| Aravella Simotas | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New York State Assembly from the 36th district |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2011 |
|
| Preceded by | Michael N. Gianaris |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 9, 1978 [1] |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence | Astoria, Queens, New York |
| Alma mater | Fordham University Fordham Law School |
| Profession | lawyer, politician |
| Website | Official website |
Aravella Simotas (born October 9, 1978)[1] is an American politician from Astoria, Queens. As of 2011, she is a member of the New York State Assembly for the 36th Assembly District in Queens, New York, and a member of the Democratic party.[1]
Simotas was born in Zimbabwe.[1] The daughter of Greek parents,[2] she is one of the first Greek-American women elected to office in New York, and the first woman elected to office from her district."[3] She shares the honor with Nicole Malliotakis, another newly elected State Assembly member who is half-Greek.[4]
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Simotas' parents immigrated from Greece to Astoria when she was six months old.[5] She graduated from Astoria's William C. Bryant High School.[2][3][6]
She received a bachelor of arts degree (summa cum laude) from Fordham University in 1999, followed by a law degree from the Fordham University School of Law in 2002.[1][2][3][6][7] While in college, Simotas worked for City Councilmen Peter Vallone, Sr. and Peter Vallone, Jr.[5] During law school, she was an editor at the Fordham Environmental Law Journal[8] and later became a managing editor.[3][6][7][9] She first gained notice as the moderator at a Law Journal panel about citing electric generators in New York City under New York energy law.[9]
After law school, Simotas was a law clerk at the United States Court of International Trade.[2][6][7] She called that a "formative experience" for her.[2] She has been an associate attorney at Bickel & Brewer, a litigation firm with about 40 attorneys in Manhattan.[2][6][7]
In the September 2010 Democratic party primary, Simotas faced "conservative Democrat" John Ciafone and Jeremiah Frei-Pearson, a civil rights attorney.[10] The New York Post named her as a potential candidate in February 2010.[2] Even by that early in the election cycle, her exploratory committee had raised over $60,000.[2]
She received notice as potentially the first Greek-American female legislator.[11] By July 2010, Simotas had raised over $185,000 and garnered 4,400 signatures to get on the ballot.[12]
Simotas was endorsed by the Taminent Regular Democratic Club, which included the incumbent Mike Gianaris, State Senator George Onorato, and City Councilman Peter F. Vallone, Jr.[13] She was also endorsed by Congress members Joe Crowley and Carolyn Maloney, New York City Council speaker Christine Quinn, the Powhatan and Pocahontas Regular Democratic Club, and the Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club of Queens.[14] By August, Frei-Pearson and Ciafone dropped out of the race.[15] Therefore, as she racked up political endorsements, Simotas became unopposed in the Democratic primary.[15][16]
She won the September primary election[1] and ran unopposed in the November 2, 2010 general election.[17][18]
| New York Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Michael N. Gianaris |
New York State Assembly, 36th District January 1, 2011 – present |
Incumbent |