The Northern Westchester Examiner

Ossining Hires Councilwoman D’Attore as New Village Manager

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The Village of Ossining Board of Trustees voted last week to hire Town Councilwoman Karen D’Attore as village manager.

D’Attore, who will resign from her the position she has held on the town board since 2016, replaces Deborah McDonnell, who resigned as village manager last month.

“As we move forward on so many exciting fronts, Karen is the right person at the right time for this vital position,” said Mayor Victoria Gearity. “Throughout her distinguished career, Karen has proven herself to be a highly competent manager with the right balance of leadership, vision, and people skills–she has the ability to get the job done.”

D’Attore most recently served for four years as executive director of IFCA Housing Network, an Ossining-based nonprofit that develops and manages quality affordable housing in the region and helps people with financial self-reliance programs so that they can maintain their homes. IFCA also maintains 16 units through Westchester County’s Emergency Housing Apartment Program (EHAP). Through her work with IFCA, D’Attore understands the building permit process, code enforcement, Section 8 housing, and administering federal and state grant programs.

Prior to her work with IFCA, D’Attore was the director of development at Open Door Family Medical Center, a health care network that serves the needs of nearly 55,000 people each year in Westchester County by providing affordable, accessible and efficient health care and wellness programs regardless of their ability to pay for such services.

D’Attore also served as a consultant to the United Nations Food Program and the Friends of the World Food Program, and for 10 years was an account director with BBDO, a global advertising firm based in New York City.

In her role as village manager, D’Attore will be responsible for managing a $50 million budget, 172 full-time staff members, and the day-to-day operations of village government, which includes overseeing labor relations, project management, grant programs, code enforcement, and agreements with New York State, Westchester County and the Town of Ossining.

“Karen has a unique set of skills that will be a good complement to the village’s current areas of strength,” said Village Engineer and Acting Village Manager Paul Fraioli. “We are excited to have her on board.”

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