Governor Kathy Hochul’s Campaign Announces New Senior Staff Hires
|NEW YORK, NY – Governor Kathy Hochul’s campaign today announced new additions to the campaign’s senior staff.
“I am thrilled that we’re bringing together a first-in-class team that will support our efforts to engage and reach voters from every background throughout New York State,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “These diverse and talented professionals have the expertise to hit the ground running on day one, and I look forward to working with them.”
“Jerrel Harvey and Miguel Arreola, who played senior roles on our successful gubernatorial campaign, are rising stars in their respective fields,” said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. “Jerrel served on my communications team for nearly two years and quickly earned the respect of everyone with his skill and professionalism. Miguel led our research team with a strategic approach and a keen attention to detail. While I’m sad to see them move on, I know our loss is a tremendous gain for Governor Hochul and her growing team.”
“Avika was an integral member of our communications team, helping build our digital operation from the ground up. She is a natural leader who brings creativity and strategic insight to her work,” said U.S. Senator Alex Padilla. “We’re grateful for her work in our office and know that she will serve New Yorkers well.”
Bios of senior staff announced today are listed below in alphabetical order.
Miguel Arreola, Research Director
Miguel Arreola will serve as Research Director. Most recently, Miguel served as Governor Phil Murphy’s Research Director for his successful 2021 re-election campaign. During the 2020 cycle, he served as a Regional Research Director at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), directing programs focused on competitive House races in Texas, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Arkansas, and Florida. Prior to that, he served as a Research Associate at the advocacy organization Restore Public Trust (now, Accountable.US) and a Research Analyst at the DCCC. Miguel is originally from El Paso, Texas, and is a graduate of the University of Southern California. He is currently seeking his Masters at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago.
Avika Dua, Digital Director
Avika Dua will serve as Digital Director. Most recently, she served as Digital Director for Senator Alex Padilla, building and managing the new Senator’s official digital program. During the 2020 election, Avika worked on the digital ads team on Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign and finished the cycle at Priorities USA where she managed programs to persuade and drive turnout among voters in key battleground states. Prior to this, she worked in digital marketing at Google across several products and initiatives, including the Grow with Google program to help small business owners, educators, and job-seekers gain access to Google’s digital trainings and tools. Avika is originally from Walnut, California and is a graduate of Harvard University.
Jerrel Harvey, Communications Director
Jerrel Harvey will serve as Communications Director. He most recently served as Senior Press Advisor for Governor Phil Murphy’s successful 2021 re-election campaign. He previously served as Press Secretary on Auditor Nicole Galloway’s gubernatorial campaign in Missouri and as Deputy Press Secretary in Governor Murphy’s administration. Prior to working for the Governor, Jerrel served as Communications Director for Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo and Assemblyman John Armato. He began his career as Diversity & Inclusion Coordinator for Proskauer Rose LLP in New York City. A New Jersey native, Jerrel is a graduate of La Salle University.
These new hires join Campaign Manager Brian Lenzmeier, Deputy Campaign Manager Rob Silverstein, Senior Advisor Amelia Adams, Senior Advisor Abby Erwin, Senior Advisor Tyquana Henderson-Rivers, Senior Advisor Lupe Todd-Medina, Finance Director Casey Ryan, and Director of Operations Lola Ajao.