Liz Abzug

As a national consultant, professor, lobbyist and candidate for New York City elective office, Liz Abzug has been involved in many fields including politics, economic and urban development, and civil and human rights. An adjunct professor in Urban Studies at Barnard College and Columbia University, she teaches course on American Cities, community building and economic development, as well as a course she developed on Women and Leadership in the 20th and 21st centuries. In the wake of September 11th, Abzug co-founded and was a co- leader of “Rebuild Downtown Our Town” a major civic coalition aimed at developing a vision and plan to rebuild and reshape Lower Manhattan.

Abzug has served in various senior level positions in federal, state, and local government. Under New York Governor Mario Cuomo, Abzug was New York State’s Chief Economic Development Lobbyist in DC. In addition, Abzug served as the Vice President of Operations of Empire State Development Corporation where she assisted small businesses and commercial and industrial companies in starting or expanding their operations in the city’s and State’s most economically distressed areas. Abzug was also the Deputy Commissioner of Operations of New York State’s Human Rights Enforcement agency where she was instrumental in amending the New York State Human Rights law to ban discrimination against people who have HIV/AIDS.

Abzug also served on several not for profit organization’s and small corporate boards including the Palisades Institute Inc., New York State Commission on Domestic Violence, the Governor’s Gay Rights Task Force, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and the Manhattan Borough Development Corporation.

Abzug currently serves on the Advisory Board of Directors for the new nationally distributed magazine, KIWI, providing practical nutritional health, fitness and “green” home advice to support families to “live the natural and organic way.”

In addition to “Rebuild Downtown Our Town”, Abzug co-founded Bella Abzug Leadership Institute (BALI), a new 501-c-3 not for profit leadership training organization for high school and college level women that seeks to “inspire women and girls to lead the future”. In 1995 Abzug also created a national public affairs and management consulting firm which services small businesses, corporations, not for profit organizations, state and local governments and universities political consulting, marketing, public relations, and lobbying needs.

Named one of “2008’s 21 Leaders for the 21St Century” by Women's E-News, Abzug is an accomplished public speaker and has spoken at colleges, universities, conferences and conventions throughout the United States.

Our Unfinished Business and Freedom on Our Terms

Politics, Leadership, Civic Engagement and Empowerment in the New Millennium

Women, Power, Politics and Leadership- Isn’t It Time We Achieve Our Equal Share of Seats at the Table?

Community Building and Civic Engagement in the 21st Century-“Local in the Age of Global”

Social Change in the Jewish Community – The Spirit of Tikkun Olam