Governor Kathy Hochul on Friday announced the nomination of Denise Miranda to serve as Commissioner of the New York State Division of Human Rights. Ms. Miranda currently serves as Executive Director of the New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs and will take office as Acting Commissioner of the Division of Human Rights on Monday.
“New York’s nation-leading human rights law is a critical tool to protect vulnerable people across our state,” Governor Hochul said. “With her decades of experience and strong commitment to justice and equality, Denise Miranda is the right leader to lead the Division of Human Rights into the future.”
Incoming Division of Human Rights Commissioner Denise Miranda said, “It is the culmination of my career’s work to lead the Division as its next Commissioner, and I am grateful to the Governor for entrusting me with this privilege. I look forward to aggressively combating discrimination and hate throughout the State, and realizing the Governor’s vision of a more equitable and unified New York.”
Since 2017, Denise Miranda has served as the Executive Director of the New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs, a State office charged with caring for vulnerable populations by protecting the health, safety and dignity of all people with special needs. In this role, she has led the Justice Center as it investigated nearly 100,000 cases, run more than 900,000 criminal background checks, and trained thousands of investigators.
Before leading the Justice Center, Ms. Miranda served as Managing Director of the Urban Justice Center’s Safety Net Project, providing direct legal services, impact litigation, research and policy initiatives to achieve economic justice for low-income New Yorkers. She began her career as an Assistant District Attorney in the Domestic Violence and Sex Crimes Bureau of the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, and later served as an attorney with the Network for Women’s Services and in her own private practice.
Ms. Miranda is a graduate of New York University and from St. John’s University School of Law. She is a dedicated community leader and active volunteer in her community, serving as a member of the Puerto Rican Bar Association, Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus, the Latina Mentoring Initiative and many other nonprofit organizations. Born to Puerto Rican parents, Ms. Miranda was raised in the Bronx and currently lives with her husband and daughter in the City of Mount Vernon, Westchester County.
