| Ruth Hassell-Thompson | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New York State Senate from the 36th district | |
| In office January 1, 2001 – June 30, 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Suzi Oppenheimer |
| Succeeded by | Jamaal Bailey |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1942-11-06) November 6, 1942 (age 82) Mount Vernon, New York |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Mount Vernon, New York |
| Occupation | Nurse/Counselor |
Ruth Hassell-Thompson (née Hassell; born November 6, 1942) of Mount Vernon, New York, is a former State Senator who represented the 36th district of New York, which includes the Bronx neighborhoods of Norwood, Bedford Park, Williamsbridge, Co-op City, Wakefield and Baychester and City of Mount Vernon.
Political career and background
 | This section of a biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libelous. Find sources: "Ruth Hassell-Thompson" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (November 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Born November 6, 1942 in New York City to Branon Hassell and Thelma Crump Hassell, Hassell-Thompson worked as a pediatric nurse and substance abuse counselor for Mount Vernon Hospital from 1963 to 1998. From January 1980 to June 1987, she was executive director of the Westchester Minority Contractor's Association (WMCA). Prior to leading the WMCA, she worked for the Westchester Community Opportunity Program for 10 years in a number of management positions.
She served as president/CEO of Whart Development Company Inc., a real estate development company and a consultant to small and developing businesses before being elected to Mount Vernon City Council in 1993. She would later serve as council president and acting mayor.
In 2000, she was elected to the State Senate. She is the chairwoman of the Crime Victims, Crime and Corrections Committee and is a former ranking minority member on the Consumer Protection and Judiciary committees.
Hassell-Thompson announced on April 22, 2016, that she would be leaving the Senate to work for Governor Andrew Cuomo. She worked as special adviser for policy and community affairs of New York State Homes and Community Renewal.
See also
Notes
- "Hassell-Thompson to leave Senate to join Cuomo's office". LoHud. 2016-04-22. Retrieved 2016-05-15.
- "Governor Cuomo Announces Appointment of Ruth Hassell-Thompson as Special Advisor for Policy and Community Affairs of New York State Homes and Community Renewal". Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. 2016-04-22. Retrieved 2020-08-23.
- Rocchio, Patrick. "Senator Hassell-Thompson joins Cuomo administration in NYS State Homes and Community Renewal". Bronx Times. Retrieved 2020-08-23.
Further reading
- Paterson, David "Black, Blind, & In Charge: A Story of Visionary Leadership and Overcoming Adversity." Skyhorse Publishing. New York, New York, 2020
External links
| New York State Senate | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byLarry Seabrook | New York State Senate, 33rd District 2001–2002 |
Succeeded byEfrain Gonzalez |
| Preceded bySuzi Oppenheimer | New York State Senate, 36th District 2003–2016 |
Succeeded byJamaal Bailey |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded byMichael Nozzolio | Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Crime Victims Crime and Corrections 2009–2010 |
Succeeded byMichael Nozzolio |
- Living people
- Politicians from Westchester County, New York
- African-American state legislators in New York (state)
- 21st-century African-American women politicians
- Democratic Party New York (state) state senators
- Women state legislators in New York (state)
- American substance abuse counselors
- African-American nurses
- American nurses
- American women nurses
- 1942 births
- 21st-century American women politicians
- Politicians from Mount Vernon, New York
- African-American city council members in New York (state)
- Women city councillors in New York (state)
- 21st-century African-American politicians
- 20th-century African-American military personnel
- 20th-century African-American women
- 21st-century members of the New York State Legislature