A concerning Harrison developmental proposal first drew Emily Padilha Baldwin’s attention last year, as her efforts to bring awareness to the controversial plan caught the eye of the mayor and helped land her an interim seat on the Rye City Council.
Baldwin, 37, first learned of the proposed megaproject slated for 67 Grant Ave. in March 2025, what she called a “stone’s throw away across Beaver Swamp Brook” — a notorious flood-plagued area along the Rye-Harrison border — from her Glen Oaks neighborhood. The issue energized her, she said, and sparked deeper involvement with city and local officials.
The project was eventually scrapped after pushback from neighbors in both communities. But Baldwin’s efforts on both storm resilience and flood mitigation fronts helped establish her reputation as a hands-on problem solver.
And it paved the way to her unanimous appointment to the City Council this month, filling the seat vacated by new Mayor Josh Nathan, a Democrat.
Baldwin, a member of the city Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Committee, was announced by Nathan as the interim seatholder on Feb. 11, filling the unexpired term of his vacated council seat — while also adding a seventh member to the City Council.
“It was incredibly exciting to be asked by Mayor Nathan and the City Council to join them to fill Mayor Nathan’s vacant seat. A year ago, I don’t think I would have seen this coming, but in hindsight it’s not totally surprising,” Baldwin told The Record.
“I have always stayed on top of issues facing my communities, and taken action to address them,” she added. “My bias to action makes me naturally step into leadership to accomplish what needs to be done.”
Nathan said he and his colleagues are “enthusiastic” about Bladwin, a Democrat, who he said “represents a younger crowd in Rye.” She joined the council at the dais after being sworn at the council meeting by Judge Taylor Piscionere.
“She has learned a lot about flooding in a very short period of time,” he added. “That’s a huge priority.”
Baldwin was 38 weeks pregnant with her second child in 2021 when Hurricane Ida struck Rye, so she was keenly aware of how plans floated last year for the construction of a 6-story, 164-unit apartment complex on a 2.4-acre site along the Beaver Swamp Brook in Harrison could affect her family and her neighborhood.
After the Harrison Town Board soured on the project, the developer put the controversial property up for sale in July 2025.
“Hurricane Ida made us realize that flooding issues are a systemic problem that cannot be dealt with at a personal level, making us realize the powerlessness of individuals when facing a flooding emergency,” she said. “It had physical and emotional damages to many in our neighborhood, many of us first time home owners.”
Westchester County Legislator Anant Nambiar, a Democrat who succeeded longtime lawmaker Catherine Parker, recalled Baldwin emailed him during his campaign last year not knowing who he was and asking what he was going to do on certain issues.
“This is exactly what you want. If there’s something that we’re not happy about, get involved,” Nambiar said.
As Baldwin carves a path for herself on the council she said the “challenge” will be keeping Rye moving forward while also allowing for the comprehensive planning process to create “clear guidelines for the best interests of our city.”
Professionally, Baldwin’s career has taken her from investment banking at Morgan Stanley to brand management at Pepperidge Farm, and later into new business development for a technology startup. She currently runs The Move MBA, a service that helps seniors and families navigate life transitions.
She has served on the junior boards of NY Cares, a New York City volunteer organization, and The Valerie Fund, a nonprofit that provides care for children with pediatric cancer and blood disorders. And locally, she has also led the Friends of Beaver Swamp Brook, working with residents and local leaders on flood mitigation and awareness.
If Baldwin chooses to continue in the role past this year, she will be required to run in a special election in November. A victory on Election Day would allow Baldwin, a Democrat, to stay in the seat for the remainder of Nathan’s unexpired term, which concludes at the end of 2027.
A native of Rye, she attended Rye Presbyterian Nursery School, Milton Elementary, and Rye Middle School before moving out of the city. Baldwin returned in 2021 with her husband and two children.
“I see Rye as an amazing community because of the incredible people who work and volunteer to make it that way,” she said. “The city faces opportunities and challenges and I want to be a part of achieving the best for our community.”
