Dealing with government and politics is tough, but doing it in New York City takes a special kind of grit. Our program, "New York, New York," will feature a panel of women who are working in New York City and New York State exploring the challenges they have faced, their victories and their defeats. The panel will also discuss how other women can become involved in the political process here, whether to advance their careers or a cause.

Our distinguished panel will include:

Christine Quinn, Speaker of the New York City Council

Liz Krueger, New York State Senator (D-Manhattan)

Jessica Lappin, Member, New York City Council (D-Upper East Side/ Roosevelt Island)

Moderating the panel will be Marcia Kramer, Chief Political Correspondent, WCBS-TV

Speakers' Profiles

Christine C. Quinn was overwhelmingly elected City Council Speaker by her colleagues, first in 2006, and again in 2010. Over the last six years she has championed practical solutions in areas of importance to working New Yorkers – especially education, job creation, and housing. She has presided over budget negotiations that have reduced government spending and avoided raising taxes, while still preserving core services like teachers, firehouses, police officers, senior centers and child protective services. Throughout her time in elected office, she has proven herself to be a tireless advocate for the women of New York.

Under her leadership, the City Council has passed several major pieces of legislation protecting full access to reproductive healthcare. Quinn has also worked with the business and medical communities to increase awareness of domestic violence, sponsored self-defense classes across the city in response to sexual assaults and fought for increased access to mammography services.

First elected to the New York State Senate in a Special Election in February 2002, Liz Krueger is currently the ranking minority member of the Senate Finance Committee and a member of the Banks, Higher Education, Housing, Construction and Community Development, Judiciary and Rules Committees.

Senator Krueger is a strong advocate for tenants' rights, affordable housing, improved access to health care and prescription drug coverage, social services, and more equitable funding for public education, including higher education. She has made reforming and modernizing New York State's governmental and electoral processes and tax policy a central goal of her legislative agenda.

Jessica Lappin is a lifelong New Yorker who was elected to the New York City Council in 2005. She represents the Upper East Side and Roosevelt Island. Praised by the New York Times for her "steely resolve, dedication and energy," Lappin is recognized for focusing on practical, common-sense solutions to the problems facing New Yorkers.

In 2011, she was selected by the Aspen Institute, a renowned international think tank, as a Rodel Fellow. The program is focused on transcending political partisanship and focusing attention on over-arching questions of leadership and governance. Alumni include Congresswomen Gabby Giffords and Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

Marcia Kramer joined CBS 2 in 1990 as an investigative and political reporter. Prior to CBS 2, she was the City Hall bureau chief at the New York Daily News. Her reports on the local, national, and international level have garnered her multiple honors, including two George Foster Peabody awards, two Edward R. Murrow awards, five Emmy awards, two New York Press Club Golden Typewriter awards, and a first-place award from the Associated Press for her investigative reports.

Most recently, Kramer broke a story exposing the improper use of lights and sirens by city government officials. Her story led to Mayor Bloomberg's crackdown on the practice. She has also been cited for her reports on the Swiss Banks and Nazi Gold that culminated in a decision by the Swiss to finally give back the money. Kramer is also known for her 1992 interview with President Clinton in which he confessed he "never inhaled."

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Special thanks to BNY Mellon for hosting this event.
BNY Mellon is a member of the FWA President's Circle.



Special thanks to Joan and Jessica Lappin.

This event is organized by the FWA Political Series Committee of the FWA of New York, Inc, with special recognition to Libby Dubick committee chair, Cornelia Bencheton-Levy, Susan Harper, Joan Lappin, Mary Ann Liss, Danielle Spry, Lily Klebanoff Blake, Lissa Ferrell, Mina Baker Knoll, Cynthia Drew, Shoya Zichy, Margaret Darlow, Gerri Facchine, Karen Elinski, Lisa Mezzetti, Colleen Jones, Maureen Adolph, and Sheila Collucci.