Public & Civic Operations
Experience supporting election administration, nonprofit initiatives, and public-facing civic work in New York City.
OFFICIAL SITE OF MARCEL CATO
Marcel Cato
Public Service. Urban Governance. Institutional Leadership.
Politics and Urban Planning at New York University, rooted in New York City and preparing for a wider public-service career across government, cities, and civic institutions.
NYU Politics & Urban PlanningNew York CityPublic ServiceWashington, DC Preparation
CREDIBILITY
The Work in View
A developing public-service profile across civic operations, institutional administration, urban planning, and communications strategy.
Urban Governance & Planning
Academic and professional focus on cities, public space, transportation, housing, infrastructure, and the institutions that make urban life work.
Institutional Administration
Administrative experience with confidential records, donor relations, event logistics, internal reporting, and professional correspondence.
Communications & Systems
Built websites, content systems, outreach strategies, and organizational tools that make public-facing work clearer and more effective.
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BIOGRAPHY
A public-service profile rooted in New York.
Marcel Cato is a New York University student studying Politics with a developing focus in urban planning, public administration, and civic institutions. His work spans university administration, nonprofit leadership, election operations, public communications, and organizational systems-building.
Rooted in New York City, his professional direction centers on capable government, well-managed cities, practical public service, and institutions that help people participate more fully in civic life.
Politics, NYUUrban Planning FocusDean’s ListPublic Service & Civic Operations
PRINCIPLES
Platform
The public commitments guiding the work.
Capable Institutions
Public trust depends on institutions that are competent, reliable, transparent, and worthy of the responsibilities they hold.
Cities That Work
Urban policy should focus on the daily systems people actually rely on: housing, mobility, public space, infrastructure, safety, and quality of life.
Civic Dignity
Public service should treat people as citizens with agency, not as abstractions. Good governance begins with respect for the people it serves.
Disciplined Leadership
Serious public work requires preparation, restraint, standards, and follow-through.
RECORD
Experience
A record of work across institutions, communities, and public-facing systems.
Communications / Public Space / Community Storytelling
New City Parks — Communications Intern
June 2025 – August 2025
Supported a communications overhaul for a parks-focused nonprofit, building a more cohesive public-facing strategy across design, short-form video, community storytelling, and outreach.
What it built
- Developed and executed a 12-week content plan.
- Produced graphics, Reels, and short-form video for parks initiatives.
- Conducted interviews and shaped resident-centered storytelling.
- Canvassed and translated field input into planning-oriented recommendations.
- Presented strategy proposals and supported office/community events.
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Institutional Administration / Donor Relations
NYU Stern School of Business – Development and Alumni Relations — Undergraduate Office Assistant
September 2024 – Present
Supports administrative operations in a professional university advancement office, working with confidential records, donor information, event logistics, reports, and correspondence.
What it built
- Maintains and organizes donor records through Blackbaud CRM.
- Processes confidential documents and supports internal reporting.
- Helps coordinate logistics for donor engagement and alumni events.
- Manages inquiries through professional phone and email communication.
Leadership / Operations / Systems-Building
NYU Parliamentary Debaters Union — Vice President of Operations
May 2025 – Present
Runs operational systems for NYU’s debate union, supporting logistics, planning, funding coordination, communications, and digital infrastructure.
What it built
- Managed meeting and tournament logistics.
- Supported funding and operational planning.
- Developed strategies for organizational efficiency and growth.
- Designed, developed, and maintained the club’s website and IT functions.
Civic Operations / Election Administration
New York City Board of Elections — Election Worker
August 2024 – Present
Supports democratic participation through in-person voting operations, assisting with orderly, accessible, and compliant election procedures.
What it built
- Facilitated polling-site operations.
- Assisted voters in public-facing environments.
- Supported accessible voting procedures in low-income neighborhoods.
- Developed familiarity with the administrative side of democracy.
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Nonprofit Leadership / Government Outreach
Find Community Connection Project — Office Intern, Field Manager, and Group Leader
July 2024 – August 2024
Supported nonprofit administration, donor relations, event logistics, and external stakeholder coordination for community initiatives in Brooklyn.
What it built
- Represented the organization in discussions with local elected offices.
- Tracked donor communications and maintained records.
- Drafted professional correspondence and organized project documents.
- Coordinated meetings and helped execute community events.
- Provided Google Workspace and basic software support.
Technical Support / Administration
Brooklyn Technical High School — IT Department Intern
April 2023 – May 2023
Supported school IT operations through software, hardware, documentation, and administrative assistance.
Professional Contact
For opportunities related to public service, urban planning, policy, institutional administration, communications strategy, or civic leadership, please use the links below.
