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|  Commissioner's Office Robert Walsh Robert W. Walsh was appointed Commissioner of the New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS) by Mayor Bloomberg in January 2002. During his tenure, he has reshaped the Agency to directly focus on and respond to the needs of the City's 200,000 small businesses - the first time that a City agency has been completely dedicated to this goal. In doing so, SBS has invigorated the City's 64 business improvement districts - the largest network of BIDs in the country - which deliver nearly $86 million dollars in supplemental services for the direct benefit of more than 70,000 businesses. He has also enhanced the delivery of technical assistance and incentives to NYC's small businesses through NYC Business Solutions; energized the City's promotion and support of minority- and women-owned businesses; and reconfigured the City's workforce development initiatives, which the Mayor merged with SBS in July 2003. Prior to his appointment, Rob spent five years in North Carolina as President of Charlotte Center City Partners, an organization dedicated to improving and growing Charlotte's central business district. From 1989 to April 1997, he led the Union Square Partnership, where he played a key role in the neighborhood's revitalization. During the 1980's, he worked in the administration of Mayor Edward I. Koch. He began his career in public service as a New York City Urban Fellow, a program he later directed. Commissioner Walsh holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from Fordham University. Marco Lowe Marco Lowe is the Chief of Staff at the New York City Department of Small Business Services. He assists Commissioner Walsh in the management of the agency as well as the operations within the executive office. Marco also oversees the agency’s Press Secretary and the Human Resources Unit. Prior to his position at SBS, Marco worked directly for Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke when he was Governor of Washington State. In the private sector, Marco worked Triad Development focusing on a $500 million full block development in Seattle, WA and also ran a number of political campaigns. Marco grew up in Olympia, WA and holds a Master of Public Administration from Harvard’s Kennedy School and a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Washington. [Back to Top ] David Margalit As Deputy Commissioner at the New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS), David Margalit leads a portfolio of services at the forefront of the Mayor's commitment to help businesses start, operate, and grow. His expansion and upgrade of the City’s suite of business services has led to more than 100% growth in the number of customers that successfully launch businesses, receive financing through lending institutions, resolve issues with government, and recruit and train workers. David heads a 20-agency effort to build NYC Business Express, a one-stop online service that will enable businesses and entrepreneurs to manage licenses, permits, and other transactions with the City through a single website. A critical part of his portfolio also includes overseeing public / private partnerships with local economic development organizations to build thriving commercial districts. Prior to his most recent appointment, David served as Deputy Commissioner for Workforce Development, where he led the overhaul and strategic repositioning of the City's workforce programs, resulting in the placement of 20,000 New Yorkers in jobs with 2,000 businesses. Under David's management, job placements rose by a compound average of 45% per quarter. To achieve this, David led the creation of a staffing service to help businesses recruit and hire qualified candidates – a service that reduced their ratio of applicants to hires by as much as 95%. Additionally, new services developed for businesses led to more than 3,000 employees receiving training that advanced their skills and wages. In the private sector, his experiences as an operations and technology consultant for Oracle Corporation and as a strategy consultant for Diamond Technology Partners spanned engagements in manufacturing, financial services, and high technology. He has also served as an adjunct professor at New York University's Wagner School of Public Policy. David received his B.S. from the University of Delaware where he was a Eugene DuPont Distinguished Scholar and his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. Don Giampietro As Assistant Commissioner, Don oversees such programs as the Energy Cost Savings Program (ECSP), Lower Manhattan Energy Program (LMEP), Printers Relocation Grant Program, and Industrial Relocation Grant Program. Prior to his appointment as Assistant Commissioner, Don served as Executive Director of NYC Business Relocation Assistance Corp. and helped create the Industrial Relocation Grant Program and Printer's Relocation Grant Program. Don has over 12 years of experience working with the City of New York to assist commercial and industrial firms relocate and expand within NYC. Before his work with SBS, Don worked with Ernst & Young Tax Incentives Division. He holds a B.A. from Boston College and a Masters in Political Science from Columbia University. Kevin Kelly As Assistant Commissioner of NYC Business Express, Kevin is responsible for leading a City-wide effort to develop an online service that is fundamentally transforming the way businesses interact with government. NYC Business Express is enabling businesses owners and entrepreneurs to start, operate and expand a business through a single online point of contact. They are now able to apply online for an ever-growing number of licenses and permits, learn about regulations and requirements specific to their businesses, make payments, and access technical assistance. NYC Business Express will continue to expand functionality; allowing businesses to view and settle their balances with the City, obtain information regarding the status of applications submitted, manage their renewals online, and apply for incentives. Prior to NYC Business Express, Kevin was SBS' Assistant Commissioner of Agency Operations & Technology - responsible for ensuring that the Agency's operational and technological resources were developed and deployed to best support programmatic and oversight objectives. Kevin joined SBS in February, 2004 as the Executive Director of Strategic Operations for the Agency's Workforce Development Division, where he revamped operations and implemented new systems to provide customers with better service, increase staff capacity, and manage programs based on real-time objective data. Kevin's career includes public service, as a Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica and as an Operations and Planning Analyst at the New York City Transit Authority, as well as private sector management consulting and financial services, in the US and abroad. He is also an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. Kevin received his B.A. in Urban Studies from Columbia University; his M.A. in International Studies from the University of Pennsylvania; and his M.B.A., with distinction, from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Cristina Shapiro Cristina Shapiro is Assistant Commissioner for NYC Business Solutions at the New York City Department of Small Business Services. She leads the NYC Business Solutions Centers across the City which offer free assistance starting and growing businesses in New York City, including creating business plans, accessing incentives and government contracts, selling to government, and hiring and training employees. Her organization also provides recruitment and training assistance to large businesses and leads the principal sales force of these services through a coordinated network of Account Managers Citywide. The hiring services include the recruitment, screening, preparation, and referral of qualified candidates to employers, leading to lower human resources costs. The training services consist of support and funding for employers to develop the skills of their workers. In addition, Cristina manages the workforce delivery of technical assistance to businesses interested in other federal or state training grants. Prior to her position at SBS, Cristina worked with the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, ACCION New York, the New York Regional Association of Grantmakers, and the United Nations in various programmatic and strategic capacities. In the private sector, Cristina worked for L'Oreal as a Director of a $100 million business unit and was an analyst with the strategic management consulting firm Marakon Associates. Cristina grew up in Mexico City and holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania. Jeremy Waldrup Jeremy Waldrup is Assistant Commissioner of District Development in our division of Business Development. Jeremy is responsible for overseeing all of our District Development programs which work to ensure the long-term vitality of the City's commercial districts by creating greater opportunity for small businesses and the communities they serve. Prior to his appointment in District Development, Jeremy was Assistant Commissioner and an Executive Director in our NYC Business Solutions initiative, where he oversaw the operations of seven NYC Business Solutions Centers and worked to develop and launch the Industrial Business Solutions program, an initiative providing services to businesses located in the City's Industrial Business Zones. Prior to joining SBS, Jeremy was the Director of Small Business Services for the South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (SoBRO), where he provided direct business counseling to small businesses, integrated the business services provided by the organization, and developed relationships with business service providers throughout NYC to better serve the Bronx business community. Before relocating to NYC, Jeremy's background in economic development included experience in both the non-profit and private sectors. Jeremy worked with a nonprofit affordable housing advocacy group, the Colorado Affordable Housing Partnership, and provided program evaluation for the Enterprise Foundation, a national affordable housing and economic development organization. He has worked in downtown development and revitalization at the Charlotte Center City Partners, a business improvement district in Charlotte, NC and in the private sector as a consultant for the downtown master plans of Schenectady, NY and his hometown of Asheville, NC. Jeremy received a Master's in Public Administration from the University of Colorado and a B.A. in Economics from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. [Back to Top ] Division of Economic and Financial Opportunity Anne Rascon In this role, she oversees the City's Minority- and Women-owned Business Enterprise ("M/WBE") program and the initiatives under Executive Order 50 that were created to ensure parity in the hiring practices of City contractors. Anne works to shape City policies to ensure the fair and Anne joined SBS in March of 2008. Prior to that, she was the Director of Planning at the NYC District Council of Carpenters and also served as the President and CEO of Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW) where she directed many innovative training programs to recruit and prepare women for skilled trades careers in union apprenticeship programs, and Gregg Bishop As the Assistant Commissioner of the Division of Economic and Financial Opportunity, Gregg is responsible for overseeing the M/WBE certification program, and developing strategic initiatives that support the business needs of City buyers subject to M/WBE purchasing goals under Local Law 129. Prior to his appointment in DEFO, Gregg served as the Senior Manager of Workforce Development at NPower, a national non-profit focused on providing technology planning, support, and services to the non-profit community. Prior to NPower, he served as the Director of Web Operations at Oxygen Media, where he helped guide the media company’s web consolidation strategy. Gregg also served as Vice President of Technology Operations at TheStreet.com, where he helped build and maintain the company's internal and external technology infrastructure. Gregg began his career at VIBE Magazine helping to establish the publications brand during the pioneering days of the web. Gregg received his Masters in Integrated Marketing and Management Communication from Florida State University, and received his Bachelors degree in Business Administration from Florida A&M University, both in Tallahassee, FL. He has also studied International Management and Marketing in Tokyo, Japan. Colleen Galvin Colleen Galvin is the Assistant Commissioner for the Division of Economic and Financial Opportunity, where she has worked since 2005. In 2004, she joined the Agency as the Director of Lower Manhattan Initiatives supporting the development of small business during the ongoing downtown rebuilding process. This appointment was an result of her work with the Lower Manhattan small business community. In 2002, she created MBAs4NYC, a volunteer consulting group assisting over 100 downtown small businesses following the events of September 11th, 2001. Prior to this, she spent seven years in the financial services sector, working at both Citibank and J.P. Morgan Chase in credit policy and product marketing/development, and two years in the telecommunications industry. Ms. Galvin has an M.B.A. in Finance/Marketing from NYU's Stern School of Business and a B.S. in Mathematics/Computer Science from Seton Hall University. She is also a graduate of the Coro Foundation’s Leadership New York program. [Back to Top ] Angie Kamath Angie Kamath is Deputy Commissioner of Workforce Development, where she leads New York City's workforce development programs. She is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to create a business-driven workforce development system that meets the hiring and training needs of businesses, while providing jobseekers with employment opportunities in the City's fastest growing economic sectors. Prior to this position, Angie was the Assistant Commissioner of Program Design and Development within SBS. Before joining SBS, Angie was the Executive Director of StreetWise Partners, a community organization focused on training and job placement to help low income individuals succeed in the workplace. Angie holds a BS in Business Management from Cornell University and a Master's in Public Policy from Harvard University. Katy Gaul As Assistant Commissioner of Workforce1 Training for The New York City Department of Small Business Services, Katy Gaul oversees the distribution of occupational training vouchers to jobseekers at the Workforce1 Career Centers and implements performance standards for the Training Providers. Prior to her appointment she was the Executive Director of Workforce1 Training and the Senior Policy Advisor for Workforce Development at SBS. Before SBS, she was a Senior Policy Analyst at the Department of Homeless Services where she implemented accountability measures for the family shelter system. Katy has also experience working with Habitat for Humanity, The Salvation Army, and in the Texas State government. She has a Masters in Social Work with a concentration in Policy from Columbia University and a Bachelors degree from Mt. Holyoke College. Tracie Abbott Tracie Abbott is the Assistant Commissioner for Strategic Initiatives and System Integration. In this role, she oversees the development and implementation of programs that enhance the agency's ability to fulfill its mission of creating a business-driven workforce development system, including the Agency’s Center on Economic Opportunity initiatives. Prior to her appointment as Assistant Commissioner, Tracie was SBS’s Executive Director of Program Management for NYC Business Solutions. Tracie previously served Safe Horizon in several roles, including Chief of Staff and Director of Planning and Performance Achievement. Tracie has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a BA in Philosophy from Miami University. Shanna Gumaer As Assistant Commissioner of Workforce1 Career Center System Performance for the New York City Department of Small Business Services, Shanna Gumaer oversees performance measurements and program operations across the seven Workforce1 Career Centers (One-Stops). She manages the Career Centers’ performance based contracts and works closely with the contractors and other Workforce Development Division units to implement the Strategic Operating Plan focused on key operational and process objectives to serve both jobseekers and businesses. Prior to being appointed to this position in May 2008, she served as the Executive Director of Workforce1 Career Center Program Management since March 2007. Shanna has ten years of experience in workforce development as well as contract and fiscal management. Prior to SBS, she worked as a Senior Policy and Budget Analyst at the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget focusing on homeless services. Additionally, Shanna worked as the Director of Counseling and Program Development at the Parks Opportunity Program (POP), an innovative welfare-to-work program that serves over 6,000 trainees a year as the nation’s largest transitional employment program, where she managed the career advisement staff and developed and implemented new programming and services. She has a Masters of Social Work with a concentration in Administration and Group Work from Hunter College, City University of New York and a Bachelors degree in Urban Studies from Barnard College, Columbia University. Will Abrams Will Abrams is the Assistant Commissioner of the Program Review and Evaluation Unit, where he leads the customer service and quality assurance services for the workforce development division. Will has previously held key strategy development and management positions across diverse businesses and within the nonprofit sector. While working for technology and telecommunication firms such as HP and Verizon Wireless, he developed and managed the implementation of marketing strategies to launch new products and services focused on business customers. Earlier in his career as Executive Director of nonprofit organizations such as Community Resources for Independent Living and Community Options Enterprises, Will managed employment and training services for individuals with disabilities. Will holds a B.A. from Indiana University and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of San Francisco. [Back to Top ] Financial Management and Administration Andrew Schwartz As First Deputy Commissioner, Andy supervises the programmatic, fiscal and regulatory activities of agency operations. Andy has been with the New York City Department of Small Business Services since 1996, and has worked in City government for 21 years. His career in public service includes serving as Chief Litigation Counsel for the New York City Campaign Finance Board and as an Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City's Law Department in the General Litigation and Condemnation Divisions. Andy is a graduate of New York City public schools and Brooklyn Law School. Prior to his service with the City, he worked as a Ranger in the National Park Service at the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and Saratoga Battlefield. Shaazad Ali As Assistant Commissioner for Finance, Shaazad oversees all Financial Management services for the agency with three Directors reporting directly to him, responsible for a staff of over thirty. In addition, Shaazad oversees Budget, Fiscal and Audit, and Procurement. Shaazad joined the agency twenty-six years ago as an auditor. Over the years, he played an integral role in various mergers of the agency, and has served under several Commissioners. In 1988, he was appointed Fiscal Director, and in 1992, he also assumed the role of Agency Chief Contracting Officer (ACCO). He served as Director of Administration until he was appointed as Assistant Commissioner in 2001. Shaazad holds a B.B.A. from Pace University. He was certified as Government Financial Manager (CGFM) by the Association of Government Accountants in 1996, and was certified by the Universal Public Purchasing Council in 1993 as a Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB). Deborah Buyer As General Counsel, Deborah leads and manages legal affairs for the agency. She is responsible for providing legal advice to executive agency staff, drafting legislation and agency rules, oversight of disciplinary procedures, and interpreting multiple City, State and Federal laws governing various agency programs. She supervises a legal team of five attorneys. Prior to joining the agency in February 2008, Deborah served in a variety of roles in the private sector including Senior Associate General Counsel of the Entertainment Software Association, Director of Project Management for the "I Have a Dream" Foundation and as an Associate Attorney at Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler. Deborah received her undergraduate degree from Rutgers College and her law degree for New York University Law School in 1994. Christine Pascarella Christine Pascarella is the Assistant Commissioner for Agency Operations and Technology and serves as the Agency’s Chief Information Officer. In this role, Christine leads the day-to-day management of all critical Agency operations and network infrastructure, software applications, and databases. She represents the Agency in city-wide technology forums to ensure cooperation and integration of data services across Agencies. Christine also oversees the Agency’s marketing services. Christine began her career as a web designer and developer and then transitioned her focus to support of web sites’ back end network infrastructure. Christine was a co-founder and Vice President of the web hosting company, Virtualscape Inc., which was acquired by Hostcentric Inc. At Hostcentric, Christine served as the Vice President of Sales and was responsible for the design of hosting platforms for the company’s managed service clients and marketing its managed service products. Before joining SBS in October of 2006, Christine worked on the Asia programs at the International Rescue Committee, a humanitarian aid organization. Christine received a B.A. in International Studies and German from Dickinson College and a MPIA from the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. [Back to Top ] |  |
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