Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has appointed Jahmila Edwards as Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and Cat Da Costa as Director of Appointments. The announcements come more than a month after Mamdani named his first deputy mayor and chief of staff.
Edwards, is a longtime labor advocate at District Council 37, has also held senior roles in the Department of Education, including Executive Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Chancellor. She emphasized her ongoing commitment to labor issues, saying that “fighting for working people has been my life’s work.”
Da Costa, who began her career at the city’s Office of Appointments, returns to lead efforts to recruit top talent for Mamdani’s administration. Her background also includes senior positions in the private sector, including at Orchestra and Sotheby’s.
Mamdani highlighted the significance of the two appointments for his administration’s policy agenda, noting that having Edwards in Intergovernmental Affairs would help advance a government focused on working New Yorkers. He also characterized Da Costa as highly skilled in talent recruitment, ensuring city operations maintain high standards.
