Zohran Mamdani appoints 3 heads to key city agencies but they dodge outlining plans

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced three new appointees to head key city agencies Tuesday — but the new officials gave scant details about their plans.

Mamdani named Yume Kitasei as the commissioner of the Department of City Administrative Services; Sharun Goodwin as commissioner of the Department of Probation and Lisa Garcia as commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection. 

“Each of these New Yorkers shares a common commitment to service, a desire to place this city and its needs before their own,” Mamdani said at a City Hall press conference. 

But the new officials dodged specifics about what those commitments may be when pressed by reporters. 

Mamdani said Kitasei, who previously served under former mayors Bill de Blasio and Eric Adams, needed time to settle into her new gig before getting specific on her to-do list. 

“I will demand the world of the new commissioner, I will also give her a little bit of time in settling in with some of the questions,” Hizonner said when a reporter asked about her plans to investigate shady city lease contracts.

“We’re going to do a deep review of everything,” Kitasei said.

Garcia, who served in the federal Environmental Protection Agency under President Joe Biden, echoed the need to get her bearings on the job.

“I look forward to also taking a few days to getting up to speed, but I believe some of the capital projects that have been invested in we will go forward with those,” she said noting finding efficiencies and improvements in climate impacts. 

Goodwin, who served as deputy commissioner in the probation department before stepping away in 2024, has worked in the agency for over 30 years.

“When I get in the position, I will look into what I hear. But I’m not certain that what is reported is what it is,” she said when asked about weeding out Adams-era nepotism in the department. 

“Give me an opportunity to assess and evaluate what needs to be done.”