John Sabini
Senior Advisor

A well-respected veteran of New York politics, John has the unique experience of having served as both a New York State Senator and a New York City Council Member, in addition to other senior appointments, during his career. He has a reputation for being a strong consensus builder, with a proven ability to bring diverse parties to the table to get the deal done. As a Senior Advisor, John’s extensive experience navigating New York State and City and expansive network of relationships help to drive outcomes for clients of Fontas Advisors.  

From 2008 to 2013, John served as Chairman of the New York State Racing and Wagering Board under Governors Paterson and Cuomo. Under his leadership, the Board navigated through a number of challenging issues related to improving equine health standards, eliminating the abuse of animals, and managing the overall growth of the State’s horse racing industry. In addition to his New York state role, in 2012 John was appointed Chair of the Association of Racing Commissioners International, the official governing body for professional horse and greyhound racing in North America and the Caribbean. 

Prior to this, John served three terms in the New York Senate from 2003 to 2008 representing the greater Jackson Heights area. In 2006, he was appointed as Assistant Minority Leader for Intergovernmental Affairs, serving as the liaison between the Senate Minority Conference and the Governor’s Office, the State Assembly, Congress, and municipal governments. That same year he also served as the ranking member of the Transportation Committee and Racing, Gaming, and Wagering Committee.

During his first term, John served as the ranking member of the Elections Committee and was the first freshman Democrat appointed to the Rules Committee since 1938. He was also named the Senate Democratic conferee on the committee to comply with the federal Help America Vote Act. He authored the law that established the Flight 587 Memorial Scholarship, honoring the victims of the flight that crashed en route to the Dominican Republic. He also authored the law to prevent the scheduling of statewide exams during religious holidays.

During his time in the State Senate, he was appointed to several high profile panels serving as the State’s representative on a national transportation leadership summit at the White House and on a special panel chaired by Governor Eliot Spitzer to determine the future of thoroughbred racing in New York and the operations of Belmont Park, Aqueduct Racetrack, and Saratoga Race Course.

Before being elected to the New York State Senate, John was a member of New York City Council from 1992 to 2001. He was appointed Chair of the Council's Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Siting, and Maritime Uses and was chosen for membership on the Council's influential Land Use Committee and the Subcommittee on Planning, Dispositions, and Concessions. John was also appointed as Council Representative to the City's Commission on Public Information and Communications, a panel seeking ways to improve interaction between New York City residents and city government through the increased use of technology.

Prior to his public service, John was a Vice President at MWW Strategic Communications, a leading global public affairs firm, and spent a decade as a senior Congressional aide. He holds a B.A. from New York University. A native New Yorker, he was born and raised in Jackson Heights and is a lifelong resident of Queens.