INTRODUCING OUR ADMINISTRATION

Thomas E. Baines, Esq.

Deputy Mayor

Thomas E. Baines, Esq., the current Deputy Commissioner of Planning & Economic Development for Erie County and founder of Baines Law, PLLC, brings more than a decade of experience in housing, development, and public-sector leadership to City Hall. His prior roles include Executive Director of the Batavia Housing Authority and Director of Administration and Finance for the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency. An attorney admitted to the New York State Bar in 2020, Baines holds a B.A. from SUNY Oneonta, an M.B.A. from Medaille University, and a J.D. from Albany Law School.  

Baines will oversee: 

Office of Strategic Planning, Permit & Inspection Services

Eugenio Russi

Deputy Mayor

Eugenio Russi brings decades of government and community leadership to the administration. He is the former Executive Director of Hispanos Unidos de Buffalo and served nearly 30 years as a Regional Director for the New York State Division of Parole. Russi is a Vietnam-era U.S. Air Force veteran and has been a long-standing leader in advancing services for Buffalo’s Hispanic community. He currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for ECMC. Russi holds a B.S. in Management from D’Youville College. 

Russi will oversee: 

Buffalo Fire Department, Buffalo Police Department

Benjamin Swanekamp

Deputy Mayor

Benjamin Swanekamp, currently Chief of Staff to the Erie County Executive and a member of both the New York State and the Erie County Democratic Committee’s Executive Committees, brings extensive experience in municipal management, budgeting, and intergovernmental affairs. He previously served as Erie County’s Deputy Budget Director—overseeing the capital budget, internal and external audits, and administration of federal pandemic-relief funds—and as Policy Director for Erie County. Swanekamp has experience in emergency management, serving in a senior role at the County’s Emergency Operations Center, coordinating the county’s winter storm response, and having been trained in FEMA’s Incident Command System. He also served as an analyst for the New York State Senate’s Committee on Commerce, Economic Development, and Small Business, and currently serves on the Board of Directors for ECMC. Swanekamp holds a B.A. in Political Science and Government from Allegheny College. 

Swanekamp will oversee: 

Administration and Finance, Assessment and Taxation, Management Information Systems, Public Works and Parks, Parking Enforcement

Maria Whyte

Deputy Mayor

Maria Whyte, currently Chief Community Impact Officer and Chief of Staff at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, brings a distinguished record of public-service and executive leadership. At the Community Foundation she has supported grantees in the delivery of vital community services and increased civic engagement. She previously served as Erie County’s Deputy County Executive, advancing major economic development initiatives including the redevelopment of the former Bethlehem Steel site and supporting critical community services, like childcare and workforce development, during the pandemic. Before beginning her career in government with three terms as the Majority Leader at the Erie County Legislature, Whyte served as the Executive Director of the Coalition for Economic Justice, where she organized communities to support workers’ rights. She holds a B.A. in International Relations and Anthropology from Syracuse University and a Certificate in Equitable Community Change from Cornell University. 

Whyte will oversee: 

Citizen Services, Community Services, Human Resources, Labor Relations,  Law

Gabrielle Harrington

Chief of Staff

Ian Ott

Director of Communications

Ott has served nearly five years in his current role as Ryan’s Communications Director in the New York State Senate and previously spent more than a decade in the media relations department for the Buffalo Sabres. Ott holds a B.A. in Journalism from SUNY Oswego.

Danielle Roberts

Commissioner of Community Services

Roberts brings more than a decade of leadership experience in community services to the Ryan administration. She currently serves as Vice President of Development & Government Relations for YMCA Buffalo Niagara, where she leads the organization’s philanthropic strategy, government and community partnerships, impact initiatives, and signature events including the YMCA Turkey Trot. Her work has strengthened access to critical youth, family, and wellness programs throughout the region. From 2012 to 2022, Roberts served as Executive Director of the YMCA’s William-Emslie, Delaware, and Ken-Ton branches, where she expanded programs, deepened community engagement, and built strong, mission-driven teams in some of the region’s most diverse neighborhoods. Roberts holds a B.A. in Social Science, Health & Human Services from the University at Buffalo and completed graduate studies in Organizational Leadership at Medaille College.

Rosa Alina Pizzi

Corporation Counsel

Pizzi brings nearly two decades of legal experience in banking, finance, and complex transactions to City Hall. Most recently a partner in the Banking and Financial Services Practice at Phillips Lytle LLP, she represented financial institutions, lenders, and borrowers in credit facilities, real estate transactions, construction and affordable housing deals, and creditors’ rights matters, while advising clients on tax credit structures, lien law, and regulatory compliance. She previously served as counsel in the Corporate Finance group at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP and as an associate in the Credit & Banking Group at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. Pizzi holds a J.D. from Yale Law School and an A.B. in Politics, cum laude, from Princeton University. She serves as Vice Chair of the Bar Association of Erie County’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee.

Daniel Pizarro

Commissioner of Buffalo Fire Department

Pizarro enters this new role with more than 14 years of leadership experience in the Buffalo Fire Department. He currently serves as Battalion Chief for the 7th Battalion in North Buffalo and previously served as the Department’s Chief of Training, where he led efforts to modernize training systems and strengthen departmental standards, including the development and implementation of a multi-agency firefighter certification pipeline. Pizarro’s earlier roles in the Department included Fire Captain, Fire Lieutenant, and Firefighter.

Nolan Skipper

Commissioner of Department of Public Works

Skipper has served as the Public Works Department’s Acting Commissioner since August 2025, following years of service in key engineering and management roles for the City of Buffalo. He previously worked as Deputy Commissioner, City Engineer, and the City’s Principal Engineer, contributing to major infrastructure projects, roadway upgrades, and facility improvements across Buffalo. As Acting Commissioner, he currently oversees building maintenance, right-of-way infrastructure, street lighting, parks, sanitation and recycling, snow removal, and the water department, while also supporting the City’s emergency planning and response. Prior to his time with the City of Buffalo, Skipper compiled 10 years of experience at a professional engineering services firm. He holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Clarkson University.

Craig Macy

Interim Commissioner of Buffalo Police Department

Macy retired from the Buffalo Police Department in September after more than 17 years of service. As Chief of Detectives, he oversaw a major reduction in Buffalo’s homicide rate and achieved a 98% homicide clearance rate in 2024, his final full year in the role. He previously served as a community police officer, SWAT team member, and lieutenant of the Neighborhood Engagement Team, and earned recognition that included the Mayor’s Award of Merit and the Commissioner’s Medal of Commendation.