Our nominees are dedicated public servants who share our commitment to Democratic values and a stronger, more inclusive White Plains. Learn more about the candidates we're proud to support.
OUR CANDIDATES
Running for White Plains Common Council
Valerie Simmons is a lifelong White Plains resident and community advocate with more than three decades of public service. Educated in the White Plains Public School system, she began her career through the AmeriCorps VISTA program, where she helped build capacity for local anti-poverty organizations with a focus on affordable housing during the height of Urban Renewal.
Valerie spent ten years with the White Plains Community Action Program as an Office Administrator and Community Organizer, playing a key role—alongside CAP Director Jerome “Bump” Robinson and community partners—in advocating for the construction of the Slater Center following the loss of the Carver Community Center. She later joined the White Plains Housing Authority, serving as Resident Relations Coordinator and ultimately Property Manager for 352 units of low-income housing. During this time, she also held multiple elected union leadership roles. Valerie retired after 36 years of service and remains active with the CSEA Retirees’ Local 921.
A longtime behind-the-scenes advocate, Valerie has dedicated her life to supporting communities impacted by systemic and bureaucratic barriers. She is a long-standing member of the NAACP and the Greenburgh–White Plains Chapter of the Black Women’s Political Caucus, serves on the White Plains Youth Bureau Board, and is a District Leader for the White Plains Democratic City Committee. She is also a founding member of the Coalition for Addition Without Subtraction (CAWS), focused on equitable redevelopment of the White Plains Galleria Mall, and continues to support numerous civic and social justice organizations.
Valerie remains deeply committed to preserving White Plains as a vibrant, inclusive, and diverse city where all communities are informed, engaged, and represented.
Running for White Plains Common Council
Tom Caruso, a graduate of Pace University School of Law, is a public interest lawyer, presently training new lawyers for a family defense organization. A veteran of the United States Army, he previously worked as a veterans’ attorney, representing local veterans in housing law, public benefits, and consumer protection, as well as before the VA and Department of Defense. He also has served as an attorney for children in Family Court.
Mr. Caruso is active in White Plains civic affairs, having served as an alternate on the White Plains Zoning Board of Appeals, as past president of the Mamaroneck Avenue School PTA, and as a member of the Friends of the White Plains Youth Bureau Board.
Mr. Caruso is currently on the board of Civic Helpers, a White Plains based non-profit. A passionate advocate for voting rights, he has helped organize and run voting protection programs, and served as a poll watcher in four states. Mr. Caruso is a longtime resident of the Woodcrest Heights neighborhood; he and his wife Leftie, have two children, both of whom are graduates of the White Plains school system.
Running for Westchester County Legislator, representing the 5th Legislative District
Legislator Jenn Puja was elected to the Westchester County Board of Legislators in November 2025 and sworn into office in January 2026. She represents District 5, which includes Scarsdale, parts of West Harrison, and most of White Plains.
Jenn Puja joins the Board following six years of dedicated service on the White Plains Common Council where she was the youngest woman ever elected to that office. Jenn is a lifelong advocate, community connector, and proud Westchester native. She has been a District 5 resident all her life and carries with her a deep sense of community in all aspects of her life personally and professionally.
During her tenure on the White Plains Common Council, Jenn tackled critical issues such as affordable housing, sustainability, and prioritizing community benefits. Her work as Former Chair of the White Plains Recreation Advisory Committee and as an Advisory Board Member for Mount Sinai’s Selikoff Center for Occupational Health underscores her dedication to fostering a healthier, more vibrant community with expanded access and added opportunities.
Jenn is the Executive Director of the Westchester/Putnam Central Labor Body AFL-CIO, a nonprofit organization representing more than 100,000 working families in Westchester and Putnam. She has been a member of the Labor and Human Rights Committee of the Board of Legislators since 2018. Jenn graduated summa cum laude from Iona College with a bachelor’s degree and Long Island University with dual masters’ degrees. She lives in White Plains with her husband and two children.
Running for Westchester County Legislator, representing the 8th Legislative District
Jewel Williams Johnson proudly serves as the Westchester County Legislator for the 8th Legislative District, representing Greenburgh, Elmsford, Tarrytown, and portions of White Plains. Now serving in her third term, she first joined the Board in 2021, succeeding her mother, the Honorable Alfreda Williams, and continuing a powerful family legacy of public service, advocacy, and community leadership.
A trailblazer in her own right, Legislator Williams Johnson made history as the first freshman legislator since the Board's inception to chair the influential Committee on Budget & Appropriations, helping guide Westchester County's multibillion-dollar budget with a focus on fiscal responsibility, equity, and protecting vital services for three years. She has also led some form of the Board's health work since taking office and currently chairs the Committee on Health, where she has elevated issues including maternal health, birth equity, mental health access, healthcare affordability, human trafficking as a public health concern, youth vaping, and the broader social conditions that shape community well-being.
Legislator Williams Johnson also championed the creation of the Board's Non-Profit Task Force, reflecting her deep belief that nonprofits and community-based organizations are essential public infrastructure. She currently serves as Vice Chair of both the Committee on Social Services, Disabilities and Human Rights and the Committee on Parks and Environment, and is an active member of the Litigation Committee and the Families Task Force.
Expanding that commitment beyond County government, she is the Convener of the District 8 Community Impact Alliance, an initiative designed to strengthen and support nonprofit organizations by broadening their reach through deeper connections with faith leaders, civic organizations, community stakeholders, and neighborhood partners. Through this work, she continues to help build the relationships and collaborations needed to better serve residents, close gaps, and increase community impact.
Her public health leadership extends beyond the Legislature through her service on the Westchester County Board of Health, the Community Services Board, and the New York State Association of Counties' Medicaid & Human Services and Public Health & Mental Health Standing Committees.
Her legislative priorities are rooted in the everyday realities of the people she serves: families seeking affordable housing and child care, seniors trying to remain in the communities they helped build, students facing food and housing insecurity, residents in need of mental health care, and women and families navigating inequities in maternal health outcomes. She was the primary sponsor of Westchester's first Gun Safety Signage Law and the Flavored Tobacco Ban, and she continues to champion prevention-focused policies that protect children, families, and public health.
Deeply grounded in civic engagement and social justice, Legislator Williams Johnson is a past president of the Westchester Black Women's Political Caucus and founder of the WBWPC Run Lead Strategy Laboratory, created to help prepare and encourage women to seek leadership and public office. She is also a District Leader with the Greenburgh Democratic Committee. Her past leadership includes service as Vice President of the White Plains-Greenburgh NAACP, Mentor Coordinator at Highview Elementary School, and advisory board member with WCLA – Choice Matters and the Greenburgh Arts & Culture Board.
In addition to her public service, Legislator Williams Johnson has served as a guest lecturer on politics at Lehman College and as an occasional contributor to The Westchester County Press. Professionally, she brings more than 14 years of administrative experience from Columbia University Irving Medical Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, experience that helped shape her understanding of healthcare systems, public health, and the importance of compassionate, effective institutions.
A proud product of the Greenburgh Central School District, Legislator Williams Johnson lives in Greenburgh with her husband, Lacy Johnson, her mother, the Honorable Alfreda Williams, and their beloved 14-year-old Dalmatian, Jasper. She remains deeply honored to serve the community that shaped her, guided by a simple but powerful commitment: to put people first, lead with purpose, and help build a healthier, fairer, and more connected Westchester.
Running for New York State Attorney General
New York Attorney General Letitia James has spent her career fighting for New Yorkers. Since taking office in 2019, she has secured more than $9 billion from corporations and individuals who exploited New Yorkers, including over $3 billion from opioid manufacturers and distributors, and more than $70 million from neglectful nursing homes. Her office has taken over 9,500 illegal guns off New York's streets and led multistate coalitions defending civil rights, health care access, and the rule of law against unlawful federal action.
In Albany, Attorney General James championed the FAIR Business Practices Act to crack down on predatory lenders and dishonest mortgage providers, strengthened protections against deed theft, and helped make New York a national leader in protecting children's mental health online.
Before being elected Attorney General, Attorney General James served as New York City's Public Advocate, becoming the first woman of color elected to citywide office, and passed more legislation than any of her predecessors, including a landmark ban on salary-history questions to fight the gender wage gap. Before that, she represented Brooklyn's 35th Council District on the New York City Council for a decade, where she passed the Safe Housing Act to protect tenants from negligent landlords.
James began her career as a public defender at the Legal Aid Society. She is a graduate of Lehman College and Howard University School of Law.
Running for New York State Assembly
Committed to public service and the principles of democracy, safety, education, technology, and community engagement, Westchester County is led by County Executive Ken Jenkins, who took office in January 2025 as the tenth County Executive. Jenkins is the first Black County Executive in Westchester history.
Before this historic role, Jenkins served as Deputy County Executive under George Latimer, where he played a key role in advancing countywide initiatives. Prior to that, he was a distinguished member of the Westchester County Board of Legislators from February 2007 until December 2017, serving four years as Chairman and championing policies that shaped the region's growth and inclusivity.
Jenkins has worked to cut taxes, build affordable housing, protect a woman's right to choose, reduce crime, secure tax breaks for veterans, restore aging infrastructure, and protect the environment. Ever committed to public service, Jenkins has championed the needs of middle-class families, earning a reputation as a fierce advocate for his constituents through his relentless dedication.
Jenkins built an extensive career in telecommunications and technology, holding key roles at leading companies such as Apple, AT&T, Bell Atlantic, New York Telephone (Verizon), NYNEX, and Seer Technologies. He also gained valuable sales experience as an owner and broker during his tenure at ERA Gem Realty, further enhancing his expertise in the real estate sector.
Jenkins' extensive public and community involvement includes board service with the Greyston Foundation, United Way, Westchester County District Attorney's Community Advisory Committee, Westchester County Crime Stoppers, and the Community Planning Council of Yonkers. He served as President of the Yonkers Branch of the NAACP and the Yonkers Community Action Program.
A longstanding member of the Democratic Party, Jenkins has held various leadership positions, including Treasurer of the New York State Democratic Committee, Chairman of the Yonkers Democratic Committee, Chairman of the Black Democrats of Westchester, and Secretary of the Westchester County Democratic Committee, in addition to serving on its Executive Committee. He has also shared his political insights as a frequent analyst on News 12 Westchester.
The proud son of a New York City police officer and a nurse, Jenkins is a former Boy Scout and Senior Patrol Leader of Troop 32. He is an alumnus of Fordham Preparatory School and Iona University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Information Systems. He and his wife, Deborah Hudson-Jenkins, have called Yonkers home since their marriage in 1982. They are the proud parents of three adult children—Alana, Jamal, and Terrell—and doting grandparents.
Running for Westchester County Legislator, representing the 5th Legislative District
Shelley Mayer has represented New York State Senate District 37 in Westchester County since 2018, when she won a special election to succeed George Latimer. She was reelected in November 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024. She chairs the Senate Education Committee. Her Senate district includes northeast Yonkers, Eastchester, Scarsdale, all of the Sound Shore communities, White Plains, North Castle, and Pound Ridge. Prior to the Senate, she served six years in the State Assembly representing Yonkers.
Before elected office, Shelley built a career in law and public service, fighting for New Yorkers. She served as Chief Counsel to the New York State Senate Democrats, as Senior Counsel at the National State Attorney General Program at Columbia Law School, and as Vice President of Government and Community Affairs at Continuum Health Partners, working to protect Medicaid and Medicare services. From 1982 to 1994, she was an Assistant Attorney General in the office of Attorney General Bob Abrams, where she handled major reproductive health litigation, served in the Civil Rights Bureau, and ultimately became a senior advisor to the Attorney General.
Shelley received her JD from SUNY Buffalo School of Law and her BA from UCLA.
Running for New York Governor
As Governor, Kathy has taken decisive action to put money back in people's pockets, lower costs, and invest in keeping New Yorkers safe. She sent inflation refund checks to over 8 million New Yorkers, secured universal free school meals for all students, tripled the child tax credit, made historic middle-class tax cuts, banned cell phones during school hours, and enacted landmark gun safety legislation. She is also working to deliver universal child care and fighting like hell to defend New Yorkers from Trump's attacks.
A lifelong New Yorker, Kathy was born and raised in a blue-collar, Irish Catholic family in Buffalo that instilled in her a deep passion for public service. Kathy watched her mother raise six kids and her father work in a steel plant by day and get an education by night.
Kathy took those lessons of courage, risk-taking, and discipline to become a student organizer and leader at Syracuse University, a young attorney, and a legislative assistant to Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan. She began her career in public service on her local Hamburg Town Board and then as the Erie County Clerk. In 2011, Kathy won an upset special election in one of the most Republican districts in New York and became a Member of Congress for NY-26. In 2014, Kathy was elected to statewide office as Lieutenant Governor.
She was then sworn into office as Governor in 2021 and elected statewide in 2022 for a full term. Since taking office, Kathy has been committed to fighting for New York families. She is fighting to lower costs, invest in public safety, and stand up to Trump.
Running for Speaker of the New York City Council
Adrienne Eadie Adams is a proud mom from Queens, a lifelong New Yorker, and a long-time champion for New York families. She made history as the first Black Speaker of the New York City Council, helping to guide the city through some of its toughest challenges. Raised in Hollis, Queens by parents with union jobs, she learned the values of hard work and community – lessons she brings to her fight for all New Yorkers today.
Speaker Adams led the Council to advance women's health and expand access to reproductive healthcare. She expanded support for crime victims, created a new $5.1 million budget initiative to fund community safety and victim services, and secured funding to establish New York State's first Trauma Recovery Centers.
Under her leadership, the Council addressed inequities in the city's workforce, fought to crack down on hate crimes, and increased equitable production of affordable housing while prioritizing housing preservation and homeownership.
Speaker Adams briefly attended CUNY's York College and earned her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. Prior to serving in the City Council, she worked as a professional trainer at several Fortune 500 companies. She is a life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, a longstanding member of the NAACP, and a lifetime member of the National Action Network.
Speaker Adams has spent her career fighting for New Yorkers – and she won't back down from a fight when New York families' rights, safety, and livelihoods are on the line.
Running for New York State Senate
Assembly Member Amy Paulin has served the 88th New York State Assembly District (Eastchester, Bronxville, Tuckahoe, Edgemont, Pelham, Pelham Manor, Scarsdale, and parts of New Rochelle and White Plains) since 2001. She chairs the Assembly Committee on Health and serves on the committees on Rules and Education.
A full-time legislator, Assembly Member Paulin annually ranks among the State's most productive and successful lawmakers. Her diverse legislative agenda includes healthcare, education, reproductive rights, child welfare, support for families, domestic violence prevention, sex trafficking elimination, government reform, sustainability, animal welfare, and gun control. She served as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Energy from 2013–2017 and as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions from 2018–2022.
As one of the most prolific members in the Legislature, more than 400 of her bills have been signed into law to date. Among her most important legislative accomplishments are writing and sponsoring the law that eliminated the statute of limitations for rape, sponsoring the landmark Trafficking Victims Protection and Justice Act, authoring the Birth Control Access Act, and sponsoring the Medical Aid in Dying Act.
Assembly Member Paulin was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. A graduate of the State University of New York at Albany, she holds a Master's degree and has completed doctoral course work in Criminal Justice. For more than forty years, she and her husband, Ira Schuman, lived in Scarsdale, where they raised their children, Beth, Sara, and Joey. Amy and Ira now live in New Rochelle.
Get Involved
Whether you’re interested in attending a monthly meeting, running for office, canvassing during campaign season, or volunteering at a community outreach event, there are many meaningful ways to get involved with the White Plains Democratic City Committee. Join us in advancing Democratic values, supporting local candidates, and making a lasting impact in our city.