Vanessa L. Gibson Bio

Vanessa L. Gibson

Bronx Borough President

Vanessa L. Gibson was elected the 14th Bronx Borough President on November 2, 2021, becoming the first woman and first African American to hold the position. A proud native New Yorker, she has spent her career serving the West Bronx, beginning as an intern in the State Assembly and later becoming a Legislative Aide and District Manager.



In 2009, she won a special election to the New York State Assembly, representing the 77th District. She later served on the New York City Council, where she chaired the Public Safety Committee—the first African American woman to do so—and championed criminal justice reform, affordable housing, and tenant protections.

Gibson co-sponsored the Right to Counsel law and helped shape NYC’s ten-year food strategy to improve access to healthy food. Elected Borough President in 2021, she has led initiatives to improve public safety, bridge the digital divide in schools, combat hunger, and support local businesses.

She has worked to transform the Kingsbridge Armory into a hub for economic growth, advocated for fire safety, and partnered with state and local agencies to expand job opportunities and workforce development. Her leadership continues to focus on equity, safety, health, and opportunity for all Bronx residents.