Kamillah Hanks
49th Council District - Staten Island
Kamillah M. Hanks is a native Staten Islander and proud mother of four who has been a leader and advocate for smart growth and positive economic development in the North Shore of Staten Island for nearly two decades. A trained fine artist, Kamillah attended LaGuardia HS of Music & Performing Arts and studied marketing and finance at the College of Staten Island. Kamillah has over 20 years of experience in both public and private sectors.
In 2012, Kamillah founded the Historic Tappen Park Community Partnership, where she works with civic leaders, community groups, and local schools to boost cultural and economic development in Stapleton and surrounding neighborhoods. Kamillah is particularly proud of pioneering Staten Island’s first YouthBuild program, which provides a pathway for out of school, out of work young adults with advanced vocational education, leadership development, job training and valuable life skills. In 2018, YouthBuild Staten Island was one of two organizations in NYC to receive 1.1 million for the U.S. Department of Labor.
For her efforts during the pandemic, Ms. Hanks was awarded with the prestigious honor of being named a 2020 Staten Island Advance Woman of Achievement for creating a training program at the height of the pandemic that manufactured over 5000 face shields for firefighters, first responders and medical professionals. In August 2020, Kamillah Hanks founded the Minority Women in Business Association to advocate for women of color to become MWBE certified and receive government contracts. Her advocacy earned her a place as an honoree for the Young, Gifted and Black Entrepreneurial awards in February of 2021.
Ms. Hanks’ main priorities include creating a master plan that integrates a solid infrastructure and encourages sensible development, while respecting and preserving our rich historic districts and neighborhoods. Create educational initiatives that builds career pathways through union apprentice programs and advocate for truly affordable and quality housing for people earning minimum wage as well as working and middle-class residents. Kamillah’s vision will be to bring good paying, quality jobs to the district, provide funding and resources that improves our district’s healthcare, transportation and school systems.
Kamillah’s other accomplishments also include, serving on the New York City Council Redistricting Commission, the Interim President of the Van Duzer Civic Association in Stapleton and was the former Executive Director of the Downtown Staten Island Council. Ms. Hanks also worked as a public relations consultant at the Staten Island Museum and the Staten Island Economic Development Corp. In 2014, Ms. Hanks was appointed by Staten Island Borough President, James Oddo to the NYC Panel for Education Policy, and served as the Staten Island representative until 2016.
She was the National Council of Negro Women Honoree in 2009, as well as an SIEDC 20 Under 40 Leadership Award Winner. She is also an alumna of Coro Neighborhood Leadership Program NYC and was NYS Senator Diane J. Savino’s 2015 New York State Woman of Distinction honoree. In 2001, Kamillah Hanks worked with producers and starred in a Staten Island documentary short, "Ferry Tales," which was nominated for an Academy Award in 2004.
Kamillah resides in Stapleton with her family.