For 2022 SAPA Public Service Excellence Awards were awarded to 3 individuals, 2 teams and 2 honorable mentions as follows:

• Greene County Department of Human Services for the Senior Angels Program
• Office of General Services for the Consolidated Warehouse and Distribution Operations
• Lilliana Estrella-Castillo from NYS Division of Human Rights
• Shannon Cantiello from the NYS Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence
• Mario Roefaro from NYPA (NYS Power Authority)

Honorable Mention to:

• Maria Whyte from Erie County Government
• Robert Stutz from NYS Divisoin of Veterans Affairs

The Capital District Chapter of the Association of Government Accountants Awards were awarded to:

• Kenneith Kasper, Director of Internal Audit – NYS Teachers’ Retirement System

2022 SAPA Essentials Graduates Acknowledged During the Award Ceremony:

• Lauren Ayers
• Alyson Baker
• Jacklynn Blanchard
• Aja Griffiths
• Catherine Kramer
• Gabriella Cebada Mora
• Marilyn Moore
• Natasha Malchak
• Susznne Pendergast
• Justin Perkins
• Jane Raffaldi
• Jessica Smith
• Ryan Trevas
• Elizabeth Vanasdale

For 2021 SAPA Public Service Excellence Awards were awarded to 3 individuals, 3 teams and 2 honorable mentions to:

• Bob Rice, NYS DOT Region 1
• Daniel Martuscello III, NYS DOCCS (Corrections & Community Supervision)
• John WIlliams, NYS Energy Research & Development Authority
• Albany County Sheriff’s Office Homeless Improvement Program Team
• Battery Park City Authority Zero Waste Advisory Committee Team
• NYS Veterans’ Services DVS Learning Team

Honorable Mention to:

• Cody Baker, NYS DOT Finger Lakes
• Lindsey Foot, Office of Medicaid Inspector General

The Capital District Chapter of the Association of Government Accountants Awards were awarded to:

• Susan A. Rizzo, Albany County Comptroller
• Ken Shulman, NYS Office of the State Comptroller

2021 SAPA Essentials Graduates Acknowledged During the Award Ceremony:

• Emma Antolos
• Sofia Aronowitz
• Charlene Cordero
• Cate Degen
• Alex George
• Leslie Green
• Jennifer Gregory
• Winston Heslop
• Kimberly Jones
• Maria Volpe-McDermott
• Shelbi McIlroy
• Katelyn O’Leary
• Anthony Swingruber

2020 Public Service Excellence Awards were cancelled due to the COVID pandemic.

For 2019 Public Service Excellence Awards were awarded to 2 individuals and 1 combined team as follows:

Individual Excellence Awards were made to:

• Charles H. Nesbitt, Jr. – Orleans County
• Eric Mostert – NYS Department of Taxation and Finance

A Team Excellence Award was made to:

• Immigration Reform Collaboration Team
  Albany County Sheriff’s Office & Albany County Correctional Facility
  Albany Law School’s Immigration Law Clinic
  New York Immigration Coalition
  The Legal Project

2019 Outstanding Achievement in Government Accountability Award:

The Association of Government Accountants recognized Thomas J. Wood, Assistant Chief Budget Examiner, NYS Division of the Budget.

For 2018 Public Service Excellence Awards were awarded to 3 individuals and 1 combined team as follows:

Individual Excellence Awards were made to:

• Paul J. Bembia – NYS Energy Research & Development Authority
• Daniel J. Cunningham – NYS Office of General Services
• Elsa Magee – NYS Higher Education Services Corporation

A Team Excellence Award was made to:

• NYS Tax Reform Team – Executive Chamber, Division of the Budget & the Department of Taxation and Finance

2018 Outstanding Achievement in Government Accountability Award:

The Association of Government Accountants recognized Richard Thomas
Executive Deputy Director, New York Statewide Financial System (SFS).

For 2017 Public Service Excellence Awards were awarded to 3 individuals and 1 team as follows:

Individual Excellence Awards were made to:

• Anthony Giardina – NY State Department of State (Athletic Commission)
• Lisa Lee – NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services
• Andrew D. Morris – NYS Department of Taxation and Finance

A Team Excellence Award was made to:

• Albany County Opioid Task Force

2017 Outstanding Achievement in Government Accountability Award:

The Association of Government Accountants recognized Martha Schaefer, Executive Deputy Commissioner, NYS Office of Mental Health.

For 2016 Public Service Excellence Awards were awarded to 2 individuals and 1 team as follows:

Individual Excellence Awards were made to:

• Jill Anderson, NYS Power Authority
• Jeff Pitkin, NYS Energy Research and Development Authority

A Team Excellence Award was made to:

• Corporate Tax Reform Team, NYS Department of Taxation and Finance

2016 Outstanding Achievement in Government Accountability Award:

The Association of Government Accountants recognized Joseph Conroy, Chief Budget Examiner, NYS Division of the Budget.

For 2015 Public Service Excellence Awards were awarded to 2 individuals and 2 teams as follows:

Individual Excellence Awards were made to:

• Janet Joseph, NYS Energy Research and Development Authority
• Gail Hammond, NYS Office of General Services

Team Excellence Awards were made to:

• Division of Child Care Services Lean Team, NYS Office of Children and Family Services
• Emergency Preparedness Assessment Project Team, NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services

2015 Outstanding Achievement in Government Accountability Award:

The Association of Government Accountants recognized Brian Mason, Assistant Comptroller at the Office of the NYS Comptroller.

For 2014 Public Service Excellence Awards were awarded to 4 individuals and 4 teams as follows:

Individual Excellence Awards were made to:

• Franklin Hecht, NYS Office of General Services
• Patricia Hite, NYS Department of Civil Service
• Lawrence Lepak, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
• Diane Taylor, Office of the State Comptroller

Team Excellence Awards were made to:

• NYS Inspector General’s Commercial Driver License Investigative and Legal Team
• Department of Public Service’s East Harlem Incident Investigation Team
• NYS Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services’ Homeland Security Strategy Project Team
• Office of Children and Family Services, Division of Juvenile Justice & Opportunities for Youth (DJJOY) NY Crisis Prevention Model Development Team

2014 Outstanding Achievement in Government Accountability Award:

The Association of Government Accountants recognized David Kidera, Director of the Public Authorities Budget Office.

For 2013 Public Service Excellence Awards were awarded to 1 individual and 1 team as follows:

An Individual Excellence Award was made to:

• Richard J. Lyons, Albany County Sewer District

A Team Excellence Award was made to:

• Taxpayer Contact Center Response to Hurricane Sandy, NYS Department of Taxation and Finance

Awards of Merit were presented to:

• Christopher Gardner, Schenectady County
• James Moran, NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities
• The Child Care Subsidy Program Integrity Team, NYS Office of Children and Family Service’s Division of Child Care Services, Division of Legal Affairs, and Office of Information Technology
• The Enterprise Statewide Financial System (SFS) Team, NYS Office of the State Comptroller and the NYS Division of the Budget
• The Interstate Unit, Office of Probation and Correctional Alternatives, NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services

2013 Outstanding Achievement in Government Accountability Award:

The Association of Government Accountants recognized James Cox, NYS Medicaid Inspector General.

For 2012 Public Service Excellence Awards were awarded to 2 individuals and 2 teams as follows:

Individual Excellence Awards were made to:

• Lynn Hait, NYS Power Authority
• Nonie Manion, NYS Department of Taxation and Finance

Team Excellence Awards were made to:

• Medicaid Redesign Team, NYS Department of Health
• Team of Emergency Responders for Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, NYS Department of Taxation and Finance

2012 Outstanding Achievement in Government Accountability Award:

The Association of Government Accountants recognized Michael Conners, Albany County Comptroller and Shelly Taleporos, NYS Department of Labor.

Nelson A. Rockefeller Award Recipients – Distinguished Public Servants

1980            Arthur Levitt
1981            Dr. T. Norman Hurd
1982            Dr. Howard Miller
1983            Erastus Corning II
1984            Malcolm Wilson
1985            Dr. David Axelrod
1986            James Biggane
1987            Francis Bergan
1988            Richard Wiebe
1989            William Hennessy
1990            Dr. Henrik N. Dullea
1991            Peter C. Goldmark Jr.
1992            Robert J. Morgado
1993            Thomas M. Whalen III
1994            John C. Egan
1995            Alton G. Marshall
1996            Warren M. Anderson
1997            H. Carl McCall
1998            Judith S. Kaye
1999            George C. Sinnott
2000           Thomas A. Constantine
2001            Richard P. Mills
2008           Richard P. Nathan
2014            Nancy L Zimpher
2017            Congressman Paul Tonko
2019            Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins