Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani recommended Melanie Hartzog and Janette Sadik-Khan to serve on the MTA Board, citing their experience in public service, nonprofit leadership and transportation policy.
What You Should Know
- Mayor Mamdani recommended Melanie Hartzog and Janette Sadik-Khan to serve on the MTA Board.
- The nominees bring decades of experience in government, nonprofit leadership and transportation policy.
- If confirmed by the New York State Senate, they would help advance a more affordable, accessible and reliable transit system.
- Mayor Mamdani also announced that Dan Garodnick and David Jones will continue serving on the MTA Board as mayoral appointees.
NEW YORK — According to an official
announcement from the Office of the Mayor of New York City
,
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani has recommended Melanie Hartzog and
Janette Sadik-Khan to serve on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board.
The mayor’s office said the recommendations underscore the administration’s commitment to delivering a transit system that is
safe, affordable and reliable for New Yorkers. Hartzog and Sadik-Khan bring experience in government,
nonprofit leadership and transportation policy.
If confirmed by the New York State Senate, Hartzog and Sadik-Khan would help advance the mayor’s transit agenda,
including his commitment to making buses fast and free. Mayor Mamdani also announced that
Dan Garodnick, former New York City Council member and former director of the Department of City Planning,
and David Jones, President and CEO of the Community Service Society of New York, will continue to serve on the MTA Board
as mayoral appointees.
“Millions of New Yorkers use public transit every day to get to their jobs, take their children to school and visit loved ones,”
Mayor Mamdani said. “They should not settle for a system that is expensive, unreliable and inaccessible.”
Mamdani said his administration is committed to building a transit system that people can count on, with fast buses,
reliable service and public infrastructure that meets the needs of a growing city.
“Melanie and Janette have dedicated their careers to delivering results for New Yorkers, and alongside Dan and David,
they will help ensure that this city gets fast and free buses, and that riders have strong advocates at the table,”
Mamdani said.
Melanie Hartzog: Nonprofit and City Government Experience
About Melanie Hartzog
Melanie Hartzog is the President and CEO of The New York Foundling, one of New York’s
longest-serving nonprofit organizations. The Foundling serves more than 30,000 people every year in the New York area
and Puerto Rico through programs in child welfare, developmental disabilities, education, juvenile justice, health and behavioral health.
Hartzog previously served as New York City’s Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services and as
Director of the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget, where she oversaw the largest municipal budget
in the United States.
“As a lifelong New Yorker, I understand just how essential our public transportation system is to the people of this city
because I use it every day and always have,” Hartzog said.
Hartzog said she was honored by Mayor Mamdani’s recommendation and welcomed the opportunity to help ensure the city’s transit
system is affordable, accessible, reliable and able to deliver the level of service New Yorkers expect and deserve.
Janette Sadik-Khan: Transportation Policy and Street Design
About Janette Sadik-Khan
Janette Sadik-Khan served as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation
from 2007 to 2013 under Mayor Michael Bloomberg. During her tenure, New York City added nearly 400 miles of bike lanes,
created the first parking-protected bike paths in North America and advanced major street redesigns.
Sadik-Khan also helped set in motion more than 60 plazas across the city, including the Broadway plazas through Times Square,
and collaborated with the MTA to launch the city’s first seven rapid bus lines.
“The New York City region works because its transit system works,” Sadik-Khan said.
Sadik-Khan, now a principal with Bloomberg Associates, said New York needs a transportation action plan that matches
the region’s ambitions. She said she was grateful for the opportunity to serve as a vote and a voice for riders seeking affordable
transportation and access to jobs, housing and opportunity.
Why It Matters for New York Riders
The MTA Board plays a major role in decisions affecting New York City subways, buses, commuter rail, accessibility,
service reliability and fare policy. The mayor’s recommendations signal a focus on affordability, bus service, street redesign,
access to opportunity and the daily experience of transit riders.
For New Yorkers, the appointments could affect practical questions that shape daily life: how fast buses move, how reliable
service becomes, how accessible stations and routes are, and whether the city can deliver a transit system that supports workers,
families, students, seniors and small businesses.