Mamdani Redraws The Power Map Of New York

By appointing an all-women transition team, Zohran Mamdani is laying out the political grammar of his tenure even before he takes office. The symbolism is clear, but so is the urgency: to convert his campaign’s bold promises into policy, he must navigate a city bureaucracy and power structure not always eager for change.

“We owe it to this city to be ready on 1 January to start delivering,” he said in his first interview after the win. “We have 57 days, and those are 57 days to start to do the work of preparing.” He will formally take the oath of office on January 1, 2026. 

Mamdani realised that he had to hit the ground running from day one. The celebrations following the win were  hardly over when he named his five-woman transition team the  morning after the results.  The urgency is also reflected on his website, where Mamdani declares, “The Work Starts Now.” He promises, “I’ll use every tool available to bring down rent, create world‑class public transit, and make it easier to raise a family.”

Mamdani knows it won’t be a cake walk, and he realises the problem of working under a hostile Donald Trump, who will use every tool available to the president to thwart him.  Navigating the entrenched city  bureaucracy will be difficult. But Mamdani  is convinced of his ability to deliver on his campaign promises.

“I’m confident in delivering these same policies that we ran on for the last year,” he said in the presser,  adding that he aims to unite New Yorkers across political divides. “No matter what your politics, we’re all facing the same issues.”

Who are the women in Mamdani’s transition team?

Heading the five-member group is Elana Leopold as the Transition Executive Director. She has served on Mamdani’s campaign as a senior advisor, acting as a liaison to civic, business and cultural leaders across the city. Leopold, a native New Yorker, held several senior roles during the administration of former Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio. She was also part of his 2013 transition team. Leopold comes with years of experience in the Mayor’s office under her belt.

Grace Bonilla, the transition co-chair, currently serves as president and CEO of United Way of New York City, a leading citywide nonprofit that helps low-income New Yorkers by coordinating service providers, companies, and local government services. Bonilla has also served as Administrator of the New York City Human Resources Administration and as the first Executive Director of New York City’s Taskforce on Racial Equity and Inclusion.

Lina Khan, another co-chair of the transition team, served as the head of the Federal Trade Commission from 2021 to 2025. She was appointed  by Joe Biden and was one of the youngest to serve in the post.  She is a   leading antimonopoly champion. She came into the public eye as a student at Yale Law School for publishing an essay, "Amazon's Antitrust Paradox". She is also an associate professor at Columbia Law School.

Maria Torres-Springer, another member of the transition team, has held several key positions in city government. She was previously the Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, and President and CEO of the NYC Economic Development Corporation. 

Torres-Springe has also served as vice president for U.S. programs at the Ford Foundation and is the incoming President and CEO of the Revson Foundation. Her knowledge of city housing and how the building lobby works will be invaluable for Mamdani as he tries to provide reasonable rent for all New Yorkers.

Melanie Hartzog, another appointee to the transition team,  is the President and CEO of the New York Foundling, one of the city’s largest and oldest non-profit organisations that helps children, youth, adults, and families in need through services, support, and advocacy. 

Hartzog previously served in two mayoral administrations, first as New York City’s Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services, then as Director of the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget, and later as Family Services Coordinator for the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services and Deputy Commissioner of the Administration for Children’s Services. All five women are remarkably talented and bring their  experience of city government to the transition team. 

Mamdani knows well what he is up against–billionaires who see him much like President Donald Trump as a “Communist’’ out to attack the city’s capitalist class. They had spent billions to trounce him in the elections, but failed. 

Advice from one mayor to another

Two-time Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio, who has backed Mamdani all the way, had some advice for the new incumbent. 

Sharing his own experience, Blasio said, “It’s easy and comfortable to surround yourself with longtime loyalists. However, a better strategy is to maintain a core of trusted, true believers while seeking highly experienced talent for other roles.‘’ So, while forming his team, he should hire professionals to fill the right jobs.

“Strike while the iron is hot” is essential to pushing through progressive reforms. Anticipate the problem and act before it strikes you. “If you think something might be a major problem, act like it already is.’’  Remain true to yourself. 

“Zohran ran as his true self, and New Yorkers loved it. An authentic Zohran is the only version that can succeed in governance. He is blessed with a winning personality and extraordinary communication skills. Now he must recognise that only he can defeat himself by pulling his punches.’’ 

His advice is to be up-front with New Yorkers. “Don’t bullshit them. They admire bluntness, strength, and confidence because that is the energy of this place. If you blink, they stop believing you.’’

Praising Mamdani’s “unique’’ talent to inspire New Yorkers, Blasio said the young man must employ that to “renew the quintessential New York spirit of building what the world has never seen before.’’