NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani expected to announce Kamar Samuels as new schools chancellor on Wednesday
ELMHURST, Queens (WABC) — New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is expected to announce his selection for New York City schools chancellor Wednesday afternoon, in one of his last major appointments before taking office.
While the incoming administration has not commented, Mamdani is expected to name Kamar Samuels, currently a superintendent of District 3 on the Upper West Side, as the new schools chancellor. Samuels played a key role in increasing racial diversity during the de Blasio administration.
Mamdani had considered current chancellor, Melissa Aviles Ramos, who met with him privately and publicly stated she would like to stay on. He also considered several others close to former Mayor Bill de Blasio, including his schools chancellor, Meisha Ross Porter, and de Blasio advisor Brandon Cardet-Hernandez, a former city school principal.
Classes resume Monday after winter break, and it is unclear when the new chancellor would start.
Earlier on Tuesday, Mamdani made several other announcements on the appointments of his administration.
Chantee Lans has the latest details.
Steve Banks will be corporation counsel, which is the city’s top lawyer.
“I’m honored to be the first legal aid lawyer ever nominated for the corporation lawyer and I’m ready for this leadership role,” Banks said.
Banks is the latest official of former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration to join Mamdani’s team.
He served as the Department of Social Services commissioner from 2014 to 2021 during de Blasio’s entire eight-year term.
Banks joins incoming First Deputy Mayor Dean Fuleihan, who served in the same exact role under de Blasio.
Mamdani also announced the appointment of another high-ranking city attorney.
Progressive activist lawyer Ramzi Kassem represented Palestinian-Algerian activist and Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil.
“Service is what I look to do and what I hope to do alongside the mayor-elect and his team at City Hall to defend the rights of all New Yorkers,” Kassem said.
Standing inside Elmhurst Hospital, he announced its CEO, Helen Arteaga, will be his deputy mayor for Health and Human Services.
“It is here is where my advocacy was born,” Arteaga said. “It is here where my dad died without having lack of insurance. It is here where I survived COVID.”
While NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch will stay on, and the fire commissioner, who is stepping down, will be replaced, there’s still no word, less than 50 hours out, who will be the health commissioner.
“I’m going to give you the answer that you don’t want to hear, which is wait and see,” Mamdani said.
As his administration plan falls into place, so are his plans for his inauguration and swearing-in ceremonies.
Surrounded by just his family, he will be sworn in at midnight by Attorney General Letitia James this Thursday, Jan. 1.
His ceremonial swearing in will happen at 1 p.m. on the City Hall steps.
Queens Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will deliver the opening remarks, and Senator Bernie Sanders will deliver the oath.
“When I take office in two days, I seek to change not only the measure of the well being of those who live in our city, but those who are tasked with the work of measuring,” Mamdani said.
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