MAYOR ADAMS ADDS TO CITY HALL COMMUNICATIONS TEAM

 

Ryan Birchmeier to Serve as Communications Director 

Erika Tannor to Serve as First Deputy Communications Director

Charles Lutvak to Serve as First Deputy Press Secretary

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced the appointment of and elevation of key members of the City Hall communications team halfway through his first term. On the communications team, Ryan Birchmeier will serve as communications director, Erika Tannor will join the administration as first deputy communications director, and Noah Levine has been promoted to a deputy communications director. On the press team, Charles Kretchmer Lutvak has been promoted to first deputy press secretary, and Amaris Cockfield and Kayla Mamelak have each been promoted to deputy press secretary and communications advisor. On the research team, Sam Rosenblum and Margaret Turner will serve as deputy directors of research and analytics. Colby Rogers has also been promoted to special assistant in the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Communications. Mayor Adams will be making additional appointments to City Hall’s communications team in the coming weeks.

“Our press and communications teams are some of the hardest-working people in city government,” said Mayor Adams. “By elevating and bringing new voices to City Hall, we are making our administration even stronger, finding new ways to communicate information about services and the state of our city, and ultimately delivering a better product for New Yorkers.”

“Jobs are up, crime is down, and every day, we are delivering for working-class New Yorkers, but no New Yorker would know that if it wasn’t for the extraordinary public servants who dedicate countless hours to communicating that message to the people of New York,” said Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy. “The greatest city in the world is also home to some of the most talented and experienced communicators in the country, and, with these appointments, we are not only promoting the talent we have working for the city but bringing in new voices to help us communicate even more effectively to all New Yorkers. Our mission is clear: protect public safety, rebuild our economy, and make this city more livable — and this is the team who will help communicate that message every day.”

“In just over two years, Mayor Adams has driven New York City’s economic recovery and helped it reach a new jobs record, delivered a significant reduction in crime, and found new ways to improve the lives of working-class New Yorkers — all while managing a once-in-a-generation humanitarian crisis,” said Communications Director Ryan Birchmeier. “I am proud to continue serving alongside the dedicated members of this administration to further this work, and to help our city reach more New Yorkers in more meaningful ways.”

Biographies and details about additional appointments are included below:

Communications Team

About Ryan Birchmeier Ryan Birchmeier has led housing- and economic development-related communications for the Mayor’s Office since August 2023. He previously served as deputy commissioner for public information at the New York City Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) — a new, consolidated technology agency created by Mayor Adams at the beginning of his administration. At OTI, Birchmeier oversaw the communications and intergovernmental affairs teams, crafted external affairs strategies for the rollout of the city’s artificial intelligence policy and digital government services, and led communications for citywide cybersecurity incident response. Prior to joining the Adams administration, Birchmeier was a senior vice president and partner at New York City-based strategic communications firm Thunder11, where he led global public affairs campaigns for technology, economic development, and public health organizations. Birchmeier previously worked as an assistant vice president at the New York City Economic Development Corporation and in several communications roles across the Philadelphia city government. He graduated from Saint Joseph’s University with a B.A. in English. Birchmeier will report to Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy.

About Erika Tannor

Erika Tannor will join the administration from Tusk Strategies, where she served as senior vice president and led nationwide, issue-based campaigns with a focus on coalition building, grassroots engagement, and media relations. While serving as communications and policy director to former New York City Councilmember Rafael Espinal, Tannor successfully built public and press momentum that guided significant legislation to passage. She was particularly instrumental in achieving the historic repeal of New York City’s notorious cabaret law and the creation of the first-ever Office of Nightlife, amongst other cornerstone accomplishments. Tannor also worked for then-New York City Public Advocate Letitia James, at the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, and on several city and statewide electoral campaigns. She has been recognized by City & State on their “40 under 40” and “10 in their 20s” lists and was a founding board member of the 5BORO Institute, a non-profit think tank focused on advancing policy solutions for the city. A native New Yorker hailing from Queens, Tannor graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a B.A. in politics and earned a Master of Public Policy from the University of Oxford.

Tannor will report to Communications Director Ryan Birchmeier.

About Noah Levine

Noah Levine will serve as a deputy communications director. He joined the Adams administration in 2022 as chief of staff to the communications director. He previously served as deputy press secretary for Everytown for Gun Safety, where he focused on gun safety litigation and legislative strategy. Levine’s time at Everytown culminated with the passage of the first major federal gun safety legislation in decades. He received a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania.

Levine will report to Communications Director Ryan Birchmeier.

Press Team

About Charles Lutvak

Charles Kretchmer Lutvak has been promoted to first deputy press secretary. Lutvak joined City Hall as deputy press secretary in 2022 after serving in the same role on Scott Stringer’s campaign for mayor in 2021. He previously worked at Risa Heller Communications. Lutvak received a B.A. in Political Science and Music from Carleton College and is a lifelong New Yorker.

Lutvak will report to Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy until a new press secretary is named.

About Amaris Cockfield

Amaris Cockfield will take on new responsibilities as a communications advisor in addition to her current role as deputy press secretary. At City Hall, Cockfield has led mayoral press events, served as an on-record spokesperson, and handled media inquiries for the Adams administration. Cockfield previously worked at Mercury Public Affairs and served as a director of communications in the New York State Assembly. She attended the University at Albany – SUNY for her B.A. in Communications.

Cockfield will report to First Deputy Press Secretary Charles Lutvak.

About Kayla Mamelak

Kayla Mamelak will take on new responsibilities as a communications advisor in addition to her current role as deputy press secretary. She joined the Adams administration in the summer of 2022, serving as a spokesperson and helping to build out media strategies for press conferences and other administration announcements. Prior to her role at City Hall, Mamelak was a reporter for FOX5 New York. She received a B.S. from Boston University.

Mamelak will report to First Deputy Press Secretary Charles Lutvak.

Research Team

About Samuel Rosenblum

Samuel Rosenblum will serve as a deputy director of research. He joined the Adams administration in May 2022 as a research analyst in the Office of Research and Media Analysis. Before serving in the Adams administration, Rosenblum worked at G/O Media. A native New Yorker, Rosenblum graduated from the University of Michigan with a double major in International Studies and History.

Rosenblum will report to First Deputy Press Secretary Charles Lutvak.

About Margaret Turner

Margaret Turner will serve as a deputy director of research. She joined the Adams administration in October 2022 as a research analyst in the Office of Research and Media Analysis. Before joining the administration, Turner worked as a communications associate and assistant to the CEO at Haddad Media in Washington, D.C. Turner earned her B.A. in Political Science and International Relations from Tulane University.

Turner will report to First Deputy Press Secretary Charles Lutvak.

Deputy Mayor’s Team

About Colby Rogers

Colby Rogers has been promoted to special assistant in the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Communications. Rogers joined City Hall in May 2023 as a press assistant. Previously, he worked as deputy political director for U.S. Representative Mike Levin’s 2022 re-election campaign. Rogers graduated from the University of Chicago with a double major in Public Policy and History.

Rogers will report to Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy.