Need Assistance? Go to Catherine Zinnel

Catherine Zinnel is here to help.

And as the new District Director in Councilmember Brad Lander's office, she will surely be doing plenty of it.

"Residents should feel comfortable coming to us with any concerns," she said over grapefruit juice (Zinnel doesn't often drink coffee) at . "We will work with them."

Zinnel, 23, a Levittown, Long Island native and Hunter College grad, just began in Lander's Park Slope district office on September 1. She previously worked at the New York City Housing Authority, and was an intern at the Pratt Center for Community Development, working under then director Brad Lander.

Although she's only been a Carroll Gardens resident for the past two years, Zinnel is no stranger to the neighborhood: her father worked at the Waterfront Commission for 20 years.

While studying political science at Hunter, Zinnel became increasingly interested in community development. She studied abroad for a year, in South Africa, Brazil and India, which helped to shape her ideas of what makes a community work. Since then, she's known she wanted to work in public service.

Zinnel will be attending community meetings and events, and is available to people who call, email or drop-in at Lander's office at 456 Fifth Ave., between 9th and 10th streets.

"I really want any community member to feel they can reach out to us," she said. "We really serve as advocates for community residents."

A major part of Zinnel's job is working within the community to see where resources are needed, and figure out a way to get them.

"We will look across all the issues that have been raised, and determine where there are patterns," she said. "Working from a neighborhood perspective, we can see how to get city agencies to help."

Liveability and equal access are two areas in which Zinnel expects to devote a lot of her attention. Making sure the communities she works in have access to good education, open space and parks and affordable housing and services is extremely important.

Zinnel, who counts and among her local favorites, is "jazzed" to be working in such an active district, where residents care greatly for their communities, and are very hands-on.

"The debate in this area is so well-informed," she said. "I'm so excited to be working with strong community members and groups."