[4] She was recruited by the law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges, where she worked as an associate for several years before running for the New York State Assembly.
"[4] Katz served as a Member of the New York State Assembly from 1994 to 1999, representing Queens' 28th District, which included Forest Hills, Rego Park, and parts of Middle Village and Glendale.
[5] During her tenure as an Assembly member, Katz drafted sixteen bills that became laws, including some crucial health care initiatives.
[4] In 1998, Katz ran for Congress from New York's 9th congressional district, which was the seat held by Chuck Schumer, who was running for the U.S. Senate.
[7] Katz served as Chair of the Standing Committee on Land Use, which was responsible for approving rezoning measures for wide-ranging pockets of the city, including Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Jamaica.
[13] She won the Democratic nomination, defeating former New York City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. and others, and went on to easily win the general election.
[16] In the Democratic primary, Katz faced Tiffany Cabán, a public defender who was endorsed by several progressive politicians, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders.
[21] On July 3, 2019, election officials said Katz pulled ahead in the final count and led Caban by a mere 20 votes, triggering a recount.
[25] Katz was in a relationship with Curtis Sliwa, the founder of the Guardian Angels and later the 2021 Republican nominee for New York City mayor, and separated from him in 2014; they have two children together, conceived in vitro over the previous five years.