إيل بيسجارد-تشيرش

إيل بيسجارد-تشيرش
Chief of Staff to the Mayor of New York City
Designee
Assuming office January 1, 2026
Mayor	Zohran Mamdani (elect)
يخلف	Camille Joseph Varlack
تفاصيل شخصية
وُلِد	28 يونيو 1991 California, U.S.
الحزب	Democratic
ارتباطات سياسية أخرى	Democratic Socialists of America
التعليم	Swarthmore College Columbia University London School of Economics

Elliana Bisgaard-Church (born June 28, 1991) is an American political adviser who serves as Zohran Mamdani's chief of staff in the New York State Assembly and will continue in that role when he becomes New York City mayor. She was the campaign manager for Zohran Mamdani's 2025 New York City Democratic mayoral primary campaign; it was the first political campaign she had ever managed. Bisgaard-Church is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

 Early life and education

Bisgaard-Church was born June 28, 1991 in California and grew up as the only child of a single mother. During her childhood, she regularly volunteered at a homeless shelter. She was raised in Davis, California and graduated from Davis High School.

She attended Swarthmore College where she produced an anti-war radio show on WSRN-FM. After graduating, she worked for charities and held non-profit jobs in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., focusing on adult literacy and decarceration. She moved to New York City in 2016 for a public affairs fellowship with Coro.

Bisgaard-Church completed a dual M.P.A. from the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs and the London School of Economics. She chose to study taxation, stating, "if I'm interested in critiquing and reforming our system of taxation, I better go study formally what a tax is."

 Career

 New York State Assembly chief of staff

Bisgaard-Church was new to politics and had little policy experience when she was hired by Zohran Mamdani just after graduate school. She was unknown to Mamdani when she applied in the fall of 2020 for the chief of staff role. Her hiring process involved four interview rounds, including with the New York City Democratic Socialists of America and the Muslim Democratic Club of New York.

Bisgaard-Church served as Mamdani's chief of staff in the New York State Assembly from December 2020 to December 2024. During her time in Albany, she was reportedly "not on the scene" and avoided "schmoozing." She is said to have "quickly proved to be a skilled political operator with a knack for coalition building." Her tenure has been described as part of an "evolution from a confrontational activist approach to a deft inside/outside strategy." State senator Jabari Brisport called her an "incredible workhorse."

She was one of the "leading voices" in the successful push for higher taxes on wealthy residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, she played a key role in the campaign for taxi driver debt relief, organizing a letter to the mayor and coordinating elected officials who were arrested during protests. She also helped start a free bus pilot scheme in 2023, proposing the idea for Mamdani to use a dinner with Mayor Eric Adams to finalize the pilot's approval. The pilot was later not renewed. Politico New York reported this was due to Mamdani's planned protest vote against the April 2024 state budget, a claim Mamdani denied. Bisgaard-Church noted that advocacy for the program continued.

 2025 Mayoral campaign

Bisgaard-Church served as the campaign manager for Zohran Mamdani's 2025 New York City Democratic mayoral primary campaign, the first political campaign she had ever managed. The campaign has been described as the "best-run mayoral campaign in recent history" and "one of the most improbable, closely-watched and successful campaigns in recent political history."

Bisgaard-Church is credited with crafting the campaign's platform and communication strategy. She stated the strategy was grounded on "consistency, clarity, authenticity" and focused on affordability, with tentpoles of a rent freeze, free buses, and universal childcare. She also developed the "Department of Community Safety," a central campaign proposal, after researching by interviewing mental health experts, public safety bureaucrats, and former New York City Police Department chief Rodney K. Harrison. Her strategy combined TikToks with a large-scale field operation that included 50,145 volunteers and 1.5 million doors knocked.

Under her management, Mamdani won the Democratic primary with a 13-point lead over Andrew Cuomo.

Bisgaard-Church is described as Mamdani's "right hand" and "closest adviser." Mamdani singled her out for praise during his victory speech, stating, "I would not have won this race without her steering our campaign." Patrick Gaspard, an informal adviser, called her the campaign's "boiler room" and "easily the most influential voice, partner, strategist in the camp." Gustavo Gordillo of the NYC-DSA stated, "With Zohran, she is the brains of the campaign."

 Mayoral transition

Following the primary, Bisgaard-Church's title changed to chief adviser. She is responsible for "laying the groundwork for a mayoral administration," overseeing a "hiring spree," and leading the transition effort. Her role includes "vetting potential deputy mayors, agency heads, timelines and policies." Her planning also focuses on "co-governance" and includes a standing weekly meeting with leaders of the NYC-DSA. On November 10, Mamdani announced she would serve as chief of staff in his mayoral administration.

 Political positions

Bisgaard-Church is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Prior to working for Mamdani, she was a "paper member," meaning she was not deeply involved. She later took part in creating the DSA's legislative analysis team and wrote a guiding document in 2021 that defined how the DSA would interact with its elected officials. She also played a key role in convincing the DSA to endorse Mamdani for mayor.

Sources describe her as a "diehard believer" on the left with a "lifelong preoccupation with wealth inequality, the carceral system and the injustices of war." Bisgaard-Church has stated she feels "deeply ashamed" of homelessness, calling it a "political choice" and a "moral failure," and said she found a "shared sense of rage" about it within the NYC-DSA.

 Personal life

Bisgaard-Church's full name is Elliana Bisgaard-Church. She had a wedding in July 2025. She maintains a low public profile, rarely gives interviews, and does not have a traceable presence on X.

 External links

مناصب مدنية
سبقه Camille Joseph Varlack	Chief of Staff to the Mayor of New York City Taking office 2026	Designee