Vincent Paolo Villano joined The Legal Aid Society on October 5, 2021, as Chief Communications Officer with the mandate to lead the organization’s media, content, marketing, and branding strategy. He joins Legal Aid with over a decade of experience in government, campaigns, and advocacy using communications to advance racial, social, and economic justice.

At the NYC Commission on Human Rights, a civil rights law enforcement agency, Vincent oversaw media strategy on groundbreaking actions, including the landmark $1,000,000 settlement with Fox News Network for sexual harassment—the largest civil penalty ever ordered in Commission history. He also helped coordinate the citywide response to the increase in anti-Asian bias incidents connected to COVID-19. With renowned artist Amanda Phingbodhippakiya, Vincent launched “I Still Believe in Our City,” an art series to combat anti-Asian stigma. The artworks spread to protests throughout the U.S., landed on the cover of Time magazine, and became the Commission’s largest campaign ever.

At the NYC Civilian Complaint Review Board, the watchdog agency of the NYPD, Vincent oversaw communications in the administrative trial of the officer who killed Eric Garner. He also had a key role in the Board’s first-ever youth summit on policing, amplifying the voices of young New Yorkers on improving transparency and accountability in policing.

As part of his work at Hillary for America, Vincent led the Digital Voter Protection Hotline, which provided real-time support to voters facing irregularities at their poll site.

Vincent got his start in advocacy at the youth organizing arm of the Center for American Progress, fighting for health care access, immigration reform, and college affordability. At the National Center for Transgender Equality, Vincent led communications on the 2015 U.S. Trans Survey, which remains the most comprehensive study on transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming people’s experiences with discrimination.