Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn

Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn represents New York’s 42nd Assembly District in Brooklyn, encompassing Ditmas Park, Flatbush, East Flatbush, and Midwood. The first Haitian American woman elected to public office in New York City, she serves as New York State Assembly Majority Whip and Chair of the Subcommittee on Oversight of Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs). Since taking office in 2015, she has introduced more than 200 pieces of legislation, championing economic development, business inclusion, affordable housing, maternal health equity, and immigrant communities.

A dedicated advocate for MWBE advancement, Assemblymember Bichotte Hermelyn helped lead the reauthorization of New York State’s Article 15-A, strengthening the state’s MWBE program and expanding opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses. Her legislative accomplishments include increasing New York City’s discretionary contracting threshold for MWBEs from $500,000 to $1.5 million and raising the state threshold to $750,000. She has also supported citywide MWBE mentorship programs and initiatives that expand access to capital, government contracts, and entrepreneurial opportunities.

Her extensive professional background spans public service, engineering, finance, and education. Before entering the Assembly, she worked with the New York City Department of Small Business Services and Comptroller’s Office and held positions as an electrical engineer, Wall Street investment banker, and public school mathematics teacher.

Assemblymember Bichotte Hermelyn holds a Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law School, an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and advanced academic credentials in electrical engineering, mathematics, and education from the Illinois Institute of Technology, SUNY Buffalo, and Buffalo State College. She also served as an MIT Mel King Co-Lab Project Fellow. Her diverse expertise continues to inform her commitment to economic empowerment, equitable business opportunities, and stronger communities throughout New York.