Leecia Eve facts for kids

Leecia Roberta Eve is an American lawyer from New York. She has worked in the government and for private companies. Currently, she works as a lobbyist for Verizon, a large phone and internet company.

Leecia Eve was born in Buffalo, New York. She ran for Lieutenant Governor of New York in 2006. She also worked as a senior advisor for U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton. Later, she served as a special advisor to Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. In 2017, she joined the Board of Commissioners for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. She also ran for Attorney General of New York in 2018.

Leecia Eve's Early Life and Career

Growing Up in Buffalo

Leecia Eve is an African-American woman from Buffalo, New York. Her father, Arthur Eve, was a Deputy Speaker in the New York State Assembly. Her mother is Constance Eve.

Her Education Journey

Leecia Eve went to Smith College. She also studied at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government and Harvard Law School. After law school, she worked for Judge Fritz W. Alexander II. He was a judge on the New York Court of Appeals.

Working as a Lawyer and Advisor

Leecia Eve became a partner at a law firm called Hodgson Russ. She also worked as an aide for U.S. Senators Joseph Biden and Hillary Clinton. She was a Senate Counsel and Homeland Security Advisor for Senator Clinton. Later, she helped Senator Clinton with her 2008 campaign for President.

Roles in New York State Government

In 2011, Governor Andrew Cuomo chose Leecia Eve to work for the Empire State Development Corporation. This group helps New York's economy grow. Later that year, Governor Cuomo made her his Deputy Secretary for Economic Development. This meant she helped lead efforts to create jobs and improve business in New York. In 2017, she was appointed to the Board of Commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. This board helps manage important transportation hubs like airports and bridges.

Current Work and Community Service

As of 2018, Leecia Eve is a Vice President of Government Affairs at Verizon. This means she works to represent Verizon's interests to the government. She is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. In May 2023, Governor Kathy Hochul appointed her as the Chair of this board. Leecia Eve is also a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.

Running for Public Office

Campaign for Lieutenant Governor

In 2005, Leecia Eve left Hillary Clinton's staff. She announced she would run for Lieutenant Governor of New York in 2006. Many important political leaders from Harlem supported her. These included Congressman Charles Rangel and former New York City Mayor David Dinkins. However, Eliot Spitzer, who was Attorney General at the time, chose David Paterson as his running mate instead.

Considered for U.S. Senate

When Hillary Clinton left her U.S. Senate seat to become United States Secretary of State, David Paterson thought about choosing Leecia Eve to take her place.

Campaign for Attorney General

In 2018, Leecia Eve was one of four people who ran in the Democratic primary for Attorney General of New York. The Times Union newspaper in Albany supported her. On September 13, 2018, she lost the primary election to Letitia James. Leecia Eve received 3.4% of the votes.