NYC Mayoral Candidate Kathryn Garcia and Partnership for New York City President and CEO Kathryn Wylde

Kathryn Garcia was appointed in 2014 as Commissioner of the NYC Department of Sanitation, the world’s largest municipal waste management agency. Kathryn was responsible for keeping New York City healthy, safe, and clean by collecting, recycling, and disposing of waste, cleaning streets and public spaces, and clearing snow and ice. In 2018, Kathryn was appointed Senior Advisor for Citywide Lead Prevention. She spearheaded LeadFreeNYC, NYC’s comprehensive plan to eradicate childhood lead exposure. In early 2019, Garcia was appointed CEO and Interim Chair of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), where she worked to reverse decades of disinvestment in public housing and operationalize the City’s agreement with the federal government.

During the City’s COVID-19 response, Kathryn served as “Food Czar” and was responsible for building a program of unprecedented scale — 130 million meals — to feed hungry and vulnerable New Yorkers and ensuring a safe, reliable and affordable food supply.

Kathryn is a mother of two, a lifelong New Yorker who lives in Park Slope Brooklyn, where she grew up.

Kathryn Wylde is President and CEO of the nonprofit Partnership for New York City whose members are NYC’s global business leaders and major employers. In response to COVID-19, the Partnership has been a key liaison between the public and private sectors regarding health and economic challenges. In July, the Partnership published the first comprehensive analysis of pandemic impact on the city, A Call to Action & Collaboration, which recommended public-private initiatives to accelerate economic recovery.

Wylde sits on advisory groups established by the governor and mayor to guide the response to the COVID-19. She has assisted industry and philanthropic initiatives to address the ramifications of the pandemic across the five boroughs. She is a member of many boards, including the NYC Economic Development Corporation, the Fund for Public Schools, the Manhattan Institute, NYC & Co., the Partnership Fund, and Invest Puerto Rico (the Island’s inward investment group).