Role as Mayor
Mayor Kathy Sheehan is in her third term as Albany, New York’s 75th mayor. Mayor Sheehan has dedicated her administration to creating a City of opportunity, leading with a commitment to equity and responsive government that includes diverse community voices.
Under Mayor Sheehan’s leadership, the City:
- Adopted its first new zoning code in more than half a century
- Created an Innovation Office
- Implemented numerous cost-saving initiatives that improved the City’s bond rating and held the line on taxes
- Invested in new IT systems
- Secured millions of dollars in funding for workforce development
- Secured unprecedented new State aid, became the third City in the U.S. to implement Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion, which provides alternatives to arrest for certain non-violent offenders
Programs
Mayor Sheehan:
- Implemented traffic calming initiatives to make Albany’s streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists alike
- Launched a new $1 million vacant building rehabilitation program and $1.5 million poverty reduction initiative
- Led the steady transformation of the City’s downtown into a new urban neighborhood
- Renovated more than a dozen parks across Albany
- Revamped the award-winning Summer Youth Employment Program
Prior Experience
Before serving in elected office, Kathy was the vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary of a publicly-traded medical device manufacturer.
Kathy served a four-year term as Albany’s Treasurer prior to being elected mayor, implementing changes to improve the City’s fiscal policies and overhauling the City’s parking ticket system.
Education
Having grown up in a large family that valued hard work and community service, Kathy put herself through college, earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism at Bowling Green State University.
After a five-year career in communications, Kathy attended Albany Law School on an academic scholarship, graduating magna cum laude in 1994.
Personal Life
Kathy and her husband Bob have a son and are committed community members, having served as board members for a number of community-based organizations