Mayor Adams Announces Additional Executive Team Appointments

February 8, 2022

New York – New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced additional appointments to his executive team. Jessica Carrano and Christopher Ellis will liaise with elected officials across New York City and New York State, Lisa Lashley will oversee mayoral appointments, and Gladys Miranda and Molly Schaeffer will serve in key roles at City Hall.

"We are appointing the best people for the right jobs to serve all New Yorkers and 'Get Stuff Done,'" said Mayor Adams. "These individuals truly represent the diversity of New York City and are reflective of how we are building a team that looks like the city it serves. They have the talent, the experience, and the emotional intelligence to deliver on our vision for New York, and I am grateful they are joining our team."

Jessica Carrano, Director of City Legislative Affairs

Jessica Carrano joins the Adams administration as director of city legislative affairs. Prior to joining the administration, Carrano spent five years at Red Horse Strategies as a vice president. Carrano used her expertise in field, communications, organizing, and management to assist a variety of clients from the City Council to the statewide level in New York and across the country.

Before that, Carrano worked on several issue advocacy campaigns, bringing her organizing skills to the Share Better Coalition in their campaign to protect affordable housing; and to the Democratic Party's efforts to raise the minimum wage and provide paid family leave to all New Yorkers. She started her career with the Working Families Party, serving as the Long Island political director, and eventually the New York State elections director — supporting hundreds of candidates across New York State.

Carrano was born in Brooklyn and raised on New Jersey Coast Guard bases. She received her B.A. in Politics from New York University.

Christopher Ellis, Director of State Legislative Affairs

Christopher Ellis will join the Adams administration as director of state legislative affairs. Ellis previously served as associate vice chancellor for workforce development initiatives at the State University of New York (SUNY). While there, he worked with the executive leadership team to implement high-priority projects, including the university's new virtual workforce training platform, SUNY for All — Online Training Center.

Before that, Ellis served as the special assistant to the New York State chief information officer and director of the Office for Technology. In this capacity, Ellis was responsible for CIO/OFT intergovernmental affairs and performance management, and led special assignments to advance the mission of the agency. Ellis began his career in public service as a senior legislative fiscal analyst for the New York State Assembly Ways and Means Committee. In that capacity, he was responsible for analyzing and presenting recommendations for Assembly policy.

Prior to joining the Assembly staff, Ellis was a research assistant at Youngstown State University Center for Urban Studies. He began his career as a corrections and behavior coach for the Lincoln Place Center for Youth in Youngstown, Ohio. Ellis has a B. A. degree with a double major in Economics (modified with Mathematics) and Africana Studies from Dartmouth College. He holds a Masters Degree in Economics from Youngstown State University.

Lisa Lashley, Director of Appointments

Lisa Lashley joins City Hall as the director of appointments. Her career spans nearly two decades in government, having served as an assistant district attorney in Brooklyn and as a trial attorney at the New York City Transit Authority. More recently, Lashley worked in community engagement in the New York City Council. Prior to that, she served as counsel in the New York State Senate, where she managed staffers working closely with elected officials and community groups — drafting and monitoring legislation and preparing legislators for hearings. She has served as a board member on the East New York Local Development Corporation and the Urban Purpose Community Affairs, and on the Kings County Judicial Screening Panel. Lashley earned her J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law and her B.S. from Norfolk State University.

Gladys Miranda, Director of Scheduling and Senior Advisor to the Mayor

Gladys Miranda joins the Adams administration as the director of scheduling and senior advisor to Mayor Adams. Miranda, who emigrated to the United States from Peru, first joined the Office of Brooklyn Borough President in 2007 and was later appointed executive assistant.

Molly Schaeffer, Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Emergency Advisor

Molly Schaeffer joins the Adams administration as a deputy chief of staff and senior emergency advisor, where she will focus on COVID-19 and public safety. She has spent the last nine years in city government, starting in the chancellor's office at the New York City Department of Education and then as an advisor for mental hygiene at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Most recently, Schaeffer has served in City Hall for the last three years, first for the deputy mayor for operations and then for the mayor. A lifelong New Yorker and product of New York City public schools, Schaeffer received her B.A. from the University of Southern California.