Stephanie Gendell, Leading NY Youth Advocate, Joins NYC’s Admin. for Children Services

Stephanie Gendell has joined New York City’s Administration for Children Services (ACS) as a leader of an affairs team overseen by ACS commissioner David Hansell. Gendell has long been recognized as one of the most important and effective advocates for children and families in the region. She has worked for 12 years as the associate executive director for policy and government relations for the nonprofit NGO Citizens’ Committee for Children (CCC) of New York. In addition to supervising policy associates and coordinating efforts with the government, this position also saw Gendell managing CCC’s child welfare and juvenile justice portfolios. During this time, she served as an expert on children’s issues for legislative hearings, coalition boards and in media appearances.

Gendell co-chaired the New York State Coalition for More Family Court Judges, which successfully advocated for 25 new judgeships — the first added in nearly two decades. Additionally, she led efforts which resulted in the expansion of much-needed pre-k and after-school programs. Her impassioned and effective work for the children of New York led to her being recognized by the NY State Bar Association as the recipient of its 2011 Levine Award for Excellence in Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare. More recently, Gendell helped lead the political activist coalition that is credited with convincing New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to propose legislation raising the juvenile jurisdiction age to 18. This milestone legislation was passed by the New York State Legislature and signed by Gov. Cuomo in 2017.

Ms. Gendell is no stranger to public sector work, or to New York City’s ACS for that matter. Prior to her time at CCC, she actually worked for almost eight years at the ACS as chief of staff to the general counsel and chief of staff to the executive deputy commissioner. Gendell holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Cornell University and a law degree from Harvard Law School. Her new position at ACS will have her working with government officials around the state of New York on children and youth services issues, specifically increasing foster youth placement and furthering juvenile justice reforms. Stephanie Gendell assumed the responsibilities of this position in late September.