Deputy Borough President Rosemonde Pierre-Louis has dedicated her entire career to helping New York City’s most vulnerable. Her record includes more than 17 years as an advocate, educator and attorney for women’s rights and survivors of domestic violence.

As Deputy Borough President, Ms. Pierre-Louis serves as the pivotal liaison between the Borough President, his staff, and the community.  She is responsible for overseeing several of the Borough President’s key initiatives related to transportation, domestic violence, and the environment, as well as the unprecedented reform of Manhattan’s 12 Community Boards. Herself a former member of Community Board #10 in Harlem, Deputy Borough President Pierre-Louis has a strong understanding of the challenges facing Manhattan and she meets regularly with community members throughout the borough.

Ms. Pierre-Louis held several leadership positions prior to becoming Deputy Borough President, most recently as the Director of General Litigation at Harlem Legal Services. As the Legal Director of the Family Justice Program at Network for Women’s Services, Ms. Pierre-Louis recruited attorneys from large corporate law firms to represent battered women on a pro bono basis. At the Sanctuary for Families Center for Battered Women’s Legal Services, Ms. Pierre-Louis was the Senior Staff Attorney and represented battered women before New York State’s Supreme and Family Courts.

While working in the Matrimonial Unit at Queens Legal Services, Ms. Pierre-Louis created and developed a program to teach battered, working and low-income women how to obtain an uncontested divorce without need of an attorney. Since its inception 15 years ago, the program, the Pro Se Divorce Workshop, has been recognized as an excellent empowerment model for women and is now being replicated throughout New York State.

In 2004, Ms. Pierre-Louis was appointed by Chief Justice Judith Kaye to serve on the Matrimonial Commission, which was responsible for reviewing all aspects of matrimonial litigation and making recommendations for improving how the state’s Family and Supreme Courts handle such litigation.

Ms. Pierre-Louis is a frequent lecturer on domestic violence and the law, and served was an adjunct Professor at Fordham University School of Law. She sits on the Board of Directors of My Sister’s Place, is a founding member of the African American Task Force on Violence against Women and is the Chairperson of the Women’s Alliance of Harlem. Ms. Pierre-Louis is also a former Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of the New York Women’s Foundation.

Rosemonde Pierre-Louis is the first Haitian American to serve as Deputy Borough President in all of New York City. Ms. Pierre-Louis completed her undergraduate studies in political science at Tufts University, and earned a law degree at Case Western University School of Law. She is the recipient of the Leon Bogues Award from the NYS Association of Black and Latino Legislators and the Women United in Philanthropy Award from the United Way of New York City.