The largest local social services agency in the country, HRA/DSS serves over three million New Yorkers through the administration of more than 12 major public assistance programs, with more than 13,000 employees and an operating budget of more than $10 billion.As COO, my portfolio has spanned Human Resources Solutions; Labor Relations; Information Technology Services; Office of Business Process Innovation; General Support Services; Public-Private Strategic Partnerships, and Office of Emergency Management. It has been my mission to provide informed, accountable, and decisive direction to ensure that the daily, emergent, and long-term needs of the agency are met. Notable achievements and responsibilities include: providing principal oversight for HRA’s Re-Engineering project, a multi-year $100 million plus business process redesign initiative that continues to fundamentally transform how HRA interacts with clients by offering simplified access points to apply for benefits and services through ACCESS HRA; re-organized IT governance from a moribund body into tiered dynamic decision-making committees to better align IT technology development with the agency’s current and anticipated needs to provide accountability, consistency, and flexibility in directing $10mm of public funds into enterprise-wide projects, including nearly 50 large-scale IT projects that have been shepherded through IT governance; and, direct the management of the HRA/DSS lease portfolio of over 80 locations throughout New York City, which includes partnering with other agencies to bring large-scale projects to underserved areas and further drive economic development.

As the agency head of FIA within HRA/DSS, the nation's largest urban welfare program with over 5,000 employees, I directed Public Assistance, SNAP (formerly called Food Stamps), employment services, homeless services, and other supports for nearly two million New Yorkers. In this capacity, I oversaw the management functions, administration, budgeting, planning, organizing, staffing, reporting, coordination, and evaluation of FIA; made regular appearances before City Council, public interest groups, and advocates; managed FIA’s relationship with state and federal agencies to discuss policies, proposed initiatives, audits, and other issues of common concern; and, had oversight of the largest public workforce-based program portfolio in New York City to place participants into subsidized and unsubsidized employment and linking them to other benefits, such as childcare and the Earned Income Tax Credit.

As the agency head of HASA within HRA/DSS, New York City’s primary program for persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), I oversaw a program that provided comprehensive services, including case management, enhanced rental assistance, and other specifically designed programs to promote long-term housing stability. With a caseload of 45,000 individuals and 1,300 employees, I was responsible for the ongoing compliance with Local Law 49 of 1997 and the related Henrietta D. v. Giuliani litigation, the cornerstone of the provision of benefits and services to eligible PLWHA in New York City; made regular appearances before City Council and other interested groups as one of the City’s chief spokespersons on HIV/AIDS issues; and, oversaw the implementation of specialized programs and initiatives to service the needs of specific groups within HASA in order to improve retention and outcomes.

I oversaw daily operations of the social services and financial assistance programs at field offices throughout New York City to ensure the timely provision of services and Cash Assistance, SNAP, housing supplements, and Medicaid benefits. I also oversaw the comprehensive renovation of the majority of HASA locations into Model Offices, an HRA signature initiative, to create welcoming and dignified client-facing environments.