New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens today announced Jeffrey Stefanko will serve as the agency’s assistant commissioner of administration.

Stefanko will direct all staff and programs within the Office of Administration, which includes the Division of Management and Budget Services and the Division of Operations. His responsibilities will include oversight and implementation of the agency’s $1.1 billion budget; oversight and management of 52 campgrounds, four environmental education centers and four children’s environmental education camps; and DEC’s training and development program.

“Jeff’s management capabilities, intimate knowledge of state budget matters and impressive track record as a budget examiner make him a natural fit to be DEC’s assistant commissioner for administration,” said Commissioner Martens. “Jeff has worked closely with DEC in his role at the division of budget and we are excited to continue to benefit from his expertise in this new capacity.”

Stefanko boasts 17 years of public budgeting experience in management positions at the NYS Division of the Budget in Albany, with fiscal and policy analysis focus on executive agency and authority budgets including DEC; Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, New York State Energy, Research and Development Authority and the Division of Housing and Community Renewal among other agencies.

As a budget examiner, Stefanko rose through the ranks to become principal budget examiner, where his responsibilities included daily interaction with the governor’s staff, working on significant environmental projects and negotiating with legislative staff on critical environmental issues. He was responsible for leading a team of six managers and budget examiners.

Stefanko holds a bachelor’s degree in political philosophy from Syracuse University.