Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced the appointment of Guillermo Linares as Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA).  Mr. Linares in 1991 became the first Dominican-American to hold public office in the United States when he was elected to the New York City Council.   He has most recently been working on his dissertation from Teacher’s College at Columbia University. 

“Guillermo’s distinguished career spans more than 30 years of community work to improve public education, and as an advocate for immigrant children and families,” Mayor Bloomberg said. “With a long record of motivating immigrant communities of this City, he has the ability to carry out this agency’s goals to serve our ever-growing and diverse communities by providing them with City services, and ensuring that their needs will be heard and met.”

“I am deeply honored and appreciative of Mayor Bloomberg for offering me the opportunity to, once again, serve the City of New York,” said Guillermo Linares. “As an immigrant, I know first hand the challenges faced by immigrant New Yorkers and under the leadership of the Mayor, I intend to work diligently to help promote the full and active participation of immigrant New Yorkers in the civic, economic and cultural life of the City by fostering communication and goodwill between City agencies and immigrant communities.”

Guillermo was first elected to the New York City Council in 1991.  He was re-elected to his first full term in November 1993 and to a second term in November 1997.  In November of 1998, the Black and Hispanic Caucus of the New York City Council elected Linares as its Co-President.  From 1993 to 1999, Linares served as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR).  In 1999, Linares was appointed Chair of the White House Initiative for Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans.  He has also been noted for playing an instrumental role in helping establish the Dominican Studies Institute at City College of the City University of New York (1993), the Audubon Partnership for Economic Development (1995), and the Center for Latin American and Latino Studies at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (2000).  He is also a founding member of the Community Association of Progressive Dominicans, Inc.  Linares has also worked as an Adjunct Professor in the School of Education at City College of the City University of New York and most recently, he served as Deputy Public Advocate for New York City and Co-convener of Encuentro 2000 and Beyond, a national Latino leadership group. 

Linares received a B.A. and M.S. from City College of the City University of New York and a Professional Diploma in Administration and Supervision from Fordham University.  He is currently an Ed. D. candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University.  He will replace Sayu Bhojwani who resigned in May.  His appointment becomes effective next month.