WHO WE ARE

Darrell Sims recently retired as Deputy Director for the Bureau of Multifamily Design Review Services at the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD).  In his role as Director-at-Large, he is a conduit to the MEA, reporting any issues members might have and ensuring they receive all MEA member benefits in an acceptable manner.  Mr. Sims began his career working at HPD in 1980. At the time of employment, Darrell simply thought of his job as a means of working his way out of living in a dormitory at Columbia University and being able to afford an apartment.  He had just completed graduate school with a Master’s Degree in Architecture. Darrell became committed to the work he was performing. After being awarded a fellowship, he was granted an educational leave of absence and returned to Columbia University to attain a Master’s Degree in Real Estate Development where he gained invaluable knowledge in real estate development. Mr. Sims is the first African American registered architect to be employed by HPD and has been a member of the MEA since 1996.

Edgar recently served as the Deputy Chief Technology Officer at the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services (MOCS). Throughout his fifteen years of public sector, technology-focused work, Edgar has focused on innovating and modernizing public sector technology, with a diverse portfolio of tech projects, both as a City manager and as a consultant. He is a 2019 Best of NYC: Excellence in IT Service & Support award winner by the NYC Technology Forum (GovTech) and a 2017 LGBTQ+ Technology & Innovation Fellow by Lesbians Who Tech.

Edgar received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a double-major in Finance and Philosophy from the College of William & Mary and completed his Master of Science in Technology Management degree from New York University.

Growing up globetrotting the world at an early age, with the appreciation the world is bigger and much more interesting, Alice moved to New York City, where she began a successful career in International Business. In her role as Executive Director of MEA, she will lead organizational operations, with responsibility for the expansion of MEA into the future. She intuitively sees the threads of opportunity within an organization to leverage her unique perspective into effective problem solving, improved financial oversight, and program success. Alice holds an E.MBA from Fordham University and a Graduate Certificate in communications from New York University. She resides in New York City and enjoys scuba diving, culinary adventures, and traveling.

Bernard Orlan is the Director of the Office of Environmental Health and Safety for the Department of Education. His specialty is the safe maintenance and removal of asbestos and hazardous chemicals. Following the attack on September, 11, 2001, he managed the cleanup and environmental monitoring of all schools in the affected area of Lower Manhattan during the lengthy remediation process. Before working for the NYC, Bernard was with the Army Corps of Engineers, working on projects ranging from waterway navigation and flood protection to preventing hazardous waste landfills from leaching into aquifers. The positive impact he has had on millions of children during his career is what makes being a manager for NYC very rewarding. As Treasurer he is very conservative with the MEA budget. With the greater negotiating power stemming from larger membership numbers, he is confident that he can make MEA more effective when advocating for increase benefits and raises. He wants his fellow managers to understand the advantage of MEA membership. “We understand what you are feeling and are fighting for managers to be treated with dignity and respect.”

Stephen retired from the NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA) in August 2018 with over 33 years of public service working in City and State government, health care administration and college teaching. Stephen started in NYC government in September 1972 as a college intern with the NYC Board of Correction through an Urban Corps work study grant assignment.  This led to an unexpected interest in working for government. He was hired full time by the NYC Board of Correction upon graduation from college.  From 1976 – 1978, he worked at the NYS Commission of Correction. Stephen’s correction and criminal justice experience provided an opportunity to teach full time as an Instructor in Criminal Justice and Sociology at Somerset County College in NJ.  He also taught part time at St. Joseph’s College and Mercy College. In 1981, Stephen went to work at the newly created NYC Department of Juvenile Justice starting first as a consultant writing operational procedures and then hired full time.  He left the agency in 1984, moved to the west coast and worked at Blue Cross of California. Stephen joined the Human Resources Administration in 1986 as a Budget Analyst and quickly moved up within the Agency.  From 1989 through 1995, he was the Assistant Deputy Commissioner for the Division of AIDS Services.  In this senior level position, he oversaw the rapid growth and expansion of the program at the height of the AIDS crisis. Stephen’s career took a new direction in 1996 -health care and hospital administration.  He worked first at Bellevue Hospital and then St. Luke’s/Roosevelt Hospital in Ambulatory Care administration and outpatient clinics. Missing the excitement of working in government, Stephen returned to HRA in 2007.  In 2010, he was appointed as Assistant Deputy Commissioner of the Office of Procedures within the Office of Policy, Procedures and Training.  He was responsible for the development of procedures affecting operations in Cash Assistance, Employment Services, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and overall Agency policies. Stephen has a B.A. in Sociology (Pace University,1973) and a M.A. Sociology (New York University, 1976).

The Retirees Chapter Assistant Director for Membership, Sam Borkow is a retired Deputy Commissioner of the HRA Office of Investigation, Revenue and Enforcement Administration and has a longstanding connection with the MEA. He joined MEA in 1990. Mr. Borkow works to innovate new ways to recruit members into the MEA. “I’m very proud that I was an intergral part of the recruitment process” says Mr. Borkow. His tenure in HRA spans 45 years – beginning as a caseworker at the St. Nicholas Income Maintenance Center. In 2005,  he was appointed to the position of Deputy Commissioner and served until his retirement in 2013. As Director-At-Large, Mr. Borkow will endeavor to improve benefits for all members and managers alike.

Peter Kontogiannis is a Manager with the Department of Environmental Protection in the Office of Engineering Audits. He began his career with the City of New York in 2013 as a manager in the Build it Back Program. Before working for the City, Peter was in the Aerospace Industry for Nine years working on Quality Assurance and Process Improvement Projects. He wants his colleagues in the City to know the value of MEA membership and the resources & benefits (both through the MEA and as a City Manager) that are available to them. Peter received his Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Management Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is certified by the American Society of Quality as a Six Sigma Black Belt and as a Quality Auditor. In addition, he is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of New York.

Cesare Lucido is a career employee of the NY Housing Authority. Cesare started working for the City as a summer job and stayed for 36 years. He worked his way from cutting the lawns of public housing on up to managing housing inspections and upkeep as Deputy Director in the Bronx.   He came to the MEA originally because of its managerial benefits and now, post-retirement he’s working as a Director-at-Large to “help the cause and keep informed.” An avid marathon runner, Mr. Lucido keeps moving in his work life too. After leaving city work, he didn’t waste time getting a new position at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine & Pharmacy as a Facilities Manager. He had also obtain in 2020 his commercial refrigeration engineering license.

Pam Ross has over 25 years of service with the Human Resources Administration. Presently serving as the Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Housing and Homeless Services/Initiatives. A member of the MEA since 2010 and served as HRA Chapter Director before elected to current position.

During Bill’s four terms as President, from 1994 to 2002, he championed and MEA won the Yourman v. Dinkins lawsuit, which resulted in payments of thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars. The MEA was placed on a transparent business basis with financial accountability to the membership while he was president. Bill successfully advocated for significant changes in payment for time and leave at retirement. This continues to result in thousands of dollars difference in separation pay. Bill has been a member of the MEA executive board for 30 years. He has served the membership as Human Resources Administration chapter director, NYC MEA executive vice president and chair of numerous committees. Bill served in increasingly more responsible positions in his thirty year career in HRA, including Income Support Center Director, and Director of Income Support: AIDS Services. Bill retired as Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Fair Hearings and Compliance. Bill and his wife Mary live with their two dogs in North Carolina, very close to their three grandchildren.

Stu Eber served as President from 2010 to 2017 and stepped down as President in December 2017. He joins William Dworkin as a President Emeritus on the MEA Executive Board. Stu was elected President of the NYC Managerial Employees Association (NYC MEA) in January 2010 and was reelected in 2012 and 2015. He worked in conjunction with the Executive Board and the MEA Executive Director to provide the leadership needed for continued organizational growth. The Membership Report from 2010-2017 shows that, with Stu’s leadership, MEA recruited over 3,000 new members. For more than 30 years, Stu developed and delivered income support services to thousands of New Yorkers in his capacity as a Human Resources Administration employee. He retired in 2004 after serving as a Deputy Commissioner and then became more active in the MEA. Prior to his election as MEA President, Stu functioned as Chapter Director of the MEA Retirees Chapter and Chair of the Technology and Publicity Committees. He was primarily responsible for the enhancements to the website, newsletter, and membership database. Stu is a graduate of the State University of New York at Stony Brook with a BA in Political Science. He is a long-time resident of the Bronx, New York. He has two sons, three grandsons, and one granddaughter.

Serving as both the previous President and Vice President of MEA, Shelly has been a member of MEA for over 3 decades.  Shelly became an employee in the New York City Health & Hospitals Corporation at Elmhurst Hospital Center in 1980 as a Hospital Care Investigator (a member of SSEU Local 371), then as a Senior Hospital Care Investigator. From 1990 until his retirement in 2017, Shelly held a series of managerial positions, mostly in the finance area. Shelly also served on the MEA’s Legislative, Strategic Planning, and Bylaws Committees. Shelly is a music aficionado. His method for relaxing and having a great time is to “jam” playing the guitar with fellow enthusiasts. He is also a “Deadhead” attending “too many to count” concerts by the Grateful Dead and similar groups. To keep in shape, he plays basketball. Shelly is married and has three sons in their twenties.