New York Construction Report staff writer
Mayor Zohran Mamdani this week announced three senior appointments across key city agencies, naming Paul Ochoa as commissioner of the Department of Design and Construction (DDC), Shawn(ta) Smith-Cruz as commissioner of the Department of Records and Information Services (DORIS) and Annie Levers as director of the Mayor’s Office of Operations.
“These are leaders who believe government must deliver in service of the public good,” Mamdani said. “They understand how to pull the levers of government to deliver for New Yorkers and reflect the histories and aspirations of our neighbourhoods in the city we are building together.”
Paul A. Ochoa joins DDC from the New York City Department of Transportation, where he has served as executive deputy commissioner since 2022, overseeing administrative divisions, a $1.5 billion expense budget and a $34 billion 10-year capital plan. He also led the agency’s capital program management division, working closely with DDC on street reconstruction projects. He previously served as chief strategy officer at the Department of Sanitation and director of city legislative affairs in the Mayor’s Office. Earlier in his career, he worked in the California State Assembly on labour, immigrant rights and environmental policy.
“The Department of Design and Construction delivers projects that are essential to the daily lives of New Yorkers,” Ochoa said. “I am honoured to be entrusted with this tremendous responsibility by Mayor Mamdani.”
DDC projects include major public works such as the East River Park reconstruction in Manhattan, protected bike lanes on Queens Boulevard and the Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center in Brooklyn.
Shawn(ta) Smith-Cruz, currently dean of the Barnard College Library, will lead DORIS, which manages the city’s archives, public records and historical collections.
She has nearly 20 years of experience in libraries and archives, including roles at New York University, the CUNY Graduate Center and Brooklyn Public Library. Her work has focused on expanding access to information for underserved communities and preserving the histories of marginalized groups.
“It is an absolute honour to be called to serve as commissioner of the Department of Records and Information Services under Mayor Mamdani’s administration,” Smith-Cruz said. “Providing access to government records, documents and data is our municipal responsibility.”
She said she intends to strengthen transparency and expand access to digital government information while improving archival practices across the city.
Annie Levers, most recently deputy comptroller for policy at the New York City Comptroller’s Office, will become director of the Mayor’s Office of Operations, which tracks agency performance and supports service delivery across city government.
Levers has worked on budgeting, procurement, housing, transportation, public safety, climate resilience and economic justice. She previously worked in the City Council and in nonprofit and academic organizations focused on public policy and community development.
“I look forward to building on that progress, partnering across agencies to strengthen performance, improve accountability and transparency,” Levers said, “and use data to drive better outcomes so New Yorkers continue to see and feel tangible improvements in their daily lives.”
City officials and civic leaders welcomed the appointments, pointing to experience across infrastructure delivery, records management and performance oversight. The appointments take effect in the coming weeks.
