Brad Lander’s Wife Is an Attorney and Once Worked for Planned Parenthood

If there’s one couple whose political values are completely in sync, it’s Brad Lander and his wife, Meg Barnette. The two live in Brooklyn, where they raised their two children and still reside as Brad serves as New York City’s comptroller, acting as the city’s chief financial officer and now, a mayoral candidate.

Brad has long been a vocal advocate against unlawful immigration detainment, and on June 17, 2025, he proved just how far he’s willing to go.

He locked arms with a man facing deportation and demanded that ICE agents present a judicial warrant, according to Meg, who later spoke to the media. Brad was so committed to protecting this individual that he was arrested by ICE, which has sparked a slew on new questions like, where is Brad from, and who is the woman standing beside him through it all?

Here's everything to know about Brad Lander's wife, Meg, who is also fighting back against the harsh immigration reform unfolding in the U.S.

Brad Lander's wife, Meg Barnette, is an attorney, though she hasn’t practiced law in quite some time. She also previously worked for Planned Parenthood, according to her LinkedIn profile. Currently, Meg works as a senior consultant for CFAR: Consulting and Coaching, a role she accepted in January 2025.

Prior to that, she served as the CEO of Nonprofit New York, an organization dedicated to strengthening nonprofits across New York City and the surrounding areas to help build a more resilient nonprofit sector. She held that role from May 2020 to November 2024.

Before joining Nonprofit New York, Meg held a series of prominent roles at Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, where she worked from February 2011 to April 2020.

She started as Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, a position she held for about four and a half years. She then moved up to Chief of Staff and General Counsel, serving in that capacity for nearly three years. By March 2018, she was promoted to Chief Strategy Officer, General Counsel, and Chief Compliance Officer, a role she held for just over two years.

Earlier in her career, Meg also served as Chief Operating Officer of the Brennan Center for Justice for two years, after having worked as its Director of Finance and Operations for three years.

In terms of education, Meg earned her B.A. in Social Sciences from the University of Chicago and went on to receive her J.D. in Public Interest Law from New York University School of Law. Like Brad, she seems deeply passionate about human rights as she served on the board of directors for Women for Afghan Women for nine years.

In addition to being New York City’s comptroller, a potential mayor, and a vocal advocate for human rights, Brad and Meg are parents to two adult kids, Marek Barnette and Rosa Lander.

According to his mayoral campaign website, both kids attended NYC public schools and, per his comptroller bio, they “still roll their eyes at his dad jokes.”