‘Powerful five’: Zohran Mamdani names all-women team to lead historic transition. Who are they?

Following his historic win in New York City's mayoral race, Zohran Mamdani revealed a team of experienced officials to guide his transition to City Hall, providing an early indication of how he plans to implement his ambitious campaign agenda.

“In the coming months, I and my team will build a City Hall capable of delivering on the promises of this campaign,” Mamdani, a democratic socialist, said at his first news conference as mayor-elect, as reported by AP.

“We will form an administration that is equal parts capable and compassionate, driven by integrity and willing to work just as hard as the millions of New Yorkers who call this city home.”

Who is in Mamdani's transition team?

The transition team includes former deputy mayors Maria Torres-Springer and Melanie Hartzog, former FTC Chair Lina Khan, and United Way of New York City CEO Grace Bonilla.

Political strategist Elana Leopold will lead the group as its executive director.

Who is Elena Leopold?

Elena Leopold, a political strategist who worked for former Mayor Bill de Blasio, will serve as the team's executive director.

According to her LinkedIn profile, she is a strategic advisor and project leader who collaborates with mission-driven organisations, campaigns, and coalitions to transform vision into action.

Through her consultancy, she supports clients in developing effective strategies, navigating political and policy landscapes, and managing complex initiatives from start to finish.

Her previous roles include Compliance Director and Fundraiser at New Yorkers for de Blasio (2011–2013), Deputy Director of the de Blasio Inaugural Committee during the Mayoral Transition (2014), Senior Aide and Senior Advisor in the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs for the City of New York (2014–2016), and Finance Director until January 2017.

She co-founded The Broad Room (until 2021), served as Founding Partner and Chief Strategy Officer at Seneca Strategies (2018–2022), and was Senior Vice President of Government Relations at Moonshot Strategies (until August 2024).

She is currently Founder and President at Leopold Impact Advisory.

Who is Maria Torres-Springer?

leadership roles across York City government and the philanthropic sector.

According to her LinkedIn profile and other publicly available sources, Maria Torres‑Springer holds a Bachelor’s degree in Ethics, Politics, and Economics from Yale University and a Master's in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School at Harvard University.

She served as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Small Business Services, where she championed efforts to raise wages, support women‑ and immigrant‑owned businesses, and build workforce pathways.

She then became President & CEO of the New York City Economic Development Corporation, leading major neighbourhood revitalisation initiatives and implementing the city‑wide ferry service.

Later, she was appointed Commissioner of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

Recently, she has been appointed as Deputy Mayor of New York City for Housing, Economic Development & Workforce.

Who is Melanie Hartzog?

Melanie Hartzog is the President and CEO of The New York Foundling.

Before joining The Foundling, she served as New York City’s Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services, where she oversaw the city's social service agencies, according to her LinkedIn profile.

She also held the role of Director of the Mayor's Office of Management and Budget, managing the nation’s largest municipal budget and funding all city programs and services.

Earlier in her career, Hartzog was Executive Director of the Children’s Defense Fund, Family Services Coordinator for the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services, Deputy Commissioner of the Administration for Children’s Services, and led a social services unit within the Mayor's Office of Management and Budget.

She also served as Director of Policy and Advocacy for the Human Services Council of New York City.

Hartzog earned a Master of Science from the New School’s Milano School of International Affairs, Management, and Urban Policy and a Bachelor of Arts from Eckerd College.

Who is Lina Khan?

Lina Khan is the former Chair of the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), having served in the role following her confirmation by the U.S. Senate in June 2021.

During her tenure, she focused on strengthening antitrust enforcement and consumer protection, particularly in the context of digital markets and modern platform economies.

Prior to leading the FTC, Khan was a legal scholar and served as an Associate Professor of Law at Columbia Law School. She was also legal director at the Open Markets Institute, counsel to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law, and a legal adviser to FTC Commissioner Rohit Chopra.

Khan earned a Bachelor of Arts from Williams College and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School.

She is known for her expertise in antitrust law, competition policy, and the regulation of large digital platforms.

Who is Grace Bonilla?

Grace C. Bonilla is the President and CEO of United Way of New York City, a position she has held since July 2022, where she leads efforts to advance equity and support for low-income and underserved New Yorkers. She previously served as Senior Vice President for Latin America at Covenant House International, where she addressed child homelessness across multiple countries.

In the New York City government, Bonilla led the city's first Task Force on Racial Equity and Inclusion and served as Administrator of the Human Resources Administration, overseeing services for over three million residents.

Earlier roles included Deputy Commissioner for Community Affairs and Immigrant Services. Bonilla earned a B.A. in Political Science from St. John’s University and a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School.

What are Zohran Mamdani's targets?

Mamdani noted that the officials would guide his transition as he moves from the “poetry of campaigning” to the “beautiful prose of governing,” playfully echoing a phrase famously used by the late Gov. Mario Cuomo, father of one of his mayoral opponents, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Mamdani, who at 34 will be the city's youngest mayor in more than a century, now faces the task of implementing his sweeping affordability agenda, while taking charge of the largest police department, sanitation department and school system in the country.

Among his campaign's promises are free child care, free city bus service, city-run grocery stores and a new Department of Community Safety that would expand on an existing city initiative that sends mental health care workers, rather than police, to handle certain emergency calls.

Though he has framed his election as a break from the political mould, his transition team includes familiar faces from the previous two mayoral administrations.

(With inputs from agencies)