Assemblywoman Markey has worked to improve and strengthen the quality of life in Queens for nearly twenty-five years. As a community activist, she served as a member of Community Boards Two and Five and is the founder of Maspeth Town Hall, Inc., a community center that serves over 1000 families. Mrs. Markey began her public service career as the Assistant Director of Economic Development for former Queens Borough President Claire Shulman, and then became Director of Marketing & Tourism for the borough. In that capacity Mrs. Markey was responsible for creating many of the marketing materials that are still currently used to promote the tourism industry in Queens.

In Albany, Assemblywoman Markey has focused on legislation to protect consumers and improve the quality of life for Queens residents and all New Yorkers. Early in her tenure, she led the Legislature in fighting for tougher standards in the farm and food industry to protect against BSE also known as ‘mad cow disease’ and it’s human forms. The Assembly Speaker appointed her Chair of the Sub-Committee on Child Product Safety in the following term. In this position, Assemblywoman Markey was able to continue her work in fighting for stronger consumer protections to safeguard New York’s children.

Funding increases for education, healthcare and senior services have been some of Assemblywoman Markey’s top priorities in Albany and she has been fully committed to improving New York’s economy, healthcare, education and affordable housing through her work in the Assembly. In 2005, Assemblywoman Markey won enactment of a law that bans the sale of box cutters to minors statewide, and she also first introduced important legislation concerning child sexual abuse. That bill, the Child Victims’ Act of New York, would extend the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse crimes by five years to provide additional time for victims to get justice for the wrongs done against them. It would also completely suspend the civil statutes of limitations for one year to provide justice for victims who have been time-barred, and expose pedophiles who continue to prey on youngsters. The bill has been overwhelmingly adopted by the Assembly three times and is on the agenda in the Assembly and Senate in the current legislative session.

Assemblywoman Markey is the chair of Assembly House Operations and is a sitting member of the Agriculture, Government Operations, Labor, Racing & Wagering, Consumer Affairs & Protection and Tourism, Arts & Sports Development committees. Mrs. Markey is a member of the Legislative Women’s Caucus and is past President of the New York State American Irish Legislators Society. She is a graduate of the Berkeley Business School and a member of the Maspeth Kiwanis.

Assemblywoman Markey has received awards in recognition of her work from the New York Irish Center; New York City Department of Parks; American Irish Legislators Society; New York State Court Clerks Association; United Federation of Teachers; Police & Fire Line of Duty Widows of New York City; Samaritan Village; Maspeth SelfHelp; and former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer.

Assemblywoman Markey is married to State Supreme Court Justice Charles Markey. Mr. & Mrs. Markey live in Maspeth and are the proud parents of Charles, John and Margaret.