Alumni in Residence with James Katz J.D. ’08 of the New York State Executive Chamber

Thursday, October 1, 2026, from 3:00 p.m.- 5:00 p.m. ET

The Alumni in Residence program connects current HLS students with accomplished HLS alumni for one-on-one career mentoring and advice. You’re invited to meet with James Katz J.D. ’08 during their virtual office hours. Sign up for a 20-minute Zoom appointment.

James Katz serves as Deputy Secretary for Economic Development and Workforce for New York State Governor Kathy Hochul.  In that capacity, he oversees ten New York State agencies and authorities, and leads the state’s efforts to foster economic growth, innovation, and inclusion across sectors and regions.

Katz previously served as an Executive Vice President and the Chief of Staff at New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC). In that capacity, he was a senior officer of the corporation and played a central role in many of New York City’s high profile land use, capital construction and economic development efforts. He was chiefly responsible for day-to-day management of NYCEDC’s C-suite as well as the Strategic Investments Group (NYCEDC’s mission-driven investing arm) and its Government and Community Relations, Public Affairs, and Marketing departments.

A lawyer by training, Katz previously served as a Senior Advisor and Special Counsel to the New York State Attorney General. He holds a JD from Harvard Law School, a Master in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School and a bachelor’s from Brown University. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two children.