Hometown: I grew up in Tucson, Ariz., surrounded by barrel cactus and mesquite trees. But for the last four decades, it’s been all sugar maples and white birch in the Capital District around Albany, N.Y.
Role: Director of Senate Technology Services for the New York Senate.
Years of legislative service: 33, in a variety of IT roles, including 12 years with the Assembly and now 21 years with the Senate.
Skill or talent he’s proudest of: “A love of learning new things and the understanding that I don’t have a monopoly on good ideas. I’m not sure recognizing and supporting the great people around you counts as a talent, but it’s made all the difference for me.”
Why did you choose to work at the legislature?
It was mostly good luck. My roommate mentioned there was an opening and I applied on a whim. I had only the fuzziest understanding of how state government worked, but thought it might be fun to take what I imagined would be a very brief career detour.
But once I got here, I was hooked. My first role was helping policy analysts and counsels, and I was as interested in what they were doing as I was in showing them how to set margins in WordPerfect and use the legislative research system. I got to see firsthand how the work happening here makes a difference for everyday people. Senators and staff work incredibly hard to better our state and help our communities, and I’m proud to make a career supporting their efforts.
It’s also been fascinating to help our organization make the most of constant advances in technology over the years. From standalone word processors using 8-inch floppy disks and the first tentative steps onto Gopher to the World Wide Web and today’s cloud-centric, work-from-anywhere-anytime world, it’s been a fascinating journey and it keeps me jazzed to come to work every day.
What’s the best advice you were ever given?
“Just try it.” I think this advice was originally given at the dinner table in reference to vegetables. But it’s stuck with me. It’s a shame how many wonderful things people miss out on because they’re afraid to take a chance on something new.
Who or what inspires you?
My family. Every day they are my safety net and my jet fuel.
An inspiring thing at work is a painting that hangs outside the Senate chamber. It’s of Theodore Roosevelt, then a young Assembly member, chatting with his Senate counterparts in the chamber. Aside from the people, everything looks the same today—same desks, same decor, same podium, same clock in the corner. It reminds me that I’m also just a temporary visitor, making my own small contribution to this great institution, which was here long before me and, hopefully, will be here centuries after. That helps me keep my daily challenges and concerns very much in perspective.
What’s one thing you love about your state?
The contrasts that exist here. I grew up thinking New York was just one big city. And, to be fair, we do have the largest city in the nation, the quintessential “melting pot” of 8 million people speaking more than 600 languages, and the 10th-largest economy in the world. But an hour from my home is the Adirondack Park, the largest forest preserve in the continental U.S., uniquely protected by our state constitution. For me, New York is that surprising mix—of sweet corn and pastrami on rye, Buffalo wings and apple pie, Saratoga chips and the best pizza in the world (made famous on YouTube by #pizzarat).
What are you currently reading/listening to/watching?
Everything! There are always books and articles in process and podcasts queued up for my commute. Right now, in honor of the recent passing of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, I’m reading “The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World,” which is a dialogue between Tutu and the Dalai Lama. We had the great fortune to have the Dalia Lama come and provide the opening invocation for a Senate session in 2009 and that was an amazing experience. We can all use more joy in our lives. Next up is James Clear’s “Atomic Habits,” and for downtime the whole family is watching “The Dropout” about the Theranos debacle.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
For its “Staff Snapshots” series, State Legislatures News is asking legislative staff about their role in the legislature. To suggest a staffer for this series, please use the email icon above to contact Holly South.