Jackie Smiley
President
Jackie Smiley is a born-and-raised Brooklynite with a deep commitment to public service and community empowerment. Her career in politics began with State Senator Zellnor Myrie’s inaugural campaign in 2018, and she has since dedicated her work to expanding civic engagement and helping local residents navigate local government.
Jackie holds a Master’s degree from St. John’s University in Library and Information Science. A steadfast advocate for advancing women in governance, she previously served as the Coordinator of the Young Leadership Council for The New Majority NYC (formerly 21 in '21 ) and is an active member of the NYC Black Women’s Political Club.
Benjamin Atkinson
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 in the Office of the New York City Comptroller, Ben now serves as Policy Director for New York City Council Member Rita Joseph. 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.
Jarryd Rauch Hernandez
secretary
Jarryd Rauch Hernandez is a Brooklyn-based public affairs professional who has spent more than a decade working in Democratic politics at the local, state, national, and international levels.
Jarryd currently works at Geto & de Milly, a New York City public affairs firm, and serves on Brooklyn Community Board 3. Previously, he served as Director of Legislation for the New York State Assembly's Majority Whip, Executive Director of Democrats Abroad, and held various roles at the Democratic National Committee under three national Chairs.
A South Florida native and graduate of The George Washington University, Jarryd now calls Bed-Stuy home. He is involved with the Brooklyn Young Democrats because he believes Democratic politics should be accessible, welcoming, and fun, and that young people should have a real voice in shaping the future of our party and our communities.
antonella davi
membership President
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.
Kevin Trimmer
Treasurer
Kevin has been serving as Treasurer of the Brooklyn Young Democrats since 2022 after many years working in campaign finance for statewide, congressional, and local races. He currently works as an attorney with the Board of Standards and Appeals and lives in Crown Heights with his wife, Marianna, and daughter, Madeline. A long suffering Jets and Mets fan, Kevin is passionate about housing and transportation policy.
Kevin Hsieh Metters
Communications Director
Born and raised in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn and Northern NJ in a Taiwanese and Jewish-American family, Kevin completed an undergraduate degree in Political Science and Mandarin at Baruch College before moving abroad to pursue an MSc in Public Policy at Shanghai’s Fudan University.
Following graduate school, Kevin worked in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Beijing as a government and public affairs consultant, guiding prominent foreign multinational and senior diplomatic clients through geopolitical and regulatory risks in the Greater China and APAC markets.
Now based in Brooklyn, Kevin works to elect progressive candidates at all levels of government, and advocate for Mandarin-speaking communities. When not working, you can catch him lifting, nerding-out about history and design, and grabbing a drink with friends.
Frank Julca
Political Director
Frank Julca is a Peruvian-born community advocate currently serving as Chief of Staff to Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez. He previously served under the NYC Council Speaker, overseeing LGBTQ+ affairs and civic engagement. Frank brings a public health background shaped by his work at the Latino Commission on AIDS, where he provided direct services and advocacy to immigrant communities, with a focus on advancing health equity
Nathaniel Goodyear
Events Director
Nathaniel Goodyear is a community organizer from Brooklyn who has spent his post-graduation years fighting for environmental and economic resilience across the borough. He brings a background in clean energy policy and community solar project management at non-profit organizations, which he used to develop multiple solar projects in New York City. Nathaniel now works a a Community Liaison at the Office of State Senator Andrew Gounardes where he focuses on constituent services and community engagement for development projects across the district.
Noah Andrew Robidoux
Deputy Organizing Director
Noah Andrew Robidoux achieved his Bachelors in Criminology and Political Science at the University of Southern Maine, and his Masters in International Relations and Management from the University of Aberdeen in the United Kingdom. Noah has worked with Democratic, progressive and DSA campaigns as early as 2018, participating in years of campaign cycles spanning local to Presidential across the Northeastern United States. He’s been happy to find belonging in electoral work in Brooklyn and the rest of New York City. He has enjoyed the opportunity to bring his perspectives on leadership, movement building and social theory to help other like-minded individuals create change within their communities and beyond. In what free time he does have, Noah enjoys participating in and supporting the performing arts, exercise, and will occasionally read a book.