth of $4.4 billion. Beyond his business ventures, Lauder is also a philanthropist and is deeply entwined in U.S. politics as a frequent bankroller of Republican candidates running for office, having dropped $11 million on Lee Zeldin’s failed gubernatorial run. More recently, the billionaire reportedly shifted his allegiances from former President Donald Trump to potentially supporting Republican U.S. Sen. Tim Scott’s presidential campaign.

48. William Hicks & Cristina Contreras

CEOs, NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue; NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan

William Hicks and Cristina Contreras are part of the leadership that keeps the country’s largest public health system running. Hicks oversees operations at Bellevue, which experienced a recent financial windfall of $1 million from an anonymous patient treated at the hospital, a testament to its quality inpatient care. Contreras, a proud Dominican American, had been with NYC Health + Hospitals for 26 years before taking over the Metropolitan branch in East Harlem. In June, Contreras joined Rep. Adriano Espaillat to host U.S. Health and Human Services Department Secretary Xavier Becerra on a tour of facilities in a bid to secure funding for the hospital’s emergency department.

49. Camille Joseph-Goldman & Rodney Capel

Group Vice President for Government Affairs; Vice President for Government Affairs, Northeast Region, Charter Communications

Camille Joseph-Goldman, a Bronx native, worked in city and state government before becoming Charter Communication’s highest-ranking government affairs executive. She recently led the company in landing a $90 million deal with the New York City Housing Authority shared with Altice to provide high-speed internet to 300,000 public housing residents. Rodney Capel also brings extensive experience and connections as Charter’s government affairs vice president for the Northeast. He previously worked as the director of New York City intergovernmental affairs under then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo and as the state Democratic Committee’s executive director. This year, the company launched philanthropic efforts to increase digital literacy.

50. Winston Fisher

Partner, Fisher Brothers

Winston Fisher oversees the finances and investments of Fisher Brothers, a fourth-generation real estate company. Despite the tumult of New York’s real estate market, business is going well for the Fisher Brothers. On top of its 50% occupancy rates, the firm bagged $118 million in financing for a 1.5-acre development in Miami and hired a new head of real estate. The civically engaged Fisher is a Port Authority commissioner, a former co-chair of the New York City Regional Economic Development Council and sits on the Citizens Budget Commission’s board of trustees.

51. Grace Bonilla

President and CEO, United Way of New York City

Grace Bonilla stepped in as president and CEO of United Way of New York City in 2022, helming a nonprofit that has served low-income New Yorkers for 85 years. United Way released a report on the city’s economic well-being in April which revealed that half of New York City households are unable to cover basic needs, with immigrant households making up 21%. Among Bonilla’s top priorities are helping low-income adults and improving education for the city’s children.

52. Paul Schoeman & Howard Spilko

Co-Managing Partners, Kramer Levin

Kramer Levin is one of New York City’s largest law firms with over 300 attorneys in the New York metro area. The firm made big moves under managing attorneys Paul Schoeman and Howard Spilko – specialists in white-collar defense and corporate dealings, respectively. Beyond opening a new branch in Washington, D.C., Kramer Levin secured 17 new partners with former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Estes among the new hires. The firm raked in $421.44 million in revenue last year, which Spilko noted was its second-highest revenue-generating year ever.

53. David Paterson

Senior Vice President, Las Vegas Sands Corp.

David Paterson holds the distinction for being New York’s first Black governor, coming into the role after Eliot Spitzer’s resignation in 2008. After his tenure ended, Paterson went on to consult for the Las Vegas Sands Corp. before he joined the casino company as an executive in 2019. Las Vegas Sands has redevelopment plans around Long Island’s Nassau Coliseum, which the company has advocated as a place for one of New York’s downstate casinos.

54. Katrina Armstrong

CEO, Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Dr. Katrina Armstrong has had a full plate since her appointment last year as CEO of Columbia’s prestigious medical center, where she also pulls double duty as dean of its Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Columbia University was among a drove of elite medical schools to announce they would no longer participate in the U.S. News & World Report rankings, which Armstrong noted “perpetuates a narrow and elitist perspective on medical education.” In March, the school unveiled its new $175 million biomedical research institute.

55. Louis Shapiro & Bryan Kelly

CEO; President and Surgeon-in-Chief, Hospital for Special Surgery

The Hospital for Special Surgery is a world-class musculoskeletal health medical center. Louis Shapiro, who will step down as CEO once the leadership change with Dr. Bryan Kelly is complete on September 5. HSS has been ranked first in orthopedics worldwide for three years in a row and nationally 14 years in a row under Shaprio's leadership.  Kelly is a renowned medical author with 200 scientific articles to his name. He is also the head team doctor and medical director for the New York Rangers and started the hospital’s Hip Preservation Service in 2010, growing it into the largest in the country. Kelly was appointed chief of the HSS Sports Medicine Institute before he was made surgeon-in-chief and medical director in 2019.

56. Alfred C. Cerullo III

President and CEO, Grand Central Partnership

As president and CEO of the Grand Central Partnership, Alfred C. Cerullo III oversees the development and upkeep of a business district that spans 70 blocks from the iconic train station. Cerullo is among the 54 city leaders appointed to the “New” New York panel to resolve the city’s vacancy concerns. But Midtown is slowly recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact; according to the partnership’s data, 89 new retail outlets opened in the area last year with another 35 now under construction.

57. Rob Byrnes

President, East Midtown Partnership

Rob Byrnes has been running the East Midtown Partnership for more than two decades. The LGBTQ+ leader recently backed Gov. Kathy Hochul’s initiatives on public safety and housing as part of the new Midtown BID Coalition. Byrnes’ organization has utilized art exhibits to fill empty storefronts, launched engaging marketing initiatives to attract new consumers and kicked off monthlong Pride festivities for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic started. He is a member of the steering committee for The Publishing Triangle.

58. Anthony Munroe

President, Borough of Manhattan Community College

Anthony Munroe has injected the Borough of Manhattan Community College with his commitment to equal education since taking the reins as president in 2020. He launched the college’s Race, Equity and Inclusion Steering Committee and created the President’s Fund for Excellence and Innovation, both of which have strengthened student engagement efforts and the school’s resolve in its anti-racist academic efforts. The school has partnered with Baruch College to guarantee enrollment for students transferring into Baruch’s Zicklin School of Business if certain academic requirements are met.

59. Laura Rosenbury

President, Barnard College

With Sian Beilock departing Morningside Heights for Dartmouth College – and taking former Bill de Blasio chief of staff Emma Wolfe with her – Barnard College looked south for its new president. Laura Rosenbury, a leading women and gender legal theorist, started in June as Barnard’s new president. The first woman to serve as dean of the Levin College of Law at the University of Florida, Rosenbury had focused on raising the national profile of the law school. Among Rosenbury’s Florida accomplishments are a 200% increase in applications and increased fundraising activity.

60. Alan Steel

CEO, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center

The Javis Center played a huge role at the COVID-19 pandemic’s height. By late March 2020, it had transformed from a mass exhibition hall into New York’s medical station, where 1,000 beds were set up to help overburdened hospitals. The Javits Center lost $200 million in revenue from canceled events, but CEO Alan Steel and his team are working to draw more clients back to the recently expanded venue – and have already closed a deal to host Anthony Scaramucci’s SALT conference in September. Related Companies’ casino proposal for adjacent Hudson Yards would bring a 1,700-room hotel to the neighborhood.

61. Eva Moskowitz

Founder and CEO, Success Academy Charter Schools

Eva Moskowitz’s charter schools were caught in the crossfire of budget battles over the state’s regional caps, which Gov. Kathy Hochul had pushed to eliminate in order to facilitate the opening of more charter schools in New York City. Lawmakers ended up compromising on 14 new New York City charter schools – displeasing both sides of the aisle. But that won’t thwart Moskowitz from growing her academic empire, as Success Academy Charter Schools plans to double its enrollment through a $25 million donation from Citadel founder Ken Griffin.

62. George Fontas

Founder and CEO, Fontas Advisors

A native of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, George Fontas is the founder and head of government relations firm Fontas Advisors, which boasts clients such as LeFrak and Intel. Fontas’ firm serves a bevy of clients, most notably within the real estate business – among Fontas Advisors’ biggest clients is Homeowners for an Affordable NY, which paid $1.4 million to Fontas’ firm to lobby against “good cause” eviction legislation. The bill has languished for years and failed to pass this year.

63. Jonathan Boulware

President and CEO, South Street Seaport Museum

A marine educator and ship historian, Jonathan Boulware has steered the South Street Seaport Museum’s operations since 2015. Boulware oversees the $40 million endowment that was secured from the Howard Hughes Corp. in exchange for the seaport’s air rights. In June, the museum landed a separate $2 million grant from the New York State Council on the Arts for restorations and is partnering with preservation architects Jan Hird Pokorny Associates Inc. to complete the rebuilding of its Titanic Memorial Lighthouse.

64. Elizabeth Velez

President and Principal, Velez Organization

Through her work with the Velez Organization, Elizabeth Velez has built relationships as strong as the foundations of her buildings. In addition to overseeing her company’s multibillion-dollar projects across New York City, Velez has served on numerous appointed boards including the Traffic Transit Mobility Review Board, which will establish congestion pricing tolls (and exemptions) that will soon be coming to Manhattan. Velez, who spent summers working with her sisters for their family’s business, fosters assistance to small minority-owned contractors through an ongoing mentorship program with the city.

65. Elizabeth Smith

President and CEO, Central Park Conservancy

Before taking the helm of the Central Park Conservancy in 2018, Elizabeth Smith served as assistant commissioner at the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation under then-Mayor Mike Bloomberg and sat on the Conservancy’s board of trustees and the advisory board of the Institute for Urban Parks. Under Smith, the Conservancy has seen healthy financial growth amid its COVID-19 pandemic recovery: Its total operating revenue for fiscal year 2022 increased by $15 million while its total net assets grew by $24 million, compared to fiscal year 2021. Smith has worked with multiple agencies to develop plans to increase safety and mobility on the park's roadways, doubled investment for other city park's through the Conservancy's Five Borough Program and dedicated the Gate of the Exonerated, to honor those wrongfully convicted of crimes. 

66. James Dolan

Executive Chair and CEO, Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp.

James Dolan is no stranger to controversy. The businessperson has garnered a combative reputation after using facial recognition tech at Madison Square Garden to ban his adversaries – everyone from irate Knicks fans to the lawyers representing his legal foes – from the famous venue. The iconic venue now faces scrutiny over the tech’s legality at a time when Dolan is negotiating with New York City officials over the Garden’s future. The city will renew the Garden’s permit if they cooperate with plans about the future of Penn Station.

67. Seth Pinsky

CEO, 92NY

Manhattan’s 92nd Street Y has a compelling history: evolving from a Young Men’s Hebrew Association where newly arrived Jewish immigrants connected and became part of New York’s social fabric to a community space for all New Yorkers to participate in a myriad of arts programs and events. The space – rebranded as 92NY under CEO Seth Pinsky – is undergoing a major $200 million face-lift set to be completed in time for the organization’s 150th anniversary next year. Its Buttenwieser Hall, newly transformed into a black box theater, reopened in March.

68. C. Virginia Fields

President and CEO, Black Health

C. Virginia Fields is a politician-turned-health equity advocate. She leads Black Health – formerly the National Black Leadership Commission on Health – in efforts to address racial health disparities. Fields rallied with lawmakers for National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day and to support Intro. 895, a law that would expand rapid testing for HIV/AIDS in underserved communities with higher rates of infection. In March, Fields was appointed to the Bronx’s Diabetes Task Force by Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson.

69. Danna DeBlasio

Managing Director, CMW Strategies

A top staffer at lobbying powerhouse CMW Strategies, Danna DeBlasio brings a background in government affairs to her role. A veteran of Patricia Lynch Associates, DeBlasio now oversees CMW’s day-to-day operations. CMW’s recent client list has featured the likes of the Museum of the City of New York, the Park Avenue Armory, Tishman Speyer, the Alliance for Downtown New York, Chess in the Schools, the Metropolitan Parking Association and the Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade.

70. Henry Timms & Leah Johnson

President and CEO; Executive Vice President and Chief Communications, Marketing and Advocacy Officer, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

Henry Timms is known as a forward-thinker among his nonprofit colleagues; he successfully revamped the century-old 92nd Street Y during his leadership tenure and is credited as co-creator of the philanthropic movement GivingTuesday. Leah Johnson, who worked in NYC Health + Hospitals and served under then-New York City Mayor David Dinkins, was uniquely equipped to lead outreach efforts in a post-coronavirus pandemic era. The two have launched initiatives to expand the Lincoln Center’s reach with a sliding scale pay pilot program, new technology to help deaf and hard of hearing audiences better enjoy its musical programs and plans for a more inviting redesign of its western front alongside Amsterdam Avenue.

71. Max Hollein

CEO and Marina Kellen French Director, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

An art expert officially recognized by the French and Austrian governments, Max Hollein’s career spans continents. Hollein previously led three of Germany’s most renowned art institutions before helming San Francisco’s Fine Arts Museums. At The Met, a major Manhattan cultural attraction, Hollein oversaw the initiation of dynamic digital exhibits and programs during The Met’s five-month COVID-19 pandemic closure. In his new dual role as director and CEO, he will manage a slate of major capital renovations including of The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing.

72. Sean Decatur

President, American Museum of Natural History

A new era started at the American Museum of Natural History in April when Sean Decatur became the first Black president of the venerable Central Park West institution. Decatur succeeded Ellen Futter, who retired after three decades at the helm. Decatur, a biophysical chemist, came to New York following an almost decadelong tenure as president of Kenyon College in Ohio. While leading Kenyon, Decatur created a diversity and inclusion program and joined a national college coalition focused on increasing college access for low-income students.

73. Elizabeth L. Hillman

President and CEO, National September 11 Memorial & Museum

A decorated Air Force veteran, Elizabeth L. Hillman embarked on a career in higher education that led her to serve as provost and academic dean at the University of California Hastings College of the Law (now UC Law San Francisco). In another pivot last year, Hillman was appointed to lead the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, which has welcomed millions of visitors. The museum marked the 21st anniversary of the tragedy through a digital learning program that reached more than half a million students and educators across the country.

74. Richard Buery Jr.

CEO, Robin Hood

The CEO of the influential poverty-fighting nonprofit Robin Hood, Richard Buery Jr. is working to shape the future of New York City. Buery, a former New York City deputy mayor, teamed with former Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Rebuilding Dan Doctoroff to co-chair a task force created by Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams to create a new vision for the city. Among the proposals that came out of the effort were office-to-residential conversions, making business districts 24/7 destinations and increased housing. Buery’s day job has been a political launching pad; his predecessor, Wes Moore, is now Maryland’s governor.

75. Rosemonde Pierre-Louis

Executive Director, NYU McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research

A former lawyer and respected public leader, Rosemonde Pierre-Louis carries nearly two decades of firsthand experience representing low-income families and survivors of domestic abuse. Now at New York University, she leads the McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research. She most recently served as senior adviser to the New York City Commission on Gender Equity, as commissioner of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence and on a Metropolitan Transportation Authority panel on fare evasion. She was the first Haitian American to serve as Manhattan deputy borough president.

76. Ann Kirschner

Interim President, Hunter College

Ann Kirschner may have only stepped into her role as Hunter College’s interim president in July, but she is no higher education novice. A product of New York’s public schools herself, Kirschner’s prior posts include serving as dean at CUNY’s Macaulay Honors College and, more recently, as a university professor at the CUNY Graduate Center, where she was part of its Futures Initiative advocating for greater equity in higher education. Kirschner is also a digital media maven and was the NFL’s first digital strategist.

77. Lisa Linden

Media Strategist, The LAKPR Group

Lisa Linden is a veteran media strategist whose decadeslong career was built between politics and media. She co-founded LAK Public Relations in 1993 and now serves as a media strategist for The LAKPR Group, which works with influential clients like the Hotel Association of New York City and Clearview AI. Linden sits on the executive committee of New York City Tourism + Conventions and as co-vice chair of the New York League of Conservation Voters’ state board.

78. Ralph Bumbaca

New York City Market President, TD Bank

Ralph Bumbaca has overseen TD Bank’s New York City prospects for more than a decade. Despite ups and downs wrought by the coronavirus, Bumbaca is hopeful about the business market’s recovery. A survey on New York’s small businesses by TD Bank showed nearly all respondents across the five boroughs met or exceeded their revenue goals for 2022. To help further business recovery, TD Bank distributed business grants to provide coaching and strategic support to six select New York City small businesses.

79. John & Andrea Catsimatidis

CEO; Chair, Red Apple Group; Manhattan Republican Party

With family ties to dynasties like the Nixons, the Clintons and the Trumps, it’s clear that the Catsimatidises are politically plugged in. John Catsimatidis, who was born in Greece, made his family fortune largely through his holding company Red Apple Group and his grocery chain Gristedes. The eccentric billionaire tried his hand in electoral politics with a failed New York City mayoral bid in 2013 and recently became a published author with his new memoir “How Far Do You Want to Go.” His daughter Andrea Catsimatidis has chaired the Manhattan Republican Party since 2017.

80. Dan Biederman

President, 34th Street Partnership; Bryant Park Corp.

Dan Biederman is the creator of three of Manhattan’s business improvement districts. He founded the Bryant Park Corp. in 1980 before creating the Grand Central Partnership and then the 34th Street Partnership. Biederman’s initiatives were hugely successful, which led him to form his private consulting firm Biederman Redevelopment Ventures. The firm has expanded to take on redevelopment projects in other big cities such as Los Angeles and Dallas – but Biederman still calls the shots at Bryant Park and 34th Street as president of both BIDs.

81. Elinor Tatum

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, New York Amsterdam News

Elinor Tatum has been steward to New York City’s Harlem-based Black newspaper for 25 years running. New York Amsterdam News has kept its vigorous journalism under her leadership with a new $3 million reporting initiative, Beyond the Barrel of the Gun – the largest investment in gun violence reporting made by a Black-owned news outlet. In June, the paper’s investigative team Blacklight was recognized by the New York Association of Black Journalists for its reporting on Black youths who lost a parent to COVID-19.

82. Peggy Shepard

Co-Founder and Executive Director, We Act for Environmental Justice

Peggy Shepard is a prominent environmental justice advocate. Her career began in 1980s West Harlem, where she was part of a group of activists protesting a sewage treatment facility that had caused people in the community to get sick. The trailblazing environmentalist now serves as co-chair of President Joe Biden’s White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council and visited the White House to witness the president’s executive order to integrate environmental justice into the workframe of federal agencies.

83. Jeff Gennette

Chair and CEO, Macy’s

Jeff Gennette started as a Macy’s executive trainee in 1983 and, in 2017, took over the company as CEO. He kept the company afloat through the hardships of the coronavirus pandemic via nationwide downsizing efforts that included closing down underperforming stores and cutting thousands of jobs. After four decades, Gennette will close the chapter on his Macy’s career early next year, though the company man hinted at only a partial retirement. He will be succeeded by Bloomingdale’s CEO Tony Spring.

84. Debralee Santos

Editor, Manhattan Times

Like most community publications, the Manhattan Times has dutifully served the borough’s bilingual northern residents through its coverage of important local stories often neglected by legacy newspapers. At the helm of the Manhattan Times is Dominican American journalist and editor Debralee Santos, whose expertise on the city’s hot-button issues has made her a frequent panelist and guest commentator for New York’s mainstream media outlets. Santos is also an editor at The Bronx Free Press.

85. Phillip Jackson

Rector, Trinity Church Wall Street

The Rev. Phillip Jackson, who was named rector of Trinity Church Wall Street last year, is tasked with overseeing its multimillion-dollar philanthropy. This year, Trinity Church dedicated more than $22 million in grants to 111 nonprofits. Eight million dollars from the total grants are meant to specifically address New York City’s worsening housing crisis, a priority for the church. The rest of the grants will largely go to causes such as mental health and supporting asylum-seekers. Trinity Church has a long history of supporting immigrants, including those in the first decades of the 20th century who lived blocks from the church.

86. Barbara Askins

President and CEO, 125th Street Business Improvement District

Barbara Askins is a Harlem advocate who has become a community icon through her work. She is the founding president and CEO of the 125th Street BID, the first business improvement development launched in Harlem. Following the turmoil of the coronavirus pandemic and rising crime, Askins spearheaded an interagency community-driven program to enhance public safety. The project drew praise from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, who referenced Askins’ program as an aspirational model for Hell’s Kitchen.

87. Curtis Archer

President, Harlem Community Development Corp.

Curtis Archer, who describes Harlem as “the capital of Black America,” has led the Harlem Community Development Corp. since 2006. The Harlem CDC is a subsidiary of Empire State Development that works to spur economic growth across the historic neighborhood through development projects. Among the agency’s notable projects are the preservation of Franco the Great’s gate murals and the restoration of The Apollo’s Victoria Theater, which is set to reopen this year.

88. Charlotte St. Martin

President, The Broadway League

New Yorkers rejoicing in Broadway’s post-coronavirus pandemic return have The Broadway League’s Charlotte St. Martin to thank. St. Martin, who has led the trade group for the past eight years, lobbied for Broadway’s comeback through COVID-19 safety protocols. Broadway’s premiere return season saw 88.4% of seats filled with 40 new productions and 35 ongoing shows. But the performing arts hub isn’t quite out of the woods yet, as a slew of shows suffered last-minute cancellations during New York’s wildfire haze. The League is opposing real estate giant SL Green Realty Corp.’s proposal for a Times Square casino.

89. Michelle Ebanks

President and CEO, Apollo Theater

Previously the CEO of media empire Essence Communications, Michelle Ebanks now helms the Apollo Theater, New York City’s preeminent landmark of Black arts and culture. Ebanks is responsible for The Apollo’s running programs as well as its intended expansions. That includes the theater’s first full-scale renovations through a $80 million capital campaign – meant to be completed by 2025 – and the anticipated reopening of The Apollo’s new Victoria Theater. Ebanks succeeds Jonelle Procope, who led The Apollo for 20 years.

90. Charles Phillips

Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Recognize

Charles Phillips is a man of many talents. He served in the Marine Corps and earned a law degree from New York Law School. His career includes stints as president at Oracle Corp. where he oversaw the firm’s 70 acquisitions, as CEO and chair of Infor, a large-scale business cloud software company, and as an adviser to governors and mayors. Infor was eventually bought by Koch Industries for nearly $13 billion. Now at the helm of his technology investment platform Recognize, Phillips is also board co-chair of the Black Economic Alliance, which aims to increase economic empowerment for Black Americans.

91. Shelton J. Haynes

President and CEO, Roosevelt Island Operating Corp.

With its picturesque streets and views of Manhattan, it is hard to imagine that Roosevelt Island was once a dumping ground for the city’s undesirables in the 19th century. Today, Shelton J. Haynes is the man running Roosevelt Island’s day-to-day operations while serving 12,000 residents on the small island that’s administratively part of Manhattan. Much development has taken place under Haynes’ watch, including beautification efforts using public art and establishing a new constituent services department. Next, the island is set to house a $185 million mixed-use property.

92. Julie Stein

Executive Director, Union Square Partnership

Before stepping in to lead the Union Square Partnership this summer, Julie Stein served as executive director of the high-profile “New” New York panel, where she helped formulate an action plan to carry out Gov. Kathy Hochul’s and New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ visions for New York’s post-coronavirus pandemic economic recovery. In her new role at USP, Stein is tasked with carrying out the next phases of the USQNext Vision Plan to transform the accessibility of the greater Union Square area.

93. Gigi Li

Vice President, New York City Economic Development Corp.

Before arriving at the New York City Economic Development Corp., Gigi Li was a counselor and a domestic violence advocate. She dove into politics, first as chief of staff to New York City Council Member Margaret Chin in Chinatown before making an unsuccessful bid to succeed her boss following Chin’s exit from the council. Li, whose family is from Hong Kong, went back into government at NYCEDC, where she oversees engagement and outreach efforts for Manhattan projects like the $1.6 billion life sciences development of SPARC Kips Bay.

94. Marie Boster

President, Fifth Avenue Association

Luxury retailers were not immune to hemorrhaging during the COVID-19 outbreak, and no place was that clearer than Fifth Avenue. By 2021, 32 storefronts were emptied out on Manhattan’s luxury row. Marie Boster, the new president of the Fifth Avenue Association, said the pandemic showed how essential luxury retailers are to New York’s economy – and some believe their rebound may be the boost needed for economic recovery. The Fifth Avenue Association is part of the team working with New York City Mayor Eric Adams to reimagine the future of the world-famous luxury retail hub.

95. Blair Duncan

President and CEO, Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corp.

Blair Duncan is a seasoned economic development executive with 20 years of experience under his belt. He first joined the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corp. as a general counsel before rising through its ranks. The neighborhood has seen $1 billion in private investments and nearly 10,000 jobs created thanks to the organization’s work. Previously, Duncan held senior roles at HSBC and Merrill Lynch.

96. Damon LoSchiavo

Vice President, Customer Success and Implementation, T-Mobile

A former AT&T executive, Damon LoSchiavo now serves as T-Mobile’s vice president of customer success and implementation. But running a telecom behemoth isn’t without hiccups: T-Mobile had multiple data breaches and a nationwide network outage this year. Still, T-Mobile continues to expand with its acquisition of Ka’ena Corp. and subsidiaries, which includes actor Ryan Reynolds’ Mint Mobile, and fiber services in New York with Pilot Fiber, a company that already serves fiber broadband to more than 700 New York City buildings.

97. Jessie Lee

Managing Director, Renaissance Economic Development Corp.

A former bank analyst, Jessie Lee made the career shift to work in community economic development over two decades ago. Renaissance Economic Development Corp. was selected as one of New York City’s eight lending partners to distribute $75 million in low-interest capital to hundreds of New York’s small businesses. This year, Lee’s organization was recognized by the federal Community Development Financial Institutions Fund for its community impact and launched a second application cohort for its six-month mentorship program in digital marketing for small-business entrepreneurs.

98. Noah A. Rosenblum

Assistant Professor of Law, New York University School of Law

Law professors don’t normally end up on political power lists, but New York politics is anything but normal. New York University School of Law’s Noah A. Rosenblum was among those spearheading public opposition against Gov. Kathy Hochul’s controversial nomination of Hector LaSalle to be the state’s chief judge. Rosenblum had previously tried to stop another nomination by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo to the state Court of Appeals, a campaign that failed but led Rosenblum to build a rapport with Democratic lawmakers intent on keeping an eye on New York’s courts. When Rosenblum isn’t helping make New York legal history, he is a frequent commentator on constitutional law and legal history.

99. Shirley McKinney

Superintendent of Manhattan Sites, National Park Service

Shirley McKinney accompanied Vice President Kamala Harris during her June visit to the Stonewall National Monument, a visit Harris made amid attacks in other states on LGBTQ+ rights. McKinney was crucial in facilitating the agreement which led to the Stonewall’s planned new visitors center. As superintendent of Manhattan sites, McKinney stewards a wide array of National Park Service sites in Manhattan including, Liberty Island, Federal Hall and Hamilton Grange National Memorial, Alexander Hamilton’s former abode.

100. John Tuttle

Vice Chair; President, New York Stock Exchange; NYSE Institute

The 1-year-old NYSE Institute is the thought leadership arm of the New York Stock Exchange. John Tuttle was promoted from NYSE chief commercial officer to lead the institute as it promotes commerce in the U.S. and abroad. Tuttle, a former U.S. Department of State staffer, could be leaving New York to run as a Republican for U.S. Senate in his native Michigan. Tuttle would be following in the footsteps of former Georgia Republican U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler, the wife of his boss, Jeffrey Sprecher, the CEO of NYSE’s parent company.