Her Story
About Yelva
Yelva Muller began her career wanting to work in the legal field, specifically in immigration law. After college, I worked as a paralegal for five years, gaining experience on both the plaintiff and defendant sides in civil litigation and personal injury cases. While the work was valuable, she had been volunteering with CUNY Citizenship Now! since 2018, beginning with a college internship as a junior/senior. Through this volunteer work, she saw how elected officials worked and the impact they made, which inspired her to become a public servant.
She went back to school for my Master's in Public Administration, knowing she wanted to start a job at the community level. Yelva transitioned into government at the end of 2023, and within six months, by July 2024, she became a Director of Community Affairs for the New York State Assembly. In her current role, she assists community members and residents with various matters. SHe is not limited to one area - sometimes she handles housing, utility assistance, parks, or transportation matters, to just named a few. This gives her a real understanding of what people need on a daily basis and what quality of life requires.
Yelva made this transition because she wanted to make an impact and create change. She said: "As a paralegal, I thought I was doing that, but in this position, I do a much better job because I'm not limited." Additionally, she speaks two other languages fluently (French and Haitian Creole), which help her serve the community better.
As a results-oriented community affairs leader with years of experience in operations management, relationship building, liaising, advocacy, community building, and the ability to lead teams; Yelva is committed to fostering collaboration among stakeholders and driving community initiatives to improve the quality of life especially for minorities and immigrant communities. She is dedicated to leveraging strategic insights and public policy to deliver effective and transparent services.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Yelva
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my faith and to God. I did not always choose God, but God always chose me. I think that the secret to the opportunities that came along and everything that I've been able to do to lead me to this point has been really God- not only his faithfulness, but also his grace. The fact that I was able to transition from being a paralegal for five years into government work, and within six months make it to director - that journey has been guided by something greater than myself. Almost three years later, I am so grateful for the transition.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was to never stop learning. I was also told that whatever you set your mind to, you should achieve it, because achieving it for yourself is more rewarding than anything else. This advice has stayed with me throughout my career transitions and continues to guide me as I grow in my current position.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say, first, make sure you know yourself, and also know your why. Why do you want to be a public servant? Understanding your why will dictate the decisions that you make and how you move when facing adversity in that field. It's essential to have that foundation and clarity about your purpose before entering public service, because it will guide you through the challenges you'll inevitably face.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
As public servants, even though we are here to serve, we must do so within certain rules and regulations, which can sometimes limit our capacity. It doesn't mean it's bad, but it can sometimes create barriers to helping people the way we'd like or the way they need.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Respect is the value that's most important to me, personally and professionally. When we talk about respect, we also talk about reciprocity. As public servants, we are here to serve, and I think we have to learn to serve with respect and dignity, because just because somebody is in need of our assistance doesn't mean they're not worthy of dignity and respect. I was raised to treat the janitor the same way I would treat the CEO, so I carry that value with me everywhere. Everyone deserves to be treated with the same level of respect, regardless of their circumstances, title, or position.
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