New York State Commission on
National & Community Service

New York State Commission on
National & Community Service

David A. Paterson

Governor

Susan K. Stern

Commission Chair

Mark J. Walter

Executive Director

Office of National and Community Service Staff Biographies

Mark Walter, Executive Director

Prior to joining the Commission as Executive Director in February 2008, Mark Walter served as the State Business Development Director of the New York American Red Cross since 2001, working closely with federal and state offices to secure funding and provide strategic, pragmatic and fiscal oversight for a variety of volunteer programs. Mr. Walter has been instrumental to bridging public and private entities to build local capacity and fundraising efforts for 36 Red Cross chapters. Since joining the Red Cross, he has managed AmeriCorps*, AmeriCorps*VISTA, and Homeland Security programming as well as chaired the review board for Citizen Corps Program grants. Beginning in 2003, Mr. Walter became Director of New York State Learn & Serve America, managing the startup and implementation of the program which partners public and private sector agencies to engage youth in curriculum-based community service. Mr. Walter has also directed public affairs, media relations and development for six years at The Salvation Army. Previously, he served as a teacher and a tutor in the North Carolina Public School System.

Contact Mark at Mark.Walter@newyorkersvolunteer.ny.gov

Beth Tailleur

Beth Tailleur has been part of the New York Office of National and Community Service staff since the agency's formation in 1994. Beth helped to develop the Office’s policies and procedures and was instrumental in structuring the AmeriCorps contracts, and the grantmaking process during the early years of the Commission. Currently Beth oversees a portfolio of AmeriCorps programs, serves as the Office liaison to the OCFS Finance Bureau and is helping to design this new website. Prior to working with the Office, Beth worked with the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities as a legislative staff member. Beth is very active in her community, serving as a volunteer with her family’s schools, sports programs, church and a local YMCA.

Contact Beth at: Beth.Tailleur@newyorkersvolunteer.ny.gov

Eric Czupil

Eric Czupil has eight years experience at the New York State Office of National and Community Service. Eric oversees a portfolio of AmeriCorps programs, serves as the Training Coordinator on all training events conducted by the Office of National and Community Service, and has been instrumental in a variety of other special projects conducted by the Office. Prior to joining the Office, Eric worked for the NYS Division of Parole for 13 years as a Policy Analyst, and at the Saratoga County Youth Bureau for 2 years as a Youth Services Specialist.

Contact Eric at: Eric.Czupil@newyorkersvolunteer.ny.gov

Stefanie Perez

Stefanie Perez joined the New York State Office of National and Community Service in 1995. She initially helped craft processes for monitoring AmeriCorps grantees for compliance and evaluating program performance. She oversees a portfolio of AmeriCorps programs, serves as the Disabilities Inclusion Coordinator for New York State AmeriCorps programs, and is responsible for developing the NYS AmeriCorps Request for Proposal. Stefanie previously worked for the New York State Division of the Budget (DOB) as a Senior Budget Examiner with responsibilities for the central oversight and control of the fiscal operations of state departments, and public authorities. A former teacher, she has worked as the Director of both a NYS Department of Labor funded mentoring program, and a YW-YMCA Day Care, Inc. bilingual day care center and has a long history of volunteering and board membership with youth focus community and faith based groups.

Contact Stefanie at: Stefanie.Perez@newyorkersvolunteer.ny.gov

Warren Hamilton

Warren has 8 years of experience with the New York State Office of National and Community Service. Warren came to the office with a special focus on enhancing the policies and procedures, as well as the program monitoring process. While serving as a program administrator, Warren took the lead in rewriting and restructuring the policies and procedures, and enhanced the risk assessment and overall monitoring protocol. Since the start of the 2007-08 program year, Warren relinquished his duties as a program administrator for a portfolio of programs, and took on the role as the sole compliance monitor for fiscal and program issues for the entire portfolio. Prior to joining the Office, Warren worked for the NYS Division of Budget for 8 years Public Management Intern (PMI – Rockefeller Institute), and a Senior Budget Examiner. Prior to his work in the NYS Division of Budget, Warren served the Hon. Senator Joseph R. Holland for one year as a NYS Senate Fellow.

Contact Warren at: Warren.Hamilton@newyorkersvolunteer.ny.gov

David Garcia

David has 3 years of experience at the New York State Office of National and Community Service as a Senior Accountant. David is responsible for the completion of financial reports. Other tasks include daily monitoring of expenditures, reconciliations, and budget examining. Prior to joining the Office, David worked as an Auditor for the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services.

Contact David at: David.Garcia@newyorkersvolunteer.ny.gov

Carolyn Cazer

Carolyn Cazer joined the New York State Office of National and Community Service – New Yorkers Volunteer in April, 2010 as an AmeriCorps Program Administrator. Carolyn will work with a portfolio of AmeriCorps programs to provide guidance and support to the successful implementation of their national service grant. Prior to joining the State Commission Office, Carolyn worked for the private sector as an Auditor for KPMG. Carolyn started her public sector work with the New York State Division of Budget as a Budget Examiner and most recently she worked as a Contract Manager for seven years for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the New York State Department of Health.

Contact Carolyn at: Carolyn.Cazer@NewYorkersVolunteer.ny.gov

Dorothy Sherman

Dorothy “Dodie” Sherman joined the State Office of National and Community Service in April 2010. In her position, Dodie provides administrative support to the State Commission on National & Community Service including the AmeriCorps Program and all statewide volunteer initiatives. Prior to joining the State Commission Office, Dodie worked with SUNY New Paltz College, State Office of Mental Health, and State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. Dodie is an active volunteer in her community and supports organizations including the Dutchess County Chapter of the American Cancer Society, Columbia-Greene Domestic Violence Program, and is also a member of the Columbia County Community Choir.

Contact Dodie at: Dorothy.Sherman@NewYorkersVolunteer.ny.gov