Suffolk County, NY - February 2, 2018 - Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone today appointed eleven individuals from a variety of backgrounds to serve in a number of roles in his Administration. All of the appointees are replacing individuals who have left the administration or moved to new positions in county government.
"My administration has made a concerted effort to attract the best and brightest from the public, private and nonprofit sectors," said County Executive Bellone. "We remain committed to recruiting more diversity into the workforce, and I applaud these individuals for stepping up to the plate to serve the people of Suffolk County."
The appointments reflect significant administration priorities at the midpoint of County Executive Bellone's second term to reinvent government, create economic opportunity, and implement a national model of integrity and efficiency. These priorities include implementing SuffolkShare -- the most comprehensive shared services plan in the state to save taxpayer dollars; advancing the utilization of performance management tools such as SuffolkSTAT to evaluate the effectiveness of county operations; expanding community affairs engagement in local communities; and focusing on community-based intervention programs and initiatives to provide services to underserved populations and at-risk youth at an early age.
The new hires and promotions include a mix of talented individuals spanning careers in state and local government, as well as the non-profit and private sector. Furthermore, these appointees, who include leaders from the African-American and Latino communities, also fulfill a key priority to bring diversity to leadership in county government.
Eric Naughton will serve as Suffolk County Budget Director after serving as Nassau County Deputy County Executive for Finance. Eric brings nearly 30 years of experience to the position including financial management, budget development, evaluating revenue and cost saving initiatives. He also previously held the role of Suffolk Deputy County Executive for Finance and was a former Director of the Nassau County Legislature Independent Budget Review office. Eric received his Bachelor of Science in Finance from The Wharton School.
Connie DeGiovine will serve as Assistant Deputy County Executive for Finance on a part-time basis. Connie brings more than 34 years of county government service and expertise to the position. Most recently, she served as Suffolk County Budget Director in which she helped implement a financial plan that was critical in reducing the county deficit and structural debt. In this role, she worked to develop financially sound budgets that kept in line with Governor Cuomo's two percent Property Tax Cap, oversee revenue projections, and issue bonds to meet capital program and other expenses. Connie also served as Deputy County Executive for Finance in 2009, which was the highest-ranking finance position in the previous administration.
Eric Hofmeister will serve as Deputy Commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Public Works. Eric brings extensive state and local government experience to the new position, having most recently served as District Director to State Senator Tom Croci. Prior to working for the state, Eric served as Deputy Supervisor for the Town of Islip under then-Supervisor Croci, and was Acting Supervisor during Tom Croci's yearlong military deployment to Afghanistan from 2013-14. Eric also formerly served the Town as Commissioner of Environmental Control and Deputy Commissioner of the Long Island MacArthur Airport. Eric received received his Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Dowling College.
Steve Randazzo will serve as Deputy Director for Performance Management. Steve previously worked for more than two years at Pricewaterhouse Coopers, LLC where he focused on policy analysis, performance and project management, quantitative analysis, and cybersecurity. Steve grew up in Lindenhurst and serves as a First Lieutenant in the New York Army National Guard, 187th Signal Company. Steve holds a Masters of Public Policy from Harvard University, Masters of Education from Fordham University, and Bachelor of Arts from Boston College.
Felix Adeyeye will serve as Government Liaison responsible for community affairs and will play an integral role in Shared Services. For nearly four years, Felix served as Public Relations Director for the Brentwood School District where he managed overall communications. Felix began his career in public service with the Town of Islip, working as a Senior Legislative Aide and Director of Constituent Services in the Office of the Town Supervisor. He then served as Community Relations Director for the Town of Islip Department of Human Services, developing policies and programs to enhance outreach between the Town and community organizations. Felix remains an active member of the Brentwood community and serves as an Adjunct Professor at Suffolk County Community College. He received his Bachelors of Arts in Political Science from Hofstra University, Masters of Arts in Public Policy from Stony Brook University, and is pursuing a Masters of Arts in Higher Education Administration from Stony Brook University.
Olga El Sehamy will serve as Deputy Director of The Youth Bureau on a part-time basis opposite Director Roderick Pearson, who also serves part-time. Olga will also serve as a key member of the county's Community Based Intervention Working Group where she will work with the team, effectively leveraging county resources and creating public-private partnerships to strengthen communities and reduce costs for taxpayers. Olga recently served as Executive Director of Adelante of Suffolk County, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides a range of services to diverse people including youth empowerment, people with special needs, and senior citizens. Prior to her work in the nonprofit sector, Olga worked in the aerospace industry as a Program Manager at Ametek Aerospace, a leading global manufacturer of electronic instruments and electromechanical devices, and before that as a Program Manager at Parker Aerospace. Olga received her Masters of Business Administration from Dowling College and aCertification in Project Management from the University of California, Irvine.
Tom Vaughn will serve as Director of Operations after serving as Deputy Commissioner of Administration for the Suffolk County Department of Public Works. Tom brings nearly 17 years of experience in the Office of the County Executive and has served in three different administrations. In his new role, Tom will be charged with overseeing the day-to-day operations of various county departments and agencies. He previously served the Administration as Deputy Chief of Staff where he developed plans and implemented policies and procedures across departments. Tom received his Bachelor of Arts in English and Minor in Psychology from SUNY Albany, his Masters of Business Administration from Long Island University, and a Certificate of Completion in the New York State Emergency Management Certification and Training Program.
Don McKay will serve as Deputy Commissioner of the Suffolk County Parks Department. Since 2006, Don served as Director of Parks and Recreation for the Town of Huntington where he was responsible for managing a $6.6 million annual budget, full-time staff of 15, part-time staff and summer seasonal staff of 400 employees. In this role, he oversaw all Town recreational facilities, golf courses, and assisted in the planning, design and construction of multimillion-dollar capital projects. Before joining the Town Parks Department, he served as Public Information Officer for the Town of Huntington.
Ed Moltzen will serve as Director of Shared Services, acting as the liaison to Suffolk towns and villages as the Administration implements SuffolkShare, a ten-point plan that enhances collaboration and saves taxpayer dollars. Ed served on the County Executive's Shared Services Team that proved instrumental in adopting the County-wide Shared Services Initiative under state law. Prior to this, Ed was the Assistant to the Commissioner for the Suffolk County Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services where he worked on all aspects of crisis, emergency management, and preparedness. In this capacity, Ed acted as the Department's Intergovernmental Relations lead with the County Executive’s Office, county, state and federal agencies including theNew York State Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and FEMA. He also helped oversee the County’s successful application for more than $32 million in federal reimbursements under the Stafford Act as well as more than $2 million in Stafford Act reimbursements under the Presidential Declaration of Disaster from the February 2013 blizzard. Ed began his career as a journalist working as a Staff Writer for The Times Herald-Record Newspaper in Orange County, and was the Managing Editor for United Business Media in Manhasset, Long Island. Ed holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the State University of New York at New Paltz.
Amy Keyes will serve as Director of Intergovernmental Relations where she will help oversee various legislative initiatives for the County Executive, act as a liaison to the Suffolk County Legislature, and work on major policy initiatives. Amy will work closely with Deputy County Executive Jon Kaiman on implementation of SuffolkShare. Amy recently was a member of the County Executive's Shared Services Team and instrumental in helping to craft and adopt SuffolkShare, the most comprehensive Shared Services plan across the state. Prior to that, she served as Director of the Suffolk County Landbank Corporation where she managed all operations, administered grants, and led a team responsible for returning distressed and underutilized properties to the tax rolls. Amy also worked as Chief of Staff to Suffolk County Legislator Rob Calarco. Before her tenure in Suffolk County, she worked for the Town of Islip from 2007 through 2012, rising to the position of Deputy Chief of Staff to former Town Supervisor Phil Nolan. Amy received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Philosophy from Stony Brook University.
Pete Guaraldi will serve as Director of Community Affairs. Pete will be responsible for outreach to various community groups, civic associations, and oversee constituent services. Pete previously served in the County Executive's Communications Office and before that as an Account Executive at Zimmerman Edelson, Inc., a public relations firm on Long Island. Pete received dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Public Relations and English from Hofstra University and is currently pursuing his Masters of Public Policy from Stony Brook University.