Our Team

Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins was first elected to the New York Senate in 2006. In 2012, she became the first woman, and African-American woman to lead a New York legislative conference. In 2019, her peers elected her as Temporary President and Majority Leader of the Senate. Stewart-Cousins has sponsored and passed transformative legislation such as the landmark Government Reorganization and Citizen Empowerment Act, and Child Health Plus and School Meal Enrollment Coordination Law. Due to her legislative and community service work, Andrea has been named “Woman of the Year” by the Business and Professional Women’s Club and “Legislator of the Year” by the Community Health Association of New York State. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Pace University and her teaching credentials in Business Education from Lehman College while raising her children as an adult. Stewart-Cousins resides in Yonkers and has three children and four grandchildren with her late husband Thomas.

Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich was elected to the Michigan Senate in 2013. He was elected Senate Minority Leader in 2014 and 2018. During his tenure in the legislature, Ananich has been at the forefront of addressing the Flint water crisis. He continues to push for answers and champion long-term solutions to the critical infrastructure, health and economic needs his community now faces. Ananich formerly worked as a civics and government teacher at Carman-Ainsworth and Flint Community Schools. He also served as an education coordinator for Priority Children, where he helped train Genesee County youth to secure internships and jobs. Ananich graduated from Flint Central High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in political economics from Michigan State University, and a secondary education certificate in social studies. He also holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Michigan-Flint. He lives in Flint with his wife Andrea and their son.

Speaker of the House Brian Egolf was elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives in 2008. Among his legislative successes, Egolf championed equal pay for equal work for the women of New Mexico, reduced government corruption through the creation of a statewide independent ethics commission, and passed legislation to penalize the distribution of sensitive images, such as child pornography. As a private practice attorney, Egolf filed suit in New Mexico district court on behalf of a gay couple who were denied a marriage license. That case helped turn the tide toward marriage equality in New Mexico and just a few months later, the state’s Supreme Court ruled to legalize gay marriage, making New Mexico the 17th state to do so. Egolf earned his bachelor’s degree in diplomacy and public service from Georgetown University and his law degree from the University of New Mexico. Egolf resides in Santa Fe with his wife Kelly and their two daughters.