New York Division of Military and Naval Affairs (DMNA) State Directors

Kathleen Phillips serves as the Director of Management and Budget. Phillips plans, directs, and coordinates the agency budgeting, expenditure control, finance, and business administration activities to ensure financial resources under the jurisdiction of the agency are managed properly in accordance with laws and regulations.

She has over 38 years of state service and has held leadership roles within the Division of Military and Naval Affairs such as Deputy Director of Management and Budget, and Resource Management Branch Chief of Facilities Management and Engineering. While in these leadership roles, she was responsible for overseeing many of the agency's large and complex budgets to ensure the agency's strategic plan and overall mission was met or exceeded.

Phillips earned her bachelor's degree in organizational management from Nyack College.

As of 2024FEB27

Gary Yaple has served as DMNA's Facilities, Management and Engineering Directorate since 2017. He is responsible for all matters relating to real property development plans, operations, maintenance, engineering, design and construction.

The Division's real property assets encompass a constellation of facilities across New York and support more than 11,000 New York Army National Guard Soldiers operating 35 aircraft and 3,500 tactical vehicles. The total size of the agency's supported infrastructure is approximately 5.4 million square feet located on 3,409 acres.

Gary is an accomplished senior executive with proven experience leading diverse and complex teams with over thirty years of military service, both on Active Duty and in the Army National Guard, ascending to the rank of Brigadier General. Gary received his Master of Strategic Studies in 2008 from The United States Army War College, Carlisle, PA, his Bachelor of Science in Economics and Management Science in 1988 from the State University of New York, Cortland, NY and is a 2018 Leadership Institute Graduate of the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, University at Albany, Albany, NY.

Michael Tagliafierro has served as Division of Military and Naval Affairs Director of Internal Audit since 2022. He is responsible for bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluation and management of risk and making recommendations to improve the internal control structure, and promoting governance.

Tagliafierro spent 22 years at the New York State Comptroller's Office in both the Division of State Government Accountability and the Division of Local Government and School Accountability. Tagliafierro obtained his early business and auditing experience in the private sector.

Tagliafierro served as an active Army and Army National Guard armor officer for 34 years. His military awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and Iraq Campaign Medal.

Tagliafierro is a graduate of the State University of New York at Albany, as well as the Army's Combined Arms Services Staff School, and the Advanced Operations Course.

As of 2024FEB27

Jessica Edrington is an internal control and audit specialist. She manages the Internal Control Office and has served as the Internal Control Officer since 2020.

The function of the Internal Control Office is to provide risk management oversight and promote strong internal controls that contribute to the achievement of the New York State Division of Military and Naval affairs'(DMNA) mission and strategic objectives relating to operations, reporting, and compliance. In her role, she is responsible for establishing, implementing, and maintaining the DMNA State Internal Control Program and ensuring internal control awareness, training and education is maintained throughout the agency.

She has over 10 years of combined experience in accounting, internal controls, audit, and finance within the private and public sector. She has worked in public accounting and private equity fund administration. Prior to assuming responsibility over DMNA's State Internal Control Program, she worked as a Grants Analyst, focused on DMNA's Master Cooperative Agreements.

Edrington holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Master of Science in Forensic Accounting from The University at Albany Business School.

She is a current Vice President and Chair of the Committee for Continuing Professional Education for the New York State Internal Control Association.

As of 2024FEB27

Dennis Feeney is the Director of Government Affairs serving in that position since April 2023.

Feeney has been a private practice attorney in the Capital District for over 35 years, as well.

In addition, Feeney is a member of the Albany County Legislature representing District 29 ( Western Guilderland Fort Hunter area) and is currently serving his fifth term in the legislature having been reelected in November 2023, and is serving as the Majority Leader.

Feeney is a graduate of the University of Buffalo and the University of Toledo College of Law.

As of 2024FEB27

Eric Durr has served as the director of public affairs for the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs since 2007.

Durr worked as a reporter for 20 years, mostly covering New York State government. He also served in Army public affairs as an active Army officer and federal civilian employee in Germany, and then as an Army National Guard division and state public affairs officer.

Durr is a retired Army lieutenant colonel who served for 28 years in the Army, Army Reserve, and New York Army National Guard. He deployed to Iraq in 2005 as the civil military operations officer for the 42nd Infantry Division. He has served as a tank platoon leader and as an Army National Guard tank and headquarters company commander, tank battalion commander, and division plans and operations officer.

He holds the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Iraq Campaign Medal.

Durr is a graduate of the Kent State University School of Journalism and the Army Command and General Staff College.

As of 2024FEB27

David Hawley has served as the executive officer of the New York Naval Militia since 2014, overseeing the day-to-day administrative functions of the 3,400- member force on behalf of the commander of the New York Naval Militia.

A Navy helicopter pilot, Hawley served in the active Navy the Navy reserve for 28 years, and the Naval Militia for 12 years, and was formerly the executive director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Rensselaer County for 19 years.

Hawley is a graduate of the University of Bridgeport and earned a commission as an ensign while attending flight school at Pensacola, Florida.

As of 2024FEB27

Sean Garry has served as the administrative officer for the New York Gurad since October 2023. He was a member of the New York Guard from March 2018 - January 2024, working in both the 12th Regional training Regiment and as the G2 Intelligence Branch Chief.

Garry's service to New York began in 1988, when he enlisted in the New York Air National Guard's 105th Airlift Wing. After receiving his commission in 1995, Sean continued to serve the State as Logistics Officer in both the 105th Airlift Wing and 109th Airlift Wing.

In 2009, Garry joined the New York National Guard Joint Staff as the Joint Training and Exercise Branch Chief. After retiring in 2017, Sean joined the NYG and returned to support of State Active Duty in the J5 Plans Branch, where he remained until 2024.

Over the course of his career Sean has deployed in support of many overseas federal missions and dozens of SAD missions beginning with the upstate ice storms of 1995, along with more notable responses such as Hurricanes Irene, Leigh, Maria, Superstorm Sandy and of course the Covid response and more currently the Asylum Seeker Resource Support Mission.

As of 2024FEB27

Kevin Barrett Getnick serves as Division Counsel and the State Director of Legal Affairs, which is responsible for advising the Adjutant General and members of the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs on all legal matters.

Under his direction, the Office of Legal Affairs, among other priorities, provides guidance on ethics, legislation and regulations, disciplinary proceedings, contract negotiations, and all aspects of litigation.

Getnick has spent the majority of his career in the service of the State including time as a former Appellate Court Attorney with the State of New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division Third Department, Senior Assistant Counsel with the New York State Office of Court Administration, and Deputy Chief Special Counsel for Ethics, Risk and Compliance in the Office of the Governor. He received his B.A. from Hobart College, and his J.D. from Suffolk University Law School.