A behind-the-scenes operative who shuns publicity is now poised to become one of the most powerful figures in New York City government.
Elle Bisgaard-Church, the newly appointed chief of staff to Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, has spent years working in the shadows of New York’s far-left political movement.
Now, the 34-year-old Democratic Socialists of America member will help govern the nation’s largest city.
Mamdani announced Bisgaard-Church’s elevation to the top City Hall position on Monday, praising her contributions to his political career. Standing quietly beside him, she maintained the low profile that has defined her rise through New York politics.
“Few have played a more central role in this movement, or in every victory we have achieved together in the Assembly, than Elle,” Mamdani said during the announcement.
The California native graduated from Swarthmore College with degrees in political science and Middle Eastern Studies. Her political trajectory mirrors that of Mamdani himself, with both activists cutting their teeth in campus organizing focused on antiwar and pro-Palestinian causes.
At Swarthmore, Bisgaard-Church hosted an antiwar podcast and became deeply involved in the college’s peace and conflict studies department, according to the New York Post.
In 2011, she attended a talk by a non-violent Palestinian activist, telling the student newspaper about the power of non-violent resistance. “It really shows what non-violence can accomplish,” she told the paper at the time.
After graduating in 2013, Bisgaard-Church worked at various nonprofits in Philadelphia, Santa Cruz, and Washington, DC. Her focus centered on adult literacy and criminal justice issues before she moved to New York City in 2016 through a Coro public affairs fellowship.
She earned a Master’s Degree in public administration from Columbia University and the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2020. That same year, she joined Mamdani’s state Assembly office as chief of staff following his election.
Queens state Sen. Mike Gianaris, whose district overlaps with Mamdani’s Assembly district, worked with Bisgaard-Church on a free bus pilot program. Mamdani has pledged to expand the program citywide.
“My experience with her has been excellent. Smart, capable, very professional,” Gianaris said.
As a DSA member herself, Bisgaard-Church helped strengthen Mamdani’s relationship with the socialist organization. She played a key role in crafting the DSA’s 2021 guiding document that outlined how the group would work with elected officials, per the Post.
The outlet further noted that insiders credit Bisgaard-Church with convincing the sometimes-fractious socialist group to endorse Mamdani’s mayoral bid when it was still considered a longshot.
She then managed his campaign, earning roughly $11,000 per month while helping orchestrate his stunning Democratic primary victory.
Bisgaard-Church helped develop the concept for Mamdani’s Department of Community Safety, a controversial $1.1 billion proposal that would have social workers take over many responsibilities currently handled by the NYPD.
When Mamdani defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in June’s Democratic primary, supporters at his victory party chanted her name.
The crowd’s “Elle, Elle, Elle” chants signaled her emergence from behind the scenes.
Despite her growing influence, Bisgaard-Church maintains strict privacy.
She avoids social media and rarely grants interviews. Her summer wedding received no coverage in The New York Times or mention in Politico’s Playbook, unlike the nuptials of other high-profile government operatives.
City & State has never included her on its annual Power List, according to the outlet.
The Post reported that a profile last month revealed she is the only child of a single mother and married in July, but details about her personal life remain scarce.
Political consultant Alyssa Cass, a partner at Slingshot Strategies, praised Bisgaard-Church’s campaign management skills. She credited the chief of staff-designate with running a disciplined operation that demonstrated deep knowledge of New York City voters.
“She ran a hyper-disciplined campaign that showed a deep understanding of New York City and the pulse of the New York electorate. I think that’s a huge asset going into City Hall,” Cass said.
