The following serve as the 2025-26 Board and Officers of SAPA.
DANIEL CUNNINGHAM (Chair, SAPA Program Director and Chair of the Excellence Awards Committees) – Dan recently retired as the Executive Deputy Commissioner of the New York State Office of General Services (OGS). During his tenure with OGS, Dan helped to transform and reimagine the agency in his roles as Assistant Director of Organizational Effectiveness, Director of Human Resources Management, Associate Commissioner for Administration, Deputy Commissioner for Administration and Operations, and, finally, as Executive Deputy Commissioner. Dan’s career in State service began in 1984 with GOER and in 1987, the NYS/CSEA Labor-Management Committees administering the NYS/CSEA Joint Apprenticeship and Safety and Health Programs. He is a past recipient of a SAPA Public Service Excellence Award. Dan has been appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul to serve as a member of the NYS Council on Developmental Disabilities and the NYS Archives Partnership Trust Board of Directors. Additionally, Dan has been appointed by the Director of the NYS Office of Employee Relations to serve as a member of the M/C Grievance Appeals Board. A Fellow of the New York State Academy for Public Administration (SAPA), Dan also serves as Chair of the SAPA Board of Directors and as Chair of SAPA’s Program and Excellence Awards Committees.
FAUSTO FRANCO (Immediate Past Chair) – Fausto is a SAPA Board appointee who will finish the term of a Board member who resigned. He is a Senior Information Security Officer at NYS ITS where he serves as the lead supporting NYS OMH and OASAS. He also assists the Business Information Security Officers that support the agencies that make up the Public Safety and the Workforce and Public Service Portfolios. Prior to working for ITS, Fausto was a software engineer/project manager for NYS OPWDD, working on systems that helped the agency support the individuals they serve. Fausto holds a Master’s in Computer Systems Engineering from RPI and is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional and certified in Strategic Planning, Policy and Leadership. He has spoken at the NYS Cyber Security Conference and been a guest lecturer at SUNY Albany covering topics in cyber security.
BRIAN NUSSBAUM (Vice Chair) – Brian is an associate professor in the Emergency Management and Homeland Security (EMHS) department of the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cybersecurity (CEHC), at the University of Albany. Dr. Nussbaum formerly served as Senior Intelligence Analyst with the New York State Office of Counter Terrorism (OCT), part of the New York Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Service (DHSES). He holds a BA (Binghamton University), MA (Rockefeller College, University at Albany) and a Ph.D. (Rockefeller College, University at Albany) in Political Science.
AARON SCHWARTZ (Secretary) – Aaron J. Schwartz has been focused on enhancing the capacity and quality of diversity, equity, inclusion, & accessibility practices within New York State since he was appointed to an administrative and teaching position at SUNY Plattsburgh’s Center for Diversity, Pluralism, and Inclusion in 2015. In 2021 he began as an Excelsior Service Fellow at the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) where he helped establish the Executive Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. In 2024, Aaron was hired as the first full-time Diversity & Inclusion Liaison at the New York State Department of Public Service (DPS). Aaron serves as the DPS Designee for Reasonable Accommodations (DRA), Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator, & Language Access Coordinator among other duties. He currently represents the Department on the Governor’s Workforce Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Council, and LGBTQIA+ Task Force. Aaron has a Master of Science in Leadership Studies and a Certificate in Non-Profit Administration.
KARA LANGDON (Treasurer) – Kara Langdon is the Director of the Emergency Preparedness & Internal Communications (EPIC) Bureau in the Division of Finance & Administration at the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC). In this role, Kara is responsible for planning for the safety of OSC’s almost 3,000 employees, as well as ensuring OSC’s critical business functions can continue during an emergency. She also oversees OSC’s communications with its employees including emergency messaging and intranet web development, as well as other internal services such as confidential scanning, design services, forms management, and the agency print shop. Kara has spent her entire professional career with OSC, serving as an auditor, Assistant Internal Control Officer, Assistant Director of Strategic Planning, and Director of Program Operations prior to her current role. Kara holds an MBA from the College of St. Rose and a BS in Accounting from UAlbany.
DR. MILA GASCO-HERNANDEZ – Dr. Gasco-Hernandez holds a MBA and a Ph.D. in public policy evaluation. She is the Research Director at the Center for Technology in Government and an Associate Professor at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, both at the University at Albany – SUNY. Before joining SUNY, Dr. Gasco-Hernandez served as a senior researcher at the Institute of Governance and Public Management (currently known as ESADEgov – Center for Public Governance) and the Institute of Innovation and Knowledge Management, both at ESADE Business & Law School in Spain. The main general research question at the center of Dr. Gasco-Hernandez’s research agenda is: why and how does technology-driven innovation happen in the public sector? Most of her research in the last six years has focused on the topics of open government, public sector innovation, smart cities and communities, telework, and artificial intelligence in government. In these areas, she has published six books, more than 100 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and conference papers. She has been awarded more than 40 grants in external funding competitive calls and consultancy/applied research projects.
GEZA HRAZDINA – Recently elected SAPA Board Member Géza Hrazdina brings nearly 40 years of experience in managing private, non-profit, and public programs, including work in Medicaid, HIV/AIDS, juvenile justice, child welfare, and developmental disabilities. He currently serves as the Deputy Medicaid Inspector General in OMIG’s Division of Administration and has contributed to the NYS Department of Health and the Division of the Budget since 2005. Géza holds degrees from Cornell University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Pennsylvania, and is a certified Project Management Professional. A SAPA member since 2012, he is dedicated to advancing leadership, mentoring, and administration efforts across the state, aiming to empower individuals with the skills and opportunities to succeed.
DR. LUIS FELIPE LUNA-REYES – Luis Felipe Luna-Reyes is a Professor of Public Administration and Policy at the University at Albany and a National Academy of Public Administration Fellow. He has been a Fulbright Scholar and he is currently Faculty Fellow at the Center for Technology in Government. He is also a Research Affiliated at the Universidad de las Americas, Puebla and a member of the Mexican National Research System. His research is at the intersection of Public Administration, Information Systems and System Sciences. He uses multi-method approaches to contribute to a better understanding of collaboration and governance processes in the development of information technologies and policy across functional and organizational boundaries in government. He is the author or co-author of more than 100 articles published in leading Journals and Academic Conferences.
MOLLY REILLY (Membership) – Molly has had a robust career in public administration, serving both in local elected office and at the state level. Currently the Deputy Commissioner for Finance and Administration for the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, she has also held various roles in the Executive Chamber, including Deputy and Assistant Secretary levels. As a local government official, Molly served as Mayor, Trustee, and Member of the Zoning Board of Appeals for the Village of Sacketts Harbor. She began her career as an educator. Molly holds certifications in Educational Leadership from SUNY Stony Brook and Cornell University, an MA in Political Science from Rockefeller College, and a BA in Political Science from LeMoyne College. Her experience, training, and dedication to public service align with SAPA’s mission. “Public administration is about stewarding good government, doing what’s right, being an honest broker, and working hard for the people,” says Molly. SAPA is honored to welcome such a dedicated public administrator to its board, confident her enthusiasm will positively impact its membership.
ROSLYN WATROBSKI – Roslyn is presently the Administrative Officer in the Business Services Center at the NYS Office of General Services. The Business Services Center provides services to 63 State agencies. She previously served as OGS’s Acting Executive Deputy Commissioner and Chief Business Services Officer. Prior to OGS, Roslyn was with the Office of the New York State Comptroller as Assistant Director in State Expenditures preceded which was preceded by serving as an Audit Manager and Audit Supervisor. Roslyn also was an Auditor in State Government Accountability at OSC. She holds a BA in Business Administration from Siena College.
HENRIK N. WESTIN – Henrik N. Westin, Esq. was appointed General Counsel of EFC on February 17, 2022. Prior to joining EFC, he served as an Assistant Counsel in the Office of the State Comptroller’s (OSC) Division of Legal Services. In that capacity, he advised on debt management functions, including the issuance of State general obligation bonds and debt issued by the New York Local Government Assistance Corporation. He also supported OSC on legal issues relating to local government finances and state and local public authorities. He developed and conducted Continuing Legal Education trainings on federal securities laws pertaining to public finance, and debt issuance in New York State. Prior to attending law school, Henrik was an analyst in the asset based structured finance group in the New York City office of Société Générale Group. Henrik served in an artillery battalion in the Swedish armed forces. He holds a B.A. from Skidmore College, M.P.A. from Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy at the University at Albany and a J.D. from Albany Law School.
Non-Board Posts
SORELLE LESLIE BRAUTH (Rockefeller Award Program Chair) – Sorelle is the former Director of Administration for the New York State Department of Public Service (DPS). Prior to her retirement, she had an extensive career for almost 35 years, primarily in budgeting, holding policy and management level positions with the New York State Division of the Budget as well as the State Education Department. She is a former SAPA Board member with a continuing role in chairing the Rockefeller Award Program.
JOAN SULLIVAN (Excellence Awards Program Chair) – Joan recently retired as the Executive Director of the New York State Forum for Information Resource Management. Prior to her current post, Joan had a long, distinguished career with the State of New York in executive level positions.
New York State Academy for Public Administration (SAPA) 