Recent appointments to Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's administration

On September 4, 2019 the Governor announced these appointments to his administration:

Matthew Saal has been appointed Senior Advisor for Communications. Mr. Saal is a two-time Emmy Award-winning producer who has extensive experience producing television and digital programming. Previously, Mr. Saal worked for four years as Creator and Executive Producer at Bloomberg LP where he produced "The David Rubenstein Show: Peer to Peer Conversations," which featured behind the headlines interviews with top newsmakers including Warren Buffett and Bill Gates. Prior to that, he served for seven years as Creator and Executive Producer at MSNBC where he created and executive produced primetime live television shows including "The Rachel Maddow Show," "Politics Nation" and "Verdict with Dan Abrams." He has also served as Senior Broadcast Producer at NBC News on "Weekend Nightly News with Lester Holt." Mr. Saal earned a B.A. from Harvard College.

Colleen Curtis has been appointed Senior Director of Digital Strategy and Social Media. Ms. Curtis brings a wealth of media, communications and marketing experience in the media, government and entertainment industries. More recently, she served as Senior Vice President for Consumer, Social and Digital Publicity at Starz Entertainment and the Director of Digital Content at the Executive Office of the President under President Obama where she managed oversight and content for multiple online platforms. Ms. Curtis previously served as Editorial Director of Womens & Lifestyle Programming at AOL, where she launched 15 websites that reached more than 20 million Americans each month. In addition, Curtis has held numerous leadership roles in media in the United States and overseas, including senior editorial positions at ABC's Good Morning America, the New York Daily News, and the National Post. Ms. Curtis studied journalism at Boston University's College of Communications and Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism.

Jeremy M. Goldberg has been appointed Deputy Secretary for Technology and Innovation for the State of New York. With over 15 years experience working across sectors, Jeremy has served in a technology leadership, strategy, and partnerships role in three mayoral offices: New York, San Francisco, and San Jose. Most recently, Jeremy served as Deputy CTO and Managing Director of NYCx in the New York City Mayor's Office of the Chief Technology Officer (MOCTO). He led the successful creation of an award-winning portfolio of initiatives that focuses on bold ideas and breakthroughs in the way we interact with and influence emerging technologies for the public good. During his time in San Francisco, he served as Director of Civic Innovation Partnerships in the Mayor's Office of Civic Innovation, where he led the growth of Startup-in-Residence, a 16-week program that connects government departments with startups to address critical needs via innovative products and services, and Civic Bridge, public private partnership program that enlists pro-bono private sector volunteers to work on critical city issues alongside city staff. Prior to that, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Civic Innovation in San Jose, California. A Fuse Corps Alumnus, Aspen Ideas Festival Scholar, and University of Texas Archer Fellow Alumnus, Jeremy earned a B.A. in Government from the University of Texas at Austin and an M.A. in Public Affairs from the University of San Francisco. He and his family live in Brooklyn, NY.

 
Edgar Santana has been appointed Director of Downstate Regional Affairs. Mr. Santana previously served as Director of Political and Governmental Affairs for the Laborers Eastern Region Organizing Fund. He previously worked as the Construction Marketing Representative for the Eastern Region Laborers-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust. Earlier in his career, Mr. Santana was the Deputy Executive Director for the New York State Democratic Committee and the Northeast Political Director for Hillary Clinton for President. Mr. Santana also formerly served as a Trustee for the Yonkers Board of Education and is Co-Chair of the Westchester County Census 2020 Complete Count Committee. He received a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, an MBA from Fordham University, and a Master of Science Management Degree in Public Administration from Wilmington University, Wilson Graduate Center.

Brandon Hicks has been appointed Director of African American Affairs. Mr. Hicks brings nearly a decade of organizing and management experience for national civil rights and community organizations. Most recently, he served as the National Organizer for the National Action Network where he developed a national campaign to advance special prosecutor legislation and organized diverse campaigns surrounding police brutality, marijuana legalization and criminal justice reform. Mr. Hicks holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from North Carolina Central University and his Juris Doctor from Washington and Lee University School of Law.

 
Maria LoGiudice has been appointed Assistant Deputy Secretary for Public Safety. Ms. LoGiudice brings 20 years of experience in New York State government focusing on public safety and financial analysis. She previously served as the Managing Director of Budget and Fiscal Studies for the New York State Senate Finance Committee focusing on financial analysis surrounding public protection, including corrections, criminal justice services, homeland security and emergency services, State Police, victim services and local government issues. Ms. LoGiudice received a Bachelor's degree of Science and a Master's degree of Science in Criminal Justice Administration from Niagara University.

Molly Reilly has been appointed Assistant Secretary for Upstate Intergovernmental Affairs. Ms. Reilly most recently served as the Mayor of Sackets Harbor for two years. She also served as a professional educator, during which time Governor Cuomo selected her as an Empire State Excellence in Teaching Awardee. She received her Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Le Moyne College and a Master's degree in Political Science with a Concentration in Political Theory from the Nelson A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs And Policy at SUNY Albany.