PREAMBLE

The Majority Minority District Redistricting Subcommittee (MMD) is dedicated to ensuring the public trust. As members of a public body, the Commissioners shall respect and comply with Albany County local law 8 for 2019, and all other relevant federal, state and local laws and statutes. Commissioners shall conduct themselves at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the MMD. The purpose of this Code of Ethics is to promote honest and ethical conduct as well as compliance with the law.

Commissioners shall discharge their duties in full compliance with applicable laws concerning ethical conduct and shall endeavor to pursue a course of conduct which will not raise suspicion among the public that he/she is likely to be engaged in acts that are in violation of the public trust.

Commissioners should be faithful to and constantly strive to improve their knowledge of and competence in discussing and/or applying redistricting  principles and relevant laws and statutes.

Commissioners shall exhibit a willingness to assume assignments and undertake necessary actions and due diligence to complete any assignments in a timely manner.

Commissioners shall attend all scheduled meetings and when unable to attend shall make their fellow commissioners aware of their inability to attend.

Commissioners shall maintain order and decorum with each other and in the meetings and proceedings before them. Commissioners should be patient, dignified, and courteous to others with whom the MMD interacts in an official capacity, including fellow Commissioners. Commissioners shall afford to every person who is legally interested in a proceeding the right to be heard according to law.

Commissioners shall not perform an act in a private or individual capacity that may be construed as an official act without the concurrence of the full body.

Commissioners shall be committed to maintaining human dignity and protecting its fellow Commissioners from harassment of any kind. Commissioners shall not engage in harassment of any form.

Commissioners shall avoid any activities that would constitute or have the appearance of constituting a conflict of interest. Commissioners shall self-regulate their outside activities to minimize the risk of conflict and to avoid actual impropriety and/or the appearance of impropriety that might arise from their activities or involvement with other persons or entities that, if not disclosed, have the potential to adversely impact the MMD. Should a conflict of interest be identified, Commissioners shall disclose it to the full MMD for consideration.

Commissioners shall disqualify themselves in any proceeding where a Commissioner determines that he or she cannot be impartial.

Commissioners shall not by their conduct give reasonable basis for the impression that any person can improperly influence them or unduly enjoy his favor in the performance of the Commissioners official duties, or that he is affected by the kinship, rank, position or influence of any party or person.  Commissioners shall not allow family, social, political, employment, or other relationships, including with fellow Commissioners, to influence their official conduct or judgment.

Commissioners when communicating with the public about the work of the MMD shall represent and express the views and/or stance of the MMD and shall refrain from expressing their personal views and opinions.

Commissioners shall not use or attempt to use their official position to secure unwarranted privileges or exemptions for himself or others.

Commissioners shall not receive, or agree to receive, compensation for any service rendered or to be rendered by the Commissioner in the conduct of their official capacity as a member of the MMD.  Commissioners shall not use their official position to secure any valuable thing or valuable benefit, including the promise or possibility of future political support, future employment opportunities, or other future personal gain, that would not ordinarily be provided to the Commissioner, in the performance of the Commissioner’s official duties.

Commissioners should not accept any gifts or things of value from anyone when the purpose is, or appears to be, designed to influence official action. Commissioners should likewise not permit themselves to be placed under any kind of personal obligation that could lead a person to expect official favors.

Commissioners shall not privately, confidentially or knowingly communicate with any person, whose interests will be affected by Commission decisions, and whose intent is to influence any decision within the Commission’s jurisdiction.

Should a Commissioner become a candidate for any political office, during their tenure as a member of the MMD, the Commissioner shall immediately disclose such to the full body for review and consideration as to that Commissioners continuing standing on the MMD.

Constance Maxine Graves, known to most as Connie, has been a resident of Albany County for forty years.

Connie retired from New York State in 2018 after 38 years of service in Personnel Administration.

Prior to moving to Albany, Connie was employed as a Television Production Specialist in Goldsboro, North Carolina where she directed her own weekly program.

Connie, however, is best known for her musical talents which, include singing and directing choirs around the Capital District. At the urging of her older brothers, Connie began her singing career at the ripe age of three in Paris, Tennessee and has been singing ever since. Connie has a love and passion for music and uses her talents to share the Gospel through music.

Prior to the COVID 19 Pandemic, Connie was providing direction/coordination for five different music/dance ministries. For many years, she has directed the Mt. Calvary Baptist Church Choir, and participated in the Martin Luther King Interdenominational Mass Choir, The Empire State Baptist Congress of Christian Education Retreat Choir, the Tri-Cities Revival Choir, the Voices of Faith Community Choir and many other ensembles and groups.

Connie earned her Bachelors in Criminal Justice from the University of Tennessee and her Masters of Public Administration from Central Michigan University. Connie is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc and is excited to have the opportunity to use her skills and talents in ensuring fair representation for minority communities in the redistricting process.

Keshana Owens-Cody, a Western New York native, has dedicated her career to public service. For the past 15 years, Keshana has served the community, from frontline to leadership, with a focus on public health, children’s system of care, workforce development, community navigation and trauma informed care. Keshana recognizes the importance of access to resources where one lives, works, and plays. This access may come in the form of meeting basic needs, social enrichment, and quality health care.

Keshana joined the commission to ensure community members from diverse backgrounds have representation at the local government level that understands the critical needs in their communities, advocates for services, and supports to address social determinants of health, and stands up for injustices that cause toxic stress and limit access and opportunities for the communities served.

Keshana serves on several boards and committees in the Capital Region that fulfill her passion to serve the community and give back. These boards and committees include Albany County Cornell Cooperative Extension (Board Member at Large), Capital Region Human Resource Association (Board Chair), Town of Colonie Citizen Advisory Committee, Albany County Health Equity Task Force, and Colonie Central High School PTA (Vice President).

Keshana earned her Bachelor's in Criminal Justice from Hilbert College in Hamburg, NY and her Master's in Human Resource Management, and Graduate Certificate in Health Professions Education from the University of Connecticut.

Keshana resides in South Colonie with her husband, and children.

Marie Allen Campbell has been a resident of Albany County for thirty five years. Marie retired from the New York State Department of Financial Services as Director of Human Resources Management in 2016.

During her 30+ year career with New York State Marie also served as the Director of Personnel for the Education Department; Assistant Director of Personnel with the Thruway Authority and as a Senior Personnel Examiner and Senior Classification and Pay Analyst with the Department of Civil Service. In addition, Marie was employed by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Social Security Administration for a combined total of nine years.

Marie earned her Bachelor’s of Business Administration from Baruch College in New York City and her master’s of Business Administration from Russell Sage Graduate School in Troy, New York. She also holds a Certificate of Labor Relations from Cornell University.

Marie volunteers in various capacities, including with Catholic Charities food distributions, Literacy Volunteers of Rensselaer and Albany County, Legal Hand Call-in-Center of Albany and Schenectady counties and as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for abused and neglected children.

Marie currently resides in Delmar, NY.

Nick Mazza has a broad range of government experience with over forty years of service in NYS local government and consulting.

Nick was the County Administrator for Livingston County (1989 -2009), Director of Administration and Finance for the City of Cortland (1981-1989), Management Policy Specialist for the City of Syracuse (1975 -1981) and was a Municipal consultant with the Bonadio Group, CPA’s and Consultants (2010-2018) working with municipalities throughout NYS. In these roles, Nick developed expertise in assessing, developing and implementing cost saving measures for local government. He has extensive experience in public finance, labor relations and procurement. Nick has direct experience in the development of weighted voting and re-districting plans with Livingston County and the City of Cortland.

Nick received his B.S. in Business and Public Management (Magna Cum Laude) from the State University of New York at Utica/Rome (SUNY POLY) and an MA in Public Administration from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

Nick’s community involvement and memberships include the Governor’s Task Force on Retiree Health Care, the International City/County Management Association, the NYS City/County Management Association (NYSCMA) and several Committees for the New York Association of Counties (NYSAC). Nick’s current activities are: a member of the Board of Governors of New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal, Senior Advisor for NYSCMA (volunteer) and an Ambassador for the Maxwell School of Syracuse University.

Nick is a resident of the City of Albany.

Adrienne Kissee, a native of New York, is a former employee of New York State, retiring after 33 years of service.

Ms. Kissee has been a community advocate in the city of Albany for many years. She began appropriating laws against non-violence, mentoring youth, and serving in communities of color in the city of Albany. She has served as a mentor with organizations such as the YMCA and the Boys and Girls Club.

Currently, Ms. Kissee is the CEO/Executive Director of Team Esteem on the Hill Y.E.P. (Youth Empowerment Program) non-profit 501C (3) organization’s Sankofa Journey, which she started 14 years ago. The prevention program features the Sankofa Journey for ages 6-18. In this, as well as in other capacities, Adrienne continues to advocate for youth in the Capital Area.

In 2019, Adrienne began a restorative justice program “Restored Balance” for young adults. She has been a member of the Albany County Felony Diversion Board since 2017 and is a member of the Albany Urban League, West End/West Hill Steering Committee, and involved in other community efforts.

Adrienne obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management with a concentration in Human Resources from the State University of Albany. She also holds a Master’s degree in Human Services.

She currently resides in Menands, NY.

Larry Mauldin worked for the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) for forty plus years. He began his career with DOT as a Public Management Intern in 1979 and retired in 2018 as an Associate Budget Analyst.

A native of Washington, DC. and the eldest of six children born to Mr. and Mrs. Jimmie L Mauldin, Larry attended DC public schools and furthered his education at Morgan State University in Baltimore Maryland, where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. Larry continued his education at Atlanta University receiving a Master’s degree in Public Administration.

Larry currently resides in Albany county where he is a lively member in several community organizations. He presently serves on the following boards:

• African American Cultural Center of the Capital Region
• The Black Child Development Institute
• The Albany Nubian Ski Club

Larry is an active member of the Mt Calvary Baptist Church of Albany, New York. He participates in the weekly Feed the Hungry Program and the annual picnic.

In his spare time Larry enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling and gardening.

Dona Smith Bulluck, a native of Dayton, Ohio, has lived in the Capital Region since 1980, and in Albany County for 30 years. Dona retired from the State of New York in 2019 after 33 years of service.

During her employment with the State of New York, Dona worked as an Administrative Law Judge, a Principal Administrative Law Judge, Director of the Office of the Ombudsman, and most recently as Senior Counsel in the Office of General Counsel at the State University of New York. Prior to her employment with the State of New York, Dona worked in private practice with the law firm formerly known as Roemer & Featherstonhaugh, P.C.

During her time in the Capital District, Dona has served on a number of boards and currently serves on the Board of Green Tech High Charter School. She is the mother of two adult sons and seven grandchildren. She is a member of Macedonia Baptist Church and a Golden Life Member of the Albany (NY) Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Sorority, Inc., an organization dedicated to public service.

Dona received her Bachelor’s of Arts degree in History from the College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio, and her J.D. from the Chicago-Kent College of Law.

She resides in the Village of Colonie.