Meet Doug

Doug Schneider was elected as a Member of the Democratic State Committee/District Leader in September 2018. As District Leader, Doug is fighting for a Brooklyn Democratic Party that is transparent, engages and listens to grassroots Democrats, and mentors the next generation of leaders at all levels.

Since being elected, Doug has fought against the unprincipled way we elect judges in this state and supported qualified judges who have increased much needed diversity on the judiciary. As a member of the Brooklyn Democratic Party’s Task Force on Gender and Gender Identity, Doug helped pass an amendment that removed the barriers to participation in Brooklyn Party for transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary Democrats. He has been a leading voice challenging the Board of Elections about its refusal to provide increased language access at the polls.

As a civil rights attorney, Doug fights for employees discriminated against because of who they are, like the lifelong educator wrongfully terminated because of her age; the personal assistant fired because she was pregnant; the crisis counselor harassed because of who he loved; or the technician let go because of his disability. When the police tried to frame one of his clients, Doug uncovered the evidence that unequivocally proved that the officer had made the entire thing up. Experiences like this are why Doug is a long-time criminal justice reform advocate.

Doug is a long-time street safety advocate. When brave members of Families For Safe Streets got arrested fighting for speed cameras, Doug represented them pro bono and got all charges dismissed. When Doug found conditions on the Ocean Parkway bike lane that were dangerous for bikers and pedestrians alike, he authored a proposal to fix the problem that was approved by Community Board 7 and enacted by Department of Transportation. To address the City’s refusal to clear curbcuts and crosswalks when it snows, Doug created “Claim A Curb” to organize volunteer shovelers.

Doug is a former Trustees of the Park Slope Civic Council; served on the District Committee for Brad Lander’s participatory budgeting initiative; and is a community leader at Congregation Beth Elohim. After overseeing remote learning for their son Micah, who attends P.S. 107, Doug became a leading voice demanding the Department of Education develop a long-term plan for how to provide in person learning five days a week without compromising the health and safety of teachers and students.

Doug and his wife Joni live in Park Slope with their two young children.