2026

Michael J. Garner, MBA, was appointed New York City’s first Chief Business Diversity Officer on February 16, 2023. Mr. Garner formerly served as Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), State of New York. His tenure at the MTA spanned 14 years from February 2009 through February 2023 and prior to that served as the Senior Director, Business Development at the NYC School Construction Authority. Crain’s New York Business honored Mr. Garner in 2021, as its inaugural Chief Diversity Officer of the Year and referred to him as the Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky of MWBE. He is a diversity champion, making it his personal and professional mission to create a more diverse business environment wherever he’s been. By changing New York City’s/New York State’s Legislative Laws and creating new innovative Minority Business programming, Mr. Garner and his teams at the City of New York, the MTA and the New York City School Construction Authority (SCA), have been responsible for more than $41 billion in contracts and payments to New York State/City Minority and Women-owned Businesses. In addition, during his tenure at the MTA, he and his team increased the hiring of Blacks, Hispanics and Asians by 20%, across the MTA’s six different operating agencies.

Afua Atta-Mensah is New York City’s Chief Equity Officer and Commissioner of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Equity & Racial Justice, where she leads citywide efforts to advance racial equity across municipal agencies. A nationally recognized strategist, organizer, and lawyer, Atta-Mensah brings more than 20 years of experience advancing racial, social, and economic justice. Prior to joining city government, she held leadership roles at Community Change and Community Change Action, Community Voices Heard, and the Urban Justice Center, where she worked to expand civic participation, advance equitable housing, and strengthen community-driven policy solutions. A Fulbright Scholar, Atta-Mensah earned a Juris Doctor from Fordham University School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in sociology and Africana studies from Trinity College.

Leila Bozorg is the Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning in New York City, where she leads citywide housing and land use strategies that guide New York City’s growth and affordability agenda. She is a housing and urban policy leader with more than 15 years of experience shaping policy, land use, and housing finance strategies to deliver large-scale, equity-driven outcomes. Throughout her tenure in public service, Leila has played a central role in landmark initiatives including the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity zoning reform, public housing preservation efforts leveraging billions in public and private investment, creating the City’s first comprehensive fair housing plan, and designing innovative housing finance and development programs. Her career spans senior roles at NYC Housing Preservation and Development, the City Planning Commission, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, and NYC Kids RISE. She holds a Master in City Planning from MIT and a BA from Wesleyan University.