Edwin D. Reilly, Jr.

Key Note Speaker

Congressman Michael R. McNulty is approaching his 40th year in elective public office. At the completion of that term, he will retire and return to the community he loves so much. His legacy will include extensive service at the local, state and national levels.

First elected to public office in November 1969 as town supervisor of Green Island, Congressman McNulty became the youngest town supervisor in New York State at the age of 22. After serving eight years as supervisor, he was elected mayor of the Village of Green Island and served in that capacity until he was elected to represent New York's 106th Assembly District in 1982.

In 1988, Michael McNulty was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for the 23rd Congressional District of New York. Currently in his tenth term in office, longer than anyone has served in that seat, he represents the 21st Congressional District, which includes all of Albany, Montgomery, Schenectady and Schoharie Counties, and portions of Fulton, Rensselaer and Saratoga Counties.

This year Congressman McNulty began his fifteenth year of service on the powerful House Ways & Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over taxation, international trade, health care, human resources and Social Security. He serves on numerous other influential committees and commissions, and chairs the Subcommittee on Social Security. After having served as Freshman Majority Whip and Majority Whip-at-Large, he now serves as At-Large Whip.

Congressman McNulty has traveled to all seven continents, including almost 60 countries, as well as the North and South Poles. He earned a B.A. in Political Science from the College of Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. He is also a graduate of St. Joseph's Institute in Barrytown, NY, Loyola University Rome Center in Rome, Italy and the Hill School of Insurance in New York City.

Congressman McNulty is a beloved man. In his last election to Congress he received 78% of the vote, victory in every county, city, town and village, and the highest number of votes cast for any congressional candidate of any party in New York State. He and his wife of 36 years, Nancy, have four daughters and five grandchildren.

Edwin D. Reilly, Jr., former supervisor of the Town of Niskayuna and emeritus professor of Computer Science at the University at Albany, has had a distinguished career. Dr. Reilly served as town supervisor from 1970 to 1979 and then again from 1989 to 1997. He joined UAlbany in 1965 as founder and director of the Computing Center and would go on to become the first chairman of the Computer Science department in 1967. He retired in 1991 after 26Fyears of service.

Prior to serving in these positions, Dr. Reilly worked at the GE Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory in Niskayuna as manager of Digital Analysis and Computations. He also spent a brief period at the GE R&D Center in Niskayuna, before being called to active duty at the National Security Agency in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Reilly is author or co-author of six books on computing and co-editor of the Encyclopedia of Computer Science, now in its fourth edition. He is the current president of the Schenectady County Historical Society, writes a monthly op-ed piece on a wide variety of subjects for the Sunday Gazette, and continues to serve a multitude of other community organizations.

Dr. Reilly is a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where he holds B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in physics. He and his wife, Jean, who met as high school freshmen, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2004.

Jamie Fellner is senior counsel of the United States Program of Human Rights Watch, which addresses a wide range of human rights abuses in the United States including police abuse, inhuman or degrading conditions of confinement, the mistreatment of immigrants, the death penalty, and discrimination against racial and ethnic minorities.

Since September 11, 2001, U.S. government antiterrorist policies have been a program priority as well.

Prior to her current position, she served as director of the U.S. Program from 2001 to 2007 and as associate counsel from 1994 to 2001.

Ms. Fellner is the author or co-author of numerous Human Rights Watch reports, including Beyond Reason: The Death Penalty and Offenders with Mental Retardation; Punishment and Prejudice: Racial Disparities in the War on Drugs; Race and Drug Law Enforcement in Georgia; Cruel and Usual: Disproportionate Sentences for New York Offenders; Red Onion State Prison: Supermaximum Security in Virginia; Out of Sight: Supermaximum Security Confinement in the United States; Cold Storage: Supermaximum Security Confinement in Indiana; and Losing the Vote: Felony Disenfranchisement in the United States.

Ms. Fellner earned her B.A. degree from Smith College and her JD from Boalt Hall at the University of California at Berkeley.

Dennis P. Whalen, appointed deputy secretary to the Governor in January 2007, is the chief health care advisor to the Governor and is responsible for policies and operations of the state’s health and human services agencies. These agencies include the Department of Health, Office of Mental Health, Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, Office of Children and Family Services, Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, Office for the Aging, Division of Veterans’ Affairs, Office of Medicaid Inspector General, Office of Welfare Inspector General, Commission on Quality of Care and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities, Council on Children and Families, and the Developmental Disabilities Planning Council.

Mr. Whalen previously served in the Department of Health as executive deputy commissioner, director of the Office of Health Systems Management, and executive deputy director of the AIDS Institute. He served in policymaking positions at the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, including deputy commissioner for Program Services. He began his career in state government in 1974 as a public health educator at the Department of Health.

Mr. Whalen is a graduate of Marist College and the National Preparedness Leadership Institute at the Kennedy School of Government. He and his wife, Alice, have three children, Emily, Philip and Daria.

Ward Byron Stone is the director of the Wildlife Pathology Unit of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and has served as the state’s sole wildlife pathologist for the past 39 years. He is responsible for diagnosing, monitoring, and researching the causes of sickness and death in the state’s wildlife and conducting field and site investigations on the impact of pesticides, pollutants, and hazardous materials on wildlife. Prior to serving in this role, he received two honorable discharges from the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy, where he served as a Navy Corpsman.

As one of the nation’s leading wildlife pathologists, he has provided depositions and expert testimony in numerous local, state, and federal court cases, and has also addressed the United Nations on two separate occasions. He can currently be heard on the radio program “In Our Backyard” on WAMC 90.3 FM.

Dr. Stone’s dedication to wildlife and the environment is evidenced by his reputation as a leading advocate and activist for many important environmental issues throughout his career. This commitment, coupled with his willingness to push forward against conflicting corporate and government interests, has garnered him the support and admiration of many in the media, community organizations, and the general public. He has been recognized with dozens of awards and honors throughout his career, and continues to be a champion for important environmental issues.

Harry Rosenfeld is editor-at-large of the Times Union, where he currently serves on its editorial board and writes a weekly column. After nearly twenty years of service, he retired from the paper in 1997.

Prior to joining the Times Union, Mr. Rosenfeld was an assistant managing editor of The Washington Post and was in charge of its Watergate exposé, which earned the newspaper a Pulitzer gold medal for public service.

Mr. Rosenfeld has served as a Pulitzer juror four times and as a commissioner on the New York State Regents Commission on Library Services.

His dedication to the community can be seen in his work with the Elder Network of the Capital Region, where he was the founding chairman. He also worked with New York State Senator Roy Goodman to establish the Great Arts program at the State Museum, which displays art from major museums throughout New York State.

Countless awards and honors include the Outstanding Alumni Award from Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences, the Freedom of Information Award from the Associated Press, the First Amendment Award of the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith in Los Angeles, the Media Responsibility Award from the New York State Martin Luther King Jr. Commission and Institute for Non-Violence, and numerous others.

The Honorable David A. Paterson

Key Note Speaker

David A. Paterson was elected New York’s lieutenant governor on November 7, 2006.

Elected to represent Harlem in the New York State Senate in 1985, David Paterson has demanded and achieved change at every level, not simply by what he stands for but by who he is.

In 2002, David Paterson was elected minority leader of the New York State Senate, the first non-white legislative leader in New York’s history.  In 2004 in Boston, he became the first visually impaired person to address a Democratic National Convention and 2006 saw Mr. Paterson make history again by being elected New York’s first African-American lieutenant governor.

As New York State Senate minority leader, David Paterson led the charge on several crucial issues for New York’s future, proposing legislation for a $1 billion voter-approved stem cell research initiative, demanding a statewide alternative energy strategy, insisting on strong action to fight against domestic violence, and serving as the primary champion for minority- and women-owned businesses in New York.  As a result, Governor Spitzer asked Mr. Paterson to continue to lead New York State on these issues as lieutenant governor.

David Paterson, who is legally blind, is also recognized nationally as a leading advocate for the visually and physically impaired.  A graduate of Columbia University and Hofstra Law School, Mr. Paterson also currently serves as an adjunct professor at Columbia’s School for International and Public Affairs.  Mr. Paterson lives in Harlem with his wife, Michelle, and their two children, Ashley and Alex.  He is the son of Basil Paterson, the first non-white secretary of state of New York and the first African-American vice-chair of the national Democratic Party.

Mary Ann T. Fish Mary Ann Tinklepaugh Fish has devoted more than 50 years of her life to public service. She recently retired after serving former Governor George Pataki for 12 years as the senior policy analyst in the New York State Office of Federal Affairs in Washington, D.C. 

From 1980 to 1992 Mrs. Fish was deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce for Intergovernmental Affairs and White House Liaison, serving under two presidents and five seiecretars. She was the Connecticut State director of the 1980 Reagan/Bush presidential campaign and a delegate to the 1980 Republican National Convention. Mrs. Fish was the director of volunteers for the 2000 Republican National Convention. Additionally, she was served four years as the New England regional political director for the Republican National Committee.

Throughout her career, Mrs. Fish has remained dedicated to guiding young people in the direction of public service. She was president of the NYS Young Republicans and the founder of the NYS Teenage Republican School of Politics. At the Department of Commerce she helped young campaign workers through their federal appointment processes to enter government service. While at the New York State Office of Federal Affairs, she coached more than 60 interns.

A graduate from Barnard College with a B.A. in government, Mrs. Fish remains an active volunteer and serves on numerous committees and boards. She is the widow of former Congressman Hamilton Fish.

John C. Egan has been appointed by Governor Eliot Spitzer to the position of commissioner of the New York State Office of General Services.

From June 2003 he has served as the president of Renaissance Corporation of Albany, a philanthropic organization established by Morris (Marty) Silverman dedicated to developing world-class education and medical facilities.

Prior to joining the Renaissance Corporation, Mr. Egan served for eight years (1995-2003) as chief executive officer of the Albany International Airport.

Preceding his appointment as CEO of the Albany International Airport, Mr. Egan served for more than 40 years in various positions in New York State government.  He served under five governors and rose to become commissioner of the New York State Office of General Services, executive director of the New York State Dormitory Authority and commissioner of the New York State Department of Transportation.

Mr. Egan is a veteran of the United States Army and a member of numerous civic and professional organizations.  He serves on the boards of local hospitals, colleges, and community organizations.  He is the chairman of the Harriman Research and Technology Development Corporation and the executive director of the New York State Senate Task Force on High Speed Rail.

David Kaczynski is executive director of New Yorkers Against the Death Penalty (NYADP) and the brother of Theodore Kaczynski - the so-called Unabomber - who was arrested in 1996 after David and his wife, Linda, approached the FBI with their suspicions that Theodore might be responsible for a series of bombings that caused three deaths and numerous injuries over a period of 17 years.

In 1998, David and Linda received a $1 million reward from the U.S. Justice Department for their role in the Unabom investigation, which they subsequently dedicated to the victims and their families.

Under David’s leadership, NYADP reopened a statewide dialogue on capital punishment, culminating in a comprehensive re-examination of New York’s death penalty by the State Assembly in 2004 and 2005. He is currently writing a book on violence and healing with Gary Wright, one of his brother’s surviving victims.

Prior to joining NYADP, David was assistant director of the Equinox shelter for runaway and homeless youth in Albany, where he counseled and advocated for troubled, neglected, and abused youth.

Through his life and his work, David has sought solutions to human problems through understanding and compassion as opposed to violence and coercion. His story touches on the things we must learn and the balances we must achieve to keep our humanity alive through adversity and crisis.

Sharon S. Dawes is the director of the Center for Technology in Government, associate professor of Public Administration and Policy, and an affiliated faculty member in Informatics at the University at Albany. 

Her main interests are cross-boundary information sharing and collaboration, international digital government research, and government information strategy and management.  Most of this work has been supported by the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Justice, the Library of Congress, and the State of New York.

From 1987 to 1993, Dr. Dawes was executive director of the New York State Forum for Information Resource Management, a network of state government organizations and public officials interested in information management, policy, and technology.  She began her career in the Executive Branch of New York State government.  From 1977 to 1984, she was an associate commissioner with the NYS Department of Social Services, with responsibilities for the state's multi-billion dollar intergovernmental public assistance programs.

A fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, Dr. Dawes was elected the first president of the Digital Government Society of North America in 2006.  She was honored with the Government Technology Conference Rudolph Giuliani Leadership Award in 2005 and named a Public Official of the Year by Governing Magazine in 1997.  An experienced teacher and author, she has presented on information policy and management in the public sector before numerous professional, academic, and government audiences both domestically and internationally.  Dr. Dawes holds a Ph.D. in public administration from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy, University at Albany.

Judge Kaye was sworn in as Chief Judge of the State of New York on March 23, 1993 , becoming the first woman to occupy the top judicial office of New York State . She became the first woman to serve on New York State ’s highest Court when Governor Mario M. Cuomo appointed her Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals in September 1983.

Chief Judge Kaye is a member of the Conference of Chief Justices, Chair of the Permanent Judicial Commission on Justice for Children, a member of the Board of Editors of the New York State Bar Journal, a member of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Judicial Administration, Founding Member and Honorary Chair of Judges and Lawyers Breast Cancer Alert (JALBCA), and serves as Trustee of the William Nelson Cromwell Foundation. From 2004-05 she was Co-Chair of the American Bar Association Commission on the American Jury. She is also a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the American Law Institute, the National Jury Center Advisory Committee, the Warren E. Burger Society, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York , the Association of Women Judges ( New York and national) and the American Philosophical Society.

Judge Kaye is the author of numerous publications, particularly articles dealing with legal process, state constitutional law, women in law, professional ethics and problem-solving courts. She is the recipient of various awards, including the American Bar Association Justice Center John Marshall Award, the North American Council on Adoptable Children’s Adoption Activist Award, the Justice Management Institute’s Ernest C. Friesen Award of Excellence, the American Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession’s Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award, the National Center for State Courts’ William H. Rehnquist Award for Judicial Excellence, the New York County Lawyers Association’s William Nelson Cromwell Award, New York University Law School’s Vanderbilt Medal, the Barnard College President’s Medal, the Gold Medal of the New York State Bar Association and the Fordham-Stein Prize. She has also received numerous honorary degrees.

Chief Judge Kaye is a 1958 graduate of Barnard College and received her LL.B. cum laude from New York University School of Law in 1962. She engaged in private practice in New York City until her appointment to the Court of Appeals.

She and her husband, Stephen Rackow Kaye, a practicing lawyer, are the proud parents of Luisa, Jonathan and Gordon, and proud grandparents of Sonja, Andrea, Ben, Shirin, Amelia and Shayna

William A. Johnson, Jr.

Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy Distinguished Public Service Award

William A. Johnson, Jr., former mayor of Rochester , received the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy Distinguished Public Service Award. Johnson. He was elected the 64th mayor of the City of Rochester, New York State’s third largest city, in November 1993, receiving over 72 percent of the votes.

As Mayor, Johnson developed the Neighbors Building Neighborhoods Programme (NBN), which introduced the principles of citizen participation and empowerment into every neighborhood. The Neighborhood Empowerment Teams are a series of neighborhood-based mini-City Halls, where police officers and civilian code enforcement officers are assigned to work directly with citizens to resolve a host of quality-of-life issues, in a timely and efficient manner. The Community Oriented Policing initiative has worked to improve police-community relations and has initiated and motivated a number of collaborative efforts between citizens and police to reduce crime and violence in neighborhoods.

Prior to his first election, Mayor Johnson served for 21 years as president and chief executive officer of the Urban League of Rochester, where he was responsible for developing and overseeing a number of programs in education and youth development, family services, employment training and housing development. Among the more innovative initiatives were the Salute to Black Scholars, a program founded in 1980 to recognize the academic achievements of black high school students. In 22 years, more than 3,800 students have been cited and tens of millions of dollars in community scholarships have been awarded. The Black Scholars Endowment Fund was founded in 1987 with $1 million. It has since awarded financial assistance to hundreds of deserving college students. The Urban League Economic Development Corporation, a non-profit subsidiary was formed in 1986, has constructed hundreds of new, affordable homes for first time owners. These programs remain strong and vibrant today, nearly 13 years after Mayor Johnson's tenure with the League.

During his campaign in 2001, Mayor Johnson announced he would not seek a fourth term if he were to win reelection. In November of that year, Mayor Johnson garnered over 78 percent of the vote on his way to winning a third term in office. He completed 12 years of distinguished service to the city when his third term ended in 2005.

Mayor Johnson earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from Howard University in Washington , D.C. in 1965 and 1967 respectively. At Howard, he was the editor-in-chief of the college newspaper, a Falk Fellow in the political science department, and listed in Who's Who Among Students in the 1965 edition. He was honored by his alma mater in March 2003 with an Alumni Award for Distinguished Postgraduate Achievement.

Marty Silverman

School of Social Welfare and Distinguished Public Service Award

In January of 2006, the Capital Region lost a visionary and a leader. Marty Silverman dared to dream, invest in his dreams and to bring about major changes in the Capital Region. Marty Silverman was born in Troy , New York, a son of immigrant parents. Silverman attended Albany Law School and upon graduation he immediately began working for the Legal Aid Society

Silverman’s career was put on hold when he entered the Army as a private but he soon rose to the rank of Major. He returned from the War as a decorated combat veteran, with a pair of Purple Hearts, two Bronze Stars, a Silver Star, four Battle Stars and a Combat Infantry Badge.

After his discharge, Silverman along with his wife pioneered in the leasing business, founding National Equipment Rental. His business evolved into the largest privately owned leasing company in the United States , which he later sold for $40 million dollars. Silverman created the Marty and Dorothy Silverman Foundation, which has provided support for numerous programs that benefit education, abused and neglected children, and indigent senior citizens.

He went on to make significant philanthropic gifts---millions of dollars—in the Capital Region and created the Renaissance Corporation of Albany . Among its goals, the Renaissance Corporation seeks to advance biotechnology research and Capital Region economic development through research partnerships and innovative programs in education.

He also developed a blueprint for the city that would link several of its leading colleges and centers for higher education. Known as the University Heights Association, Silverman was the driving force behind a plan that would create a consortium of colleges. Mr. Silverman provided much of the initial funding for the project.

Marty Silverman was a model change agent. He invested in visions that would lead to cutting edge impacts. One of his many mottos was “ If it is going to be, it is up to me."

John Dunne

School of Criminal Justice Distinguished Public Service Award

John Dunne has devoted his career to public service through positions in government at the local, state, and federal levels. After receiving a BA from Georgetown University and the LL.B. degree from Yale Law School , he served as law secretary to a New York State Supreme Court Justice and headed the law department of the Nassau County Court.

He then served 24 years as a state senator, holding at various times the positions of Deputy Majority Leader and chair of the judiciary, environmental protection, insurance, and crime and corrections committees. Throughout his local and state service, he actively practiced law on Long Island , as a partner in the national law firm of Rivkin, Radler, Dunne & Bayh.

From 1990 until 1993 Mr. Dunne served as the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Justice, where he headed up the enforcement of all federal civil rights laws and supervised a staff of 200 attorneys and 300 support staff. For his distinguished service there he was honored with both the Edmund Randolph and the John Marshal awards.

Throughout his career Mr. Dunne has been dedicated to the improvement of the criminal justice system. As a state senator, he was a tireless advocate for prison reform, traveling around the state visiting correctional facilities and meeting with inmates. As U.S. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, he investigated rights violations in federal prisons. For the last 10 years he has devoted extensive time and effort to the reform of the Rockefeller drug laws, directing the Campaign for Effective Criminal Justice, speaking widely, and writing opinion pieces. For his commitment to issues of justice he was presented the New York State Bar Association’s highest tribute, the 2006 Gold Medal Award. For his demonstrated leadership, advocacy and fairness and his efforts to reform the Rockefeller Drug Laws, the Bar Association’s Criminal Justice section recognized him in 2003 with its Award for Outstanding Achievement in Criminal Justice Legislation. Also in 2003 the New York State Bar Foundation established, in his honor, the John R. Dunne Fund, which provides funding for legal services to families and children of indigent prisoners.

Currently serving as Senior Counsel to Whiteman Osterman & Hanna, Mr. Dunne concentrates his practice on environmental, criminal, civil rights, governmental affairs and appellate law.

Christine W. Ward

College of Computing and Information Distinguished Public Service Award

Ms. Ward has been the Assistant Commissioner for Archives and State Archivist since 2003. In that role, she provides leadership and overall direction for the New York State Archives.

She also serves as the Executive Officer of the New York State Archives Partnership Trust, providing overall guidance and oversight for the Trust program which raises private funds to expand and enhance the preservation, access and education programs of the State Archives.

Under Ms. Ward’s leadership, the State Archives has received nearly $2 million in federal grants that help ensure the preservation of the state’s archival heritage and enhance access to these records for research. The State Archives facility in Albany has been completely renovated and now includes state-of-the-art records storage and modern public service space. Her accomplishments impact every corner of the state. Through her skillful advocacy efforts, the highly successful Local Government Records program was made permanent, thereby ensuring that the State Archives continues to provide records services to the state’s 4,300 local governments. Ms. Ward’s exceptional ability to build partnerships with archives, records, and history communities across New York has increased the visibility of their work and their collections, which has contributed to tourism and economic growth.

Her professional leadership extends beyond the borders of New York State . She is a Fellow of the Society of American Archivists, co-chairs the Council of State Archivists’ Task Force on Governor’s Records, and is a co-author of a Manual on Governors’ Records to be published by the National Governors’ Association later this year.

In addition to teaching preservation management, Ms. Ward is a grant reviewer for the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. She has an MLS from the University at Albany and a BA in history from Russell Sage College . She is a member of Phi Alpha Theta, the national honor society for history, and Beta Phi Mu, the international honor society for library science.

Ms. Ward received a BA in history from Russell Sage College in Troy , New York in 1971 and a Masters in Library Science from the State University of New York at Albany in 1975.

Richard C. Wesley, Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals

Key Note Speaker

Richard C. Wesley, Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals, J.D., Cornell Law School, 1974. Admitted to the New York State Bar, 1975. Private law practice, 1975-1986.

Appointed assistant counsel and chief legislative aide to Assembly Minority Leader James L. Emery of Geneseo, 1979-1981. Elected member New York State Assembly, 1982; re-elected 1984, representing Livingston, Allegany and Ontario counties.

Elected to a 14-year term as Justice of New York State Supreme Court, Seventh Judicial District, 1986; Supervising Judge of the Criminal Courts in that district, 1991-1994. Appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Fourth Department, by Governor Mario M. Cuomo, 1994. Appointed Associate Judge, Court of Appeals, by Governor George E. Pataki, January 3, 1997.

Diana Jones Ritter

Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy Distinguished Public Service Award

Diana Jones Ritter's public service career spans 21 years across four New York State agencies. She is the executive deputy comptroller for the New York State Office of the Comptroller where she oversees operations. In 1995, Ritter was appointed by Comptroller H. Carl McCall to the position of assistant deputy comptroller for Management Audit and State Financial Services. In 2001, she assumed responsibilities as the deputy comptroller for Administration.

Ritter was promoted to her current position of executive deputy comptroller by Comptroller Alan G. Hevesi in January 2003. Prior to joining the Comptroller's Office, Ritter served as the executive deputy director for the Office of Public Health for the New York State Department of Health and as an associate commissioner of Administration and Quality Executive for the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. She began her career in government service as a budget fellow for the New York State Division of the Budget.

Chauncey G. Parker

School of Criminal Justice Distinguished Public Service Award

Chauncy G. Parker is the director of criminal justice for New York State . As director, Parker serves as Governor Pataki's senior advisor for criminal justice and oversees New York State 's criminal justice agencies. In addition to his role as director, Parker also serves as commissioner of the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services. Parker also serves as the director of the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, which is the regional office of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Parker began his career in August 1986 as assistant district attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, where he was assigned for four years to the Special Investigations Unit in the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York . In January 1992, Parker was appointed as an assistant United States attorney in the Southern District of New York, where he served for ten years.

Mark L. Kissinger

School of Social Welfare Distinguished Public Service Award

Kissinger was appointed deputy secretary for Health and Human Services to New York State Governor George Pataki in July 2004. He reports directly to the Governor's chief of staff and serves in an advisory capacity to the Governor. Kissinger is responsible for policies and operations of the following agencies: the Department of Health, Office of Mental Health, Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, Office of Children and Family Services, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance and, the Office for the Aging.

Kissinger was member of the New York State Senate from 1987-1999. From January 1995 to January 1999, he was the senior program associate for the Majority Leader's Office. From January 1992 to January 1995 he served as director of New York State Senate Social Services Committee. In January 1988, Kissinger served as director of New York State Senate Committee on Aging until January 1992. In 2002, Kissinger received the "Honoring Those Who Honor Our Elders" award from the New York State Coalition for the Aging. He earned the Service in Government Award in Concepts of Independence in 1996. Kissinger was also honored with the Public Service Award from the Coalition of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers of Northeastern, New York in 1995.

Frances E. "Fran" Allen

School of Information Science & Policy Distinguished Public Service Award

Allen is an IBM Fellow Emerita for the IBM Corporation T.J. Watson Research Center . Allen currently serves as senior technical consultant to IBM Research's Solutions and Services vice-president. Allen founded the Theory of Program Optimization. She has been an active member of the National Academy of Engineering, and she was elected president of the IBM Academy of Technology.

In July 2002, after nearly 45 years of service, she retired from IBM. Allen was elected president of the IBM Academy of Technology in 1995. In the early 1980's, she founded the Parallel Translation Group (PTRAN) to study compiling for parallel machines. This group was recognized as one of the top research groups in the world dealing with parallelization issues. In 1989, she was the first woman named IBM Fellow this is IBM's highest technical honor. In October of 2004, Allen received the Anita Borg Award for Technical Leadership. Previously, she was inducted into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame and received the ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) SIGPLAN's Programming Languages Achievement Award.