Gale Brewer
Encyclopedia
Gale Arnot Brewer is a member of the New York City Council
. She is a Democrat
representing the Upper West Side
and the northern part of Clinton
in Manhattan
.
and Bennington College
. She then gained an MPA
degree from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government
.
From 1975-1978 Brewer served as director of scheduling for Mary Anne Krupsak, the former Lieutenant Governor of New York
. From 1978-1990 she was chief of staff to then-New York City Council member Ruth Messinger
. From 1990-1994 Brewer was director of the New York City Office of Federal Relations in New York in the administration of David Dinkins
. From 1994-1998 she was Deputy Public Advocate for Intergovernmental Affairs under Mark J. Green
.
Brewer then served as Project Manager for the NYC Nonprofits Project and worked with the Telesis Corporation
, a private firm that builds affordable housing. She was a member of Manhattan's Community Board 7
and Chair of the New York State chapter of the National Women's Political Caucus
. In 2000, she was cited by the Daily News as #20 of "50 New Yorkers to Watch".
Brewer began serving on the New York City Council in 2002. In each re-election vote in 2003, 2005, and 2009 she gained over 80% of the votes cast.
Brewer has been instrumental in passing numerous laws, including legislation protecting domestic workers; a bill establishing the Broadband Advisory Committee; a bill establishing an electronic death registration system; two bills aimed at eliminating graffiti and unwanted stickers; and legislation requiring City publications to be made available via the Web.
Other committees on which Council Member Brewer serves include: Aging; Finance; General Welfare, Higher Education; Housing & Buildings; Mental Health; Technology; Transportation; and Waterfronts. In addition, she co-chairs the Manhattan Delegation, sits on the Council's Budget Negotiating Team and is a member of the Rules Committee Working Group.
In addition, Brewer was a member of the New York State Universal Broadband Initiative’s Digital Literacy and Community Outreach Action Team and served as a member of the New York State Attorney General
’s Real Estate Working Group/Subcommittee on Enforcement and Mediation, the Foundation Center
Library Advisory Committee, and the Information Technology and Communications Committee of the National League of Cities
.
Currently, she is a member of the Board of Directors of the Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee
; she also sits on Advisory Committees to John Jay College of Criminal Justice
and William E. Macaulay Honors College
. Gale also sits on the New York Academy of Medicine
's Age-Friendly Board.
New York City Council
The New York City Council is the lawmaking body of the City of New York. It has 51 members from 51 council districts throughout the five boroughs. The Council serves as a check against the mayor in a "strong" mayor-council government model. The council monitors performance of city agencies and...
. She is a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
representing the Upper West Side
Upper West Side
The Upper West Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, that lies between Central Park and the Hudson River and between West 59th Street and West 125th Street...
and the northern part of Clinton
Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan
Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton and Midtown West, is a neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City between 34th Street and 59th Street, from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River....
in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.
Career
Brewer did her undergraduate work at Columbia UniversityColumbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
and Bennington College
Bennington College
Bennington College is a liberal arts college located in Bennington, Vermont, USA. The college was founded in 1932 as a women's college and became co-educational in 1969.-History:-Early years:...
. She then gained an MPA
Master of Public Administration
The Master of Public Administration is a professional post-graduate degree in Public Administration. The MPA program prepares individuals to serve as managers in the executive arm of local, state/provincial, and federal/national government, and increasingly in nongovernmental organization and...
degree from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
.
From 1975-1978 Brewer served as director of scheduling for Mary Anne Krupsak, the former Lieutenant Governor of New York
Lieutenant Governor of New York
The Lieutenant Governor of New York is a constitutional office in the executive branch of the government of New York State. It is the second highest ranking official in state government. The lieutenant governor is elected on a ticket with the governor for a four year term...
. From 1978-1990 she was chief of staff to then-New York City Council member Ruth Messinger
Ruth Messinger
Ruth Wyler Messinger is a former political leader in New York City and a member of the Democratic Party as well as the Democratic Socialists of America. She was the Democratic nominee for Mayor of New York City in 1997, losing to incumbent mayor Rudy Giuliani. She is married to Andrew Lachman, her...
. From 1990-1994 Brewer was director of the New York City Office of Federal Relations in New York in the administration of David Dinkins
David Dinkins
David Norman Dinkins is a former politician from New York City. He was the Mayor of New York City from 1990 through 1993; he was the first and is, to date, the only African American to hold that office.-Early life:...
. From 1994-1998 she was Deputy Public Advocate for Intergovernmental Affairs under Mark J. Green
Mark J. Green
Mark J. Green is an author, public interest lawyer and a Democratic politician who lives in New York City. He worked with Ralph Nader from 1970-1980, eventually as director of Public Citizen's Congress Watch, and is also the former president of Air America Radio .He was New York City Consumer...
.
Brewer then served as Project Manager for the NYC Nonprofits Project and worked with the Telesis Corporation
Telesis
Telesis or "planned progress" was a concept and neologism coined by the American sociologist Lester Frank Ward , in the late 19th century to describe directed social advancement via education and the scientific method...
, a private firm that builds affordable housing. She was a member of Manhattan's Community Board 7
Manhattan Community Board 7
The Manhattan Community Board 7 is a local government unit of the city of New York, encompassing the neighborhood of Manhattan Valley, Upper West Side, and Lincoln Square in the borough of Manhattan....
and Chair of the New York State chapter of the National Women's Political Caucus
National Women's Political Caucus
The National Women's Political Caucus is a national bipartisan grassroots organization in the United States dedicated to recruiting, training, and supporting women who seek elected and appointed offices....
. In 2000, she was cited by the Daily News as #20 of "50 New Yorkers to Watch".
Brewer began serving on the New York City Council in 2002. In each re-election vote in 2003, 2005, and 2009 she gained over 80% of the votes cast.
Brewer has been instrumental in passing numerous laws, including legislation protecting domestic workers; a bill establishing the Broadband Advisory Committee; a bill establishing an electronic death registration system; two bills aimed at eliminating graffiti and unwanted stickers; and legislation requiring City publications to be made available via the Web.
Committee work
Brewer chaired the Committee on Technology in Government (now the Committee on Technology) from 2002-2009. She currently chairs the Committee on Governmental Operations.Other committees on which Council Member Brewer serves include: Aging; Finance; General Welfare, Higher Education; Housing & Buildings; Mental Health; Technology; Transportation; and Waterfronts. In addition, she co-chairs the Manhattan Delegation, sits on the Council's Budget Negotiating Team and is a member of the Rules Committee Working Group.
In addition, Brewer was a member of the New York State Universal Broadband Initiative’s Digital Literacy and Community Outreach Action Team and served as a member of the New York State Attorney General
New York State Attorney General
The New York State Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of New York. The office has been in existence in some form since 1626, under the Dutch colonial government of New York.The current Attorney General is Eric Schneiderman...
’s Real Estate Working Group/Subcommittee on Enforcement and Mediation, the Foundation Center
Foundation Center
The Foundation Center is a 501 nonprofit organization headquartered in New York City. The Center’s stated mission is "to strengthen the social sector by advancing knowledge about philanthropy in the U.S...
Library Advisory Committee, and the Information Technology and Communications Committee of the National League of Cities
National League of Cities
The National League of Cities is an American advocacy organization representing 19,000 cities, towns, and villages, and encompassing 49 state municipal leagues....
.
Currently, she is a member of the Board of Directors of the Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee
Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee
The Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee inspires and supports pro-choice Democratic women to run for local and state offices in New York State. Eleanor's Legacy sponsors campaign training schools, links candidates with volunteers and experts, collaborates with like-minded organizations and...
; she also sits on Advisory Committees to John Jay College of Criminal Justice
John Jay College of Criminal Justice
The John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a senior college of the City University of New York in Midtown Manhattan, New York City and is the only liberal arts college with a criminal justice and forensic focus in the United States. The college offers programs in Forensic Science and Forensic...
and William E. Macaulay Honors College
William E. Macaulay Honors College
William E. Macaulay Honors College, commonly referred to as Macaulay Honors College, or simply Macaulay, is a flagship program for 1,400 high achieving students at The City University of New York, U.S.A....
. Gale also sits on the New York Academy of Medicine
New York Academy of Medicine
The New York Academy of Medicine was founded in 1847 by a group of leading New York City metropolitan area physicians as a voice for the medical profession in medical practice and public health reform...
's Age-Friendly Board.