When the mayor shows up to an event, you may notice a tall woman, within earshot of him, trying to go unnoticed as she scans the scene making sure everything is running smoothly.
Daniella Veras is the mayor's advisor on internal and external partnerships. Some of her responsibilities include working closely with community organizations and residents to foster collaborations and relationships.
She also ensures that the mayor is equipped and ready for all functions, which means doing what she calls "the invisible labor"- checking his calendar, making phone calls, and solving problems.
"I'm making things flow, creating harmony so that we can try to move through our day with as much ease as we can," Veras said. "I'm protecting his executive energy."
Veras started off managing the mayor's social media campaign while he ran for his first term in office. Her responsibilities quickly grew as he began to see more value in her public relations and marketing background.
"I've always had a curiosity for people. I've always cared about community. I've always cared about giving back," Veras said. "It was just a matter of how do we put that all together."
Within her position, Veras said, every single one of those traits has been transferrable.
Mayor Malik Evans said aside from helping with the logistics around major projects and events, Veras, possesses essential character traits that fit the job.
"You have to be able to like people and get along with people, and I think that those are strong qualities that she has," said Evans about Veras's personality. "Getting along with folks and being able to connect with people is extremely important, and that's a skill that she has."
As a Latina, Veras helps his office connect with the Hispanic community in Rochester, Evans said.
"She's somebody who can reach out to our broader community and be able to be a voice for that community in the administration," he added.
Veras is a first-generation American of Dominican parents. She was born in New York City, but her mother moved Veras and her siblings to Rochester for a better opportunity. Veras said her humble beginnings allow her to approach her work with a degree of empathy.
"It's a lens that I look at things through," Veras said. "Recognizing the privilege that I can enjoy now, and what helped me to get through those things."
Veras said her success as a multicultural woman had a lot to do with her ability to code switch, which she calls "a survival skill." She said sometimes people are shocked that she is Latina.
"They hear me speaking Spanish and they are shocked," Veras said with a laugh. "But that's just another point of connection with people."
But Veras said she still prefers keeping herself on a "need to know basis" and staying behind the scenes quietly working.
"It's so amazing what you can accomplish when you don't worry about who's getting the credit for it," she said.
