Albany - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the following appointments and nominations to senior positions within the state government.

Joseph Martens will be nominated to serve as Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation. Since 1998, Martens has served as President of the Open Space Institute, directing and overseeing land acquisition, sustainable development, historic preservation and farmland protection. Previously, Martens served as Deputy Secretary to the Governor for Energy and the Environment from 1992-1994 and before that Assistant Secretary from 1990-1992. He is the Chair of the Olympic Regional Development Authority, which operates the 1932 and 1980 winter Olympic venues in Lake Placid and Wilmington, NY and Gore Mountain Ski Area in Johnsburg, NY. He also chairs the Adirondack Lake Survey Corporation, which continuously monitors Adirondack lakes and streams to determine the extent and magnitude of acidification in the Adirondack region. Martens studied Resource Economics at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and received an M.S. in Resource Management from the State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse University.

"Joe's lifelong experience of fighting to protect and preserve our environment will bring the highest level of stewardship to our state's beautiful natural resources. Joe knows how to strike the critical balance between defending our natural resources from pollution and destruction while at the same time fostering a climate of economic renewal and growth. His experience and record as a competent and productive manager will breathe life into this vital agency." Governor Cuomo said.

"Joe is an outstanding choice to lead such a vital agency at such at an important time. We are at a crossroads for the environmental movement in New York State and I know that Joe will continue to be a leader in the fight to preserve our great state's landscape, environment, and natural resources. I look forward to working with Joe and commend the Governor for making this nomination," said Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Elizabeth Glazer will serve as Deputy Secretary for Public Safety. Glazer has served as the Chair of the New York State Juvenile Justice Advisory Group. Glazer has held a number of senior positions at both the federal and local levels, implementing crime control and prevention strategies. She previously served in the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, successively as the Chief of Organized Crime, Violent Gangs and Crime Control Strategies sections. Subsequently, she was the First Deputy Commissioner in New York City's Department of Investigation, the city agency charged with investigating corruption and fraud. She then served as First Deputy District Attorney in Westchester County where she was responsible for developing and executing strategies to reduce the county's crime rate, and later as Special Counsel to the New York Attorney General. Early in her career, she was the first Director of Management Information Services for New York City's Department of Juvenile Justice. Glazer is a graduate of Harvard University and Columbia Law School.

Dede Scozzafava will serve as Deputy Secretary for Local Government at the Department of State. Scozzafava served as a member of the New York State Assembly from 1999-2010, serving as Minority Leader, Pro Tempore from April 2009-December 2009. She served as Chairwoman of the Assembly Republican Review Committee and the SAVE NY TASK FORCE. Prior to joining the Assembly, Scozzafava was Mayor of the Village of Gouverneur from 1994-1998. In the private sector, Scozzafava spent 20 years working for Tucker Anthony/RBC Dain Rauscher as an investment advisor. She is a graduate of Boston University and received an MBA from the Clarkson School of Management in Potsdam.

Joseph Percoco will serve as Executive Deputy Secretary. Percoco recently served as the Campaign Manager for Andrew Cuomo 2010. Prior to joining the campaign, Percoco worked at the Office of the New York State Attorney General as Special Counsel to the Attorney General. In the private sector, Percoco was a Managing Attorney at KPMG LLP. From 1999-2001, he worked at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, where he served as Special Assistant to the Secretary and later as Assistant General Counsel. Percoco also served as Director of Advance for former Governor Mario M. Cuomo.

Darrel J. Aubertine will be nominated to serve as Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Markets. The nomination requires confirmation by the State Senate. Aubertine recently served as State Senator of the 48th Senate District in Central and Northern New York, which is comprised of Oswego, Jefferson and part of St. Lawrence counties. He served as chair of both the Senate Agriculture Committee and the Rural Resources Commission, and as the ranking majority member and vice chair of the Energy & Telecommunications Committee. Before joining the Senate in 2008, Aubertine represented the 118th Assembly district in the New York State Assembly for five years, where he served as the chair of the Commission on State-Local Relations. From 1996-2001, he was a member of the Jefferson County Legislature and was elected to chair in 1998. Aubertine's career in government began in 1994, when he served as a member of the Cape Vincent Town Council. Since 1971, Aubertine has owned and operated the sixth-generation heritage Triple-A Farm in Cape Vincent, for which he purchased a plot of land while still in high school. Aubertine has been a member of numerous cooperatives and organizations, including the Cape Vincent Milk Producers, Allied and Eastern, Agway, St. Lawrence County Farm Bureau, the New York State Farm Bureau, and the Dairy Herd Improvement Association.

"Darrel's experience and expertise in agriculture is unparalleled," Governor Cuomo said. "He fought for years on behalf of farmers in the state legislature and delivered real results. New York's agricultural community will thrive with Darrel at the helm of this critical department, and I thank him for his service."

John S. Dyson will be nominated to serve as a Trustee on the Board of the New York Power Authority. The nomination requires confirmation by the State Senate. Currently, Dyson is Chairman of Millbrook Capital Management, Inc., an investment firm whose activities include managing private equity investments and a stock investment fund. From 1997-2001, Dyson was the Chairman of New York City's Council of Economic Advisors. He was the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Finance in the administration of Mayor Giuliani from 1994 to 1996 and served as the Chairman of the New York Power Authority from 1979 to 1985, where he enhanced the safety and economics of two nuclear power plants then owned and operated by the Authority. Dyson was Commissioner of Commerce for New York State when the "I Love New York" advertising campaign was created. In 1975, Governor Hugh Carey appointed him to Commissioner of Agriculture of New York State. Dyson served his country as First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Military Intelligence for two years. Later, he spent six months in the Pentagon where he worked for the Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence, US Army.

"John Dyson brings lifelong experience and a deep knowledge of energy issues and economic development to the New York Power Authority," Governor Cuomo said. "New Yorkers can have confidence that with John on the team, energy delivery and allocation will be in good hands. I thank him for his continued service."

Joan McDonald will be nominated to serve as Commissioner of the State Department of Transportation. McDonald is currently serving as the Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development. In May, 2008, she was appointed Chair of Connecticut Innovations, an authority providing development capital to emerging businesses. From 2003-2007, she was the Senior Vice President of Transportation for the New York City Economic Development Corporation. Prior to joining the NYCEDC, she spent five years as the Vice President of Jacobs Engineering. McDonald was Deputy Commissioner for Planning & Traffic Operations for the New York City Department of Transportation from 1995-1998 and served as the Director of Capital and Long Range Planning for the MTA Metro-North Railroad for the three years prior to that. She served as Special Assistant to the Speaker of the New York State Assembly from 1991-1992. She began her career in public service with the New York State Assembly in 1978, serving in various capacities on the Ways and Means and House Operations Committees, including Deputy Budget Director and Assistant Director of Research.
Yomika S. Bennett will serve as Assistant Secretary of Transportation. Bennett currently serves as the Director of State and Local Relations at the New York State Department of Transportation. Prior to joining the NYSDOT in 2007, Bennett served as Executive Director for the office of Assemblyman David Gantt. From 2001-2005, Bennett was the Senior Legislative Budget Analyst for the New York State Assembly Committee on Ways and Means. In 2000, she worked at Schenectady County Community College as the Coordinator of Institutional Research and Grants Support.

Brian Fischer will be reappointed Commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services, a position that he has held since his confirmation in 2007. Prior to his appointment, Commissioner Fischer was one of nine Supervising Superintendents with responsibility for the management of six correctional facilities in addition to being the Superintendent of Sing Sing Correctional Facility from 2000-2007. He served as the Superintendent of the Queensboro Correctional Facility for nine years after serving as the Director of Support Operations from 1986-1991. Fischer began his career in the New York State Department of Correctional Services as a Deputy Superintendent in 1975. From 1968-1975, Fischer was at the New York State Narcotic Addiction Control Commission, where he rose from a Parole Officer to Assistant Director.

Dr. Michael Hogan will be reappointed Commissioner of the Office of Mental Health, a position that he has held since his confirmation in 2007. Dr. Hogan served as Director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health from 1991-2007, and Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Mental Health from 1987-1991. He chaired the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health in 2002-2003, and was appointed as the first behavioral health representative on the board of The Joint Commission in 2007. He served (1994-1998) on NIMH's National Advisory Mental Health Council from 1994-1998, as President of the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors from 2003-2005 and as Board President of NASMHPD's Research Institute from 1989-2000. He is a graduate of Cornell University, State University College in Brockport NY, and received his Ph.D. from Syracuse University.

Leecia Eve has been appointed to serve as Senior Vice President and Counsel to the Empire State Development Corporation. "Eve's extensive expertise and knowledge of economic issues in New York, across the nation, and abroad will be instrumental in reopening New York State to business," Governor Cuomo said. "Her decades of legal experience, combined with an intrinsic understanding of our state's diverse economic needs, will help businesses thrive and prosper. I thank her for her ongoing commitment to public service." Eve most recently served as Vice President for Policy of the No Limits Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that promotes economic issues at home and abroad and advocates transforming American foreign policy around the world, including advancing the rights of women. She has spoken nationally about investing in our nation's infrastructure to improve economic competitiveness and create jobs. Eve is a 1990 graduate of Harvard Law School and the John F. Kennedy School of Government and is an expert on a range of issues, including economic development and homeland security. She is a former partner at Hodgson Russ, Western New York's largest law firm. She served as a judicial clerk to the New York State Court of Appeals Judge Fritz W. Alexander II, Judiciary Committee Counsel to then-Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr., and as Senate Counsel to then-Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. A resident of Buffalo, Eve has served on the boards of the Community Service Society of New York, the Greater Buffalo Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens Society. Eve is a former Vice President of the Minority Bar Association of Western New York. She is a member of The Links Incorporated, Buffalo Chapter.

Erik Bottcher has been appointed to serve as Special Assistant for Community Affairs. "Bottcher is a dedicated advocate for LGBT rights and for the HIV/AIDS community. During his tenure with Speaker Quinn, he was instrumental in advancing New York City's progressive agenda. His experience in public service will be essential to my administration as we move forward," Governor Cuomo said. Bottcher currently serves as LGBT and HIV/AIDS Community Liaison for NYC Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn. In this role, he is responsible for managing Speaker Quinn's outreach to the LGBT and HIV/AIDS communities and fostering dialogue between the NYC Council and community leaders from across the five boroughs. Bottcher also played a lead role in developing and implementing NYC Council initiatives that relate to the LGBT community and initiatives to combat HIV/AIDS. Bottcher is from Lake Placid and is a graduate of The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. In September, he was named to the "Rising Stars: 40 Under 40" by City Hall News.

Mitra Hormozi is appointed to serve as Chairperson of the Commission on Public Integrity. Hormozi spent more than six years as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, where she was the Chief of the Organized Crime and Racketeering Section. Hormozi successfully prosecuted numerous high profile and difficult cases, including the conviction at trial of the Boss of the Bonnano Crime Family and the conviction at trial of the 2006 "Mafia Cops" case, involving two retired police detectives who acted as hit men for the mob. For her work as a federal prosecutor, Hormozi received numerous top law enforcement awards. After leaving the U.S. Attorney's Office, Hormozi served in the New York Attorney General's Office where she coordinated major initiatives related to public integrity and consumer fraud, and had oversight of regional office initiatives. In addition, Hormozi was responsible for the investigation of former Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada, and was designated as Special Assistant United States Attorney in connection with a federal prosecution of Mr. Espada. Earlier in her career, Hormozi was an associate in the litigation department of Kronish, Lieb, Weiner & Hellman, and served as an Honors Attorney for the United States Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C. Hormozi is a graduate of the University of Michigan and New York University School of Law.

Richard J. Bartlett is appointed to serve as a member of the Commission. Bartlett is a partner at Bartlett, Pontiff, Stewart & Rhodes PC in Glens Falls. He concentrates his practice on general litigation in Federal and State Courts. Bartlett was a Member and Chair of the New York State Board of Law Examiners. He is a former Dean and Professor of Law of Albany Law School of Union University. Bartlett was a New York State Supreme Court Justice and was Chief Administrative Judge of New York. Bartlett served as a Delegate to the New York Constitutional Convention in 1967 and was Chair of the New York Penal Law Revision Commission. Bartlett was a Member of the New York Assembly from 1959-1966, and was minority whip in his last year. Bartlett received the first Charles Evans Hughes Award presented by the Warren County Bar Association for his outstanding dedication to the law and public service in 2002. In 2004, he received the New York State Bar Association Gold Medal, the association's highest award. Mr. Bartlett was a Captain in the United States Air Force, JAG during the Korean War. Bartlett graduated from Georgetown University and received his LLB from Harvard Law School.

Vernon Broderick is appointed to serve as a member of the Commission. Broderick is a partner at Weil, Gotshal, & Manges LLP who concentrates his practice on white collar criminal investigations and prosecutions, regulatory investigations and proceedings, and business litigation. Broderick's practice also includes representing clients in civil business litigation, many of which are parallel or related proceedings filed in connection with criminal and regulatory matters. Broderick also handles complex civil cases, including matters involving breach of fiduciary duty and securities fraud. Broderick was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York for eight years. While at the United States Attorney's Office, he served as chief of the Violent Gangs Unit. Broderick graduated from Yale University, and received his J.D. from Harvard Law School.

The Commission on Public Integrity consists of 13 members: seven members, including the Chair are selected by the Governor and six members are appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the Attorney General, the Comptroller, and the four Legislative leaders. No more than four of the seven members appointed by the Governor can belong to the same political party. These appointees will not receive a salary and their appointments do not require Senate confirmation.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo also announced the nomination of Rose H. Harvey as commissioner of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

"Rose Harvey's experience and knowledge as well as her expertise creating countless cost-effective parks, playgrounds and open spaces in underserved communities with efficiency makes her the person we need to lead this agency," Governor Cuomo said. "I thank her for her public service and look forward to working with her."

Currently, Harvey is a senior fellow at the Jonathan Rose Companies, where she acts as an advisor and researcher on parks and open space issues, and launched a non-profit organization to fund, design and develop safe, well-managed parks in urban neighborhoods. She was also recently a McCluskey Fellow and Lecturer at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

For 27 years, Harvey held multiple leadership positions with The Trust for Public Land, most recently as Senior Vice President and National Director of Urban Programs. There, she oversaw all real estate acquisitions, urban park design and developments, managed the finances of a $20 million annual operating budget, and closed between $50 and $75 million worth of land and parks transactions each year across eight states - a total of nearly $1 billion and more than a thousand new and enhanced parks, gardens and playgrounds in underserved neighborhoods in New York City, Newark, NJ and Baltimore. She has also established large landscape woodlands and natural areas throughout New York State and the Mid-Atlantic region.

Harvey began her tenure in the parks and open space arena as the Assistant Director for Conservation Easement at the Maryland Environmental Trust, where she negotiated protections of private lands holding environmental significance.

Harvey received her B.A. from Colorado College in 1977 and M.E.S. at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies in 1984. She currently serves on the Board of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the Yale Leadership Advisory Council. In the past she has served on many conservation organizations, including the Appalachian Mountain Club, the Hudson River Institute and Walsh Park Low Income Housing. In addition to multiple state and national awards for her environmental stewardship and advocacy for open space and parks, Ms. Harvey has written multiple articles and op/eds in numerous national media outlets and industry trade journals.

Broome County Executive Barbara Fiala will be nominated to serve as the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles. Executive Fiala has worked in public service for 40 years. She is currently the first female County Executive of Broome County. In addition, Executive Fiala is a board member of the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC), President of the New York State Association of County Executives and also serves on the County Executives of America Board. She is Vice Chair of the Broome County Industrial Development Agency Board and was appointed in 2008 as a Committee Member of the National Association of Counties; Community and Economic Development Steering Committee. Executive Fiala started her career in Broome County politics when she was first elected to County Clerk in 1997. She is a life-long resident of Broome County and the City of Binghamton.

Mayor Brian Stratton will be recommended as the Director of the New York State Canal Corporation. Currently, Mayor Stratton serves as the Mayor of the City of Schenectady. Prior to being elected Mayor in 2004, he was represented District 2 in the Schenectady County Legislature for two years. From 1992-2002, Mayor Stratton was a Schenectady City Council Member At-Large. In addition, he served as the Economic Development and Small Business Liaison to the New York State Senate Minority leader from 2000-2003. Prior to joining the Senate, Mayor Stratton worked at Empire State Development in the Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research for 13 years. After graduating college, Mayor Stratton began his career at General Electric in 1981. There he worked in Cable Television and Broadcasting Department in Schenectady, and later moved to the Corporate Government Relations Department in Washington D.C. Mayor Stratton has a B.A. from State University of New York at Oswego.

Matthew J. Driscoll will be reappointed to serve as President and CEO of the Environmental Facilities Corporation. Prior to his appointment in 2008, Driscoll was the Mayor of Syracuse where he spearheaded multiple environmental, energy and sustainability initiatives and made the City of Syracuse the first city in the country to offer every student who graduates with a Regents diploma free college tuition. From 1998-2001, he was the President of the Common Council. Driscoll was also the Chair of the Airport Committee for the Third District Common Council in 1995, after serving two years as the Chair of the Parks and Recreation Committee for the Second District Common Council from 1987-1989.