Elaine Reiss is a dynamic executive with broad management experience in telecommunications, publishing, advertising, and the public sector. She has extensive knowledge of regulation, employment, market strategy, litigation, intellectual property, and communication issues with diverse industries and sectors.

As General Counsel with the Environmental Simulation Center (“ESC”), Ms. Reiss provides strategic and legal advice to the ESC that focuses on creating processes to resolve public and private disputes surrounding urban planning and urban design.

Currently, she is Commissioner of the Equal Employment Practices Commission of the City of New York, and the CUNY Civil Service Commission. In her previous role as Deputy General Counsel for the New York City Charter Revision Commission, she recommended changes which resulted in being placed on the ballot for voter approval.

Other previously held positions include Deputy Commissioner/General Counsel for the NYC Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications, Acting Deputy Commissioner/General Counsel for the NYC Department of Employment, and General Counsel and Secretary of the Ogilvy Group and its subsidiary Ogilvy Mather.

Other professional activities include: Chairperson of the Board of the Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation; Acting Chair of the NYC Civil Rights Committee, Member Board of Advisors and Audit Committee, and former  faculty member at the Brooklyn Law School and the Practicing Law Institute, Communications Law Seminar. She was also a candidate for Manhattan Borough President.

Ms. Reiss received her B.A. from NYU School of Arts and Sciences, LLB from Columbia University School of Law, and Masters of Law Trade Regulations, and Stanford School of Business Executive Training Program.