A Conversation with NY Governor Kathy Hochul

Kathy Hochul is the 57th and first female Governor of New York State.

She began her career in public service on her local Town Board, before serving as Erie County Clerk and as a Member of Congress for New York’s 26th Congressional District.

As Lieutenant Governor, she chaired the statewide Regional Economic Development Councils, and served as co-chair of the State’s Heroin and Opioid Task Force, Women’s Suffrage Commission, and Child Care Availability Task Force.

Since being sworn into office in 2021, Governor Hochul has led by establishing a bold vision for New York’s future. Governor Hochul has spearheaded comprehensive policies and initiatives to help New Yorkers and their families, while building an economy that is stronger and more inclusive than before. Governor Hochul is making historic investments in the people, places, and things to make that happen – from healthcare workers, small businesses, and working families to infrastructure, education, and workforce development. And in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s reckless decisions to strip away abortion rights and strike down commonsense gun regulations, Governor Hochul led the charge in Albany to protect reproductive health care and strengthen gun safety laws, ensuring New York continues to stand as a beacon of hope and freedom for the rest of the nation.

Governor Hochul was born and raised in Western New York. She and her husband, Bill Hochul, are the proud parents of two children and one granddaughter.

Sade Baderinwa is an anchor of WABC-TV's top-rated Eyewitness News at 5:00 and 11:00. She joined the Eyewitness News team in 2003 as a reporter and anchor of Eyewitness News at Noon. 

Sade came to Channel 7 from Baltimore's WBAL-TV, where she anchored the morning and noon newscasts and hosted a weekly community affairs show. Earlier in her career, she was a reporter for WSLS in Roanoke, Virginia; a reporter trainee at WUSA-TV in Washington, D.C.; and a production assistant for ABC News' This Week with David Brinkley, Nightline, World News Tonight, and ABC News NewsOne. 

Sade is a big believer in giving back to her community. She has worked with numerous Tri-State area organizations, community leaders and students. After being struck by a hit and run driver while covering a story for Eyewitness News, Sade championed efforts to deal with the growing problem of hit and run accidents. For her efforts, she was recognized with the NJ Governor's Representative Award for Traffic Safety. 

She has also created and developed a successful mentoring program called "Get 'Reel' With Your Dreams: The Inside Track." It exposes high school students from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut to top professionals in film and television. Her partners in this initiative include The Walt Disney Company, WABC-TV, Lincoln Center Institute and New York Women in Film and Television. 

Sade is a native of Baltimore and a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park.