New County Executive Adam Bello has named the rest of his top leadership team, including Irondequoit Police Chief Richard Tantalo who will become the county’s Director of Public Safety.
According to the county’s news release, here are the key appointments:
· Thalia Wright, commissioner of Human Services. Wright has been the regional director for the state Office of Children and Family Services in the Westchester and Long Island Regional Office since July 2018. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the state University College at Brockport and a master’s degree in strategic leadership from Roberts Wesleyan College. Wright has worked extensively in the field of child welfare, as a child protective services caseworker in Monroe County and as a child abuse prevention specialist with OCFS.
In her new role, Wright will direct the operations of the Department of Human Services and its divisions of Child and Family Services, Special Children’s Services, Financial Assistance, Office for the Aging, Youth Bureau, Office of Mental Health, Adult-Older Adult Services, the Children’s Center, Social Services programs and other special programs and services. Her start date is April 20.
· Richard Tantalo, public safety director. Tantalo has served as chief of the Irondequoit Police Department since October 2013. During more than 30 years with IPD, Tantalo worked on the road patrol, in juvenile investigations, community services and as road patrol command. He was promoted to Investigator in 1987, Sergeant in 1988, and Lieutenant in 2000, and to Captain and Deputy Chief in 2012.
Tantalo has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Rochester Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in public administration from the state University College at Brockport. He is also a 1996 graduate of the FBI National Academy.
· Basil Barrett, director of financial services. Barrett worked for Xerox Corp. in Webster from 1989 to 2018, where he served in a variety of roles including post sale operations manager, manufacturing operations manager and business planning and strategy manager. Most recently, he worked as a financial consultant with FINENG Enterprises. Barrett has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology and a master of business administration degree from University of Rochester.
With Monroe County, Barrett will assist in directing the operations of the office of Financial Services. Barrett began his new job on Feb. 24.
· Ana Liss, economic development manager. Since 2016, Liss has been the managing director of business development for Greater Rochester Enterprise. Prior to her time with GRE, Liss was manager of corporate affairs with Cornell University, an Empire State fellow in the office of Gov. Cuomo and a research associate and consultant with the Center for Governmental Research. Liss holds a master’s degree in public administration from University of Pennsylvania, a graduate certificate in information technology management from Empire State College and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ithaca College.
In her new role, Liss will focus on Monroe County’s economic and workforce development initiatives. Her start date was Feb. 10. She is currently serving as acting director of Planning and Economic Development and acting executive director of Monroe County Industrial Development Corp. and County of Monroe Industrial Development Agency.
