Governor Cuomo Announces Administration Appointments
Source: Office of the Governor
On July 20, 2015 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the following seven appointments to his administration.
Paul Francis has been appointed Deputy Secretary for Health and Human Services. Previously, Mr. Francis served under Governor Cuomo as the Director of Agency Redesign. He has also previously served in New York State government as the Director of the Budget and the Director of State Operations. His business career includes serving as the Chief Financial Officer of Ann Taylor Stores Corporation and Priceline.com, as well as the Chief Operating Officer of the Financial Product Division of Bloomberg LP. Mr. Francis has served on the board of trustees of numerous organizations, including as the Chairman of the New York State Health Foundation prior to rejoining the Cuomo administration. Mr. Francis holds a J.D. from New York University and a B.A. from Yale University.
Kerri O'Brien has been appointed Chief Executive Officer for the State Liquor Authority. Ms. O'Brien has over 33 years of experience at the New York State Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, most recently serving as the Deputy Commissioner of Licensing, where she helped reduce license application review times by 50 percent. Additionally, Ms. O'Brien has participated in panels to improve the State Liquor Authority's license application process, as well as helping to draft legislation and State Liquor Authority Board advisories—which resulted in the number of liquor manufacturers in the state more than doubling.
Greg Francis has been appointed Chief Investment Officer of The New York State Insurance Fund. Mr. Francis comes from an extensive background in financial management, most recently serving as the Head of Fixed Income Portfolio Management for Santa Clara County in California. Previously, he served at GE Capital as the Head of Fixed Income and Derivatives Portfolio Management, at Fortis Bank as the Senior Fixed Income and Derivatives Portfolio Manager, and at Capital One Asset Management as the Co-Head of Fixed Income Portfolio Management, among others. In these roles, he oversaw portfolios totaling billions of dollars while designing and supervising investment strategies. Mr. Francis holds a B.Sc. from the Columbia University School of Engineering.
Susan G. Rosenthal has been appointed General Counsel of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation. Ms. Rosenthal previously served as General Counsel for the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, and prior was Partner at Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, LLP, among other private law practices. She has decades of experience as a litigator of commercial and corporate law disputes and as a mediator and arbitrator for the United States District Courts of the Southern and Eastern Districts. She holds a J.D. from New York University School of Law and B.A. from SUNY Binghamton, Harpur College.
Manuel Rosa has been appointed the Director of Community Relations for Faith-Based Groups at New York State Homes and Community Renewal. Mr. Rosa previously served as Assistant Director for the Promesa Community Residence Program, where he was responsible for gathering and creating supportive housing for individuals diagnosed with persistent mental illness and substance abuse addictions. Prior, he was Assistant Vice President of the NYC Health & Hospitals Corporation, where he managed the office's intergovernmental and external relations, as well as the Director for the New York State Department of Health's Office of Minority Health. Mr. Rosa is also currently an Adjunct Professor of Urban Studies at CUNY's Queens College and holds a B.S. from Colby College.
Natacha Carbajal has been appointed Special Counsel to the Commissioner for Ethics, Risk and Compliance for the Department of Labor. Ms. Carbajal was most recently a senior associate at Baker & Hostetler LLP, having previously served as a Judicial Law Clerk for the United States Bankruptcy Courts of the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. She is a member of the American Bar Association, Association of the Bar of the City of New York, and the Hispanic National Bar Association. Ms. Carbajal holds a J.D. from Fordham University and a B.S. from Cornell University.
Carey Merrill has been appointed Special Counsel to the Chief Information Officer for Ethics, Risk and Compliance in the Office of Information Technology Services. Most recently, Ms. Merrill served as Counsel to Professional Risk, Cyber and Surety underwriters at ACE North America. Prior, she served as a Senior Claims Specialist at ACE, a Trial Attorney at the Military Personnel Litigation Division and Employment Litigation Division, and in various other roles within the United States Air Force. Ms. Merrill holds a J.D. from George Washington University and a B.A. from Ithaca College.
Kerri O'Brien has been appointed Chief Executive Officer for the State Liquor Authority. Ms. O'Brien has over 33 years of experience at the New York State Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, most recently serving as the Deputy Commissioner of Licensing, where she helped reduce license application review times by 50 percent. Additionally, Ms. O'Brien has participated in panels to improve the State Liquor Authority's license application process, as well as helping to draft legislation and State Liquor Authority Board advisories—which resulted in the number of liquor manufacturers in the state more than doubling.
Greg Francis has been appointed Chief Investment Officer of The New York State Insurance Fund. Mr. Francis comes from an extensive background in financial management, most recently serving as the Head of Fixed Income Portfolio Management for Santa Clara County in California. Previously, he served at GE Capital as the Head of Fixed Income and Derivatives Portfolio Management, at Fortis Bank as the Senior Fixed Income and Derivatives Portfolio Manager, and at Capital One Asset Management as the Co-Head of Fixed Income Portfolio Management, among others. In these roles, he oversaw portfolios totaling billions of dollars while designing and supervising investment strategies. Mr. Francis holds a B.Sc. from the Columbia University School of Engineering.
Susan G. Rosenthal has been appointed General Counsel of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation. Ms. Rosenthal previously served as General Counsel for the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, and prior was Partner at Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, LLP, among other private law practices. She has decades of experience as a litigator of commercial and corporate law disputes and as a mediator and arbitrator for the United States District Courts of the Southern and Eastern Districts. She holds a J.D. from New York University School of Law and B.A. from SUNY Binghamton, Harpur College.
Manuel Rosa has been appointed the Director of Community Relations for Faith-Based Groups at New York State Homes and Community Renewal. Mr. Rosa previously served as Assistant Director for the Promesa Community Residence Program, where he was responsible for gathering and creating supportive housing for individuals diagnosed with persistent mental illness and substance abuse addictions. Prior, he was Assistant Vice President of the NYC Health & Hospitals Corporation, where he managed the office's intergovernmental and external relations, as well as the Director for the New York State Department of Health's Office of Minority Health. Mr. Rosa is also currently an Adjunct Professor of Urban Studies at CUNY's Queens College and holds a B.S. from Colby College.
Natacha Carbajal has been appointed Special Counsel to the Commissioner for Ethics, Risk and Compliance for the Department of Labor. Ms. Carbajal was most recently a senior associate at Baker & Hostetler LLP, having previously served as a Judicial Law Clerk for the United States Bankruptcy Courts of the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. She is a member of the American Bar Association, Association of the Bar of the City of New York, and the Hispanic National Bar Association. Ms. Carbajal holds a J.D. from Fordham University and a B.S. from Cornell University.
Carey Merrill has been appointed Special Counsel to the Chief Information Officer for Ethics, Risk and Compliance in the Office of Information Technology Services. Most recently, Ms. Merrill served as Counsel to Professional Risk, Cyber and Surety underwriters at ACE North America. Prior, she served as a Senior Claims Specialist at ACE, a Trial Attorney at the Military Personnel Litigation Division and Employment Litigation Division, and in various other roles within the United States Air Force. Ms. Merrill holds a J.D. from George Washington University and a B.A. from Ithaca College.