Board Members

SAPA 2022-23 Board of Directors

FAUSTO FRANCO (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.

SORELLE L. BRAUTH (Rockefeller Award Committee Chair) – Sorelle recently retired as the Director of Administration for the New York State Department of Public Service (DPS). She began her career with NYS Government in the Rockefeller Public Management Intern Program and has 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 was also a former Director of Financial Administration for the Office of Attorney General as well as, DPS’ Director of Finance and Budget for seven years. Sorelle has degrees from both Boston University (Master’s in Educational Administration), and the State University of New York at Oneonta (Bachelor of Science).

CHRIS CURTIS (SAPA Treasurer) – Chris is Deputy Commissioner and State Treasurer for the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance (DTF) where he manages joint custody of the state’s general checking account with the Office of the State Comptroller. Prior to his appointment as State Treasurer, Chris worked at the New York State Division of Budget for eight years managing state debt, and served on the team that helped the state contend with the national financial crisis that began to unfold in late 2007. Chris began his career at the United States Department of the Treasury in Washington, DC as a financial economist focused on federal loan guarantee programs. He earned a master’s degree in political economy from the London School of Economics and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Siena College.

ROBERT (BOB) CURTIN  – Bob is a Certified Public Accountant and recently retired as the Director of Financial Administration for the NYS Office of General Services where he was responsible for operation of the Procurement, Budget and Accounting Units as well as implementing agency wide changes brought on by the Statewide Financial Management System (SFS), the Business Services Center (BSC) and changes in agency policy. Prior to assuming this position, Bob was an internal auditor at OGS and was responsible for the operation for the Internal Audit Unit From 1997 to 2015. Previously he worked with the New York State Comptroller’s Office Bureau of Management Audit beginning his career in October of 1986.

DANIEL CUNNINGHAM – (Vice Chair & SAPA Program Director) Dan recently retired as the Executive Deputy Commissioner of NYS Office of General Services. He helped to transform the agency in his roles as Assistant Director of Organizational Effectiveness, Director of Human Resources Management, Associate Commissioner for Admin., Deputy Commissioner for Admin. & Operations, and Exec. Deputy Commissioner. Dan’s career with NYS began in 1984 with GOER and in 1987, the NYS/CSEA Labor-Management Committees, administering the NYS/CSEA Joint Apprenticeship & Safety & Health Programs. He a past recipient of a SAPA Public Service Excellence Award.

WINSTON HESLOP – Winston is a consultant in Deloitte’s Government & Public Services practice where he is a strategic advisor for public sector clients. Previously a Rockefeller College Fellow at the NYS Division of the Budget, Winston began working as a Policy Analyst in the Office of Policy & Research for the NYS Senate, preparing briefs on a number of policy issues. He earned an MPA with a concentration in Homeland Security, and a Certificate of Graduate Studies in Cybersecurity from Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy.

KIMBERLY JONES – (Membership Co-Chair) Kimberly currently serves as a Project Manager for the New York State Technology Enterprise Corporation (NYSTEC). She previously worked with the New York State Department of Health (NYS DOH), Office of Health Insurance Programs (OHIP) providing support on various Medicaid initiatives, including the strategic design and implementation of numerous maternal and child health pilots and projects. Kimberly earned her Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in Government Information Strategy Management, and a Certificate of Graduate Study in Public Sector Management from the University at Albany, Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy. She has a Bachelor’s from the University at Albany with concentrations in Business Administration and Economics and holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.

EUGENE (GENE) MONACO (SAPA Excellence Awards Program Chair) – Gene is a Public Service Professor and for the past 25 years has served as Executive Director of the Professional Development Program (PDP) of Rockefeller College, one of the largest university-based continuing professional education programs in the nation. Monaco has over 30 years of experience in the design and delivery of instructional activities. Before coming to the UAlbany in 1986, Gene served as the Dean of Continuing Education and the Executive Director of the Public and Community Service Project at Hudson Valley Community College. He has also served as an adjunct faculty member at Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations, the College of Saint Rose, and Schenectady County Community College.  He is the co-author of two books on government and technology.

BRIAN NUSSBAUM – 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.

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.

THOMAS LUKACS (Immediate Past Chair) – Tom is Director of Risk Management for the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) and serves as DFS’s Internal Control Officer where he oversees DFS’s internal control program.  He formerly monitored compliance with the State’s cyber security requirements and standards, and was the Emergency Management Planning Coordinator.  From 2000 through 2013, Tom led the NYS Division of the Budget’s statewide implementation of the Internal Control, Internal Audit and Federal Single Audit programs and initiated the NYS Internal Control Task Force. In 2007, Tom created the NYS Internal Control Act Executive Briefing Book.

NON-BOARD POSTS:

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. 

PAUL SHATSOFF (Webmaster) – Paul is a former Chair and former Executive Director of SAPA.  He had decades of NYS service in management positions prior to retirement.  Paul also served as Director of Government Relations and Clean Energy Programs for a non-profit organization based in Albany and was a member of the adjunct faculty at Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy.