Mayor Adams Appoints Kayla Mamelak Altus as Press Secretary, Announces Additional Press and Communications Appointments and Promotions

November 4, 2024

Jd Michaels to Serve as Director of  
Ethnic and Community Media and Citywide Marketing 

New Appointments, Promotions in Office of the Deputy Mayor for  Communications Come From Across Media, Marketing, and Government 

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced new appointments within the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Communications, elevating current members of the City Hall team as well as bringing in new talent to further strengthen the administration’s communications work. In the Press Office, Kayla Mamelak Altus has been appointed press secretary. Allison Maser has joined the Adams administration as a deputy press secretary and communications advisor, William Fowler has joined City Hall as a deputy press secretary, and Sophia Askari has returned to the administration as press assistant. In the Communications Office, Sonia Moghe and Joel Rosenthal have both joined City Hall as deputy communications directors. In the Office of Ethnic and Community Media and Citywide Marketing, Jd Michaels has been appointed executive director of ethnic and community media and citywide marketing, Jacqueline Lachman will serve as chief operating officer of marketing, Orchida Harizaj will serve as associate director of communications, and Yesenny Fernández will serve as associate director of data management. In the Office of Creative Communications, Caroline Rubinstein-Willis has been promoted to associate director for digital communications, while Haley Clark will be promoted to senior video producer. In the Speechwriting Office, Radha Vatsal will be promoted to senior speechwriter, while in the Office of Research and Media Analysis, Grisely Tejada Taveras will return to the administration as a research and media analyst. 

“Our city’s press and communications staff work around the clock to meet New Yorkers where they are and deliver essential information about city services, current events, and emergency situations. With these appointments, hires, and promotions, we will bolster that work and ensure that we continue to communicate clearly and effectively to our fellow New Yorkers,” said Mayor Adams. “Every one of these individuals have service in their bones, and I am particularly proud to promote from within for the role of press secretary. From her first day at City Hall, Kayla has brought sharp judgment and unflinching grit to serving the people of New York City, and I know she is the right person to fill this crucial role. Jd as well brings deep experience to his new position to ensure that we continue engaging our city’s ethnic and community media outlets and use every marketing tool at our disposal to let New Yorkers know about the services available to them.” 

“Whether it’s navigating complex crises like storms and technology outages or advancing generational proposals to build more housing, our city’s press and communications staff are on the frontlines as they deliver crucial information for their fellow New Yorkers. I continue to be inspired by the intelligence, tenacity, and humor they bring to our office from the moment they walk in the door every day,” said Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy. “These new appointments, hires, and promotions represent talent of the highest caliber who will build on that track record. I am excited to continue leading this extraordinary team of public servants and am especially thrilled to have Kayla take on this new role as press secretary. I know what it takes to serve in such a tough but vital job, and I know that Kayla has the savvy and drive to succeed. More importantly, she is the ultimate team player and wants our city to succeed. Congratulations to all our team members.” 

“For over two years, I have witnessed firsthand that the Adams administration doesn’t just talk the talk; they truly walk the walk. As a woman returning from maternity leave, I know how rare it is for people in my position to be offered new opportunities. But uplifting individuals — regardless of their personal circumstances — is at the core of who Mayor Adams, Deputy Mayor Levy, and this entire administration are. They work tirelessly to ensure that New Yorkers are safe and that our city’s economy thrives, enabling families like mine to flourish,” said Press Secretary Kayla Mamelak Altus. “I am honored to accept this new role and eager to amplify the incredible work this administration is doing, alongside the best communications team and the toughest press corps in the greatest city in the world.” 

Biographies and details about appointments are included below:  

Press Office 

About Kayla Mamelak Altus 

Kayla Mamelak Altus joined the Adams administration in the summer of 2022 as deputy press secretary, acting as a spokesperson for City Hall on key issues, including the migrant crisis and public safety. In March 2024, she was promoted to deputy press secretary and communications advisor, taking on additional responsibilities, such as developing media strategies for press conferences and other administration announcements.  

Before her tenure at City Hall, Mamelak Altus served as a lead reporter and fill-in anchor for FOX5 New York, where she reported extensively on crime and politics in New York City and the tri-state area. Earlier in her career, she was a multimedia journalist for FiOS1 News, covering New York’s Lower Hudson Valley, and she also worked with Worcester News Tonight, focusing on crime and court coverage in Worcester, Massachusetts. Mamelak Altus holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Boston University.  

Mamelak Altus will report to Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy. 

About William Fowler 

William Fowler has proudly served the people of New York City as a government communications professional for the last eight years. Before coming to City Hall, Fowler served as press secretary for the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the New York City Housing Development Corporation, and as a public relations aide for the New York City Campaign Finance Board and the city’s official nonpartisan voter engagement initiative, NYC Votes. He received a Bachelor of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications from the University of Mississippi in 2015. 

Fowler will report to Press Secretary Kayla Mamelak Altus. 

About Allison Maser 

Allison Maser joins City Hall from the world of cable news, where she most recently served as a senior producer on “CNN This Morning.” Before that, she spent five years as the lead producer for CNN anchor John Berman, receiving an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Breaking News Coverage of the 2017 Hurricane Season. Maser began her career in the greenroom at the FOX News Channel, where she worked her way up from a guest greeter to a field producer. Maser graduated from Pennsylvania State University with degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. 

Maser will report to Press Secretary Kayla Mamelak Altus. 

About Sophia Askari 

Sophia Askari has returned to City Hall after interning in the Press Office in the summer of 2022. Askari also interned with Town of North Hempstead Councilmember Veronica Lurvey. After graduating from Syracuse University in 2023 with a degree in political science and a minor in history, Askari worked at candle and fragrance company Nomad Noé and as a paralegal. 

Askari will report to Press Secretary Kayla Mamelak Altus. 

Communications Office 

About Sonia Moghe 

Sonia Moghe comes to City Hall from CNN, where she spent eight years as a reporter and producer covering legal investigations, breaking news, and the MeToo movement. She was nominated for an Emmy for her coverage of Hurricane Irma in 2017. Before joining CNN, Moghe worked as a local news reporter at multiple stations in New York City and a freelancer for the Associated Press in both New York City and Dallas, Texas. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and her master’s degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. 

Moghe will report to Communications Director Ryan Birchmeier. 

About Joel Rosenthal 

Joel Rosenthal began his career with the New York City Police Department (NYPD) in January 2008. He served as the executive officer — or second in command — of the NYPD’s Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Public Information, from January 2022 to August 2023. In this role, Rosenthal oversaw the NYPD’s communications, press, and social media teams, and served as a communications advisor to the NYPD’s senior leadership. In August 2023, Rosenthal was designated as the commanding officer of the First Precinct, where he oversaw crime decreases in the southernmost tip of Manhattan. Rosenthal earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Delaware and a Master of Public Safety from the University of Virginia. He has extensive training in use of force investigation from the Force Science Institute and is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy. 

Rosenthal will report to Communications Director Ryan Birchmeier. 

Office of Ethnic and Community Media and Citywide Marketing 

About Jd Michaels 

Jd Michaels brings over 25 years of advertising experience to his role as executive director of ethnic and community media and citywide marketing. In his previous dual role as BBDO New York’s executive vice president of creative engineering + executive vice president and co-director of diversity, Michaels produced award-winning creative work. He engineered original initiatives for New York City youth, including an all-borough partnership with MARVEL Comics and the New York City Police Athletic League. Michaels has also teamed with national leaders within the American disability community to deliver creative career workshops, support employment, and demonstrate the power of equity in creative industries. He is a graduate of Yale University. 

Michaels will report to Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy. 

About Jacqueline Lachman 

Jacqueline Majers Lachman is a marketing and strategy executive with extensive experience in advertising, promotion, publicity, and digital; holding leadership roles at Trusted Media Brands’ Readers Digest and Taste of Home, AMC, MTV Networks’ CMT, and Better Homes and Gardens, as well as a freelance consultant with many clients including HGTV, PEPSI, WWE, National Geographic Kids, Conde Nast, A&E, and FORBES School of Business. She is an industry speaker and recipient of creative and industry awards, including a 2020-2021 Silver Addy for the New York City anti-idling partnership and campaign with music legend Billy Idol. Lachman holds a Bachelor of Science in Business from Miami University in Ohio and completed Harvard Business School Executive Education’s “Managing Brand Meaning.” 

Lachman will report to Executive Director of Ethnic and Community Media and Citywide Marketing Jd Michaels. 

About Orchida Harizaj 

Orchida Harizaj joined the office in September 2022 as a project manager, eventually leading community engagement as well as ethnic and community media interviews. A native of Albania, Harizaj and her family sought asylum in the United States to avoid the hostility in her home country. She graduated from Hunter College with a double major in media and a concentration in journalism and English. She also served as vice president for The Envoy, Hunter College’s student-run online news site. 

Harizaj will report to Executive Director of Ethnic and Community Media and Citywide Marketing Jd Michaels. 

About Yesenny Fernández 

Yesenny Fernández joined the office in March 2023 as principal data analyst, managing financial and media placement information from city agencies, media placement vendors, and outlets. Fernández has also worked for The United Nations Children’s Fund, DonorsChoose, and the Queens Public Library. She graduated from St. Joseph’s University with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Technology and from The Graduate Center, City University of New York, with a Master of Science in Data Analysis and Visualization. 

Fernández will report to Executive Director of Ethnic and Community Media and Citywide Marketing Jd Michaels.  

Office of Creative Communications  

About Caroline Rubinstein-Willis 

Caroline Rubinstein-Willis joined the Mayor’s Office in October 2022 as a photographer and social media producer. During her time at City Hall, she has helped lead the Office of Creative Communication’s highest engagement rate for a social media campaign and led an effort to redesign City Hall’s Instagram strategy. Previously, she worked as a freelance photographer and an assistant to photojournalist Graham MacIndoe. Rubinstein-Willis graduated from Parsons The New School for Design with a double major in journalism design and photography. 

Rubinstein-Willis will report to Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy. 

About Haley Clark 

Haley Clark is an Emmy award-winning media professional with six years of experience in TV news and video production. Currently serving as a video producer and editor in the Office of Creative Communications, Clark has produced and edited hundreds of videos for city agencies, the Office of the Mayor, and NYCTV. Previously, as a real-time editor at News 12 Networks, Clark identified compelling local stories and managed breaking news coverage. 

Clark will report to Office of Creative Communications Associate Director of Video Dikenta Dike. 

Speechwriting Office  

About Radha Vatsal 

Radha Vatsal has served as a speechwriter in the Office of the Mayor since March 2022, where she has written teleprompter speeches, op-eds, policy reports, and developed content for New York City’s 400th anniversary. She is the author of three mystery novels set in early-20th century New York, and her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and elsewhere. She has appeared on talks, panels, and podcasts across the country. She was the founder of Cinema India!, a touring showcase of films from India that played in venues across the U.S., including the Asia Society and the Smithsonian Institution. She wrote a bi-weekly crime fiction column for Kirkus Reviews. Born and raised in India, Vatsal earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was a Morehead Scholar, and her Ph.D. in film history from Duke University. 

Vatsal will report to Chief Speechwriter Marjorie Sweeney. 

Office of Research and Media Analysis 

About Grisely Tejada Taveras 

Grisely Tejada Taveras has returned to the Adams administration as a research and media analyst. She initially joined the administration in October 2022 as a college intern in the Office of Research and Media Analysis, where she interned for over a year. A native New Yorker, Tejada Taveras graduated from Barnard College of Columbia University with a double major in political science and human rights and a minor in psychology. 

Tejada Taveras will report to Office of Research and Media Analysis Deputy Director of Research and Analysis Margaret Turner. 

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