Institute Staff
Stephanie Battisti, Receptionist for Administration
Stephanie Battisti is the receptionist for the Rockefeller Institute of Government. She received her associate's degree in business administration at Bryant & Stratton and is currently attending SUNY Empire State College to obtain her bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting.
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Zack Block, Staff Assistant for Information Systems
Zack Block is the Staff Assistant for Information Systems. His role is to help maintain the institute's local area network and servers, as well as to provide support to the end user as issues arise. He is also responsible for the technical development of the Institute's web site. Zack earned a Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology from the State University of New York at Delhi. Prior to working at the Institute, Zack worked in IT for a private company in the Waste to Energy Industry.
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Matt Burns, Keyboard Specialist for Administration
Matt Burns has joined Administration as a Keyboard Specialist. Matt is currently a first year MPA student at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and holds a BA in American History from SUNY Albany. He had previously worked at the Institute in Administration as a student intern. Most recently, Matt worked at the SUNY Charter Schools Institute in the office of charter accountability.
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Patti Cadrette, Project Administrative Officer for the Urban and Metropolitan Studies and The Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy
Patricia Cadrette is the project administrative officer for the Urban and Metropolitan Studies program at the Rockefeller Institute of Government. Ms. Cadrette is responsible for contract management, fiscal administration, and research support. She also assists the director in communications with field associates. Prior to joining the Institute, Ms. Cadrette was a senior staff member in an office of a New York Senator, and before that worked for the commissioner of New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal and in the Governor's office.
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Joe Chamberlin, Director of Information Systems
Joe Chamberlin is the director of information systems. He earned a dual degree in Physical Science and Education from Syracuse University. Prior to working at the Institute, Joe worked for SUNY System Administration.
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Michele Charbonneau, Staff Assistant for Publications
Michele Charbonneau is the assistant to the director of publications, Michael Cooper. She assists in the various stages of publishing the Institute’s reports and publications including the New York State Statistical Yearbook. Michele received her B.A. at the State University of New York at Albany.
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Michael Cooper, Director of Publications
Michael Cooper is the Institute's director of publications, where he supervises all stages of the publication process, handles desktop publishing, and exercises editorial supervision of the web site operations of the Institute. Prior to joining the Institute in 1988, he was a production editor at Ziff-Davis Publications, the Association for Computing Machinery, and Simon & Schuster. Cooper is a graduate of the University at Albany.
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Ann Flaherty, Conference Manager for Administration
Ann Flaherty is the conference manager, working in Administration. Ann coordinates and manages conference services and meetings held at the Institute. Ann received her A.S. in Computer Science at SUNY Empire State College and HVCC. Prior to working at the Institute, Ann worked for SUNY System Administration.
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Claire Hughes, Director of Communication and Writer/Correspondent for The Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy
Claire Hughes is the director of communications and writer/features correspondent for the Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy, part of the Urban and Metropolitan Studies Program at the Rockefeller Institute of Government. A journalist with 15 years’ experience writing and editing, Ms. Hughes previously worked as a reporter at the Albany Times Union, the Capital District Business Review, and business editor for The Record in Troy, NY. She has won numerous awards for journalism, including first place from the New York Press Association for in-depth reporting in 1997, and second place for continuing coverage from the New York Associated Press Association in 2003. Ms. Hughes has a Bachelor of Science in Writing from Syracuse University, Newhouse School of Public Communications.
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Mark Marchand, Director of Communications
Mark Marchand is Director of Communications, overseeing media relations and other communications programs. Mark worked in communications for Verizon and its predecessor companies for over 24 years, at locations in Boston, Albany, and Basking Ridge, New Jersey. Most recently, he was a senior manager at Verizon, directing media relations efforts for network and technology issues. Before that he worked in public relations for Boston University and as a reporter at The Springfield, MA, Daily News. Mark often lectures at communications classes in colleges and high schools. He is a member of the Supervisory Committee at Capital Communications Federal Credit Union, and serves as an associate director at Parsons Child and Family Center in Albany. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
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Fortunata Paglialonga, Staff Assistant for Finance
Fortunata Paglialonga is the staff assistant for finance. Her role includes providing financial support to the director of finance and administration. Fortunata earned a B.S. from SUNY Plattsburgh, where she double-majored in Accounting and Business. She also holds an A.S. from Hudson Valley Community College. Prior to working for the Institute, Fortunata had worked as an accountant for SUNY Press and the Research Foundation of SUNY.
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Irene Pavone, Assistant Director of Editorial Services
Irene Pavone is assistant director for editorial services at the Rockefeller Institute. She holds a Masters of English Education from the University at Albany.
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R. Elizabeth Praetorius, Director of Finance and Administration
R. Elizabeth Praetorius is the Institute's director of finance and administration. Praetorius received a M.A. from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy and a B.A. from the State University of New York at Albany.
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Heather Stone, Staff Assistant for Finance
Heather Stone began working for the Institute in December 2000 and currently is the staff assistant for finance and administration. She has an associate’s degree in business administration from Hudson Valley Community College.
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Barbara Stubblebine, Project Officer for the Health Policy Research Center
Barbara Stubblebine is the project officer for The New York State Health Policy Research Center. She is responsible for contract management, writing, editing, HPRC webpage management and maintenance, and communications and research support. She received a B.A. in English from the State University of New York at Albany.
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Heather Trela, Executive Assistant for the Executive Director's Office
Heather Trela is the Executive Assistant for the Directors’ Office. She provides the principal administrative support for the co-directors and deputy director of the Institute. She holds a M.A. in political science from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy and received an B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Hartwick College.
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