OSTROFF ASSOCIATES - Key Persons
Alicia joins Ostroff Associates with over five years of legislative and government relations experience in Albany.
Prior to joining OA, Alicia was a Government Relations Representative with the New York State School Boards Association. There she worked on education law and policy and dealing with the severe difficulties schools faced during the pandemic.
Previously, she was the Director of Local Government Relations with the Retail Council of New York State. She focused her lobbying in New York City and other local governments. Her work at two not-for-profit associations introduced her to the intricacies of lobbying in New York and helped her hone her member relations skills.
Before becoming a lobbyist, Alicia served as an Assistant Counsel in the New York State Senate. As an attorney for the Senate, Alicia worked on legislative policy and budget priorities. She covered a wide range of issue areas, predominantly focusing on environmental conservation, energy and telecommunications, consumer protection law, housing, agriculture, labor, and civil service.
Alicia is a licensed New York State attorney and prior to moving to Albany, graduated cum laude from Vermont Law School with a Juris Doctor degree and a Master of Environmental Policy degree.
Amanda joins Ostroff Associates with an expertise in the innerworkings of state government.
Prior to joining OA, Amanda worked for Empire State Development as a Project Manager, where she tracked over 100 grant funded projects throughout New York and guided grantees through the New York State Consolidated Funding Application award process. Amanda was also a Senate Fellow for the New York State Senate Fellowship program, where she was placed with a member's office and assisted in legislative research and constituent relations duties. She also has worked at the NYS Division of the Budget in the Mental Health Unit, and the New York State Comptroller's Office in their State Government Accountability Unit.
Her career in government and politics began with an internship for Capitol Associates, a government relations firm in Alexandria, Virginia through the University at Albany's Semester in Washington Program. There she researched health policy and prepared memos and summaries for clients. She also interned with Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer in both his Peekskill and Albany offices.
Amanda graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University at Albany with a BA in Political Science and History, and received her Master's in Public Administration from Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy.
Areas of Expertise
Lobbying
Amy Kramer joins Ostroff with over 20 years of experience in government, corporate and association management, focusing on technology, financial services, and community investment.
Previous to joining Ostroff Associates, Kramer was President -AT&T New York, where she led the company's external and public affairs as well as regulatory and legislative agendas, strategic communications, sponsorship and foundation activities within the state of New York. In holding the top state legislative affairs position in New York State for 12 years, Kramer was responsible for developing strategies and plans for achieving AT&T's legislative and community investment objectives, and led outreach to key elected officials and policymakers in the state to disseminate the company's perspective on a range of issues. In addition, Kramer ensured that AT&T's New York customers and public officials were always afforded the best possible service and partnership in the telecommunications and technology industries.
Prior to AT&T, Kramer was vice president, government affairs, at the Credit Union Association of New York, where for ten years she directed the organization's political and grassroots programs, and led the association achieve its legislative goals in New York and Washington, DC. In 1999, Kramer won a New York State Senate Graduate Fellowship, and served as a fellow and later as Legislative Coordinator.
Kramer serves as Advocacy and Governmental Affairs Committee Chair for the New York State March of Dimes, Board Member for St. Catherine's Center for Children, a member of the New York Donate Life! Strategic Partnership Workgroup, and leads the St. Pius X Church Children's Liturgy ministry. Kramer is a previous Board Member of the Business Council of New York State. Kramer was named a 2009 Capitol "40 under 40" Rising Star, "Albany's Next Generation of Political Leaders."
Kramer has a Master of Arts degree in public history from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of Minnesota.
Areas of Expertise
Lobbying
Andrew joined Ostroff Associates in 2020 bringing nearly two decades of experience in government operations, economic development and organization management.
Prior to joining OA, Andrew served as the President and CEO of the Center for Economic Growth (CEG), a regional economic development organization in New York's Capital Region since 2016. In this role, Andrew worked with business, government, education and the not-for-profit sectors to identify economic development opportunities, lead regional marketing efforts to attract new investments and create jobs, and oversaw programs that enhanced existing business operations and supported workforce development initiatives.
Prior to his role at CEG, Andrew spent 15 years in New York State government including serving five years in various capacities for Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. From 2014-2016, Andrew served as the Deputy Director of State Operations coordinated the day to day management of all New York state departments, agencies, and authorities; implemented policies and programs related to economic development, infrastructure, and health care; negotiated complex public private partnerships to promote job creation, spur private sector investment, and revitalize communities; and managed the state's emergency preparedness and response to events that impacted the health, safety and security of New Yorker. Prior to serving as Deputy Director, Andrew was the Assistant Secretary for Economic Development responsible for the New York's economic development and housing efforts, including the Regional Economic Development Councils and the Consolidated Funding Application.
Prior to his tenure in the Governor's office, Andrew worked over a decade at the New York State Division of Budget and for the New York State Assembly where he developed a detailed understanding of New York's fiscal policies and programs.
Andrew holds a master's degree in public administration from the Nelson A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy and a bachelor's degree from Siena College in Political Science.
Antonette Lewis joined Ostroff Associates in November 2020 with a background in sales, hospitality and most recently, state and local government. She is an effective and dedicated self-starter with a strong work ethic and a drive to continuously learn and advance.
Before joining the firm, Antonette worked as an Administrative Assistant for the New York State Senate Majority Counsel where she was primarily responsible for providing administrative support for the Assistant Deputy Director and his team.
Casey Fenton joined Ostroff Associates in January of 2020 with experience in legislative analysis and research, as well as a thorough understanding of the legislative and budget processes.
Prior to joining Ostroff Associates, Casey worked for the New York State Senate where she started as an intern and quickly became an integral part of her staff's policy team. For two years she served as a Legislative Aide where she provided bill analysis on all relevant committee agendas, as well as extensive legal research to support bill proposals. Her work has given her experience with a wide array of issue areas, and a close familiarity New York State government.
Casey graduated summa cum laude from the University of Albany with a BA in Political Science and a minor in Communications.
Areas of Expertise
Lobbying
Casey Marvell joined Ostroff Associates in January of 2021 with experience in government relations and public policy analysis.
Most recently, Casey worked for the Adirondack Council as a Government Relations Analyst where he maintained relationships with key government officials and staff in an effort to advance the Council's influence and mission. Through lobbying, coalition-building, and grassroots advocacy initiatives, Casey was successful in securing the passage of significant legislation and various budget items that benefit the environment and communities of the Adirondack Park. In addition to lobbying, he conducted extensive research and provided policy advice on a wide variety of areas including land use management, climate change, and constitutional amendments.
Casey holds a master's degree in political science from Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the University at Albany.
Areas of Expertise
Lobbying
Job Titles:
- DIRECTOR of ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
Chantel Burnash joined Ostroff Associates in February 2018 with a strong background in state and local government. She brings a keen aptitude and substantial experience with her to her role as an Executive Assistant.
Before joining the firm, Chantel worked at Capitalize Albany Corporation. She provided support services for the President, as well as managed the administrative duties of three Boards. Prior to that, Chantel worked at a government affairs firm for nine years, where she acted as a point-of-contact for communication between lobbyists, clients, legislators, and government agencies. She also spent several years working under Governor George E. Pataki's administration as an Appointments Officer in his Appointments office at the State Capitol and as a Special Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner at Empire State Development Corporation. Chantel earned her Master of Business Administration from The Sage Colleges and a bachelor's degree from The College of Saint Rose.
Areas of Expertise
Lobbying
Prior to joining Ostroff Associates, Conor served as a Writer and Event Coordinator for the New York State Senate Majority. In his role as a Writer, he oversaw the Senate's brochure program where he was responsible for researching and developing brochures on a wide range of topics.
Before joining the New York State Senate, Conor worked as an aide in the Governor's Office of Correspondence. In this position, he worked collaboratively with state agencies to address and alleviate concerns from citizens around the state.
Conor graduated from The College of Saint Rose with a BA in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations.
Areas of Expertise
Lobbying
Dan Fuller joined Ostroff Associates in 2022 after years of serving at the highest levels of New York State government.
Dan has worked in the legislative and public policy arenas in New York State and in Washington DC for over 20 years. Throughout his career, he has developed advocacy and legislative campaigns benefitting nonprofits and education associations, in numerous states and nationally. Dan has built and developed comprehensive government relations and legislative communications programs for community-based nonprofit organizations.
Most recently, Dan served as Deputy Secretary of Education for Governors Hochul and Cuomo. In this role he was responsible for overseeing and managing the education portfolio for the Governor and the Executive Chamber. Dan worked on all manner of education and related issues including: pre-K-12 funding, teacher training, early childhood education, education technology and school safety. From the higher education perspective this work included the creation and expansion of college access programs like the Excelsior Scholarships, the Tuition Assistance Program, expansion of childcare on campuses, growing research and facilities capacity for the State's public colleges and other items. With a portfolio that included the State University of New York, the City University of New York, the Higher Education Services Corporation and the NYS Education Department, the issues were diverse and crossed many portfolios related to education. Dan's experience includes working on economic development, financial services, science and technology, health and mental health, information technology, construction and facilities, environment, and agriculture related issues as well.
When Covid-19 hit, Dan was part of the State's Covid Taskforce and worked closely with state and local leadership on the numerous aspects related to the State's response from March 2020 through September 2022 including: closing and opening schools, ensuring food and meals were provided, making sure technology and supports were available to students, their families and support for educators. This also included helping to develop childcare options, access to tests, guidance to close and reopen schools and colleges, development of dashboards and metrics for schools and colleges. Dan was also appointed Director of the Reimagine Education Advisory Council, charged with providing guidance and advice on reopening schools from stakeholders across the K-12, higher education and community organizations.
Prior to serving as Deputy Secretary for Education, Dan served as Assistant Secretary for Higher Education and Education Policy Advisor in the Executive Chamber. He was the Vice President of Legislative Relations for Communities in Schools and also worked for the National School Boards Association. Dan Started his career in NYS working in the legislature then for both the NYS School Boards Association and for CUNY. Dan holds a B.A. in English from SUNY Plattsburgh.
Areas of Expertise
Lobbying
Diana joined Ostroff Associates in 2011 and brings 27 years of experience representing the private sector. Her background has led her to develop a broad range of knowledge and expertise on an extensive number of issues impacting a vast number of industries. She is a passionate advocate for her clients and brings energy, enthusiasm, professionalism and integrity to each issue she works on.
Prior to joining Ostroff Associates, Diana served as Vice President of Advocacy and Communications for one of New York's largest regional Chamber of Commerce, where she established and managed all State and Federal advocacy efforts. She served as Assistant Vice President of the Life Insurance Council of New York State, Inc. (LICONY), representing insurers that together provide the vast majority of life, disability, and long-term care insurance and annuity benefits in the state. She also served as Assistant State Director of the National Federation of Independent Business.
Diana began her career as a lobbyist for The Business Council of New York State, Inc., where she managed all aspects of New York State legislative and regulatory initiatives addressing Consumer Products & Services, E-Commerce/Privacy issues, Contract Procurement, Financial Services, and Insurance for the clients of The Business Council.
Throughout her career, Diana has developed, coordinated and implemented affirmative and defensive policy positions and lobbying activities in response to legislative, regulatory and executive actions on behalf of some of the most well-respected corporations in the world. She has worked on a range of state and federal issues always with a goal on improving the business climate and enhancing the economic vitality of the state.
Diana recently received the Albany Business Review's Women Who Mean Business award which recognizes her contributions on behalf of the business community and the Capital Region. She was also named by City & State's "Women Power 100" list in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021, which recognizes women who are key influential figures in the world of New York politics and government. She currently serves on the Board of Living Resources and the Executive Advisory Board for Siena College's School of Business.
Diana received her MBA from the College of Saint Rose and her Bachelor degree in Marketing Management from Siena College. She resides in Loudonville with her husband and two sons.
Emily joined Ostroff Associates in January of 2021 with experience in legislative analysis and an understanding of New York State Government from her years working for the New York State Assembly.
Prior to joining Ostroff Associates, Emily served as an Analyst for the Local Government Committee and Racing and Wagering Committee for the Assembly Majority Program and Counsel Office. During her tenure with the Assembly Emily also served as a Committee Assistant for several Assembly Committees. Through this experience, she gained vast knowledge of policy issues and of the legislative and budget process.
She began her work in politics with various positions on political campaigns in New York and along the East Coast.
Emily is a Capital District native and a graduate from the State University of New York at Oswego with a B.A in Political Science.
Areas of Expertise
Lobbying
Erin joined Ostroff Associates in January of 2002 with a background in change management and organizational effectiveness. Having spent her first nine years with the company as a lobbyist, Erin now primarily focuses on required ethics and financial disclosures for the company and its clients.
Erin graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Psychology from The College of Saint Rose, and earned a Masters in Industrial/Organizational Psychology with honors from Teachers College, Columbia University.
Areas of Expertise
Lobbying
Evan joined Ostroff Associates with close to a decade of legislative and political experience at the highest levels of State Government.
Prior to joining OA, Evan served as the Director of Legislation and Senior Advisor to the Independent Democratic Conference in the New York State Senate. As a member of senior staff, Evan worked to develop, advance and implement the Conference's legislative, policy and budgetary priorities.
Over the course of his career, Evan has drafted and negotiated many key pieces of legislation and budget proposals across a wide range of issue areas.
In his previous role, Evan has had the opportunity to be involved in State budget negotiations at the highest levels on issues including Health, Mental Hygiene, Housing and Education.
Evan began his career in the Office of Senator David Carlucci, holding a number of positions including Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director. Evan has also served as the Committee Director to both the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities and Social Services Committees in the Senate.
Through these roles, Evan has developed a deep understanding and knowledge of the legislative and budget process at both the City and State level, which has allowed him to navigate clients through these processes efficiently and effectively.
Areas of Expertise
Lobbying
Jay joined Ostroff Associates in 2018 with extensive experience guiding lobbying efforts and leading political campaigns.
Before joining the firm, Jay worked as a contract lobbyist for an Albany, NY based consulting firm. There he served clients in a wide range of industries from small business associations to global corporations with a continued track record of successfully branding and winning legislative issues within the legislature and the public.
Jay brings a diverse political skillset to aid our clients in their advocacy efforts. He understands the crossroads of governance and media and can help clients with both their lobbying and public relations needs.
Jay is the former Government Affairs Director for The NYS Restaurant Association where he led all advocacy operations for a 2,000 member trade association at the local, state, and federal levels. In this capacity, he successfully lobbied New York State Executive, Agencies and Legislature, as well as local governments including New York City Mayor, Agencies, and City Council.
Jessica has been recognized in City and State Magazine's "40 Under 40" and is the author of state and federal grant applications, numerous publications, articles and analyses of local government, health and human services financing, public health, and hospital issues.
Job Titles:
- CHIEF of STAFF to the CEO
Kaleigh Borden joined Ostroff Associates in January 2015 with a strong background in state and local government. She brings with her thorough knowledge and understanding of the state legislative and budget process.
Before joining the firm, Kaleigh worked for Mayor Kathy Sheehan in the City of Albany. She managed the Mayor's schedule, assisted with research and development of new city initiatives, and worked closely with city leadership to resolve constituent issues. Prior to that, Kaleigh worked at a government affairs firm where she assisted lobbyists and clients on a wide range of legislative and regulatory issues. She is experienced in bill tracking, analyzing legislation and preparing memorandums on diverse areas of public policy.
Kaleigh graduated summa cum laude from Canisius College with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Business Economics. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the South End Children's Cafe in Albany.
Areas of Expertise
Lobbying
Liz has been working in government for over 20 years and possesses extensive experience in the areas of healthcare policy, lobbying, budget development and strategic planning.
Prior to joining OA, Liz served as the Deputy Medicaid Director at the New York State Department of Health for over 7 years and assisted in the day-to-day operations in the Office of Health Insurance Programs ("OHIP") which operates a 60+billion Medicaid program and oversees a staff of over 1,000 employees. In that capacity, she worked on Medicaid redesign and a variety of health care transformation initiatives in the areas of Medicaid policy, transportation, housing and the social determinants of health.
Liz has experience with the state budget process, both internally and externally. At the Department of Health, she assisted in the development, analysis and negotiation of the Medicaid budget. She also worked for the New York State Assembly Ways & Means Committee for 5 years and specialized in the areas of Medicaid, public health and aging.
Liz worked previously at a law firm, representing health care clients, including health plans, medical schools and community-based organizations. She also worked for 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East as a research policy analyst and provided research support, developed policy positions and participated in campaigns for the largest healthcare union in the nation.
She was named in City and State's 40 under 40 Rising Stars. She has served as the co-chair of the Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT) Affordable Housing Workgroup and the Evidence Based Benefit Review Advisory Committee (EBBRAC). As an advocate for the homeless, she co-authored the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) article titled Housing as Health Care: New York's Boundary-Crossing Experiment.
She holds a master's degree in public administration from the Nelson A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy and a bachelor's degree in sociology from the State University of New York, University at Albany.
Nicholas joined Ostroff Associates in 2018 with substantial experience in numerous facets of government, the legislative process and grassroots campaigns in New York State.
Before joining the firm, Nicholas worked at Ways & Means NY, a lobbying firm based in Albany. As a legislative analyst and registered lobbyist, he communicated with transportation, health care, and higher education clients, among others, to track all legislation concerning a variety of issues. In this position, Nicholas also successfully monitored and reported on all developments regarding procurement issues for clients.
Prior to joining Ways & Means NY, Nicholas worked for the Monroe County Democratic Committee spearheading local campaigns where he organized volunteers, produced mailers, and personally advocated for multiple candidates.
Nicholas graduated from SUNY Albany with a B.S. in Political Science.
Areas of Expertise
Lobbying
Patti joined Ostroff Associates in 2009 bringing over 20 years of experience supporting executive level management.
Prior to joining the firm, she worked for KeyBank, where she provided professional administrative support to senior executives. Her vast responsibilities at Ostroff Associates include overseeing the daily operations of the firm, including contract administration, invoicing, human resources, benefits management, and maintenance of the overall building.
Areas of Expertise
Lobbying
Rebecca joined Ostroff Associates in 2017 with two decades of government affairs and state government experience.
At OA, she represents a myriad of businesses, associations and not-for-profits in the environment and energy sector, manufacturing, health, aging, professions and transportation. On behalf of her clients, she has developed tailored strategies to achieve their goals. Rebecca has successfully advocated for millions of dollars of funding, garnered approval for dozens of pieces of legislation and prevented harmful policies from coming to fruition. Rebecca assists her clients in successfully navigating state regulatory affairs and forming collaborative relationships with stakeholders.
Prior to joining OA, Rebecca served as Vice President of Government Affairs at CHMS for eight years representing not-for-profit associations and businesses across various sectors.
In New York State government, Rebecca served as Director of Operations and Legislative Director for NYS Senator Betty Little. In this role, she drafted and gained passage of legislation with statewide implication and local significance, as well as numerous constitutional amendments related to the Adirondack Park. In addition, Rebecca was one of the drafters of the Shared Municipal Services Incentive program. At the same time, she also served as the Committee Director for the NYS Senate Local Government committee, coordinating the activities of one of the Senate's largest committees and negotiating the local government portion of the State Budget.
Rebecca also worked in the Office of Special Projects under Governor Pataki, where she provided policy research for the Governor and his senior advisors. She began her career in public service in the NYS Assembly, as a Legislative Aide and Chief of Staff to Assemblywoman Betty Little.
Through her varied experiences, Rebecca has developed in-depth knowledge of the State legislative and budget processes with specific expertise in aging and long-term care, economic development, energy and environment, public health, local government, manufacturing, professions, and transportation. Rebecca currently serves as a Co-Vice Chair of the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund Board and is a member of the Women's Energy Network Greater Albany Chapter. In 2021 and 2022, she was named to City & State NY's "Energy & Environment Power 100". She holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Delaware.
Areas of Expertise
Lobbying
Rick Ostroff - CEO, Chairman, President
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board of Directors
- Chief Executive Officer
- PRESIDENT
Rick has been working in government and politics for over 40 years. He founded the firm in 1995 and since then has provided leadership and expertise to clients throughout New York State.
In growing the firm to where it is today, Rick has carefully assembled a team of experienced and hardworking professionals at OA who exemplify the level of dedication, integrity and leadership it takes to achieve our client's goals. This has led OA to develop into one of the premier government relations firms in New York State. For over 30 years, Rick has served our clients' diverse interest in many areas including economic development, financial services and tax. In doing so Rick has maintained long standing relations in all branches of government.
Before starting the firm, Rick was the Assistant for Legislative Affairs for Governor Mario Cuomo. Rick advised the Governor on legislation and was the liaison between the Governor's office and the NYS Legislature. Prior to that, he served as Assistant for Regional Affairs advising the Governor on regional and local matters, and assisting local government officials in all areas of state government.
Rick also served as the Director of the 1990 NYS Environmental Bond Act, and was the Legislative Coordinator for the New York State Consumer Protection Board. Rick began his career in state government as a senior legislative aide to Assemblyman Melvin Zimmer.
For the last 5 years, Rick has been named to City & State's "Albany Power 100" list which recognizes the most influential players in New York State government and politics. In 2019, he was also recognized as one of City & State's "50 Over Fifty: The Age Disruptors". An award which honors leaders in government, business and media who have distinguished themselves by helping New York in civic affairs.
Rick currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Upstate New York/Vermont Chapter, the Corporate Co-Chair for the Albany Light the Night Walk, and is a member of the LLS National Philanthropy Committee. Locally, he serves on the Albany Black Chamber of Commerce Board of Directions and the UAlbany Athletics Board. Rick is also an avid supporter of Albany's South End Children's Café and their efforts to improve food security in the community.
Rick has a degree in Economics from the State University of New York at Albany.
Spiro joined Ostroff Associates in 2023 with in-depth experience in the legislative and regulatory operations in New York State.