Queens Borough President Donovan Richards announced new staff appointments after beating his Republican opponent Thomas Zmich yesterday in the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 2.
On Wednesday, Nov. 3, Richards announced the appointments of Ebony Young as the new Queens deputy borough president and Michael Mallon as his chief of staff, beginning January 2022.
Young, native to Sunnyside, spent 20 years working for various nonprofits like the Long Island City YMCA, the Black Entrepreneur Initiative and the Ladies of Hope Ministries, and is considered a leader when it comes to youth development and social justice reform.
“I believe in the vision of Richards, and I look forward to building a Queens that works for everyone alongside him and his team,” Young said. “The commitment to continue my longstanding history of thoughtful and impactful advocacy is unwavering, and I offer that successful track record of leadership to the people of Queens.”
Young also ran for City Council District 26 earlier this year, before front-runner Julie Won won the primary in June.
Mallon has spent the past decade in governmental service. He previously serviced as director of intergovernmental affairs for Richards, where he handled office events, hate crimes and bias response. Mallon also served as a communications director for term-limited Councilman Daniel Dromm.
Mallon has proudly supported the LGBTQ+ community for over a decade, and has helped organize for the passage of statewide legislation to secure workplace protections for transgender and gender-nonconforming people. He has also raised tens of thousands of dollars for social service organizations that protect marginalized communities. Mallon is a transit activist and a founding member of the Riders Alliance.
“I am deeply honored to be appointed to serve as Queens Borough President Richards’ next chief of staff. Richards has truly delivered for the world’s borough over the past year, and I remain committed to working alongside him and incoming Deputy Queens Borough President Young to build upon that progress,” Mallon said.
Richards said that Young and Mallon are talented individuals who have proved their dedication to public service throughout their careers.
“Young’s track record in the nonprofit and housing sectors and Mallon’s work in government exemplify the kind of passion and perspective we need to move Queens forward,” Richards said. “I look forward to serving with the incoming deputy borough president and chief of staff, and I can’t wait to continue the good work.”
Rhonda Binda, who currently serves as the deputy borough president, and Franck D. Joseph II, who currently serves as chief of staff and senior adviser, will leave Queens Borough Hall in the coming weeks. They were both appointed by Richards in December 2020, when he first took over the office.
Binda will work in the private sector and Joseph will explore other professional opportunities.
“In just 10 months, the Queens borough president’s office achieved so much, and Franck and Rhonda have been integral partners in what we’ve done,” Richards said. “From launching the Gender Justice Initiative to working to place Queens on the map as a tech capital, Rhonda has been instrumental in getting the work started. As my first chief of staff and senior adviser, Franck has been my right hand and crucial in getting my office off the ground. From restructuring the office, launching new initiatives, and being a steady hand as a leader, I couldn’t be more thankful to have had him by my side. I thank them both for all they’ve done for our borough.”
