Carlos Calzadilla
President
Carlos J. Calzadilla is an activist and community organizer who has worked on numerous progressive campaigns since 2016. He lives in Red Hook and is the Director of Community Relations for State Senator Julia Salazar, where he focuses on NYCHA public housing organizing and policy. During the pandemic he led relief efforts as the co-director for Red Hook Relief. He is also a Democratic County County Committee member and reformer.
Carlos has worked on several electoral campaigns in Southern Brooklyn. He was the campaign manager of Jacqui Painter’s successful insurgent District Leader campaign, and of Julio Peña III’s re-election campaign. He was also the Campaign Adviser for State Senator Andrew Gounardes’ successful re-election campaign. He formerly worked as the Community Liaison for former Council Member Carlos Menchaca. Carlos has been a progressive Democratic activist fighting for social justice causes, and immigration reform is close to his heart. During the Trump administration, Carlos fought for immigrant rights and led several successful efforts to stop deportations.
Jackie Smiley
VICE PRESIDENT
Info coming soon.
Annie Nelson
Secretary
Annie (she/her) is currently a Master of Public Administration student at NYU Wagner School of Public Service. Since graduating college, Annie has worked in non profit management, K-12 education, and state and local politics. While she’s originally from New York City, Annie spent a few years living in Colorado and loves all things outdoors (and will gladly discuss CO politics with anyone who is mildly interested). In her free time, Annie can be found cooking, reading, rock climbing, catching live music, and now going to BYD meetings!
anya lehr
Board Advisor, Operations
Anya Marshall Lehr (she/her) is a born-and-raised New Yorker, a graduate of NYC’s public school system, and someone who’s favorite movies are those about which one could plausibly say “actually, New York City was the real protagonist.”
After a half-decade working in digital media, Anya pivoted to a career in politics, working for Beto O’Rourke, Elizabeth Warren & Joe Biden in 2020. She has worked as Deputy Director of Health & Safety for the presidential inauguration, helped launch multiple nonprofits, and served as campaign manager and senior advisor and chief of staff to Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez, who has represented Bushwick, Williamsburg and Ridgewood since 2021.
Antonella Davi
Vice President of membership
Dennis Futoryan
Legal director
Born and raised in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn in ‘93, Dennis is a first-generation American born from a family of Jewish-Ukrainian refugees. After realizing his love for politics in James Madison High School, Dennis received his BA in Political Science in Brooklyn College and his JD at New York Law School.
Currently, you can find Dennis practicing law within the realm of civil litigation, teaching law and politics at Brooklyn College, or putting out weekly episodes of his NYC-based podcast, The 25th Hour.
Benjamin Atkinson
North Brooklyn Vice President
Ben was born and raised in Syracuse, New York. He has a decade of experience on issue based and electoral campaigns across New York State and currently works at the Office of the New York City Comptroller. Ben has launched multiple political action committees focused on young swing voters. Prior to politics, Ben worked as a financial Consultant at Equitable Advisors. Ben is a SUNY Oswego graduate, and he currently lives in East Williamsburg.
Benjamin Fikhman
SOUTH Brooklyn Vice President
Born and raised in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, Ben Fikhman was the first in his family born in America with the rest of his family hailing from Soviet Ukraine. After learning more about his family history and growing up attending public school from kindergarten through 12th grade, Ben began to feel politics and the idea of compassionate governance in his blood, later pursuing and graduating with a political science degree from Vassar College with a minor in history.
Ben is currently the Field Director for Kayla Santosuosso's campaign for City Council District 47, but you can also find him playing basketball, running, or grabbing a slice (or four) in various corners of Brooklyn.
Treasurer
Kevin Trimmer
Kevin is currently a 2L at Brooklyn Law School. He has worked in campaign finance roles on statewide, congressional, and local races and is excited for the chance to apply that experience in his first term as Treasurer of the Brooklyn Young Democrats. Kevin is an urban planning junkie, an Eagle Scout and a former PSAL City Champ in Track and Field.
