Mayor de Blasio Announces Donna Corrado Stepping Down as DFTA Commissioner

November 19, 2018

Deputy Commissioner Caryn Resnick will be the acting Commissioner, effective December 1

NEW YORK—Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today that Donna Corrado will be stepping down from her role as Commissioner of DFTA. Caryn Resnick, the Deputy Commissioner of External Affairs, will assume the role of acting Commissioner effective December 1.

After serving nearly five years at DFTA, Corrado will step down at the end of November. Under her leadership, DFTA has relentlessly pursued its mission to combat ageism and provide resources to help meaningfully improve the quality of life of New York’s seniors. Under Commissioner Corrado’s leadership, the City increased its budget for senior citizen services by nearly 50 percent, expanding senior centers and elder abuse, caregiver, home care and mental health services.

“New York’s seniors have been well served with Donna at the helm,” said Mayor de Blasio. “Donna’s strength of character and dedication to public service is admired across the City. I am deeply grateful for her years of service. I am pleased that Caryn Resnick will bring decades of experience and leadership to the role as she takes the reins while we search for a permanent commissioner.”

"It has been the highlight of my professional career to lead DFTA under Mayor de Blasio, and I am very proud of our accomplishments over the past five years. Our collective efforts have advanced the senior center network, strengthened core services and made New York a much better place to grow older," said Commissioner Corrado. "As I prepare for my encore career, I will always be grateful to the Mayor for this opportunity."

Resnick was appointed to her role as Deputy Commissioner at DFTA in 2002. She provides executive leadership on strategic initiatives to meet the growing needs of older adults, who are expected to represent 21 percent of the City's population by 2040. Before joining DFTA, she served as the Executive Director of Family and Community Services, as the Executive Director of Caring Community and as Director of JPAC for Older Adults at the Jewish Association for Services for the Aged. She is a nationally recognized advocate for seniors, and received her M.S.W. from Columbia University School of Social Work and a Certificate in Not-for-Profit Management from the Columbia University School of Business in 1994.

“Donna is an extremely thoughtful and knowledgeable public servant. I am thankful for her service, her commitment to advance our equity agenda and protect the health and wellbeing of older New Yorkers. She will be dearly missed,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Herminia Palacio. “I’m looking forward to working with Caryn Resnick in this interim position. Few people know the Department of Aging as well as she does, and I’m confident she will lead us through a successful transition.”

"It has been an honor to work with Commissioner Corrado. She is an inspirational leader whose efforts to enhance the aging services network will be felt for years to come," said Deputy Commissioner Resnick. "I look forward to implementing the Mayor's strategic vision as we create a more equitable City for more than 1.6 million older New Yorkers."

"As a member of the NYS Senate Aging Committee, I truly appreciate not only Commissioner Corrado's work towards assisting our senior population, but also her willingness to visit senior centers and related community meetings to hear directly from our seniors about their concerns,” said State Senator Joseph Abbaddo.

“The Department for the Aging remains one of the most important resources for our City’s seniors,” said Council Member Margaret S. Chin. “During Commissioner Donna Corrado’s tenure, we have seen DFTA fight ageism, expand its services such as senior centers and mental health resources, and protect our older adults from abuse and predation. I know that acting Commissioner Caryn Resnick will continue the work begun by Commissioner Corrado. I look forward to collaborating with the new Commissioner as we move to ensure that New York City’s seniors receive the services they deserve.”

"Donna Corrado is a true champion for older New Yorkers - working daily to make sure that each of us can age with confidence, grace and vitality. Over the last five years, as Commissioner for the NYC Department for the Aging, she has only further solidified her commitment to making New York the best place to age.  Thanks to her leadership as Commissioner, hundreds of thousands of older adults are better able to age in their own communities.  LiveOn NY thanks Donna for her unfailing commitment and dedicated partnership to bring the needs of older New Yorkers and caregivers to the forefront,” said Allison Nickerson, Executive Director of LiveOn NY.

“On behalf of our members and the 50+ plus population, AARP NY would like to offer our sincere thanks to Commissioner Corrado for her service to older adults in New York City,” said AARP NY State Director, Beth Finkel. “We have enjoyed working with Donna during her tenure at DFTA and wish her all the best in her future endeavors. AARP NY looks forward to working with Deputy Commissioner Caryn Resnick and to continue our shared vision to make NYC a great place to live as we age.”

“Commissioner Corrado has been a staunch supporter of New York City’s seniors from the earliest days of her career. She showed great leadership as Commissioner for the City’s Department for the Aging and a strong commitment to Citymeals on Wheels as a partner in nourishing the homebound elderly. She will be missed. We are confident that the Mayor will name a replacement who cares deeply and respects the value of older New Yorkers,” said Citymeals Executive Director Beth Shapiro.

"Throughout Commissioner Corrado's tenure, she has been a dedicated advocate for our State's aging population. Her leadership and guidance have improved the quality of life for seniors across New York. I wish her the best in all of her future endeavors, and look forward to collaborating with acting Commissioner Caryn Resnik," said Assemblymember Robert J. Rodriguez.

"It has been a pleasure and honor working with Commissioner Corrado over the years. In my previous role as Chair of the Subcommittee on Senior Centers, we worked together with the Committee on Aging to increase funding for the Department for the Aging and improve the quality of life for our City's seniors," said Council Member Vallone. "I wish her the very best in her future endeavors and look forward to continuing to work for our seniors with her successor."