Gotbaum became involved in civic affairs in the 1970s, while serving on the staff of former mayor
John Lindsay as District Manager for the Chelsea-Clinton (Manhattan West) Neighborhood, Assistant for Women's Issues, and Assistant for Education. She continued her work in education with Mayor
Abraham Beame, managing a training program for school security officers. In the late 1970s, she was recruited to run the
New York City Police Foundation. At the Police Foundation, she developed an innovative citywide health screening and work-site hypertension program with the
New York City Police Department and facilitated an intensive training program for
911 operators. She created a program engaging New York City in a campaign to purchase
bulletproof vests for every police officer. In 1990 newly elected Mayor
David Dinkins appointed her the first female Commissioner of the
New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Gotbaum created a toll-free Parks hotline and successfully argued for a change in city policy allowing
Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) and other organizations use of
Central Park for fundraising events. After leaving the Parks Department in 1994, Gotbaum became President of the
New-York Historical Society, a position she held until launching her campaign for Public Advocate in 2001. When she took over, the Historical Society was closed to the public and on the verge of bankruptcy after years of mismanagement. Gotbaum rescued the institution from financial collapse, renovated its landmark building, and recalled its collections from various warehouses. In November 2000, she opened the Henry Luce III Center for the Study of American Culture. She instituted exhibitions, education and public programs for a diverse and ever-increasing audience, leaving the society with a $33 million endowment. Gotbaum resigned from the Historical Society to run for the Office of the Public Advocate.
2001 race for Public Advocate In 2001, Gotbaum finished first in the Democratic primary and then defeated
Norman Siegel in the Democratic runoff. She was unopposed in the general election. As Public Advocate she focused on education policy, along with women's issues, child welfare, affordable housing and senior services. She was known to work with Mayor
Michael Bloomberg on certain issues, but she battled Bloomberg on mayoral succession issues. In return, Bloomberg sought to eliminate the office altogether in 2002 and reduced its budget. At the request of the
New York State Legislature, Gotbaum created a Commission on School Governance to examine mayoral control before it expires in 2009.
2005 race for Public Advocate In the September 13, 2005, Democratic primary, Gotbaum beat civil rights advocate
Norman Siegel, and real estate broker Michael Brown came in third with fifteen percent of NYC's vote. She was unopposed in the general election. She took the oath of office for a second term on January 1, 2006.
2009 race for Public Advocate Despite the
extension of New York City term limits, which made Gotbaum eligible for a third term, she decided not to
run for reelection. ==Personal life==