Blasio Appoints Female Director as International Affairs Commissioner

Blasio Appoints Female Director as International Affairs Commissioner
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (Allen Xie)
9/16/2014
Updated:
7/18/2015

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed Penny Abeywardena Tuesday as commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for International Affairs.

Abeywardena, who lives on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, is the director of Girls and Women Integration at the Clinton Global Initiative. 

“Penn’s philosophy and extraordinary track record of integrating women into political life and lifting up others for the benefit of society as a whole completely aligns with our goal of creating a more inclusive city, where everyone rises together,” said de Blasio of his pick.

As commissioner, Abeywardena will serve as the liaison between New York City, diplomats, and the State Department. 

Shannon Liao is a native New Yorker who attended Vassar College and the Bronx High School of Science. She writes business and tech news and is an aspiring novelist.
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