New York City will be getting a new IT Commissioner, policy advisor and chiefs of staff as part of a flurry of new positions announced yesterday.
Samir Saini was named as new Commissioner of the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications. Saini will replace current DoITT Commissioner Anne Roest who is retiring. The Mayor also announced the appointment of Dominic Williams as his new Chief Policy Advisor, and Debbie Rosen as Chief of Staff to First Deputy Mayor Dean Fuleihan. Additionally, Avi Fink has been promoted to Chief of Staff at the Office of Management and Budget.
Saini was previously IT Commissioner and Chief Information Officer for the City of Atlanta. Saini will build on the work of Roest who has been spearheading an effort to modernize the city’s technology systems and make more government data available to the public.
“I’m confident Samir Saini’s impressive work in Atlanta makes him well-equipped to take on the crucial work of this agency, including continuing the modernization of our 911 system,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement.
Dominic Williams will now serve as Chief Policy Advisor to the Mayor and will oversee the Mayor’s Office of Policy and Planning. He will report to the First Deputy Mayor and provide coordination across all the Deputy Mayor teams. Dominic Williams previously served as Chief of Staff to the First Deputy Mayor and as Chief of Staff in the Public Advocate’s Office.
Debbie Rosen was named Chief of Staff to the First Deputy Mayor, where she will provide support and coordination across the First Deputy Mayor’s team. She was previously Chief of Staff at the Office of Management and Budget.
Additionally, Avi Fink will now serve as Chief of Staff at the Office of Management and Budget. Avi Fink was previously Deputy Chief of Staff to the Mayor, and worked in the Public Advocate’s Office and on the 2013 de Blasio campaign.
