Roger Bearden Email & Phone Number

Albany, New York Metropolitan Area

Albany, New York

• Chief operating officer for state agency providing supports to 130,000 individuals with developmental disabilities.
• Direct largest community-based system of state-operated developmental disability programs in country, including 1000 state-operated group homes, 90 state-operated day programs, 75 state-operated clinics, and 20,000.
• Oversee 650 nonprofit providers of developmental disability programs, including development and implementation of policy, regulatory, fiscal, and quality improvement initiatives to encourage sustainability, equity, and.
• Mobilized agency to respond to COVID-19 pandemic, including emergency reorganization of agency’s operations, drafting and issuing over 70 guidance documents, developing and implementing COVID-19 data reporting system.
• Coordinated development of $9 billion budget with agency chief financial officer and closely monitored agency spending to assure agency met fiscal targets.
• Reorganized agency to implement data-driven decision-making throughout organization.

Albany, New York Area

• Chief legal officer for state agency providing supports to individuals with developmental disabilities.
• Directed agency legal department, supervising all litigation, contracts, employment, real estate, legislation, regulation, and audit defense matters.
• Recruited, trained, and promoted lawyers and paraprofessionals, encouraging a culture of learning and professional excellence.

Albany, New York, United States

• Assistant counsel to Governor, developing and implementing Governor’s policy priorities.
• Provided legal and policy advice on human services, mental health, and developmental disabilities issues.
• Negotiated with state legislature on annual budget and proposed legislation.
• Supervised agency general counsels in implementation of Governor’s agenda.

Co-taught upper level course on the Civil Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Albany, New York, United States

Directed the activities of interagency Olmstead Implementation Cabinet and developed a statewide plan to serve individuals with disabilities in the most integrated setting.

Schenectady, NY

• Chief Executive Officer of investigative agency overseeing care for New Yorkers with disabilities.
• Directed investigations of abuse, neglect, wrongful death, and Medicaid fraud.
• Implemented new case protocols and tracking mechanisms to increase efficiency and accuracy of investigations and reports.
• Represented agency before legislature, media, and external stakeholders.
• Coordinated annual budget development with agency chief financial officer and supervised federal and state fiscal reporting.

New York, NY

• Director at nonprofit civil rights organization serving low-income and marginalized communities.
• Coordinated strategic planning initiative in collaboration with Executive Director, Board of Directors, and agency staff.
• Supervised attorneys and advocates in litigation and advocacy to improve access to health care, achieve environmental justice, and promote the rights of people with disabilities.
• In collaboration with director of development, identified and obtained financial support from federal, state, philanthropic, and individual funders.
• Monitored and documented grant-funded work to assure timely and accurate reporting.

Albany, New York

Drafted and negotiated health care legislation as lead health attorney for New York State Senate.

Albany, NY

Litigated and advocated on behalf of individuals with mental disabilities for nonprofit law firm.

New York, NY

Litigated in federal and state courts for civil rights law firm.

Philadelphia, PA

Litigated in state and federal courts in commercial litigation matters.

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Drafted legal opinions and memoranda as judicial law clerk.

J.D., Cum Laude, Law

A.B., Magna Cum Laude, International Relations