About Us
Donovan Richards,
Queens Borough President:
Donovan Richards Jr., a lifelong resident of Southeast Queens, was elected Borough President of Queens in November 2020.
As a child, he attended Jamaica High School and Redemption Christian Academy before studying at Nyack College. He later received a degree in Aviation Management from Vaughn College in East Elmhurst.
Following the killing of a close friend during his teenage years, he got involved in his community, holding numerous staff positions in the City Council.
In 2013, he was elected to serve as the City Council Member for the 31st District, representing Southeast Queens and the eastern Rockaway Peninsula.
During his tenure as a City Council Member, he chaired multiple influential committees on public safety, environmental protection and zoning, resulting in historic citywide investments in affordable housing, police oversight, clean energy and infrastructure upgrades.
As Queens Borough President, he has been a tireless advocate for The World’s Borough, allocating more than $400 million in capital funding across Queens’ schools, cultural institutions, hospitals, libraries, parks and more.
To better support the more than 1 million immigrants who call The World’s Borough home, he established the Immigrant Welcome Center at Queens Borough Hall in 2021, which has served thousands of individuals in need of immigration-related services.
In the wake of Hurricane Ida, the Borough President formed Operation Urban Sustainability, a working group of climate advocates and other leaders to inform his office’s response to climate change while continuing pushing to make Queens a more resilient borough.
To help rebuild the Queens economy following the COVID-19 pandemic, Borough President Richards created the Queens Small Business Grant program, secured a commitment from JetBlue to keep its headquarters in Queens, announced plans to establish a Global Tech & Innovation Center in Long Island City and continues to oversee the $20 billion redevelopment of Kennedy Airport, among countless other initiatives.
The Borough President has also empowered numerous historically disadvantaged communities through efforts such as the Youth and Young Adult Council, Downtown Jamaica Improvement Council, the Queens Tech + Innovation Challenge and Borough Hall on Your Block.
Borough President Richards lives in Rosedale with his wife, Tameeka, and their son, Donovan III.
Ebony Young,
Deputy Queens Borough President:
Appointed as Deputy Queens Borough President in 2022, Ebony Young brings more than 25 years of distinguished leadership across the nonprofit, corporate, and government sectors, with executive roles at prominent institutions including the City of New York, YMCA of Greater New York, TF Cornerstone, Incarceration Reform and the Black Entrepreneur Initiative.
Her expertise spans organizational strategy, operational excellence, leadership development, wellbeing, technology, youth advancement, and social justice reform.
Most notably, Deputy Borough President Young has spearheaded the office’s creation of New York City’s first global tech and innovation center in Long Island City, fostering innovation and access for global entrepreneurs.
Her career reflects a deep commitment to creating sustainable solutions that elevate global communities, from youth and seniors to athletes, artists, and environmental advocates.
She has served on numerous global boards, task forces, and advisory committees, shaping initiatives that bridge policy, innovation, and community impact.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications from Indiana State University and a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Indiana Tech. In addition to her formal education, she is a certified life coach and public speaker.
She resides in Queens with her husband and three children.
Michael Mallon,
Deputy Queens Borough President for External affairs and special initiatives:
Elevated from Chief of Staff to Deputy Queens Borough President for External Affairs and Special Initiatives in November 2025, Michael Mallon has helped thousands of Queens residents overcome workplace and housing discrimination, immigration issues, domestic violence and other concerns.
He became deeply involved in LGBTQIA+ activism over a decade ago. He has organized for the passage of city- and state-wide legislation to secure legal protection and housing accommodation for transgender and gender nonconforming people, and people living with HIV and AIDS.
He is proud to have been a leader in New York’s effort to curtail the practice of conversion therapy. A founding member of CUNY’s LGBTQI Student Leadership Advisory Council, he has mentored students, hosted roundtable discussions for students and elected officials, and educated students on the workings of City government.
Michael has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for social service organizations that serve our City’s most marginalized communities. A fighter for better mass transit, Michael is a founding member of the Riders Alliance. His accomplishments have been recognized by City and State New York, the Irish Echo, the NYC Council, and non-profit organizations throughout the City.
Having dedicated over a decade of his career to public service, Michael previously served as the Borough President’s director of intergovernmental affairs and as communications director for the NYC Council Finance Chair.
He is a proud husband to Albert, and father to Aidan.