Public Service Recognition week (PSRW) honors the individuals who serve our nation as federal, state, country and local government employees. It calls attention to the important work happening in the public sector throughout the year.
Conference Details
Preliminary Program, Saturday, April 25
Location: SUNY Buffalo State University at the Jacqueline Lo Vito Alumni & Visitor Center.
Schedule
10:00 a.m.–10:30: a.m.: Check-in
10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m.: Brunch
11:30 a.m.–12 p.m.: Keynote Speaker
Joseph (Joe) Raymond Dunne, Research Professor at the George Washington University, in the GW Institute of Public Policy.
From 2019 to 2023, Dunne served as Director of the European Parliament Liaison Office in Washington DC (EPLO), responsible for relations with the U.S. Congress. Previously, as Acting Director in the European Parliament for Impact Assessment and European Added Value, he worked successfully to improve the toolkit on Better Regulation. Dunne worked on EU legislation for much of his career, including as Head of Secretariat for the European Parliament's Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (2004-2012). He was Deputy Chef de Cabinet for EP President Pat Cox from 2002 to 2004 and also worked as an Advisor in the Cabinet of the EP Secretary General. Prior to his work in the EP, Dunne served in the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin and as Secretary of the Irish Embassy in Madrid, Spain. Joe was a senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) and a Visiting Fellow George Mason University. Dunne's areas of reserach expertise include US-EU Relations, notably legislative cooperation between the United States and the European Union. Recent publications include "Connecting the U.S. Congress and the European Parliament," in the Handbook of Transatlantic Relations, Routledge (2024) and “The European Parliament and the debate on the Future of Europe: More democratic legitimacy but less substantive legitimacy?”, in The Future of Europe, Bloomsbury (forthcoming) .
12:00 p.m.-12:30 p.m.: WNY ASPA Award Presentation
12:30 p.m.-1:00 p.m.: Coffee Break
Panel Sessions
Session 1 | 1:00 p.m.–2:45 p.m.
Panel 1: Budget Challenges in for New York State and Local Government
Chair, Dr. Lisa Parshall (Daemen University, Rockefeller Institute of Government)
Confirmed Panelists:
Hon. Kevin Hardwick, Erie County Comptroller
Ben Swanekamp, Deputy Mayor, City of Buffalo
Frederick Floss, City of Buffalo, Fiscal Stability Authority
Panel 2: Climate & Energy Policy in New York State
Chair, Dr. Laurie Buonanno (Buffalo State University)
Confirmed Panelists:
Dr. Stephen Vermette, Climatologist (Buffalo State University)
Mr. John Maggiore (New York State Public Service Commission)
2:45-3:00 p.m.: Coffee Break
Session 2 | 3:00–4:45 p.m.
Panel 1: Ethics in Government
Chair: Mr. Ryan Gadzo (Erie County)
Confirmed Panelists:
Mr. Randall (Randy) Hoak, Commissioner, Department of Aging, Erie County
Panel 2: MPA Student Research - Students from MPA programs throughout NYS invited to present their research
Chair: Dr. Ikhee Cho, Dr. Suparna Soni
Panelists: To be confirmed
Bios
PANELIST BIOS
John Maggiore
On June 10, 2021, John B. Maggiore was appointed Commissioner of the New York State Public Service Commission (Commission). Mr. Maggiore’s term runs through February 2027. Mr. Maggiore has served in various roles in the Executive Chamber since 2011, most recently as senior advisor to then Governor Andrew Cuomo. Prior to that, he served as then Governor Cuomo's Director of Policy, Chief of Staff to Lt. Governor Robert Duffy, and the Governor’s Director of Regional Affairs. During Mr. Maggiore’s time as Policy Director, the Cuomo administration first articulated the Clean Energy Standard, launched the electric vehicle rebate program, implemented the NY Sun program, promulgated the offshore wind master plan, announced several large-scale renewable projects among other nation-leading clean energy policy initiatives. Earlier in his career, Mr. Maggiore served as Chief of Staff for a leading member of the Assembly Energy Committee for eight years. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Government from Connecticut College, a master’s degree in Political Science and Government from Rutgers University and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Harvard University.
Conference Committee
Laurie Buonanno, Buffalo State, WNY ASPA President 2025-2026, Director, Institute for European Union Studies at SUNY
Brian Bray, Erie County, WNY ASPA Executive Board
Ikhee Cho, Buffalo State
Rachelle Clark, Buffalo State, MPA student representative
Camyrn Collins, SUNY Fredonia
Ryan Gadzo, Erie County, WNY ASPA Membership & Communications Officer
Suparna Soni, Buffalo State, WNY ASPA President-Elect 2025-2026
Our Sponsors
We are grateful to these entities for providing funding for PSRW 2026
SUNY Buffalo State Faculty-Student Association
Dr. Ronald J. Peters - Dr. Peters earned his B.S in education from Buffalo State in 1959. Professor Emeritus Ronald Peters joined the University of Illinois’ Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations in 1976 and led the Labor Education Program for over 30 years.
Donors to the Public Service Recognition Week Fund of the SUNY Buffalo State University Foundation