Astoria native Lorraine Grillo, pictured, has been appointed as first deputy mayor for the incoming Eric Adams administration (Photo: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office)
Dec. 21, 2021 By Michael Dorgan
Mayor-Elect Eric Adams announced Monday that he has selected Astoria native Lorraine Grillo to be his first deputy mayor when he takes office Jan. 1.
Grillo, who currently serves as “Recovery Czar” under Mayor Bill de Blasio, will be tasked with helping Adams run the day-to-day operations of City Hall—as well as lead a team of four deputy mayors, all of whom are women.
The longtime public servant is currently spearheading the city’s economic recovery from the pandemic.
Grillo took up the role as recovery czar in February after serving as CEO of the School Construction Authority (SCA) for more than a decade, where she led nearly 4,000 capital improvement projects resulting in the addition of 75,000 school seats.
She will take the first deputy mayor position from Dean Fuleihan.
Grillo will oversee four deputy mayors that Adams appointed Monday. They include Meera Joshi as deputy mayor for operations; Anne Williams-Isom as deputy mayor for health and human services; Maria Torres-Springer as deputy mayor for economic and workforce development; and Sheena Wright, who will be deputy mayor for strategic initiatives.
Grillo said she is excited to work under the new administration and with the new deputy mayors.
“I look forward to working alongside this exceptional team to implement the mayor-elect’s vision to move forward and deliver a safer, more prosperous city for New Yorkers,” Grillo told the New York Post.
As Recovery Czar, Grillo currently leads weekly recovery “war room” meetings that bring together deputy mayors, agency representatives, business leaders and nonprofits.
Adams said that Grillo will head up a team of top deputy mayors who are representative of all New Yorkers.
“My administration will understand the people of the city it serves — and each of the people I am appointing… has the experience and skills to help us turn this city around the right way,” Adams said.
“I hope it sends a message that the most qualified people should not sit on the bench when the game is on the line just because of their gender, their ethnicity, or any piece of their identity.”
For us to ensure that NYC recovers quickly while addressing the inequalities that plagued us well before COVID-19 struck, we must have top leadership that can both deliver for and is representative of New Yorkers.
I’m proud to introduce 5 history-making Deputy Mayors today.
— Eric Adams (@ericadamsfornyc) December 20, 2021
