Leadership.
Resilience.
Public Service.
A trailblazing American statesman — the first African American and first blind chief executive in New York's history — Governor David A. Paterson has spent four decades turning adversity into leadership.
Governor Paterson brings four decades of public leadership to today's most pressing conversations — on stages, on the airwaves, and in the boardroom.
- Keynote SpeakerLeadership, resilience, and public service.
- National CommentatorRadio and television across the country.
- AuthorBlack, Blind & In Charge — a memoir of leadership.
- AdvisorPublic policy, finance, and business leaders.
55th Governor of New York
When David Paterson was a child, his mother fought to enroll him in public school — at a time when blind students simply weren't admitted. Today, that school bears his name. That trajectory — from being told he didn't belong to reshaping the institutions that excluded him — defines Governor Paterson's life and leadership.
As New York's 55th Governor, Paterson warned of the 2008 financial crisis months before it made national headlines. While others dismissed his forecast, he convened the legislature, cut $2 billion immediately, and ultimately reduced New York's deficit by nearly $40 billion — all while preserving the state's credit rating.
From op-eds to national television appearances — Governor Paterson's most recent contributions to the public conversation.
Ex-NY Gov. Paterson pushes fed probe into whether Mamdani's anti-Israel crusade is inciting violence
Former Gov. David Paterson compared Mayor Zohran Mamdani to segregationist George Wallace as he pushed for a federal investigation into whether the mayor is inciting anti-Jewish violence.
David Paterson, Warning of Socialists Hijacking His Party, Emerges as the Democrat Republicans Can Respect
The former governor is a rare voice of reason in a party that has veered sharply left. BOB CAPANO Original placement here It was a memorable day in 2008 when Governor Eliot Spitzer resigned in disgrace amid scandal, leading David Paterson to become New York’s first African-American governor. As the Brooklyn director for Congressman Vito Fossella at the time , … Read More
Former Democrat NY governor decries socialist policies in his own party
Former New York Governor David Paterson analyzes the impact of socialism in the U.S. and the Democratic Party on ‘The Story.’ Former New York Democratic Governor David Paterson expresses concern about the rise of socialist policies following recent primary victories. Paterson warns that unchecked socialist methods risk “ruining this country” despite some valid underlying issues. He criticizes what he perceives … Read More
NYC’s film industry just dodged a bullet
By. Gov. David Paterson It seems like Netflix is everywhere these days. Stranger Things: The First Shadow has earned rave reviews on Broadway. Netflix’s annual Tudum festival drew nearly 10,000 attendees in Los Angeles last year and featured a live performance by Lady Gaga. The MGM Grand in Las Vegas hosted a Netflix-themed pop-up restaurant, which closed in January as the streamer prepares to open its … Read More
New York Social Diary—Style Across the Aisle
Former Governors Andrew Cuomo and David Patterson, City Councilmen Erik Bottcher, congress-women Carolyn Maloney and NY assembly member Rebecca Seawright were among the 30 elected politicians-turned-models who strutted the runway at Style Across the Aisle. Former Governors Andrew Cuomo and David Patterson, City Councilmen Erik Bottcher, congress-women Carolyn Maloney and NY assembly member Rebecca Seawright were among the 30 elected … Read More
The New Yorker—New York Civil Servants Strut Their Stuff
David Paterson, Andrew Cuomo, Carolyn Maloney, and other public officials hit the runway in a bipartisan Fashion Week defile. Naomi Campbell for comptroller? By Henry AlfordSeptember 22, 2025 Original article here. The mission: attend “Style Across the Aisle,” a Fashion Week spectacle wherein local politicians walk the runway wearing clothes mostly made by up-and-coming designers from their districts, and determine which … Read More
Bring Governor Paterson to your next event.
Keynotes and moderated conversations on leadership, resilience, public service, and the future of American politics.