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Lydia Downing is the Vice President for Government & Community Relations for New York City’s Economic Development agency, where she manages a team of five public relations professionals and oversees engagement with elected officials, community organizations, and other stakeholders across New York City. In this role, she is responsible for the local public approval process for NYCEDC-led neighborhood rezoning and real estate projects, as well as communications for major industry initiatives like LifeSci NYC. Lydia has worked at NYCEDC for five years. Previous roles there include managing public engagement for the Borough of Brooklyn, working on projects like the revitalization of the Coney Island amusement area and the redevelopment of the Bedford Union Armory. She also oversaw several initiatives to support immigrant entrepreneurs and food manufacturers in NYC. Lydia previously worked at the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs and the NYC Commission on Human Rights. Originally from Boston, MA, Lydia graduated from Colorado College in 2008, where she majored in Political Science and International Affairs and minored in Latin American Studies. She currently lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and cat.
Updated March 2017