NYC Council’s Data & Web Division
Connecting data and design to public policy.
Data Team
The NYC Council Data Team puts data at the center of policymaking. We value transparency and reproducibility and believe legislation should be grounded in both qualitative and quantitative evidence. Our work spans dashboards, program evaluations, and data-driven insights that help assess policy impact. We’re passionate about public service and use our skills to bring insight and innovation to the city we call home.
Web Development Team
The NYC Council Web Development Team builds digital tools that help the Council work more efficiently. We design and develop internal applications and platforms that streamline workflows, improve productivity, and support day-to-day operations. Our work focuses on creating reliable, user-friendly solutions that make it easier for staff to do their jobs and better serve New Yorkers.
Data Scientists
Alaa serves as the Chief Data Scientist for the New York City Council, where he oversees the Data Operations and Web Development units. He leads both teams in providing innovative and bespoke solutions in response to the council’s unique needs. Alaa holds a PhD in physics with a dissertation focusing on spreading processes in networks. Prior to joining the council Alaa conducted research at Los Alamos National Labs exploring the application of machine learning techniques for early anomaly detection in electrical grids.
Favorite NYC Fun Fact
Jackson Heights is claimed to be the most diverse neighborhood in the world.
Data Pet Peeve
When people don’t normalize!
Rose is an enthusiastic data explorer. She leads an exceptional team using data to improve the NYC Council’s legislation and policy. Rose completed her dual BA-MUP degrees in Metropolitan Studies and Urban Planning from the NYU Wagner School of Public Policy.
Favorite NYC Fun Fact
What looks like a simple NYC street is really a stack of hidden systems—telecom, gas, electric, steam, water, and sewers all layered just 6–9 feet below your feet. By 2028, NYC will become the first city in the nation with a 3D digital map of this underground maze.
Data Pet Peeve
Joining two datasets and realizing that the matching columns have different spellings AND data types.
Melissa is a Data Scientist focused on applying data to public policy. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Adelphi University and a Master’s degree in Biostatistics from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. In her role, she helps lead the team’s analytical work, supporting policy decisions and oversight across city government.
Favorite NYC Fun Fact
The Bronx is home to NYC’s largest park—Pelham Bay Park, which is more than three times the size of Central Park.
Data Pet Peeve
Datasets with no data dictionary.
Brook is a Senior Data Scientist with a background in genomics and environmental health. She holds an M.S. in Biostatistics from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a B.A. in Biology from Smith College.
Favorite NYC Fun Fact
Harry Houdini is buried in Glendale, Queens.
Data Pet Peeve
When the data arrives with no data dictionary
Reese is a Data Scientist with a background in public health research. As a Senior Data Scientist at the Council, her work spans the many issue areas impacting policy decisions – including health, housing & buildings, and public housing. She holds a M.P.H. in Epidemiology & Biostatistics from CUNY School of Public Health and a B.A. in Statistics from Mount Holyoke College.
Favorite NYC Fun Fact
More than half of all Filpinos living in NYC live in Queens!
Data Pet Peeve
IDEs in light mode
James is a Data Scientist and Statistician specializing in the strategic application of statistical methodologies within the realm of social sciences. He holds a M.S. in Statistics from New York University, and a B.S. in Economics and Actuarial Sciences from SUNY Binghamton.
Favorite NYC Fun Fact
The 1898 consolidation of Greater New York was driven in part by Manhattan’s fear of being overtaken by the rapidly growing city of Chicago, and the proposal faced its strongest resistance in Brooklyn.
Data Pet Peeve
(Inconsistent) Spelling errors in variables.
Erik is a Data Scientist and Policy Analyst on the Technology Committee passionate about strengthening government trust and accountability through transparency. Erik enjoys applying modern techniques such as natural language processing, web scraping, and distributed systems to address both persistent and emerging urban challenges. Erik holds a B.S. in Computer Science and American Studies and an M.S. in Data Science from Fordham University.
Favorite NYC Fun Fact
New York City is home to the world’s largest Guyanese diaspora, with Guyanese-born residents making up the city’s sixth-largest immigrant population.
Data Pet Peeve
Tables in PDFs
Anne is a Data Scientist who focuses on how public policy impacts human behavior and environmental systems. She believes that data should be a tool for the public good, a philosophy she’s put into practice at the Stanford Environmental Change and Human Outcomes Lab, the Duke Environmental Justice Lab, and Carnegie Mellon’s Data Science and Public Policy Lab.
Her research, from modeling the impact of wildfires on communities to building applied tools for city programs, has been published in journals like Nature Human Behavior and PNAS. She is most at home translating that data into service.
Favorite NYC Fun Fact
There are about 3 million free street parking spaces in the city, which in aggregate take up ~15x the space of Central Park.
Data Pet Peeve
That city government has at least 5 ways of encoding borough that are not mergable.
Taylor Francisco is a Data Scientist at the Council, where she uses data science to drive evidence-based policymaking on health and social equity issues. Her work centers on uncovering structural determinants of health and building data tools that help lawmakers address disparities affecting marginalized communities. She holds an M.A. in Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences and a B.A. in Neuroscience and Behavior from Columbia University. Before joining the Council, she managed a neuroscience research lab at Mount Sinai’s Friedman Brain Institute and launched diversity programs to support underrepresented students in STEM.
Favorite NYC Fun Fact
NYC is home to the largest Native American population in the United States. There are over 173,000 American Indians and Alaska Natives living across the five boroughs, that’s nearly 60,000 more than in LA!
Data Pet Peeve
The “Othering” of identities. When we lump Asian Americans and Native Americans into a catch-all “Other” category, we don’t just simplify data, we erase the distinct histories and specific needs of those communities.
Lukas is a Data Scientist with experience in impact evaluation and policy analysis. He is passionate about leveraging data to improve policies that benefit the underprivileged. He holds a B.A. in Economics and an M.A. in Public Policy from Stanford University.
Favorite NYC Fun Fact
Subway tile colors can tell you whether a station is local or express.
Data Pet Peeve
Datasets with inconsistent variable coding.
Danylo is a Data Scientist with experience in applying statistical methods in the fields of policy research and public health. He holds a B.A. in Biology from Cornell University and an M.P.H. in Biostatistics from SUNY Downstate. Danylo is interested in applying his knowledge towards supporting policy initiatives aimed at improving the lives of all New Yorkers, particularly those most vulnerable to systemic inequities.
Favorite NYC Fun Fact
New York City is one of the most multilingual cities in the world, with over 800 languages spoken across the five boroughs.
Data Pet Peeve
Messy code with poor documentation.
Colby is a Data Scientist who enjoys using analytical methods to turn large datasets into digestible, actionable insights. He loves learning everything there is to know about New York and is passionate about helping policymakers design a more livable, inclusive city. Colby holds a B.A. in Computer Science and Education Studies from Brown University.
Favorite NYC Fun Fact
NYC used to be the oyster capital of the world.
Data Pet Peeve
Anything that requires complicated RegEx.
Mohamed is a Data Scientist with the City Council interested in using data as a means of assessing the social and economic impacts of new policies and integrating those insights into future policy design. His work with the Data Team ranges from tackling criminal justice issues to better understanding challenges faced by small businesses. Mohamed received his B.S. in International Relations and Economics from Seton Hall University before completing his Ph.D. in Political Science at The Ohio State University.
Favorite NYC Fun Fact
When Queen Elizabeth II visited New York in 1976, she collected 279 years of back rent on the Trinity Church, which was under a 1697 charter from William III. It amounted to 279 peppercorns. Thankfully, New York also has some of the strongest tenant protections in the country!
Data Pet Peeve
When numeric data has commas
Noah is a Data Scientist with experience analyzing public policy and demographic shifts. He’s interested in using data as an investigative tool to better understand New York and the impact of policy decisions. He holds a B.S. in Data Science and Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University.
Favorite NYC Fun Fact
Uptown rats are genetically distinct from downtown rats. Talk about a diverse city!
Data Pet Peeve
Any dataset compiled by someone who doesn’t know how to spell
Web Developers
Johnathan a Fullstack Web Developer with several years of experience in making web applications, websites, and more. Helping to lead a team of talented and ambitious engineers and designers, he uses his industry knowledge of coding and best practices to offer assistance to the New York City Council, its members, and its staff.
Mandy is a full-stack web developer with a background in computer science. She also teaches Practical Web Development at Hunter College on the side. As product lead, she prioritizes the needs of the Council and strives to provide efficient and productive software catered to serving New York City.
Pavel has a background in software engineering across fintech and e-commerce, with experience in enterprise, startup, and nonprofit environments. Prior to public service, he built and supported scalable digital platforms, partnering with cross-functional teams to improve reliability, adoption, and user experience. He brings a systems-driven, collaborative approach to effective government operations and constituent services.
Favorite NYC Fun Fact
NYC reinvents itself constantly while still running on infrastructure built generations ago.
Secret code pet peeve
Solving the problem without writing down what was solved.
Sheriff is a Full Stack Web Developer at the City Council, with 5+ years of experience in Customer Service. Transitioning to technology out of a passion for innovation, he successfully completed two rigorous coding bootcamps. Sheriff’s portfolio includes a diverse range of projects: a budget focused dating web application, a restaurant reservation mobile app, and a recidivism prevention web application offering job training resources for ex-convicts.
Ryan is a Senior Full Stack Web Developer on City Council projects, primarily focused on internal tools that improve operational efficiency. He specializes in backend development, APIs, and search-focused features.
Favorite NYC Fun Fact
The Outerbridge Crossing was named after the first chairman of the Port Authority, Eugene Outerbridge. They named it as such to avoid calling it the Outerbridge Bridge.
Enan is a Full Stack Web Developer at the Council with a Bachelor’s in Computer Science from The City College of New York. Before joining the Council, he served as a Frontend Developer in Boston’s private sector. Leveraging this industry experience alongside the backend expertise acquired during his undergraduate studies, he has designed, developed, and maintained multiple web applications tailored to the New York City Council.
Favorite NYC Fun Fact
New York has the world’s largest tunnel called the Delaware Aqueduct that’s 85 miles long. It is used as the main water supply for New York City. The NYPD is even deployed upstate to protect the water leading to it from pollution.
Experienced Senior UI/UX Developer specializing in user-centered design and cross-platform app development, with proficiency in HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, and design tools like Figma and Adobe XD. Recognized for leadership in enhancing user experiences and driving innovation, evidenced by leading the design and development of a proprietary web app for the New York City Council.
After discovering my passion for coding through an intensive bootcamp course, I embarked on a new career as a fullstack web developer. My technical expertise allows me to create innovative and user-friendly web applications, while my drive for continuous learning fuels my growth in the tech world.
Ali Fares is a Full Stack Web Developer at the City Council with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from CUNY Brooklyn College. He discovered his passion for web development early in college and has since focused on building impactful, user-focused software. His web development experience spans personal projects, freelance and contract work, and his current role at the Council, where he builds both internal and public-facing software from concept to deployment.
Roberta Nin Feliz is an experienced software engineer who has led product initiatives at startups and improved user experience at large companies. She holds a Bachelor’s in Computer Science from the University of Pennsylvania. As a Web Developer in the Legislative Division, she focuses on building seamless, intuitive, and accessible digital experiences — with an emphasis on robust error-handling to boost user confidence and trust.
Favorite NYC Fun Fact
The Hudson and East Rivers aren’t actual rivers; they’re tidal estuaries. The only true river in NYC is the Bronx River.
Secret code pet peeve
Websites that work perfectly in one browser but break in another
Omar is a Web Developer at the City Council and a graduate of Hunter College’s Computer Science program. He works on tools used by both staff and the public, focusing on making them clear and easy to use. His goal is to help people get things done without having to think about how the system works behind the scenes.
Favorite NYC Fun Fact
Central Park is a constructed landscape designed to feel natural
Secret code pet peeve
Repeated code
Stella is a Full Stack Web Developer at the City Council. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Stony Brook University. Before joining the City Council, she worked as a full-stack engineer at a marketing technology startup, where she developed web interfaces and data pipelines for a customer data platform supporting large-scale marketing campaigns. At the City Council, she builds and maintains digital tools that support internal operations and improve public-facing services.
Anthony Taylor is a Full Stack Web Developer at the New York City Council, where he designs, maintains, codes, tests, and debugs document applications that support the Legislative Division’s Finance Division and back-office operations. Proficient in Python, Django, React, Typescript and SQL, he contributes to implement & secure user-focused solutions. A Pursuit Fellow, Anthony transitioned from overnight security guard to software engineer under the The Pursuit Fellowship Program. He is now building tools that serve millions of New Yorkers.
Favorite NYC Fun Fact
Subway trains running on NYC’s numbered lines (4, 5, 6, 7) can’t run on lettered lines (E, F, R, etc.) because they come from two historically competing train companies, IRT and BMT/IND. The trains differ in width, length, and tunnel clearances, making them physically incompatible.
Secret code pet peeve
Complex code blocks without comments to clarify
