Nathalia Fernandez (born May 6, 1988) is an American politician serving as a Democratic member of the New York State Senate representing the 34th Senate District.

Early life

Fernandez was born to parents William and Sonia. Her father immigrated to the United States from

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

and her mother immigrated from Colombia. She grew up in Rockland County and later

Westchester County Westchester County is located in the U.S. state of New York. It is the seventh most populous county in the State of New York and the most populous north of New York City. According to the 2020 United States Census, the county had a population ...

, where she graduated from high school. She graduated from North Salem High School. Fernandez attended Hofstra University.

Political career

In 2012, Fernandez volunteered for

Mark Gjonaj Mark Gjonaj ( ; born December 1968) is an American politician who served in the New York City Council from the 13th district from 2018 to 2021. He previously represented the 80th district of the New York State Assembly from 2013 to 2017. His dis ...

's campaign for New York State Assembly. After Gjonaj won, Fernandez joined his staff as executive coordinator. She later rose to be Gjonaj's Chief of Staff. In 2017, Fernandez joined the staff of New York Governor

Andrew Cuomo Andrew Mark Cuomo ( ; ; born December 6, 1957) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 56th governor of New York from 2011 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected to the same position that his father, Mario Cu ...

as the representative of his office to the Bronx. Following the election of

to the New York City Council, the 80th New York State Assembly district was left vacant and a special election was held on April 24, 2018. Fernandez ran on the Democratic and

Independence Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...

party lines against Gene DeFrancis, who ran on the

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

, and

Reform Reform ( lat, reformo) means the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc. The use of the word in this way emerges in the late 18th century and is believed to originate from Christopher Wyvill's Association movement ...

party lines. In late 2018, Fernandez ran for a full term in the Assembly. She was unopposed for the democratic nomination. Fernandez ran on the Democratic party line against Louis Perri, who ran on the

and

lines. Fernandez won over 81% of the vote.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fernandez, Nathalia American politicians of Colombian descent Hispanic and Latino American women in politics American politicians of Cuban descent Living people Women state legislators in New York (state) Democratic Party members of the New York State Assembly Candidates in the 2021 United States elections 21st-century American politicians 21st-century American women politicians People from Rockland County, New York People from Westchester County, New York Hofstra University alumni Politicians from the Bronx Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in New York (state) 1988 births