Linda Gibbs served as Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services for New York City from 2005 to 2013.

Supervising the city’s human service, public health and social justice agencies, she spearheaded major initiatives on poverty alleviation, juvenile justice reform and obesity reduction. Two of the collaborative efforts she shaped to address significant social challenges are “Age Friendly NYC,” a blueprint for enhancing the livability of older New Yorkers, and “Young Men’s Initiative,” an initiative addressing race-based disparities facing Black and Latino young men in the areas of health, education, employment training and the justice system. Gibbs also improved the use of data and technology in human service management, contract effectiveness, and evidence-based program development. During her tenure, New York City has been the only top 20 city in the U.S. whose poverty rate did not increase while the national average rose 28%.

Prior to her appointment as Deputy Mayor, Gibbs was Commissioner of the New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) and held senior positions with the New York City Administration for Children’s Services and the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget.