Mayor Zohran Mamdani Appoints Simonia Brown as Senior Advisor for Policy and Strategy

Brown, a budget and policy veteran in NYC and Albany, will work with the State to advance the Mayor’s affordability agenda  

TODAY, Mayor Zohran Mamdani appointed New York City and State policy and budget veteran Simonia Brown as Senior Advisor for Policy and Strategy. In this role, Brown will work alongside partners in Albany to help deliver on the Mayor’s affordability agenda. Brown will report to the First Deputy Mayor. 

 

Simonia Brown has more than two decades of experience in New York City and New York State government, advising elected officials and negotiating key policy and budget issues. Under Mayor Bill de Blasio, Brown served as the Director of New York City’s State Legislative Affairs Office, where she was responsible for advancing the City’s budgetary and legislative agenda.   

 

Brown served as an Associate Director at the NYC Office of Management and Budget, where she oversaw the budgets for the NYC Department of Education, the City’s investments at CUNY, and the 59 Community Boards. Additionally, at OMB, Brown led the Intergovernmental Relations unit, advancing the City’s fiscal priorities at the city, state and federal levels.  

 

Before working in New York City government, Brown held several roles at the New York State Assembly advising the Speaker and Assembly leadership, directing budget analysis, developing policy initiatives, and leading budget and policy negotiations. Currently, Brown serves as the Assistant Deputy Comptroller at the Office of the State Comptroller where she leads several teams in overseeing local government and school district finances including the distribution of more than $1 billion annually and statewide fiscal stress monitoring. 

 

“I am thrilled to welcome Simonia Brown to our administration,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani. “Simonia is an experienced and deeply committed leader. Her track record of winning budgets and policies that lift up working people will be invaluable as we deliver on our affordability agenda for New Yorkers.” 

 

“I am honored to join Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration. Mayor Mamdani gave a voice to New Yorkers facing a soaring cost-of-living crisis. I’m looking forward to working alongside our partners in Albany to deliver the Mayor’s affordability agenda and provide real relief for working families in New York,” said Simonia Brown, Senior Advisor for Policy and Strategy.