Andrea Stewart-Cousins
Encyclopedia
Andrea Stewart-Cousins is a New York State Senator for the 35th district representing Ardsley
, Dobbs Ferry
, Elmsford
, Greenburgh
, Hastings-on-Hudson
, Irvington
, Mount Pleasant
, Pleasantville
, Sleepy Hollow
, Tarrytown
, and Yonkers
.
Prior to being elected to the New York State Senate
, she was a Westchester County Legislator. She was the first African American Woman County Legislator from Yonkers. Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins is the Ranking Member of the Local Government Committee, and is a member of the Commerce; Environmental Conservation; Finance; Health; Racing, Gaming and Wagering;
Rules; and Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs Committees.
Senator Stewart-Cousins earned her Bachelor of Science Degree from Pace University and her teaching credentials in Business Education from Lehman College. She is a recent graduate of Pace University (May 2008) with a Masters of Public Administration and is a proud member of Pi Alpha Alpha
- Public Administration Honor Society. She spent twenty years in the public sector, and after thirteen years in sales and marketing with New York Telephone/AT&T, she pursued a career in journalism and teaching, prior to entering public service.
Beginning in 1992 as the Director of Community Affairs for the City of Yonkers, Andrea Stewart-Cousins created an internship program for the hearing impaired and for children in working families. She has advocated for and contributed to the revitalization of the City of Yonkers and was a founder of the original "Art on Main Street," as well as a co-creator of "River Fest", which – in its seventeenth year – is a widely attended multi-cultural, ecologically oriented city-wide celebration.
Senator Stewart-Cousins is an advocate for human rights, quality education, accessible and affordable health care, youth development, environmental protections, and, making government more open, transparent and accountable to all of our citizens. Her belief that creating change locally affects changes on the State level has driven her legislative and policy agenda at home and in Albany. In her first term in the State Senate, she successfully fought to save the Community Hospital at Dobbs Ferry from closure, and worked with her colleagues in the State Legislature to provide additional funds for Yonkers city services and schools, while ensuring that State foundation aid to Westchester schools saw the highest increases in the last decade. Stewart-Cousins voted in favor of same-sex marriage legislation on December 2, 2009, but the bill was defeated.
On April 17, 2010, it was reported that Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers) was under consideration by Andrew Cuomo to be his choice for Lieutenant Governor.
Rules; and Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs Committees.
Ardsley, New York
Ardsley is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is part of the town of Greenburgh. The village's population was 4,452 at the 2010 census. The current mayor of Ardsley is Jay Leon....
, Dobbs Ferry
Dobbs Ferry, New York
Dobbs Ferry is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 10,875 at the 2010 census.The Village of Dobbs Ferry is located in, and is a part of, the town of Greenburgh...
, Elmsford
Elmsford, New York
Elmsford is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. Roughly one mile square, the village is fully contained within the borders of the town of Greenburgh...
, Greenburgh
Greenburgh, New York
Greenburgh is a town in the western part of Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 88,400 at the 2010 census. Paul J. Feiner has been the Town Supervisor since 1991.-History:...
, Hastings-on-Hudson
Hastings-on-Hudson, New York
Hastings-on-Hudson is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in the southwest part of the town of Greenburgh. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 7,849. It lies on U.S. Route 9, "Broadway" in Hastings...
, Irvington
Irvington, New York
Irvington, sometimes known as Irvington-on-Hudson, is an affluent suburban village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a station stop on the...
, Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant, New York
Mount Pleasant is a town in Westchester County, New York, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 43,724.-Geography:...
, Pleasantville
Pleasantville, New York
Pleasantville is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 7,019 at the 2010 census. It is located in the town of Mount Pleasant. Pleasantville is home to a campus of Pace University and to the Jacob Burns Film Center...
, Sleepy Hollow
Sleepy Hollow, New York
Sleepy Hollow is a village in the town of Mount Pleasant in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, about north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by the Philipse Manor stop on the Metro-North Hudson Line.Originally...
, Tarrytown
Tarrytown, New York
Tarrytown is a village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, about north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a stop on the Metro-North Hudson Line...
, and Yonkers
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
.
Prior to being elected to the New York State Senate
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
, she was a Westchester County Legislator. She was the first African American Woman County Legislator from Yonkers. Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins is the Ranking Member of the Local Government Committee, and is a member of the Commerce; Environmental Conservation; Finance; Health; Racing, Gaming and Wagering;
Rules; and Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs Committees.
Early Life & Career
Andrea Stewart-Cousins was born and raised in New York to parents that encouraged a life grounded in education and service. From the very beginning of her public service in government - as the first African American to serve as the Director of Community Affairs in the City of Yonkers, Andrea Stewart-Cousins has espoused the values of empathy, empowerment and service. These values, coupled with her strong belief in advocating for the underserved and championing the needs of working families has distinguished her as a trailblazer in local and State government.Senator Stewart-Cousins earned her Bachelor of Science Degree from Pace University and her teaching credentials in Business Education from Lehman College. She is a recent graduate of Pace University (May 2008) with a Masters of Public Administration and is a proud member of Pi Alpha Alpha
Pi Alpha Alpha
Pi Alpha Alpha is the national honor society for students of public administration. It is administered by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration in the United States....
- Public Administration Honor Society. She spent twenty years in the public sector, and after thirteen years in sales and marketing with New York Telephone/AT&T, she pursued a career in journalism and teaching, prior to entering public service.
Political career
Prior to her election to the New York State Senate in 2006 to represent Greenburgh, Mount Pleasant and Yonkers, Andrea Stewart-Cousins served for a decade as a Westchester County Legislator. During her tenure (from 1996 to 2006), she was elected Majority Whip and Vice-Chair, and she authored and passed landmark legislation, including: Westchester County’s first human rights laws; living wage laws; smoke-free workplace laws; tougher gun laws; laws that prosecute "predatory lenders"; and laws that have provided tax cuts for seniors and veterans. As Chair of the Health Committee, Andrea Stewart-Cousins brought the "Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program" to Westchester County – after a successful pilot of this program in Yonkers. This model has since become a national cornerstone of enhanced community/medical rape crisis assistance.Beginning in 1992 as the Director of Community Affairs for the City of Yonkers, Andrea Stewart-Cousins created an internship program for the hearing impaired and for children in working families. She has advocated for and contributed to the revitalization of the City of Yonkers and was a founder of the original "Art on Main Street," as well as a co-creator of "River Fest", which – in its seventeenth year – is a widely attended multi-cultural, ecologically oriented city-wide celebration.
Senator Stewart-Cousins is an advocate for human rights, quality education, accessible and affordable health care, youth development, environmental protections, and, making government more open, transparent and accountable to all of our citizens. Her belief that creating change locally affects changes on the State level has driven her legislative and policy agenda at home and in Albany. In her first term in the State Senate, she successfully fought to save the Community Hospital at Dobbs Ferry from closure, and worked with her colleagues in the State Legislature to provide additional funds for Yonkers city services and schools, while ensuring that State foundation aid to Westchester schools saw the highest increases in the last decade. Stewart-Cousins voted in favor of same-sex marriage legislation on December 2, 2009, but the bill was defeated.
On April 17, 2010, it was reported that Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers) was under consideration by Andrew Cuomo to be his choice for Lieutenant Governor.
Awards
For her extensive legislative work and community service, Senator Stewart-Cousins has been honored with numerous citations and awards from organizations, including: the American Cancer Society, American Civil Liberties Union, the Hudson River Museum, and the National Association of Social Workers. The Senator was also named, "Woman of the Year" by the Business and Professional Women’s Club; "Legislator of the Year" by the Community Health Association of New York State; "Leader in Social Justice" by Pace Law School; "Champion of Choice" by NYS Family Planning Advocates; and was the recipient of the "Thurgood Marshall Award" from the NAACP. In January 2009, Senator Stewart-Cousins made New York State history as the first African-American woman to preside over the Senate.Committees
Currently, Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins is the Ranking Member of the Local Government Committee, and is a member of the Commerce; Environmental Conservation; Finance; Health; Racing, Gaming and Wagering;Rules; and Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs Committees.