About Rachel
Since her first election in 2018, Rachel has fought hard for the people of Central New York. During her time in office, the Legislature has passed early voting and other significant election reforms, protected New Yorkers' reproductive rights, and passed the strongest climate protection legislation in the country. Some issues where Rachel has taken the lead include:
Funding the Syracuse STEAM School, a major renovation of Central Tech HS into a county-wide school for STEM and the arts
Allowing visitors in nursing homes during health emergencies and assuring better oversight of nursing homes
Raising wages for home care workers
Enabling municipal broadband, so that towns and villages can provide comprehensive, affordable internet to all residents
The Tenant Dignity and Safe Housing Act, which allows tenants to sue for safe living conditions without being evicted
Rachel chairs Cities 2, the committee on upstate cities, and the Legislative Commission on Rural Resources. She serves on the Elections, Agriculture, Aging, Health, Environmental Conservation, and Housing committees.
Prior to taking elective office, Rachel had several careers - directing sustainability education at Syracuse University, teaching Russian language and literature at Macalester College and SUNY Stony Brook, and teaching high school math in Connecticut and the Dominical Republic. She earned a BA at Princeton, Masters degrees at Oxford and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and a Ph.D. at Stanford. She has one adult child, who will also study for a master's degree at ESF, starting in 2024.