Shanel Thomas-Henry is a lifelong Queens resident with years of community service and a deep commitment to building a brighter future for local families. She has an extensive background in community service, including serving on numerous local boards, the New York City Industrial Development Agency, Elmcor Youth & Adult Activities, Inc., Neighborhood Housing Services of Queens CDC, the 115th Precinct Council and Community Board 3, and as the Public Information Liaison for the LaGuardia Redevelopment Program Her first 9 to 5 job was working as a cashier at LaGuardia Airport from the age of 16 until she left for college. Shanel was admitted to Howard University, graduating with a BA in International Business with a concentration in marketing and a Master’s in Public Administration. She also pursued studies abroad at the Sorbonne in Paris, France, and the Cultural Institute in Oaxaca, Mexico. Moving back to Queens after four years in Washington D.C., Shanel served as the Community Outreach Manager for the LaGuardia Redevelopment Program. Today, as a strong advocate for the community, Shanel Thomas-Henry is a candidate to serve as the next City Council Member for District 21
1 What role did you play as the Community Outreach Manager for the $8 billion LaGuardia Airport Redevelopment?
Shanel Thomas-Henry: As the Community Outreach Manager for the $8 billion LaGuardia Airport Redevelopment, my focus was on making sure this historic investment delivered real, tangible benefits to the people of Queens, and especially Corona and East Elmhurst. I worked to ensure our communities were not left behind by building strong partnerships with local organizations and creating access to good-paying, long-term career opportunities. From launching a Satellite Employment Office to designing a $1.3 million workforce development program, my goal was to open doors for local residents and provide pathways to economic mobility.
I also led initiatives to deepen equity and inclusion. I championed helping justice-impacted individuals reconnect with the workforce through my work with the Office of Second Chance Employment. My focus was always clear: make sure this historic project opened doors for the people who live and work in our community.
2 What initiatives have you pioneered to benefit Corona and East Elmhurst?
Shanel Thomas-Henry: Through the LaGuardia Airport Redevelopment, several initiatives were created and developed including a College Scholarship Program for local students to attend Vaughn College, whereas 12 scholarships were awarded to students who received full tuition, paid internships, and career placement following graduation.
Additionally, a $1.3 million Workforce Development Program was established to expand career pathways and job readiness, filling over 2,000 vacancies and ensuring more than 65% of the jobs went to Queens residents. A STEM summer camp was established in coordination with the Cradle of Aviation and Queens Public Libraries for middle school students. In building capacity for local businesses and assisting with MWBE certification for access to contracts with the Port Authority and other aviation partners, over $2-billion in contracts went to MWBEs and over $800-million to Queens based businesses.
3 What make you a strong advocate for Eastern Queens?
Shanel Thomas-Henry: As a lifelong resident of Eastern Queens, my roots in this community run deep. I was raised here, educated here, and now raising my own family here. For over a decade, I have served on local boards, supported youth and older adult programs, and helped expand our neighbors’ access to jobs, scholarships, and career pathways. Whether it was opening the Jeffrion L. Aubry LaGuardia Career Center at Elmcor, launching the LaGuardia Redevelopment Opportunities Scholarship, or helping a former colleague certify his own airport concessions business, my focus has always been on building lasting change for the people who live here.
4 What are some of the words that you live by?
Shanel Thomas-Henry: “My goal in life is to prepare the next generation to ascend beyond what I have achieved; if they can begin their journey where we end ours, that’s true progress.”
5 What would you like to see happen to improve community well-being in the future, and what are the challenges?
Shanel Thomas-Henry: In the future, I want to see Queens remain an affordable, welcoming place where families, both longtime residents and new neighbors, can plant roots and thrive. Too many young people are growing up here only to be priced out of the neighborhoods that raised them. Our seniors, who have contributed so much to our communities, deserve the resources and services to age in place with dignity and grace. Corona and East Elmhurst have long been vibrant hubs of diversity and immigrant life. I will fight to ensure we preserve that legacy and build on it.
The biggest challenge ahead will be resisting the dangerous and divisive policies coming from the federal level—policies that target immigrant communities, threaten our sense of safety and undermine our values.
