Molly Schaeffer has served as the director of the Office of Asylum Seeker Operations (OASO) since May 2023. Prior to this position, she served in multiple roles at City Hall, including as deputy chief of staff and senior emergency advisor to two mayors.
A native New Yorker, Schaeffer brings more than a decade of experience in emergency management, public safety, and health and human services. She has been involved in the migrant emergency since it began, leading the city’s humanitarian efforts that have supported more than 225,000 migrants in just under two years. As the director, she is responsible for the day-to-day operations of OASO, coordinating the city’s response with over 20 city agencies, New York State, and federal partners. In addition, she is responsible for advising the mayor and senior leadership on emerging migrant issues and working with multiple agencies to maximize response and formulate practical policy solutions for a wide array of complex issues.
Schaeffer began her career in city government, in the Chancellor’s Office at NYC Public Schools, and then as an advisor at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. She is a devoted public servant and crisis management expert who has worked on a diverse set of issues and responses, from developing policies for the Ebola outbreak in schools to shepherding crisis management programs that help those with mental illness. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Schaeffer managed workforce policies, including PPE management, vaccine mandates, and returning workers to the office.
Schaeffer is a graduate of the University of Southern California and a lifelong New Yorker. She completed the Executive Leaders Program at the Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security in 2023.