Pat Swinney Kaufman, the media and entertainment commissioner for the New York City Mayor’s Office under Eric Adams, is officially stepping down from her role on Friday as part of the city’s leadership transition.
“As many of you already know, today will be my last day as Commissioner of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment as I head into retirement,” Kaufman said. “Serving New Yorkers as the Media and Entertainment Commissioner and previously as the New York State Film Commissioner has been a great honor and privilege. Ever since I was a young girl in North Carolina, where I witnessed the magic of NYC on the large and small screens, I wanted to build a life and career here. I’m grateful I have been able to live out this dream while supporting NYC’s creative industries.”
Kaufman touted NYC’s creative industries as the city’s “heart and soul” and the reason “so many people come to visit, live and work here.” She also thanked industry, government and community partners for collectively helping NYC “remain the creative capital of the world.”
“I am proud of all we have been able to accomplish together,” she continued. “I truly believe that we have laid the foundation to make New York City the most stable and reliable location to film in the country in the aftermath of COVID and industry strikes.”
The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment supports New York City’s creative economy through its Film Office, NYC Media, Press Credential Office and programs and initiatives divisions. Together, these offices handle permitting and licensing, workforce development, incentives for creative projects and oversight of the City’s public media outlets.
In 2019, the city’s creative industries accounted for more than 440,000 local jobs and have an economic impact of $150 billion annually.
During Kaufman’s tenure, New York City launched the “Made in NY” Fund for New Theatrical Works, which enables artists to develop and place new theatrical works in venues across the city, and welcomed 15,000 attendees to the first-ever NYC Video Game Festival in 2025.
MOME also launched “The NYC Field Guide: How to Thrive in the Five on NYC Life,” a 13-episode series hosted by Michaela Birmingham that provides expert tips, hacks and resources for navigating daily life, including housing, transit and culture across all five boroughs. The series featured 17 city agencies.
Additionally, MOME partnered with HITN, the largest Spanish-language public broadcasting network in the U.S., to offer English- and Spanish-language video content on NYC Media; collaborated with the Theater Development Fund (TDF) on Seats on the Spectrum, which makes theater performances welcoming to audience members on the autism spectrum; and brought the “Made in NY” Awards back to Gracie Mansion after a 10-year hiatus, including the first-ever “Made in NY” Awards ceremony for theater and live performance.
“While it is hard to say goodbye, I do so knowing this agency is in good hands with incoming Commissioner Rafael Espinal and the staff’s collective talent, dedication, leadership, passion and commitment to public service,” Kaufman concluded.
Prior to her appointment in July 2023, Kaufman was first deputy commissioner at MOME, overseeing the agency’s work in developing programmatic strategies and support for film, television, theatre, music, advertising, publishing and digital media.
She also served for 19 years as executive director of the New York State Governor’s Office for Motion Picture and Television Development and as deputy commissioner of Empire State Development. During her tenure, she helped craft and shepherd the legislation that created the New York State Film Production Tax Credit. She also worked to create the standalone Post-Production Tax Credit and the Commercial Production Incentive programs.
Additionally, Kaufman served as president of the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) from 2003-2007, and sat on the board of the Hamptons International Film Festival and the New York Production Alliance.
In addition to her work in entertainment, Kaufman has served as president of the New York Junior League and sits on the board of the YWCA of Greater New York and Parents in Action/New York City.
Espinal, who was appointed to the role on Jan. 12, previously served as executive director of the Freelancers Union, where he advanced the protections and rights of independent workers nationally.
In 2019, there were 1.3 million freelancers — around 34% of the workforce — in New York City, many of whom worked in the city’s creative industries.
“I’m honored to join Mayor Mamdani’s administration and lead the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. New York City’s artists, creatives, and freelancers have made New York City into what it is today,” Espinal said ina statement. “If we want to keep our city’s culture, it is critical that they can afford to live and work here. I look forward to supporting our creative industries, expanding opportunities, and ensuring that the city remains a home for artists.”
