Twyla Carter, Attorney-in-Chief and Chief Executive Officer of The Legal Aid Society, has been honored as part of the PoliticsNY & amNY Metro Nonprofit Power Players list.

The leaders highlighted on this year’s list are the driving forces behind a variety of programs and initiatives improving the lives of New Yorkers from all walks of life. Focusing on important issues such as education access, race and gender equity, affordable housing, food insecurity and more the 2024 Nonprofit Power Players are vital leaders in the fight for a better New York for all.

During Twyla’s tenure, Legal Aid’s attorneys and staff have worked tirelessly to defend New York City’s Right to Shelter and to protect incarcerated New Yorkers from the deplorable conditions on Rikers Island. They have obtained important victories, from securing social security benefits for a child in foster care to championing legislation that will automatically seal certain conviction records, ending the perpetual punishment for many deserving New Yorkers.

Since day one, Carter has worked relentlessly since joining the organization to improve contract procurement and payments and securing additional funding to significantly increase baseline salaries for all staff.

When asked how policymakers could support organizations like Legal Aid, Carter elaborated. “Too often, organizations like ours are overshadowed by other legal system actors, namely the police and prosecutors. This has led to chronic underfunding, jeopardizing the legal services low-income New Yorkers are constitutionally and legally entitled to receive,” she said. “Policymakers must ensure that organizations like The Legal Aid Society are fully funded so that our most vulnerable neighbors have access to robust legal representation in their times of need.”

Congratulations to Twyla. Read the full list here.