Leadership series to host a conversation with New York’s senate majority leader

ALBANY, N.Y. (Oct. 12, 2021) — State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins will be the guest at this semester's first session of Leading Questions, a series of discussions where students can talk to and learn the essentials of leadership from some of New York’s most influential and engaged leaders in the public and private sectors.

The conversation with Stewart-Cousins, via Zoom webinar, will be held from 7-8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 19. Student Association President Abdoullah Goudiaby will introduce Stewart-Cousins, who will then be interviewed by President Rodríguez.

A question-and-answer period will follow the interview, moderated by Interim Dean Julie Novkov of Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy.

Andrea Stewart-Cousins is known as champion for progressive action. In 2012, she became the first woman — and first African American woman — to lead a New York State legislative conference. In 2019 she was elected majority leader of the State Senate by her peers.

As majority leader, she has overseen passage of historic and transformative legislation on issues including voting reforms, gun safety, women’s rights and health care, immigration and DREAMers, the LGBTQ community, as well as the most comprehensive climate change legislation in the nation, and the strongest tenant protections and affordable housing package in state history.

Stewart-Cousins was first elected to the State Senate in 2006 and represents a portion of Westchester County that includes Greenburgh, Scarsdale and parts of White Plains, New Rochelle and Yonkers. She was named a Trailblazer of Democracy by Eleanor’s Legacy; Woman of the Year by the Business and Professional Women’s Club; Legislator of the Year by the Community Health Association of New York State; Leader in Social Justice by Pace Law School; and Champion of Choice by New York State Family Planning Advocates. She been inducted into Westchester County’s Women’s Hall of Fame and the American Women of African Heritage’s Spirit of Women Archive.

All attendees are invited to send questions in advance to [email protected] to be posted during the Q&A session. Participants will also be able to post questions live during the webinar.

The Leading Questions series is sponsored by the Student Association, the Office of Public Engagement, the Office of Government and Community Relations, and Rockefeller College.