Borough President James S. Oddo is pleased to announce the promotion of three members of his staff and the addition of one new member within his administration. Jennifer Sammartino, previously serving as the Director of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, has been promoted to Deputy Chief of Staff; Colleen Siuzdak, previously serving as Coordinator of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, has been promoted to Manager of VISIT Staten Island; and Alexey Chandler, previously serving as Communications Coordinator, has been promoted to Assistant Manager of Communications and External Affairs; Stephanie Slepian has joined the team as Manager of Communications and External Affairs.

“As we enter a New Year, I’m excited to continue to build the amazing team we’ve assembled at Borough Hall,” noted BP Oddo. “I have asked Jennifer Sammartino to assume the role of Deputy Chief of Staff and I’m looking forward to what she will bring to the table in this new capacity. Alexey and Colleen are smart, enthusiastic women who have proven themselves to be dedicated, hard workers. I know they will succeed in their new roles. I’m thrilled to announce that Stephanie Slepian, a longtime Staten Island Advance staffer, has joined our team. Stephanie’s experience and wealth of knowledge will serve us well.”

Jennifer Sammartino has been with the Office of the Borough President since January, 2014. A graduate of the College of Staten Island, Ms. Sammartino earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and spent most of her career in communications – first as a reporter, then as a features editor with the Staten Island Advance; as Communications Director for Richmond University Medical Center; then as Public Affairs Officer for the Department of Veterans Affairs. She joined the BP’s staff as Director of Communications and External Affairs, a post she held until the BP appointed her the first-ever Director of Tourism and Cultural Affairs in 2017. Jennifer has taken on the role of Deputy Chief of Staff, overseeing a division of the office and working on high level projects. She lives in New Brighton with her husband, Michael Mallen, and daughter, Laila.

“I’m ecstatic to take on this new role and am grateful to Borough President Oddo for the opportunity,” said Sammartino. “I’ve enjoyed working on Tourism and Cultural Affairs and will continue to oversee the department, as it’s so close to my heart. I am excited to broaden my scope and work on more issues that will benefit Staten Islanders.”

Colleen Siuzdak is a native Staten Islander who earned her bachelor’s degree in Media Studies from CUNY Hunter College and is now pursuing a Masters of Public Administration at CUNY Baruch College. She joined the Borough President’s team in August 2017 as the Coordinator of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. Colleen looks forward to growing the arts and culture community on Staten Island, by exposing the hidden treasures available to both visitors and residents alike.   She lives in Westerleigh.

Alexey Chandler started her work with the Office of the Borough President in June of 2017. After graduating from Wagner College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration, with a Marketing concentration, and a double minor in Economics and Art, she joined the Borough President’s staff as Communications Coordinator. Alexey is looking forward to her new role within the Communications Department as Assistant Manager of Communications and External Affairs, where she will have the opportunity to be involved in the many projects and initiatives shaping the Staten Island community. She lives in St. George.

Stephanie Slepian received both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in journalism from New York University.  She began her career at the Staten Island Advance in 1997 as a general assignment reporter. She covered a range of topics, including transportation, education, politics, real estate, crime, and Veterans issues. During her time at the Advance, she also worked in several editorial capacities. In 2014, she transitioned to the digital operations team as a Homepage Producer. In that capacity, she managed the placement and promotion of stories on SILive.com.  In 2017, she was named an Audience Development Specialist. In that position, she shared SILive.com stories and photos to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. She lives in Great Kills with her husband and 9-year-old son.
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These staff changes are effective immediately.

Borough President James S. Oddo is pleased to announce the expansion of his reading initiatives for students in 2019. The Readers Are Leaders program is an institution in fourth grade classes on Staten Island, with over 110,000 students and more than half a million books later, it clearly has been a monumental success. This year’s additional reading initiatives will include more than just the fourth grade, in an effort to ignite the spark in this younger generation with the power and enjoyment of reading.

“At a time when children are beginning to learn the power of reading, my office is making an effort to do all we can to encourage and reinforce the notion that reading is an essential part of life,” said Borough President Oddo. “I’m thrilled to continue the ‘Readers Are Leaders’ tradition and hope these new initiatives encourage reading at all levels.”

Now in its 23rd year, the Readers Are Leaders program challenges fourth graders across the Island to read six books in five weeks. Staten Island author and magician Mike Lane joined the challenge three years ago with his book series, “The Magic Shop.” Along with reading the six books, students are offered a mini-challenge within Readers Are Leaders to read Lane’s four book series and write a book report. The winner of that challenge, chosen by Lane, will receive a free magic show for their school. The Readers Are Leaders challenge runs from February 18th to March 25th.

As a partner program and expansion of the successful Readers Are Leaders, Borough President Oddo will be challenging first graders with a new Readers Are Leaders Jr. program. This program will run concurrent to the fourth grade program. The first grade will be challenged to read “Mikey and the Dragons” by Jocko Willink, along with one book of their choice. 

The Borough President has incorporated Jocko Willink’s first children’s book series, “Way of the Warrior Kid,” into his reading initiatives for the past two years. This year, that effort will be expanded into the Summer Reading Challenge as an extension to the fourth grade Readers Are Leaders program. To keep students engaged during the summer months, students will be challenged to read both of the books in the “Way of the Warrior Kid” series. 
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Rounding out the new reading initiatives is a reading program for the second grade students. Staten Island second grade students will be challenged to read Nick Katsoris’ “Loukoumi’s Good Deeds,” from the “Loukomi” book series, about Loukoumi and the good deeds she does in her community. A discussion will take place in the classroom about what good deeds the students have done in response to reading this book, as well as take part in Make A Difference Day on October 26th.

On Thursday, December 20th, Borough President James S. Oddo’s Office of Tourism and Cultural Affairs unveiled the new branding and website for VISIT Staten Island. You can check out the new website here.

VISIT Staten Island was created in 2009 to highlight Staten Island as a fun, family-friendly, and historical destination to visit. The goal of rebranding VISIT Staten Island is to incentivize those travelling from Manhattan to stay on Staten Island and spend the day at one of the many cultural attractions, shops, and restaurants in the "unexpected borough." This revived campaign also encourages residents to explore their own backyard and take advantage of the programs and events that are found so close to home.

With the collaboration of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce and Destination St. George, VISIT Staten Island was able to receive a New York state grant to allocate funds for the marketing of the borough as a destination. ThoughtMatter, a Manhattan-based branding agency, designed the brand and fully captured the essence of Staten Island as a place where people live, work, and play. Native Staten Islander Tommy Rausch developed the website, working with ThoughtMatter and the VISIT Staten Island team to create a resource that tourists can use to explore the borough. The new website features information about attractions, itineraries, events, transportation, and more.  

“Our office has worked successfully with all of our attractions to position Staten Island as a destination and ready us for an influx of tourists with the opening of the Empire Outlets this spring,” said BP Oddo.

The Office of Tourism and Cultural Affairs was created by BP Oddo in June 2017 to bring attention to the numerous cultural attractions Staten Island has to offer. The borough is home to an extensive arts and culture community, featuring 30 museums and art galleries. Additionally, Staten Island, known as the “Borough of Parks,” has plenty of attractions for nature lovers.

“Re-branding Staten Island as a destination is an important step in throwing our doors open to the world and welcoming people to discover all of the wonderful assets on Staten Island,” said Jennifer Sammartino, Director of Tourism and Cultural Affairs for the Borough President. “This is a unique spot amid the hustle and bustle of New York City. We’ve been the best kept secret, and now our secret is out. Come for the free ferry ride and stay for our food, history, art, maritime lore, nature, and so much more.”

Tourism is a $46 billion industry in New York City. The Staten Island Ferry is one of the most visited attractions in New York City, with over 1.5 million tourists riding the Ferry each year. 

​On Monday, December 11th, BP Oddo hosted the annual Borough Hall Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. At the event, carols and theatrical scenes were performed by local talents, including Al Lambert, House of Cadre, Staten Island Shakespearean Theatre, and D. Sharp Studios. Santa joined BP Oddo to light the Christmas tree and give out books to children who attended.
 
“This is a great moment for all of us to come together and celebrate the season,” said BP Oddo. “I hope all Staten Islanders have a safe and happy holiday season!”
 
The event was sponsored by Allstate, Cake Chef's Cookie Jar, the Gavel Grill, the National Lighthouse Museum, the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, and the Staten Island Yankees.

On Thursday, December 6th, BP Oddo honored two outstanding educators with the Patrick F. Daly Award. This award goes to two educators who exemplify the values of the fallen principal, who was gunned down 26 years ago in Red Hook, Brooklyn while searching for a student who had left the school building. The award was established shortly after Mr. Daly’s death and was revived last year to honor his legacy of service to the community, his steadfast commitment to his students, and his leadership.

This year’s recipients were Ingrid Ebanks, Physical Education teacher at Curtis High School and teacher at the JCC Beacon Afterschool Program at I.S. 49, and John Fodera, President of St. Peter’s Boys High School. Speakers at the event included Pat Daly, Mr. Daly’s son, and David Pascarella, his nephew. In addition, Korina Toledo and Clare Cranston, who nominated Ms. Ebanks and Mr. Fodera respectively, spoke about the educators’ impact on their lives. At the conclusion of the event, the names of the two winners were unveiled on a plaque that is permanently installed in Borough Hall. 
 
“I’m happy to continue this award to honor Mr. Daly’s legacy, and sacrifice, as well as recognize outstanding educators in our community,” said BP Oddo. “I believe Ingrid Ebanks and John Fodera embody many of the exceptional qualities Mr. Daly had as an educator. Both have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to their students and a love of education and their communities. As the Daly family members noted when we selected them, both Ms. Ebanks and Mr. Fodera are following in the footsteps of Mr. Daly through their inspiring work inside and outside of school.”

Lovingly referred to as a “giver and a dream maker,” Ingrid Ebanks has taught and encouraged students for many years as a former Dean and current Physical Education teacher at Curtis High School and at the JCC Beacon Afterschool Program at I.S. 49 in Stapleton for the last 23 years. Her approach to teaching physical education is innovative and designed to keep the students active, engaged, and comfortable; however, she is more than just a teacher. She has taught generations of students how to exhibit respect, integrity, and community spirit. Her students consider her someone they can confide in, knowing she will not judge and will help them navigate their problems in school or at home. She has shown a strong commitment to the St. George and Stapleton communities, fighting to care for and protect these community’s students. Ms. Ebanks has beaten cancer twice and returned each time with a determination to teach her students about the cycles of life and the battles that must be fought. She has earned the reputation as a trusted educator whose will for her students to succeed sometimes surpasses her own needs. Ms. Ebanks teaches her students what it means to take risks—“never give up or settle” is her motto. Through her teaching, she has helped open doors for her students and shown them a different perspective and path for a successful life.

John Fodera, who currently serves as the St. Peter’s Boys High School President, graduated from St. Peter’s in the early 1960s and returned to teach at his beloved alma mater after finishing college. Prior to serving in his current position, he served as Assistant Principal from 1968 until being named Principal in 1990. However, Mr. Fodera is more than just the President of the school—he is a mentor to every boy there. He greets every student by name each morning and throughout the day all year long. He works hard to get to know each student personally and is there for them in times of both crisis and joy. Mr. Fodera has built great relationships with the community, giving back to local businesses who donate their time to the school and ensuring students perform community service by helping out in the local soup kitchen and tutoring at local schools. Throughout his tenure at the school, he was able to raise money for needed repairs as well as a new multimillion dollar gym and state-of-the-art football field to attract more potential students. His vision and hard work successfully reflected in increased enrollment, which continues to expand today. The dedication and unwavering support he has showed the school and its generations of students has ensured its success during a time of continuous Catholic school closures among the Archdiocese of New York. To all who know the school, John Fodera is the face of St. Peter’s.
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“My family and I want thank the Borough President and his staff for continuing to honor my father and his legacy through this award.  We also would like to extend heartfelt congratulations to this year's award recipients,” said Patrick Daly, son of the fallen educator.
 
Following the event, light fare was provided by students from the Port Richmond High School Culinary Arts program. Students from Susan Wagner High School performed a musical selection.

On Wednesday, December 5th, BP Oddo hosted Borough Hall's annual Menorah Lighting Ceremony. At the event, students sang Hanukkah songs before participants lit the menorah and sampled traditional holiday treats.
 
“Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights, so it’s only fitting that we celebrate the joy and light in our lives at this time of year,” said BP Oddo.
 
The event was sponsored by the Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island.

Borough President James S. Oddo is pleased to announce that he is continuing the Patrick F. Daly Award after reviving it last year in honor of the 25th anniversary of Mr. Patrick Daly’s death. The Patrick F. Daly Award was established shortly after Mr. Daly’s death to honor his legacy of service to the community, a steadfast commitment to his students, and his leadership. This award goes to two educators who exemplify the values of the fallen principal, who was gunned down 26 years ago in Red Hook, Brooklyn while searching for a student who had left the school building.

After carefully considering all the nominations of exemplary educators submitted by the public, members of the Daly family and Borough President Oddo’s staff selected Ingrid Ebanks, Physical Education teacher at Curtis High School and teacher at the JCC Beacon Afterschool Program at I.S. 49,  and John Fodera, President of St. Peter’s Boys High School, to receive the award. The ceremony will take place at Borough Hall on Thursday, December 6th at 6:30pm.

“I’m happy to continue this award to honor Mr. Daly’s legacy, and sacrifice, as well as recognize outstanding educators in our community,” said BP Oddo. “I believe Ingrid Ebanks and John Fodera embody many of the exceptional qualities Mr. Daly had as an educator. Both have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to their students and a love of education and their communities. As the Daly family members noted when we selected them, both Ms. Ebanks and Mr. Fodera are following in the footsteps of Mr. Daly through their inspiring work inside and outside of school.”

Lovingly referred to as a “giver and a dream maker,” Ingrid Ebanks has taught and encouraged students for many years as a former Dean and current Physical Education teacher at Curtis High School and at the JCC Beacon Afterschool Program at I.S. 49 in Stapleton for the last 23 years. Her approach to teaching physical education is innovative and designed to keep the students active, engaged, and comfortable; however, she is more than just a teacher. She has taught generations of students how to exhibit respect, integrity, and community spirit. Her students consider her someone they can confide in, knowing she will not judge and will help them navigate their problems in school or at home. She has shown a strong commitment to the St. George and Stapleton communities, fighting to care for and protect these community’s students. Ms. Ebanks has beaten cancer twice and returned each time with a determination to teach her students about the cycles of life and the battles that must be fought. She has earned the reputation as a trusted educator whose will for her students to succeed sometimes surpasses her own needs. Ms. Ebanks teaches her students what it means to take risks—“never give up or settle” is her motto. Through her teaching, she has helped open doors for her students and shown them a different perspective and path for a successful life.

John Fodera, who currently serves as the St. Peter’s Boys High School President, graduated from St. Peter’s in the early 1960s and returned to teach at his beloved alma mater after finishing college. Prior to serving in his current position, he served as Assistant Principal from 1968 until being named Principal in 1990. However, Mr. Fodera is more than just the President of the school—he is a mentor to every boy there. He greets every student by name each morning and throughout the day all year long. He works hard to get to know each student personally and is there for them in times of both crisis and joy. Mr. Fodera has built great relationships with the community, giving back to local businesses who donate their time to the school and ensuring students perform community service by helping out in the local soup kitchen and tutoring at local schools. Throughout his tenure at the school, he was able to raise money for needed repairs as well as a new multimillion dollar gym and state-of-the-art football field to attract more potential students. His vision and hard work successfully reflected in increased enrollment, which continues to expand today. The dedication and unwavering support he has showed the school and its generations of students has ensured its success during a time of continuous Catholic school closures among the Archdiocese of New York. To all who know the school, John Fodera is the face of St. Peter’s.

“My family and I want thank the Borough President and his staff for continuing to honor my father and his legacy through this award.  We also would like to extend heartfelt congratulations to this year's award recipients,” said Patrick Daly, son of the fallen educator.
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The award ceremony will be followed by a reception with light fare in the main hall of the building.

On Tuesday, November 20th, Deputy BP Ed Burke joined with Kevin Mannix of Mannix Shop Rite Stores to donate turkeys to help feed the less fortunate in our community. In honor of the Thanksgiving season, Shop Rite donated 800 turkeys to 12 local food pantries.

"Thanksgiving is a time for food and family, and we hope these donations will help all Staten Islanders enjoy this special holiday," said Deputy BP Burke. "Thank you to Shop Rite for partnering with us again on this important drive."
 
We wish all Staten Islanders a happy and safe Thanksgiving!