You’ve probably seen the red beret. You’ve definitely heard the voice—that raspy, unapologetic New York accent booming over the radio waves or from a debate stage. But behind the headline-grabbing antics of Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa is a woman who isn't just "the wife." Honestly, calling Nancy Regula a background character is a massive mistake. She’s an attorney, a political firebrand in her own right, and the primary reason the Sliwa household currently sounds like a permanent feline convention.
Most people know Curtis Sliwa wife Nancy Regula from the 2021 mayoral campaign trail, where she stood by him as he campaigned with a cat in his arms. But her story goes way deeper than just being the fourth Mrs. Sliwa. She’s a licensed attorney with nearly two decades of experience, a former candidate for New York Attorney General, and the driving force behind the Guardian Angels' animal protection wing.
Who is Nancy Regula?
Nancy Beth Regula (now often going by Nancy Sliwa) isn't some socialite who married into the spotlight. She’s a Brooklyn Law School graduate who built a career in real estate and estate planning law before diving into the deep end of NYC activism. If you look at her legal track record, she’s spent over 17 years navigating the thorny world of New York's Office of Court Administration. She knows the system.
The couple tied the knot on July 5, 2018. They didn't go for a boring ballroom wedding, though. Nope. They got married at Howe Caverns—literally in a cave. It fits the brand, right? High drama, unique locations, and a middle finger to the conventional way of doing things.
Life in a 320-Square-Foot Studio
Here is the part that usually makes people double-take. Despite the fame and the long legal career, Nancy and Curtis live in a tiny 320-square-foot studio apartment on the Upper West Side. And they share it with roughly 16 to 17 cats.
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- The Living Situation: It’s cramped. Basically, it’s a rescue mission masquerading as a home.
- The Philosophy: Nancy has stated that they live this way because they prioritize their rescue work over luxury.
- The Routine: Imagine waking up in a space smaller than a two-car garage with a dozen-plus felines. That's Nancy's daily reality.
The Political Side of Nancy Regula
Nancy isn't content to just sit on the sidelines while Curtis runs for mayor. She’s got her own political ambitions. In 2018, she ran as the Reform Party candidate for New York Attorney General. She didn't win—garnering about 0.4% of the vote—but she used the platform to hammer home a message that most politicians ignore: animal welfare as a core government issue.
Later, in 2021, she ran for City Council in District 6 as a Republican. While she lost that race too (pulling in around 13%), she proved that she’s a serious operator. She isn't just "the wife" on the flyer; she's a woman with a specific, albeit niche, policy platform.
Her Core Platforms
When Nancy talks politics, it’s usually about three things:
- No-Kill Shelters: She’s obsessed with ending euthanasia for healthy animals in NYC.
- Animal Abuse Registry: She wants a statewide list of offenders, similar to how sex offender registries work.
- Feral Cat Colonies: This is her "natural" solution to NYC's rat problem. She advocates for TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) programs where cats act as a deterrent to rodents.
The Animal Protection Connection
Before they were married, Nancy and Curtis were already working together through the Guardian Angels. While the group is famous for patrolling subways in red berets, Nancy spearheaded the Guardian Angels Animal Protection program.
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She basically took the vigilante spirit of the Angels and applied it to four-legged New Yorkers. She’s been known to personally manage cat colonies in Sunset Park and Brooklyn Bridge Park. For her, it’s a legal and social battle. She uses her law degree to protect these colonies from being cleared out by the city, arguing that they provide a public service by keeping the rat population in check without using toxic pesticides.
A History of Curtis Sliwa’s Marriages
To understand the role of Curtis Sliwa wife Nancy Regula, you kinda have to look at who came before her. Curtis has a "type"—strong, independent women who are often involved in his crusades.
- Koren Drayton (1976-1977): A short-lived marriage from his early days in Brownsville.
- Lisa Evers (1981-1994): A martial arts expert and Guardian Angel who became a major media personality.
- Mary Galda (2000-2012): Another Guardian Angel director. Interestingly, after their divorce, she married former Governor David Paterson.
- Melinda Katz: While they weren't technically married, they had a long, complicated relationship and children together. Katz is the Queens District Attorney, proving Curtis definitely moves in high-powered legal circles.
Nancy seems to be the one who finally balanced his public persona with a shared private mission. They are both "all-in" on the rescue lifestyle.
Why It Matters Today
In 2025 and moving into 2026, the Sliwa brand is as loud as ever. Curtis recently ran for mayor again in 2025, and Nancy was right there, managing the logistics and the legal hurdles that come with a third-party or underdog Republican run in a deep-blue city.
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Their relationship is a weird, quintessential New York story. It’s about grit, small apartments, loud opinions, and a lot of cat hair. Nancy Regula provides the legal backbone to Curtis's often chaotic energy. She’s the one filing the paperwork while he’s getting arrested at a protest.
Expert Insights on the Regula-Sliwa Dynamic
Political analysts in New York often note that Nancy humanizes Curtis. In a city where he is often seen as a provocateur, the image of him and his wife dedicated to "unadoptable" animals resonates with a specific subset of voters. Whether you love their politics or hate them, it’s hard to argue with their level of commitment to their cause.
Moving Forward: What to Watch
If you're following the career of Nancy Regula, don't expect her to fade away. She continues to run her own law firm, The Nancy Beth Law Firm, focusing on real estate and estate planning.
Next Steps for Following Her Work:
- Check the Dockets: Nancy is often involved in litigation regarding animal rights and property disputes in NYC.
- Animal Advocacy: Watch for her at City Council hearings; she’s a frequent speaker on shelter reform.
- Guardian Angels Events: She remains the Director of Animal Protection, often organizing "soft side" campaigns to promote pet adoption.
Ultimately, Nancy Regula is a reminder that in the world of high-profile New York figures, the person standing next to the "star" is often doing the heavy lifting behind the scenes. She’s a lawyer first, an activist second, and a wife third—and she seems perfectly fine with that order.