We are pleased to share that Catherine Trapani, VOA-GNY’s Assistant Vice President of Public Policy, has been appointed to Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani’s social services transition committee where she and other anti-poverty experts will provide critical insights on policy and staffing to the incoming administration.
The social services sector is critical to the fabric of our city, supporting the health and wellbeing of our neighbors every day as well as serving as the first line of defense during emergencies such as the pandemic—yet its staff remain among the lowest compensated and underrecognized segments of the NYC workforce.
With more than two decades of experience in this sector, Catherine has been a steadfast champion of housing and homeless services, advocating for and designing innovative, high-quality programs that meet the needs of individuals and families in our community. Through her work at VOA-GNY and beyond, Catherine has advanced critical legislation to support domestic violence survivors, low-income New Yorkers including seniors, and essential human services staff; secured major investments in proven solutions to some of our city’s most pressing challenges; streamlined cumbersome and outdated processes; and played a central role in the drafting and steering of legislation to expand eligibility for CityFHEPS.
We are proud of these accomplishments and Catherine’s many other contributions to our city and to VOA-GNY’s efforts to end homelessness for all New Yorkers.