Meet the Team

Elena Arons 
Director of Scheduling and Events

Elena Arons joined Council Member Garodnick’s office in March 2011. In addition to being responsible for maintaining the Council Member's daily schedule, she serves as intern coordinator.

Elena was born and raised in Washington D.C. and has been drawn to New York City from a young age, finally making the move and joining family members here in 2010. Prior to joining Council Member Garodnick’s staff, Elena managed Mike Huether’s successful campaign for Mayor of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She also worked for Repower America, a clean energy campaign, and Barack Obama’s Presidential campaign in Ohio during 2008.

Elena’s areas of interest include social justice work, public health, and environmental protection. She continues to promote awareness of these issues through community projects and outreach, and is dedicated to improving the lives of constituents in District 4. 


David Kimball-Stanley 
Press Secretary

David joined Council Member Garodnick's staff in April of 2010.  In addition to press responsibilities, he serves as the Council Member's liaison to Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village.

Prior to joining the staff, David interned on Capitol Hill in the office of Senator Charles E. Schumer and worked on Barack Obama's presidential campaign in Virginia. In New York, he worked on Ken Diamondstone's campaign for State Senate, and interned for State Senator Liz Krueger.

David received his B.A. from Trinity College in 2009, majoring in Public Policy and Law, with a minor in performing arts. He grew up on Roosevelt Island, where he still lives today. 

 

Ilona Kramer
Chief of Staff

Ilona Kramer is Council Member Garodnick's Chief of Staff. In that role, she oversees all aspects of the office, including constituent affairs, the legislative agenda, and public messaging.  She is also the Council Member's liaison to Community Board 5.

Ilona returned to the office in January 2012, five years after serving as an intern.  This internship sparked her interest in local politics and her commitment to public service.  In between, she worked at the NYC Campaign Finance Board, first training candidates in the city's model campaign finance law and later working on communications and policy.  She graduated with honors from Wesleyan University in 2008. 

Ilona was born in New York City, and was happy to return to her native Brooklyn after her college graduation. 

 

Emma Lowe
Community Liaison

Emma joined Council Member Garodnick’s office in August of 2012. She serves as the Council Member’s liaison to Community Board 8, the Isaacs and Holmes Towers tenants associations, and the East 79th Street Neighborhood Association. Her policy interests include women’s health, environmental protection, and energy policy.

Emma graduated from Vassar College in 2012 where she majored in International Studies and Spanish.  Originally from Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, Emma interned in political and government offices in both New York and Pennsylvania throughout her time in college. Also during that time she combined her passion for service with her interest in Spanish through teaching English as a Second Language to native Spanish speakers. Prior to joining the Council Member’s staff,  Emma worked as a paralegal for the Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York where she specialized in migrant labor law.

 

Genevieve Michel
Special Advisor

Genevieve joined Council Member Garodnick's office in September of 2011. She handles all education issues for the Council Member, oversees his correspondence, and is responsible for preparing him and staffing him at meetings and events.

Genevieve graduated in 2011 from NYU's Gallatin School of Individualized Study, where she studied politics and public policy.  While in college, Genevieve interned in both political and government offices in New York City and worked as Congressman Anthony Weiner's finance associate for his 2010 re-election campaign.

A native of  Albany, California, she now resides in Brooklyn.

 

Bob Qu
Legislative Aide

Bob joined Council Member Garodnick’s office in September of 2012.  He serves as the Council Member’s liaison to Community Board 6, and also helps to formulate the office’s legislative agenda and develop ideas for new policy and regulations.  Bob graduated from Yale University in 2012, where he majored in History.  His policy interests include public finance and infrastructure.  While at Yale he served as coordinator of the Community-Based Learning program, which placed students with projects with community organizations in New Haven as part of their coursework.  He is originally from Gaithersburg, Maryland.