Hannah Henderson-Charnow

About Hannah

Hannah Henderson-Charnow is a public servant and organizer committed to expanding public participation in government. She believes that democracy works best when communities are trusted with real decision-making power and that participatory and deliberative democratic practices are essential tools for building equity, civic trust, and resilient communities.

For more than four years, Hannah has worked in the New York City government. She currently serves as Legislative and Budget Director for New York City Council District 39, overseeing legislative strategy, budget negotiations, and grassroots engagement. Formerly, as Budget and Organizing Director, she implemented four Participatory Budgeting cycles, a process in which community members proposed and voted on government-funded infrastructure and cultural projects. In this work, she empowered thousands of residents to allocate more than $6 million in community improvements. She also spearheaded the New York City Council’s first Climate Justice Participatory Budgeting cycle, collaborating with educators, scientists, and community stakeholders to support resident-driven climate resilience initiatives. She is dedicated to supporting people-centered policy and governance, and organizing locally and globally for democracy, free expression, and human rights.

Hannah has a Master’s Degree in Public and Urban Policy from The New School and a BA in History from Bryn Mawr College, where she focused on Environmental History, History of Science, and History of Empire.