Press Release: Anthony Thomas Appointed Executive Director of Unite NY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025 

New York — Unite NY announced today that its Board of Directors has appointed Anthony Thomas as the organization’s new executive director. In this role, Thomas will lead Unite NY as it expands its efforts to give New Yorkers more voice and more choice in how they elect their representatives.

Unite NY is at the forefront of the movement to strengthen New York’s democracy through its Five Pillars of Reform — expanding ballot access for more candidates, enacting term limits, introducing citizen ballot initiatives, advancing ranked choice voting, and establishing open primaries. Together, these reforms aim to increase New Yorkers’ participation in the democratic process and make government more responsive to New Yorkers.

“The board and I are truly thrilled to have Anthony leading Unite NY,” said, Tim Hoefer, a Member of the Board of Directors, who served as Interim Executive Director during the search. “Among many qualified candidates, Anthony’s leadership experience and commitment to empowering New York voters make him stand out to help guide Unite NY into its next chapter. His ability to connect people from all walks of life is exactly what this moment demands.”

Thomas brings almost two decades of experience in national politics, civic engagement, the labor movement, and organizational strategy. Most recently, Thomas served as a Strategic Partner for Bold Decision, a campaign research firm. Prior to this he served as Managing Director for Actum, LLC. He is also the founder of The Uptown Table, where he partnered with workforce development organizations, labor unions, economic justice groups, and nonprofits. His experience in campaign management and organizational strategy uniquely positions him to lead Unite NY.

As Executive Director, Thomas will expand Unite NY’s growing movement of more than 15,000 supporters in advancing democracy and election reforms across the state such as ranked choice voting and open primaries.

“Unite NY is driving real change to make our democracy more accessible and representative,” said Thomas. “Throughout my career, I’ve worked to bring people and institutions together to expand participation and trust in our democratic process. Unite NY is leading the way with practical reforms to ensure our government truly reflects the needs of diverse communities across the state.

Voters deserve accessible elections and collective voice which results in a government and policies  which fully represent them. I look forward to working with Unite NY’s supporters and board to put voters first and deliver real choices at the ballot box.”

Thomas holds a B.A. in History from the University of Missouri and an M.P.A. in Public Administration and Leadership from the New York University.