Akeem Jamal has been appointed the new Assistant Vice President of Communications and Government Affairs for the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC). Jamal is no stranger to local governing bodies, having served as the City of Yonkers’ Deputy Communications Director. He aims to elevate Roosevelt Island’s public profile and increase tourism while protecting the quality of life its residents enjoy.

Roosevelt Island’s President and CEO, Shelton J. Haynes, believes Jamal has “the poise and talent we need to uplift Roosevelt Island’s public profile within the city, state, and nationwide.” Jamal’s transformative ideas for the island will make it a destination for people everywhere to explore and uncover the hidden gem of Roosevelt Island.

During his time with the City of Yonkers, Jamal’s efforts yielded growth, as Yonkers rose from the fourth-largest to the third-largest city in New York while on the operational team. He led campaigns that fueled a $2 billion Rebuild Yonkers Schools campaign that funded three new city schools and spurred job growth and economic development.

Akeem Jamal’s job at RIOC is to make Staten Island a better place to live while also focusing on greener methods of maintaining and improving the island’s roads, buildings, parks, and public transportation (especially the aerial tramway, which has become a popular attraction for tourists visiting New York City).

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation is a public benefit corporation formed in 1984 to plan, develop, operate, secure, and maintain the 2-mile-long island. RIOC’s mission is to enhance the island’s residential community while focusing on environmentally friendly ways to maintain and improve the network of island roads, parks, buildings, and public transportation.