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Melinda R. Katz (born August 19, 1965) was a New York City Councilwoman from 2002 to 2009. She left politics in 2009 to work at Greenberg Traurig, a law firm where she specializes in government affairs and land use. In 2012, she announced her return to politics with a run for Queens Borough President in 2013.

Early Life and Family Melinda Katz grew up in Forest Hills, Queens, and still resides there with her partner, radio personality and Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, and their two children. She comes from a family with a long history of civic involvement. Her father, the late Maestro David Katz, was founder of the Queens Symphony Orchestra in 1953, and her mother, the late Jeanne Dale Katz, founded the Queens Council on the Arts.

Katz graduated from the University of Massachusetts, summa cum laude, where she was named a Commonwealth Scholar, and later earned a law degree from St. John’s University School of Law. She was recruited by the law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges, where she worked as an associate for several years before running for the New York State Assembly. In 1995, the New York Daily News named her “one of the one hundred up-and-coming young leaders for the 21st Century.”

Political Career During Katz’s tenure in the New York City Council (2002 to 2009), she represented the 29th Council District, which includes Forest Hills, Rego Park, Kew Gardens and parts of Maspeth, South Elmhurst and Richmond Hill. Katz served as Chair of the Standing Committee on Land Use, which was responsible for approving rezoning measures that will ultimately give an extreme makeover to wide-ranging pockets of the city, including, Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Jamaica. As chair of the committee, Katz oversaw the rezoning of 6,000 city blocks, including the Greenpoint-Williamsburg rezoning in 2005. Prior to being elected to the New York City Council, Katz was Director of Community Boards for the Office of the Queens Borough President (1999-2002), and served as a Member of the New York State Assembly representing Queens’ 28th District (1994-1999), which included Forest Hills, Rego Park, and parts of Middle Village and Glendale.

During her tenure as an Assembly Member, Katz authored sixteen bills that became laws, including some crucial health care initiatives. She wrote the law requiring HMO’s to provide women direct access to gynecological care without forcing them to first see a primary care physician. She was also the Chair of the Sub-committee on Urban Health. Additionally, she has carried several bills to increase penalties for various forms of assault and has been a long-time supporter of working men and women. In June of 2009, she was the only woman running in the Democratic Primary for New York City Comptroller.

In 2012, she announced her plans to run for Queens Borough President in 2013.