City & State—the leading publication on New York politics and policy—has named two Colin Powell School alumni, Paola Martinez (’16) and Mohammed Alam (’14), to its annual “Who’s Who in Government Relations” list.
Mohammed Alam is an Associate at Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt LLP, where he is part of the firm’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice. A graduate of the Colin Powell School at The City College of New York, he represents clients across the construction, financial, and cannabis industries, as well as educational institutions and government entities. Alam also serves as a vice chair of the New York State Democratic Party and was a New York elector in the 2024 presidential election, casting his vote for Kamala Harris.
Paola Martinez is the Director of Government Relations at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York. She originally joined the organization in 2019 as Director of Social and Community Services, where she launched an on-site social services program that distributed meals and vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. After a brief tenure at SUNY, she returned to Catholic Charities in 2022 to oversee strategic program development and special initiatives, expanding access to food, affordable housing, and support services for refugees and immigrants. She also helped coordinate a day of service at the Somos conference in Puerto Rico.
Congratulations to both on this well-deserved recognition!
