New York: Nisha Agarwal, an accomplished public interest attorney as well as public servant, will serve as Commissioner of the New York City Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD).
During the official announcement, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said, “It’s not enough for New York City to be affordable for everyone — it must be accessible to everyone, too. With decades of experience in public service, Commissioner Agarwal will help our administration deliver on that mission and build a city where every New Yorker can succeed.”
“From housing to health care to education, Commissioner Agarwal will work across government to break down barriers and ensure that our administration delivers for New Yorkers with disabilities.”
As head of MOPD, Commissioner Agarwal will work across city government and with the disability community to make sure that every New Yorker can access the city’s spaces, services, and resources.
“I am honored to be the commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities. All of the priorities that Mayor Mamdani supports are critical for people with disabilities: affordable housing and food, access to health and mental health, free transportation, education equity, and employment opportunities,” said MOPD Commissioner Agarwal. “I will work with and on behalf of disabled New Yorkers to tackle these issues and ensure that people with disabilities are at the forefront for creating this city more livable for all.”
Working across the public, advocacy, and legal sectors, Commissioner Agarwal has dedicated her career to empowering vulnerable New Yorkers. Commissioner Agarwal previously served as the Executive Director for Policy and Communications at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Division of Mental Hygiene. She also served as Deputy Executive Director for Impact and a Senior Advisor at International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), a global legal aid and advocacy organization. Under the de Blasio administration, Commissioner Agarwal led the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs — building landmark initiatives like IDNYC, the city’s municipal identification card, and Cities for Action, a national advocacy coalition of local elected officials. Commissioner Agarwal also served as Senior Advisor to the Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives, where she worked to boost civic engagement among New Yorkers and build DemocracyNYC’s efforts on immigration, people with disabilities, and justice-involved communities. Before entering city government, Commissioner Agarwal led the Health Justice Program at the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, served as Deputy Director and Co-Founder of the Center for Popular Democracy, and worked as Executive Director of the Immigrant Justice Corps.
“New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (NYLPI) applauds Mayor Mamdani’s appointment of Nisha Agarwal as the commissioner of the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities,” said Ruth Lowenkron, Director, NYLPI’s Disability Justice Program. “NYLPI has worked with Ms. Agarwal extensively over the years, including in her role as executive director for policy and communications at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and as executive director of the International Refugee Assistance Project, where she started up a disability justice program. Her lived experience as a person with disabilities, as well as her advocacy on behalf of the disability community, make her an excellent candidate for the job, and we look forward to working with her.”
“Nisha Agarwal will be a tremendous partner and advocate for disabled New Yorkers as Mayor Mamdani’s Commissioner for the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities,” said Joe Rappaport, Executive Director, Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled.
“Nisha Agarwal is a dedicated public servant and we are thrilled to see her serve as the next commissioner for the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities,” said Roderick Jones, President, Goddard Riverside.
