Cataydra Brown was born and raised in Corona, Queens, New York, and is driven by her interest in public service, local government, and amplifying the voices of marginalized communities. She is a first-generation college graduate from CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice where she majored in Law and Society and minored in Africana Studies. Cataydra is currently a Senior Advisor to the Chief of Staff and Policy Advisor at the NYC Office of the Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives. Prior to this role, Cataydra worked and oversaw policy issues related to the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, the Commission on Human Rights, the Department of Veterans’ Services, the Young Men’s Initiatives, and the Racial Justice Commission under the de Blasio administration. She has also worked in local government in Sydney, Australia where she researched social cohesion metrics.