Monroe County Executive-elect Adam Bello on Monday announced several key appointments to his administration, among them being that he is promoting the county’s human services commissioner, Corinda Crossdale.
Crossdale will serve as deputy county executive for health and human services, a newly-created position intended to reflect Bello’s campaign promise to address critical issues, including the opioid crisis and Child Protective Services.
She is a notable carryover. Shortly after County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo, a Republican, took office in January 2016, she appointed Crossdale human services commissioner. At the time her selection was announced, Crossdale was director of the New York State Office of the Aging. Before that, she had spent eight years as director of the county’s Office for the Aging.
During her tenure as commissioner, Crossdale was tasked with implementing Dinolfo’s plan to improve the county’s Child Protective Services, which came under scrutiny after the November 2016 death of 3-year-old Brook Stagles, who died from injuries related to abuse. A state abuse and neglect hotline had received two reports about Stagles a month before her death, but Crossdale has said that county investigated both and found nothing that warranted intervention.
Dinolfo’s plan for CPS called for the addition of caseworkers to help bring caseloads down, salary increases for caseworkers to help retain them, and several other measures. During the 2019 county executive race, Dinolfo said the county had hired more caseworkers and that caseloads had fallen. The Monroe County Federation of Social Workers said caseloads were still too high, and Bello knocked Dinolfo for not putting enough resources behind the problem.
Other key appointments to his administration reflect a mix of staff from his campaign and from other government offices. They include:
Randy Gorbman, WXXI’s news director, contributed to this story.
Jeremy Moule is CITY’s news editor. He can be reached [email protected].
Crossdale will serve as deputy county executive for health and human services, a newly-created position intended to reflect Bello’s campaign promise to address critical issues, including the opioid crisis and Child Protective Services.
- FILE PHOTO
- County Executive-elect Adam Bello.
During her tenure as commissioner, Crossdale was tasked with implementing Dinolfo’s plan to improve the county’s Child Protective Services, which came under scrutiny after the November 2016 death of 3-year-old Brook Stagles, who died from injuries related to abuse. A state abuse and neglect hotline had received two reports about Stagles a month before her death, but Crossdale has said that county investigated both and found nothing that warranted intervention.
Dinolfo’s plan for CPS called for the addition of caseworkers to help bring caseloads down, salary increases for caseworkers to help retain them, and several other measures. During the 2019 county executive race, Dinolfo said the county had hired more caseworkers and that caseloads had fallen. The Monroe County Federation of Social Workers said caseloads were still too high, and Bello knocked Dinolfo for not putting enough resources behind the problem.
Other key appointments to his administration reflect a mix of staff from his campaign and from other government offices. They include:
- Jeff McCann will serve as deputy county executive. He is currently Bello’s deputy in the County Clerk’s Office, and a longtime public servant at the county and town level.
- Amy Grower, Bello’s campaign communications director, will serve as chief of staff. Grower currently services as a director for an investment management fund, and previously served as chief operating officer and general counsel for a digital marketing start-up. She is also the daughter of Democratic Monroe County Legislator Howard Maffucci.
- Andrea Guzzetta, who currently serves as chief of staff to Rochester City Council, will lead the county’s human resources department.
- John Bringewatt, a senior associate at Harter, Secrest and Emery and a member of the board of directors at Empire Justice, will serve as county attorney.
- Patrick Meredith, an official with the state Department of Transportation, will serve as county parks director. Meredith was the former commissioner of parks and public works in Irondequoit, where Bello was once town supervisor.
- David Hamilton will be acting Zoo Director. Hamilton has served as General Curator of the zoo since 2004.
Randy Gorbman, WXXI’s news director, contributed to this story.
Jeremy Moule is CITY’s news editor. He can be reached [email protected].
