Commissioner's Biography

Faiza N. Ali

Faiza N. Ali has served New Yorkers for nearly two decades as an institutional and civic leader focused on advancing equity, civil rights, and democratic engagement. Drawing on her years of movement building, she brings sharp political discernment and a commitment to furthering justice to her work.

As First Deputy Chief of Staff, Faiza drove institutional decision-making and priority-setting at the New York City Council, keeping the body grounded in its core public-service mission. She played a pivotal role in shaping and steering high-stakes, high-level negotiations across city government, including major land-use and planning matters, and the city budget. Faiza provided strategic guidance to Council leadership and senior staff, anchoring the Council’s agenda in the lived experiences of those most impacted by City policy. Her tenure was defined by a balanced, principled style of problem-solving, a talent for bringing diverse stakeholders into alignment, and a signature approach that blends political savvy with unwavering integrity.

Before assuming her current role, Faiza rose through the Council’s Community Engagement Division, where she led citywide initiatives, strengthened community partnerships, and coordinated major public-safety and youth-services efforts. She ensured the Speaker’s Office remained responsive to the needs and perspectives of all New Yorkers, reflective of her firm belief in people’s power to define their own path and create the futures they envision for themselves.

Earlier in her career, she served as Director of Advocacy at the Arab American Association of New York, an organizer with Brooklyn Congregations United, and Director of Community Affairs at CAIR-NY. Across these roles, she built campaigns on policing, immigration reform, civil rights, and democratic participation, recruited and mentored emerging organizers, and established coalitions that continue to influence the city’s civic landscape.

Faiza holds a B.A. in Political Science from Pace University. The daughter of immigrant parents from Azad Kashmir, Pakistan, she is proud to have forged a career in service that is rooted in her family’s dedication to compassion and collective care.