Yassamin Ansari has been elected vice mayor of Phoenix.

The Phoenix City Council chose the District 7 council member at its Jan. 4, meeting. She will serve in the position for one year.

“Phoenix is facing a multitude of crises,” Ansari said.

“We need to address homelessness, an affordable housing shortage, dangerous air quality, hiring and retention across our departments, from police to public works, with the urgency it demands.

“I’m committed to working with all of my colleagues to prioritize these issues and make 2023 our most productive year yet.”

The vice mayor pointed to “innovative and exciting projects on the horizon,” including the city’s climate action plan and a $500 million General Obligation Bond that is up for a vote later this year.

Ansari is the youngest woman ever elected in Phoenix City Council history and the first Iranian American elected to public office in the state, according to a city release.

Prior to serving in elected office, Ansari worked as a senior policy adviser on the climate action teams of both U.N. Secretaries General Ban Ki-Moon and Antonio Guterres.