[1] Prior to her election to public office, Mayer was a Senior Counsel at the National State Attorney General Program at Columbia University, where she focused on health care and labor law rights.

[2] For over seven years, she served as Vice President of Government and Community Affairs at Continuum Health Partners in New York City.

In 2006, Mayer made her first run for public office, losing a bid for the New York State Assembly to incumbent Republican Mike Spano.

Mayer appeared on the Democratic, Working Families, and Women's Equality Party lines and won by a margin of 57% to 43%.

[8] Mayer attributed the win to a "'big tent blue wave' that brought together progressives, Democrats, union groups and female activists.