Janet A. Peguero

Deputy Borough President

Janet A. Peguero understands firsthand the value of hard work, public service, and the importance of civic engagement as tools to support a more equitable city. An immigrant from the Dominican Republic who was raised by school aides, Janet’s passion is rooted in serving her community.

Janet’s earliest foray into the public sector was with the nonprofit organization, the Vance Center for International Justice, a New York City Bar Association division. There, she organized a network of private law firms and encouraged the promotion and expansion of clearing houses to bridge access to free legal services for civil society and non-profit organizations in Latin America and Africa. Her nonprofit experience also includes working for Montefiore’s Behavioral Health Unit and Cardinal McCloskey.

Her tenure in government began at the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS), in the Division of Business Services, where she managed the agency’s pro bono legal services and led the design of the first-of-its-kind Commercial Lease Assistance program, offering free legal representation to commercial tenants. Later, she would serve the Bronx as the Senior Rezoning Manager, working on citywide land use projects focusing on the Bronx and Upper Manhattan. Janet was charged with ensuring residents had equitable access to city services and developing new programs for local economic development and workforce opportunities.

During her time at SBS, she also served as the Bronx Borough Director for Amplify Her, an organization that works to increase the number of women in elected office. There, she led and managed the organization’s Bronx-based endorsements, including multiple historic campaigns that led to the first female majority in the City Council.

Before joining the Office of the Bronx Borough President, Janet was an Associate at Constantinople & Vallone, a prominent government relations firm in NYC. The makeup of her portfolio consisted of representing and advocating for local nonprofit organizations and affordable housing developments.

Janet made history in January 2022 as the first immigrant woman of Dominican descent to become Deputy Borough President for the Bronx under the Gibson administration. As Deputy Borough President, she oversees multiple units, including Land Use, Community Boards, Borough Operations, Health and Human Services, Community Services and Policy.

Since her appointment, Janet Peguero has demonstrated incredible leadership and commitment to Bronxites. Janet has worked closely with the Bronx Economic Development Corporation and the New York Economic Development Corporation to bring resources to small business owners in the Bronx and reimagine the Kingsbridge Armory. Her collaboration with both entities resulted in the discovery of a $20 million loan fund for empowerment zones and a $200 million grant from Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams to go toward revitalizing the largest armory in the world after nearly two decades of dormancy.

Janet is also a strong advocate for maternal health, working with community leaders and health advocates to bring a birthing center to the Bronx to address Black maternal mortality, provide quality health care, and expand support for doulas. Deputy Borough President Janet Peguero also sits on several boards, such as the NYCEDC Board of Directors and NYC IDA/BUILD, where she influences key decisions on land use, business growth, and community benefit agreements.

Janet is a proud product of New York’s public-school education and an EOP Alumna of SUNY Binghamton, holding a BA in Latin American and Caribbean Area of Studies (LACAS) and Sociology and a 2019 fellow of the Council for Urban Professionals. Janet resides in the Kingsbridge area of the Bronx with her husband, a local small business owner, and her pup Bentley.