Beginning in September Guyanese born Errol Cockfield will run communications for Democrats in the New York State Senate.
The Democrat Majority Leader, State Senator John Sampson, also of Guyanese descent, hired Cockfield, who is 36 years-old, to be the Communications Director of the Senate Democratic Majority.
Cockfield went to SUNY at Stonybrook, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in English with a minor in Journalism. He has been a staff writer at the Los Angeles Times as well as the head of Newsday’s Albany Bureau.
More recently Cockfield held the position of head spokespman and advisor for New York Governor David Paterson, as well as Eliot Spitzer, the previous Governor to Paterson. Cockfield became well-known for his leadership and crisis management expertise during the historic power transfer from Spitzer to Paterson.
"I'm very humbled and excited that Senator Sampson saw fit to tap me for this important role. Under the Senator's leadership, Democrats have accomplished important victories, including reforms that allowed New York to get $700 million in federal education funding announced this week," Cockfield told reporters.
Senator Sampson was elected in 1996 to the New York State Senate where he represents Brooklyn’s 19th Senatorial District. Among the many sections of Brooklyn included in the 19th District are Kensington, Midwood, Crown Heights and parts of Old Mill Basin.