Andrew S. Rein

Andrew Rein is President. He sets the Citizens Budget Commission's strategic direction, guides its research and advocacy, and ensures the engagement and support of its Trustees. Rein has 25 years’ experience catalyzing constructive change in public and social finances and services as a leader in premier nonprofit and public organizations. Rein served as Associate Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Executive Deputy Commissioner/Chief Operating Officer of the NYC Health Department, Senior Vice President for Strategy of both EmblemHealth and NYU Lutheran and Senior Policy Advisor to the NYC Schools Chancellor. He has a BA in Philosophy from Tufts University and an MS in Urban Policy Analysis and Management from the New School’s Milano School.

Akiva Blander

Akiva Blander is a Senior Research Associate, focusing on New York City's land use, capital spending, and resilience projects. He has held numerous research positions focusing on climate change adaptation, and worked for several years in architecture and design media in New York, particularly as associate editor of Metropolis magazine for four years. He holds a BA in Urban Geography from McGill University and a Master in Urban Planning from Harvard University's Graduate School of Design.
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Sean Campion

Sean Campion is the Director of Housing and Economic Development Studies. His research focuses on housing policy, economic development, and municipal finance. Prior to the Citizens Budget Commission, he worked at a public policy and urban development consulting firm and served as a Senior Budget and Policy Analyst at the NYC Independent Budget Office. Sean holds a BA in History from Yale University and a Master of City Planning degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
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Ana Champeny

Ana Champeny is Vice President for Research. She has more than a decade of experience analyzing the New York City budget and finances. Her research focus is tax policy, including the City’s property tax, economic development, municipal labor relations, and uniformed agency services. Previously, she served as the Director of Property Tax Analysis in the Division of Tax Policy at the NYC Department of Finance and as the Supervising Analyst for Housing, Environment, and Infrastructure at the NYC Independent Budget Office. Ana also served as the Director of Budgetary Affairs for the Westchester County Board of Legislators. Ana has a BA from Beloit College and a MPA from Baruch College.
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Adam Ciampaglio

Adam Ciampaglio is a Senior Research Associate. His research interests include taxation, municipal debt, operational efficiency, and post-employment benefits. Prior to joining the Citizen’s Budget Commission, Adam was a part of the public finance team at the Volcker Alliance and previously worked in the Arizona capitol community, including the Governor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Management and Policy, a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film and Television, and a Master of Public Policy, all from the University of Arizona.
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Kayla Goldklang

Kayla Goldklang is Development and Operations associate. Her responsibilities include assisting with trustee relations and recruitment, coordinating and scheduling meetings and events, and maintaining the donor database. Prior to joining the Citizens Budget Commission, Kayla worked at the Jewish National Fund. She holds a BA in Political Science from SUNY Cortland.
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Stevan Marcus

Stevan Marcus is a Research Associate. His primary research interests are budget and taxation, housing and land use, climate and energy, and social welfare policy. Prior to joining the Citizens Budget Commission, Stevan was a Graduate Research Assistant working on research related to child and family wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic, and welfare policy. He holds a BS in Economics from Auburn University, and an MPP from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
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Kevin Medina

Kevin Medina is Director of Operations. Kevin is responsible for the administration and day-to-day management of CBC. His responsibilities also include events and external communications, operation and maintenance of CBC's website, design of print and digital material, and the production of multimedia. He holds a BA and MA in Political Science from St. John’s University.
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Julia Nagle

Julia Nagle is a Senior Research Associate. Her research interests include public finance, community and economic development, K-12 education, housing and homelessness policy, and urban planning. Prior to joining the Citizens Budget Commission, Julia served as a Senior Program Analyst at the California Strategic Growth Council in Sacramento, and as a Senior Policy Analyst with Harvey M. Rose Associates, LLC, in San Francisco. Julia holds a BA in Urban Studies and Political Science from Columbia University and a Master of Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley.
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Patrick Orecki

Patrick Orecki is the Director of State Studies. He provides analysis of the State budget and policy, focusing on the health policy, the Medicaid program, and transportation investments. Patrick most recently served at the New York State Division of the Budget working on budgeting and policy for the Medicaid program and a portfolio of public health programs. He has also contributed to research on public pensions and benefits for the LeRoy Collins Institute in Florida. Patrick holds BA degrees in Economics and Political Science from SUNY Geneseo and an MPA from Rockefeller College at the University at Albany, SUNY.
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Elizabeth Segal

Liz Segal is a consultant who serves as the Trustee Relations Director. In this role she oversees Trustee relations and communications, recruitment and retention, meetings and events, and Trustee financial commitments. Previously she served as AT&T’s Assistant Vice-President for New York City External Affairs, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) and as the Assistant Director for Intergovernmental Relations at the New York City Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) where she held various positions including the Assistant Director for Intergovernmental Relations. Liz received an undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of Michigan and received a JD from the George Washington University Law School.
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Michael Vaughn

Mike Vaughn is Vice President for Strategy and Communications. After starting his career in journalism, Mike joined the Chicago Public Schools in 1996—shortly after Mayor Richard M. Daley took control of the school system. He's also served in leadership roles with the Denver Public Schools and New York City Public Schools, as well as being a part of the team of communications leaders and advocates who launched the national, nonprofit organization Education Post in 2014. Mike has a BA in public relations from Marquette University.
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Jason Wagner

Jason Wagner is a Senior Research Associate focusing on transportation policy and budgetary concerns. He has a decade of experience conducting transportation policy research on varied subjects, ranging from automated vehicles to infrastructure, cycling to pedestrians, and transit to single occupancy vehicles. He conducted this work at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. Jason holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Texas A&M University and a Master of Public Administration from the George H. W. Bush School of Public Service at Texas A&M University.
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Charles Brecher

Charles Brecher is Research Director Emeritus. Previously, he served as the Executive Vice President and Director of Research since 1986 and for several years before then was a research consultant to the Commission. Brecher was previously a Professor of Health and Public Administration at New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. Brecher is the author and editor of numerous books and articles in the fields of state and local budgeting and health care financing. His books include Power Failure: New York City Politics and Policy Since 1960, written with Raymond D. Horton and published by Oxford University Press, and Privatization and Public Hospitals, a Twentieth Century Fund Report. He received a BA degree with honors from the University of Florida and a Ph.D. in political science from the Graduate Division of the City University of New York.
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