Catherine Borgia Appointed Acting Director of the Office for Women
Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins has appointed Catherine Borgia Acting Director of the Office for Women, citing her decades-long commitment to advancing the rights of women and children, and her proven record of leadership in public service, advocacy and organizational transformation.
A lifelong advocate for gender equity, economic justice and reproductive autonomy, Borgia brings more than 25 years of experience championing policies that expand opportunity and protect vulnerable communities. Her work has consistently focused on increasing diversity and intersectionality in institutions, strengthening protections for survivors of violence, and ensuring families have access to the resources they need to thrive.
Jenkins said: “As a County, we are committed to protecting and empowering women, children and all members of protected classes. Throughout Catherine’s career, she has been a fearless advocate for pay equity, access to childcare, reproductive health protections, safe leave for victims of intimate partner violence and due process. She understands that advancing equality requires both strong policy and compassionate leadership. She is the right person to lead the Office for Women at this critical moment.”
Borgia said: “I am grateful for this opportunity and I thank County Executive Jenkins for this role. In this office, our focus will be clear, we will work every day to ensure women and families in Westchester have access to economic opportunity, reproductive autonomy, safe communities and the support systems they deserve. We will continue to stand up for survivors of violence, advance equity in the workplace, and protect the rights of all protected classes. Equality is not abstract – it is about real people, real families and real futures.”
Most recently, Borgia has served as Special Advisor to the County Executive on Women and Families, following six terms as a Westchester County Legislator representing the 9th District. During her tenure on the Board of Legislators, she served as Chair of the Board, Chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, Majority Leader and Chair of multiple key committees. In these leadership roles, she helped restore the County’s fiscal health, guided budgetary and economic development initiatives, and ensured County policies centered women, families and marginalized residents.
Borgia was a co-Sponsor of Legislation advanced by then BOL Chair, now County Executive Ken Jenkins that established the Office for Women as a separate department, which was adopted unanimously in 2012. The Office for Women was first established by Executive Order in 1980.
Borgia has championed legislation like the Immigrant Protection Act, budget priorities focused on pay equity, affordable and accessible child care, earned paid sick leave, protections for reproductive health clinics, access to counsel for housing disputes and safe leave for victims of domestic and intimate partner violence. She also played a leadership role in advocacy efforts to pass the New York State Equal Rights Amendment, safeguarding voting rights, pay equity and reproductive rights for women and LGBTQ residents.
Borgia currently serves as staff coordinator for the Westchester Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, focusing on the impact of gun violence on survivors and families. Her advocacy has consistently elevated the voices of those most affected, particularly women and children who experience disproportionate harm from violence and economic instability.
Prior to her County leadership, Borgia served as Chief Executive Officer of Clear View School and Day Treatment Center/AMIC, where she led a transformative turnaround of a nonprofit organization serving students with emotional disabilities and adults with developmental disabilities. There, she strengthened financial stability, expanded training and advancement opportunities, and cultivated a workplace culture rooted in inclusion and empowerment.
Her long-standing advocacy also includes decades of work to expand funding and improve the quality of childcare in New York State, leadership within the Empire State Campaign for Child Care, and service on numerous advisory boards focused on women’s mental health, environmental protection, voting rights and LGBTQ inclusion.