Indian American officials Jeremy Cooney and Kevin Thomas, who recently won seats in the New York state Senate in November, were named Jan. 5 to state committee posts along with several Senate Democrats for the 2021-2022 legislative term.
Cooney will serve as the committee chair of the newly-created Cities Committee, which oversees cities outside of New York City as the Democratic Party holds multiple seats in upstate cities like Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse for the first time in decades.
A graduate of the Hobart and William Smith Colleges (bachelor’s in public policy studies) and Albany Law School, Cooney currently serves as the principal of Red Thread Strategies. Additionally, he is board chair of Episcopal SeniorLife Communities, board member at Connected Communities and Episcopal Diocese of Rochester, steering committee member of the Center City Community Coalition, and vestryman at Christ Church Rochester.
Thomas was named to the Committee on Consumer Protection, the release notes.
In 2018, Thomas became the first Indian American in New York’s history to serve in the state Senate. He became an appointee of the US Commission on Civil Rights to the New York State Advisory Committee.
Jeremy Cooney
