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Aravella Simotas is the first woman to be elected to New York State Assembly in her district, and the first Greek American woman to be elected in New York. Her district, the 36th Assembly district in Queens, covers Astoria and Long Island City.

Early Years
Aravella was raised in Astoria, Queens where she developed her interest in public service. She is a graduate of the public school system having attended Public school 17, Junior High School 126, and William C. Bryant High School in Astoria, where she began her involvement in civic affairs. She continued to receive her Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and philosophy, summa cum laude, from Fordham University in 1999 and then her law degree from Fordham Law School in 2002. There she served as the managing editor of the Fordham Environmental Law Review. After leaving the Law Journal, Aravella joined the firm Bickel & Brewer as a commercial litigator and focused on assisting defrauded investors in corporate governance litigation. A significant portion of her time spent at the firm was dedicated to the Bickel & Brewer Storefront, an organization that provides legal representation to the economically challenged and handles cases that have wide-spread impact on the community. In 2004 Aravella married John Katsanos. They currently reside in Astoria.

Lifetime Devotion to Community
Ever since high school, Aravella has devoted her time to her community. In high school she organized events and raised money for local charities. She has been a longtime member of Queens Community Planning Board # 1 and served on the boards of the United Community Civic Association and the Hellenic Times Scholarship Fund. Strong ties to her community show her devotion to making a positive impact on the lives of others.