For the past 25 years, the New York County District Attorney's Community Affairs Unit has been a critical link between the District Attorney's Office and the community at large.  We are committed to helping local residents and businesses solve crime problems and develop strategies to prevent crime. The staff of Community Affairs attends more than 1,400 meetings each year and conducts hundreds of presentations for students and community members to raise awareness of guns, gangs, drugs, domestic violence and other issues threatening our communities.

Representatives from Community Affairs meet with schools, block associations, tenants' groups, landlords, social service providers, community coalitions, hospitals, site managers, parent associations, senior citizen groups, gay, lesbian and transgender organizations, business improvement districts, major corporations, community boards, libraries, and other community-based organizations seeking to solve neighborhood crime problems.  In addition to direct work with citizens, the Community Affairs Staff meets on a regular basis with precinct commanders, narcotics officers and other governmental officials to deal with particular criminal problems or target locations.  The Community Affairs Unit also administers the Office's Legal Bound educational program for youth.

Please take the time to read our brochure and learn about the ways that the District Attorney's Community Affairs Staff can assist you and your community.

Community Affairs Bios:

Lillian “Lee” Llambelis, Special Assistant District Attorney for Community Affairs.

Ms. Llambelis most recently served as Director of Intergovernmental and Community Affairs for New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. Before her appointment, she served as Litigation Director for the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund where she engaged in litigation, advocacy and policy development on Civil Rights issues affecting Latinos nationwide, litigating federal and state court actions challenging anti-immigrant laws passed by states and localities. Ms. Llambelis served from 1992 to 2002 as an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan, where she was assigned to the Trial Division; the Special Prosecutions Bureau, where she investigated and prosecuted white-collar crimes, including embezzlement, fraud, bribery, and the financial exploitation of the elderly; and the Official Corruption Unit where she investigated and prosecuted police corruption. Ms. Llambelis is a graduate of the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and received her law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center. She was also a Coro Foundation Fellow in Public Affairs. Prior to attending law school, Ms. Llambelis served as an Assistant Press Secretary to former Mayor Edward I. Koch.

Linara J. Davidson, Special Assistant to the District Attorney, External and Community Affairs

Ms. Davidson joined the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in January 2010 as the First Deputy Director for Community Affairs. In 2011, Ms. Davidson was promoted to Special Assistant for External and Community Affairs. Ms. Davidson came to the DA’s Office having served on District Attorney Vance’s Campaign as the Northern Manhattan Political Director. She previously served as the Community Liaison of Central and West Harlem in the Office of Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer. In 2006, Ms. Davison served as the Volunteer Coordinator on Velmanette Montgomery’s State Senate Campaign. Ms. Davidson is currently part of the Coro Leadership NY Program and holds a B.S. in Humanities with a Concentration in Literature from New York University. Ms. Davidson was raised by a family with a long history of community advocacy in Harlem, where she currently resides.

Linda Jones-Janneh, Principal Community Affairs Coordinator (Precincts: 9^th, 13^th, 17^th, 19^th, 114^th, PSA 4)

Ms. Jones-Janneh has been a Principal Community Affairs Coordinator since joining the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in 1996.  Prior to joining the office, Ms. Jones-Janneh worked in constituent and housing services in the Northern Manhattan District Office of City Council Member Stanley E. Michaels. Ms. Jones-Janneh accepted that position in 1994, after working as a community organizer in the 30^th Precinct. Prior to her work in community relations, she worked with Eastern Airlines, first as a flight attendant and later working her way up to recruitment and quality assurance officer. Ms. Jones-Janneh holds a Paralegal Certificate from New York University’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies. She has taken courses at SUNY Stonybrook, FIT and Wagner College.

Jennifer Carino, Education Coordinator

Ms. Cariño joined the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in March 2012. Prior to joining the District Attorney's Office, she worked as a paralegal in Astoria and a Summer Youth Employment Program Aide for Queens Community House. From 2008 to 2010, Jennifer served as the Communications Associate at the Women of Color Policy Network at NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service. She is a co-founder of the New York State Youth Leadership Council, a youth-led organization that works to improve access to higher education and create equal opportunity for immigrant youth, regardless of immigration status. As an undergraduate, she was actively involved with NYU’s Academic Achievement Program and is a 2008 Young People For Fellow at People for the American Way. Jennifer holds a B.A. in Political Science from New York University. 

Wendy Cedeno, Bureau Administrator  

Ms. Cedeno joined the Manhattan District Attorney's Office in October, 2007.  She is currently serving as the Educational Coordinator for areas north of 42nd Street in Manhattan.  Prior to coming to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, Ms. Cedeno volunteered as a Sunday School Teacher at St. Mathew Roman Catholic Church in Brooklyn where her interest for community education was sparked.  Ms. Cedeno graduated from SUNY Empire State College with a B.S. in Business Management with a concentration in Human Resources.  Ms. Cedeno has recently applied to New York University to pursue her Master's in Early Childhood Education.

Hildalyn Colon, Spanish Language and Ethnic Media Press Officer & Sr. Community Affairs Coordinator

Ms. Colon joined Manhattan District Attorney Office in November 2010. Prior to joining the District Attorney’s Office, Ms. Colon was a Lead Organizer for the New York/New Jersey Regional Joint Board Workers United. She worked and managed different campaigns in the hotel and lodging industry in New Jersey. Ms. Colon also served as the Political Coordinator for SEIU 32BJ in Long Island and Westchester. She has also worked labor organizations and non-profits in New York, New Jersey, and Puerto Rico including: United Health Care Workers East (1199 SEIU), Alianza SEIU Puerto Rico, Sindicato Puertorriqueño de Trabajadores (SPT), and Union General de Trabajadores (UGT). She has a Masters in Labor and Employment Relations from the School of Management and Labor Relations from Rutgers University where she was awarded with the Alfred and Eleanor Lowenthal Memorial Scholarship.

Katie A. Doran, Advisor to the District Attorney for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Issues

Ms. Doran joined the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in September of 1988.  She came to the District Attorney’s Office after completing a dual Masters Degree Program at Yale University; she holds a Masters in Divinity and Social Work. While completing her degree she served as the first student intern for the NYC Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Project.  Ms. Doran was an active member of the Mayor’s Police Council for Gay & Lesbian Concerns during the Koch, Dinkins and Giuliani administrations and currently serves on the NYPD Police Commissioner’s LGBT Advisory Board.  Throughout her tenure she has worked as an educator and advocate with the LGBT community and the Criminal Justice community.  In addition to her role as advisor, she is currently an EEO coordinator within the office and an active member of the District Attorney’s Diversity Committee.  She also serves as President of the DANY Association (a fraternal organization within the Office). 

Sandrine Fermino, Community Coordinator (Precincts: 20^th, 24^th,33^rd, 34^th and Central Park Precinct)

Ms. Fermino joined the Manhattan District Attorney's Office in April 2008. She previously served as a Senior Social Services Worker for the Witness Aid Services Unit prior to joining Community Affairs as a Community Coordinator in July of 2012.  Sandrine has worked in the field of Immigration, Public Assistance and Higher Educationand with Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault survivors for the past 11 years providing training and services.  Ms. Fermino holds degrees in Criminal Justice and International Studies with an emphasis on Political Science. She recently completed the requirements for a Masters Degree in Public Administration and Healthcare Administration at Long Island University - C. W. Post Campus. In addition to English, Ms. Fermino speaks French, Spanish, Portuguese and Cape Verdean Creole.

Famod Konneh, African Immigrant Outreach, and Community Coordinator (Precincts: 26^th, 28^th, 30^th, 32^nd)

Mr. Konneh joined the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in June 2010. Before joining the District Attorney’s Office Mr. Konneh worked for the Office of the New York State Attorney General’s Bureau of Intergovernmental and Community Affairs as a community liaison. Currently, he chairs the Bronx Borough president’s newly constituted African Advisory Council, and is also the president of the Organization of the New York Mandingo (ONYMA). Mr. Konneh graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics with emphasis in International Economics at the University of Liberia in 2001. In May of 2008 Mr. Konneh graduated with a Master in Public Administration (MPA) at Baruch College School of Public Affairs.

Gregory Herrera, Community Coordinator (Precincts: 23^rd, 25^th, and PSA5)

Gregory Herrera joined the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in October of 2012 as the Community Coordinator for East Harlem. He most recently worked at the NYC Law Department and the NYC Dept. of Parks & Recreation as a paralegal. Gregory served as a college student coordinator for the Office’s High School Summer Internship Program, where he assisted college-bound high school juniors and seniors with an interest the law. He was a high school intern in our office during the summer of 2008, where he worked in Trial Bureau 60. Gregory earned a B.A. in Political Science from SUNY Stony Brook.

Teresa Ye, Community Coordinator. (Precincts: 1^st, 5^th , 7^th )

Edgar J. Yu, LGBT & Community Affairs Coordinator (Precincts: Midtown North, Midtown South, 10^th & 6^th Precincts)

Mr. Yu joined the New York County District Attorney’s Office in July 2010.  Prior to relocating to New York City from California in 2009, Mr. Yu worked several years for the Victim Witness Assistance Program in Orange County; serving under various capacities including Restitution Specialist and Victim Advocate before moving into management.  Prior to joining the Community Affairs Unit as the LGBT Community Coordinator, Mr. Yu was employed by a Manhattan HIV/AIDS primary care clinic as a Navigator, administering mental health assessments to HIV clients.  Mr. Yu is a graduate of the University of California, Irvine where he completed his undergraduate studies in Criminology and English. He also attended graduate school at California State University, Fullerton in the Master of Public Administration program.