Andrea Stewart-Cousins,
Senator for the 35th Senate District of New York

At the time she appeared on Future Choices, Andrea Stewart-Cousins was a candidate for New York State Senate in the 35th District. The following is an update biography subsequent to her election to that seat.

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Senator Andrea
Stewart-Cousins

Elected to the New York State Senate in 2006, Andrea Stewart-Cousins brings many years of community involvement and public service to her post as State Senator representing the 35th district serving several communities in Westchester County, including Yonkers, Greenburgh, and Mount Pleasant.

Prior to joining the Senate, Ms. Stewart-Cousins served as a member of the Westchester County Board of Legislators from 1996-2006. During her tenure, she was elected Majority Whip and later elected as the legislature’s Vice Chair. As a legislator, she Chaired the Committees on Health, Families, and the powerful Committee on Legislation. In her six-year role as Chair of Legislation she authored and passed the landmark legislation that included the county’s first human rights laws; smoke-free workplace laws; tougher gun laws; Living Wage legislation; and laws that prosecute "predatory lenders," tax cuts for seniors and veterans, as well as legislation prohibiting racial profiling.

Senator Stewart-Cousins began her service as a lawmaker after twenty years in the public sector. After 13 years with New York Telephone/AT&T she left sales and marketing for journalism, teaching and personnel management. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree from Pace University and her teaching credentials in Business Education from Lehman College. Her career in government began with her appointment from 1992-96 as Director of Community Affairs for the City of Yonkers. The former 1st Vice Chair of the Westchester County Democratic Committee, Senator Stewart-Cousins currently sits on the Boards of the Riverside Health Care System and Yonkers Community Action Program.

For her extensive legislative and community service, she is the recipient of many citations and awards, including the Thurgood Marshall Award, leadership awards from the Westchester Arts Council, the NAACP, the American Cancer Society, the American Civil Liberties Union 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 Centers of New York State and "Leader in Social Justice" by Pace Law School.

During her campaign for the State Senate, Senator Stewart-Cousins pledged to fight for fair funding for schools, accessible health care, affordable housing, increased services for senior citizens, greater environmental protections, and legislative reform to make our state government more open and accountable to citizens. The Senator’s Committee assignments are Local Government (Ranking); Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business; Finance; Judiciary; and Tourism, Recreation and Sports Development.

Senator Stewart-Cousins resides in Yonkers. She has three children and two grandchildren.

http://www.nyssenate35.com/