Samirah Zeerah

Samirah is a leader and executive strategist with more than a decade of experience advancing community engagement, civic participation, and cross-sector initiatives. Her career spans government, nonprofit, and higher education, where she has led efforts that connect communities with resources, strengthen collaboration, and create meaningful opportunities for youth, immigrant communities, justice-impacted individuals, fathers and families, and other underserved populations.

Her experience includes making history by leading Participatory Budgeting efforts at Rikers Island, creating opportunities for individuals to engage directly in civic decision-making, and leading recruitment and outreach efforts for a citywide fatherhood program through the Mayor's Young Men's Initiative. Throughout her career, she has worked with diverse stakeholders to develop programs, build partnerships, and advance initiatives that address community needs.

Samirah currently serves as the Deputy Director of Interagency Affairs at the New York City Administration for Children's Services (ACS), where she works to advance interagency initiatives, support collaboration across internal divisions, and help further efforts that support children and families across New York City. She holds a Master's degree in International Affairs and brings a global lens shaped by her experience teaching English abroad, leading a food distribution program in Morocco, and her ability to connect across languages and cultures as a multilingual communicator