NYS 250th Commemoration Commission

The New York State 250th Commemoration Commission was established under the New York State 250th Commemoration Act, Section 14.12 (Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (PAR) CHAPTER 36-B, TITLE C, Article 14).

CONTACT INFORMATION

NYS250@nysed.gov

Phil Giltner, Director of Special Projects
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation 

Devin Lander, New York State Historian 
New York State Education Department, Office of Cultural Education  
Office of State History  

Mailing address:
Office of State History, 222 Madison Avenue, Room 3023, Albany, NY 12230 

Website: https://www.nysm.nysed.gov/revolutionary-ny-250/revolutionary-research

PURPOSE OF THE BOARD

The powers, functions, and duties of the New York State 250th Commemoration Commission include: 

• Develop plans to promote and coordinate activities to commemorate the two hundred fiftieth anniversary of the American Revolution
• Include heritage organizations as the focal points for the commemoration; 
• Coordinate forums across the state to seek ideas from the public on the commemoration including how New Yorkers, American and those from other countries may celebrate the anniversary; 
• Coordinate activities with civic, educational and heritage organizations to develop public interest and involvement in the planning and development of the commemoration; 
• Promote and encourage educational outreach programs using media and technology including electronic communications to achieve national and international impact
• Coordinate the planning of commemorative events for all interest communities throughout the state; 
• Invite other interested states and nations to participate in programs and events for the commemoration; 
• Coordinate and promote the holdings of meetings, conference, seminars and conventions in interested communities using such anniversary as an attraction and theme; 
• Coordinate and promote the holding of community engagement and educational events in interested communities using such anniversary as an attraction and theme; 
• Seek funding from private individuals, foundations and corporations to support capital improvements, preservation and conservation needs associated with events and sites commemorating such anniversary; 
• Coordinate and cooperate with state entities and tourist promotion agencies; 
• Coordinate and cooperate with local, state and federal entities including those relating to heritage are promotion and any federal commission created to participate in planning and development of the anniversary; 
• Set goals and benchmarks for the work of the commission. 

MEMBERS AND PROCEEDINGS

The New York State 250th Commemoration Commission meets quarterly at designated locations posted in advance of the meeting at publicly accessible venues.

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

The Board consists of 21 members as listed below. Members consist of the Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the Commissioner of Education, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Empire State Development, The Commissioner of the Office of General Services, the Secretary of State, the Chair of the Council for the Arts, and the Director of the Canal Corporation (or their designees) as well as four members appointed by the governor, three appointed by the temporary president of the Senate, three appointed by the Speaker of the Assemble, one appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, and one appointed by the Minority Leader of the Assembly, and the New York State Historian. The majority of the members that make up the commission shall have a professional background in the fields of local government historian, academic historian, museum professional, social studies teacher or professor, tourism professional, archeologist, anthropologist, or other field of New York State history or historic preservation, or volunteer fundraising experience.  

The members serve without compensation but are allowed the necessary and actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. Estimated expenses below are based on travel expenses between the member's home and the meeting venue, which rotates between publicly accessible meeting places throughout the state.

Ex-Officio State Agency Members
-Dr. Betty Rosa, 250th Commission Co-Chair, Commissioner, State Education Department
-Randy Simons, 250th Commission Co-Chair, Acting-Commissioner, Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
-Hope Knight, President and Chief Executive, Empire State Development
-Jeanette Moy, Commissioner, Office of General Services
-Walter Mosely, Secretary of State, Department of State
-Cristyne Nicholas, Chair, New York State Tourism Advisory Council
-Katherine Nicholls, Chair, Council for the Arts
-Brian Stratton, Director, Canal Corporation
-Devin Lander,  New York State Historian

Appointees of the Governor
-Dr. Louise Mirrer, President and CEO, New-York Historical Society
-Steve Israel, Director, Cornell University Institute of Politics and Global Affairs
-Marie Salerno, Founding President and CEO, National Parks of New York Harbor Conservancy
-Vacant

Appointees of the Temporary President of the Senate
-Joy Bivins, Director, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, New York Public Library
-Constance M. Kehoe, President, Revolutionary Westchester 250
-Rich Pyszczek, President, Niagara Frontier Council for the Social Studies

Appointees of the Speaker of the Assembly
-Dr. Georgette Grier-Key, Executive Director and Chief Curator, Eastville Community Historical Society and President, Museum Association of New York
-Lauren Roberts, Saratoga County Historian and Chair of the Saratoga County 250th Commission
-Vacant

Appointee of the Minority Leader of the Senate
-Barbara Russell, Town of Brookhaven Historian

Appointee of the Minority Leader of the Assembly
-Lisa Romano Moore, Executive Director, Onondaga Historical Association