Melinda Katz

Melinda Katz
Name	Melinda Katz
Office	Borough President of Queens
Term start	January 1, 2014
Term end	January 1, 2020
Predecessor	Helen Marshall
Successor	Donovan Richards
Birth date	July 3, 1965
Birth place	New York City, U.S.
Party	Democratic
Alma mater	Binghamton University; Cardozo School of Law

Melinda Katz Melinda Katz is an American attorney and Democratic politician from Queens, New York City. She served as Borough President of Queens from 2014 to 2020 and represented parts of Queens on the New York City Council before election as a member of the New York State Assembly. Katz later became District Attorney of Queens County, New York. Her career spans municipal and county offices, legal practice, and public advocacy on land use, transportation, and criminal justice issues.

Early life and education

Born in New York City and raised in Rego Park, Queens, Katz attended public schools in Queens before matriculating at Binghamton University, where she studied political science. She earned a juris doctor from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University and later completed internships and clerkships with legal offices in New York State, developing experience relevant to later roles in prosecution and municipal law.

Early legal and public service career

Katz began her career as an attorney, working as an Assistant District Attorney in Queens County, New York and later in private practice focusing on municipal and commercial matters. She held roles in local civic associations and community boards in Queens, engaging with agencies such as the New York City Department of Transportation, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Katz also worked on electoral campaigns and policy teams connected to elected officials in New York City and New York State.

New York City Council

Elected to the New York City Council representing a western Queens district, Katz served on committees including Committee on Finance, Committee on Land Use, and Committee on Public Safety. She sponsored and backed legislation affecting zoning and development in neighborhoods such as Forest Hills, Queens, Kew Gardens, and Rego Park, interacting with the New York City Planning Commission and the Landmarks Preservation Commission. During her tenure she engaged with transit projects administered by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and with affordable housing initiatives involving the New York City Housing Authority and non‑profit developers.

Queens Borough President

As Borough President of Queens, Katz worked with the Queens Borough Board, municipal agencies like the New York City Department of Education, and advocacy groups across neighborhoods such as Flushing, Jackson Heights, and Astoria. Her office produced boroughwide plans addressing rezoning, economic development, and infrastructure, coordinating with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on regional transportation matters and with the United States Department of Transportation on federal grants. She convened local stakeholders including civic associations, business improvement districts like those in Jamaica, Queens and Elmhurst, and cultural institutions such as the Queens Museum and the Queens Botanical Garden.

Political positions and initiatives

Katz advocated positions on land use, supporting targeted rezonings and neighborhood rezonings that interfaced with actors such as the New York City Planning Commission and developers including major real estate firms active in Long Island City and Forest Hills. On transportation she prioritized improvements tied to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and surface transit projects coordinated with the New York City Department of Transportation. Katz engaged on criminal justice reform debates involving the New York State Unified Court System and prosecutors' offices, and she supported initiatives on affordable housing in coordination with the New York City Housing Authority and local affordable‑housing nonprofits. She also worked on emergency preparedness planning with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and on public health responses with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Personal life and honors

Katz resides in Queens and has been active in community organizations, Jewish communal institutions, and civic philanthropy. She has received recognitions from local civic groups, chambers of commerce such as the Queens Chamber of Commerce, and professional associations including the New York State Bar Association. Her career has connected her to elected leaders at multiple levels, including officials from the Office of the Mayor of New York City, members of the New York State Legislature, and federal representatives from New York (state).

Category:1965 births Category:People from Queens Category:New York (state) Democrats Category:American lawyers