About Our Executive Team

Greg Olsen is the Acting Director of the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA), where he oversees the agency’s day-to-day operations and the administration of federal and state-funded programs designed to assist the more than 4.6 million older adult residents in the state, as well as programs that assist family members and others involved with helping older adults needing greater levels of assistance. NYSOFA assists older New Yorkers to be as independent as possible, for as long as possible, through advocacy and the development and delivery of programs and services that support and empower older New Yorkers and their families, in partnership with the network of public and private organizations that serve them. Greg has served in a variety of executive management positions within the agency.

Prior to joining NYSOFA, he served as chief of staff and legislative and policy director for Assemblyman Steve Englebright, former chair of the Assembly Standing Committee on Aging.

Greg Olsen was executive director of the New York State Alliance for Retired Americans, a union supported organization representing hundreds of thousands of union retirees. He also served as executive director of the New York State Coalition for the Aging, a nonprofit membership organization representing over 200 community-based organizations providing non-medical long-term care to the state’s older adult population.

He received his master’s degree in social work with a specialty in gerontology from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School.

John Cochran serves as NYSOFA's Chief of Staff. He previously served as the agency’s Deputy Director of its Executive Division and Assistant Director for Intergovernmental Affairs and Strategic Planning. Since joining NYSOFA in 2008, John has worked on a wide variety of aging issues, including community empowerment, civic engagement, long-term care reform, emergency response activations and planning, long care ombudsman program operations, and caregiver supports, among many others.

From 1998 to 2008, John worked in the field of government relations. He started his career in New York State government in 1986 working for Assemblyman James Tallon (D-Binghamton) in his district, and then in Albany, when he served as Chair of the Assembly Health Committee and Assembly Majority Leader until 1992. From 1992 to 1998, John worked for the Speaker of the New York State Assembly as Director of the Assembly’s Committee for the Aging. During his tenure as Committee Director, he developed a keen understanding of the intricacies of the long-term care system and the field of aging, as well as the complexities of the human services network.

Kathleen Meerwarth is the Deputy Director of the Division of Finance and Administration at NYSOFA where she oversees finance, budgeting, federal and state program development, grant and contract management, process improvements and other administrative operations.

Prior to joining NYSOFA, Kathleen served as the Director of the Bureau of Contract Management at the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) where she worked with program areas and the legal team to manage and streamline the agency’s procurement, contracting and purchasing processes. Kathleen has almost 20 years of procurement and contracting experience, including a variety of grant, service, information technology and health insurance contracts in New York State agencies. She has worked with counsel’s offices and program areas to review new legislation and achieve compliance with state finance and other procurement laws, Office of the State Comptroller Guide to Financial Operations, NYS Procurement Council Guidelines, and Executive Orders.

Kathleen’s professional experience also includes working in the Division of Budget’s Education and General Government Units.

Kathleen received her B.A. in Business Administration with a major in Accounting from Siena College.
 

Jennifer Washington has served as NYSOFA’s General Counsel since April of 2007. She oversees NYSOFA’s legal and legislative functions under the federal Older Americans Act and the New York State Elder Law.

Prior to joining NYSOFA, Jennifer served as the Associate Counsel for the Assembly Program and Counsel staff to the Health and Aging Committees, with primary legal and legislative oversight of aging and health policy areas including Medicaid, the Elder Pharmaceutical Insurance Program (EPIC), hospitals, nursing homes, adult homes, assisted living residences, hospice, long-term care and home and community-based care.

While at the Assembly, Jennifer analyzed and drafted legislation for the Aging and Health Committees, including legislation pertaining to the New York State Budget and the Health Care Reform Act (HCRA) and engaged in budget negotiations with the Executive Chamber, the State Senate, and various State agencies.

Prior to joining the Legislature as Associate Counsel, Jennifer worked as an elder law and trust and estates attorney in private practice. Her background in elder law and trusts and estates has provided her with extensive experience in long-term care issues, through her interaction with clients, government agencies, residential care facilities, health care institutions and the courts. 

Jennifer became interested in health and elder law as a law student based on her relationship with her grandparents, who were able to live independently in their own home well into their 90s with the help of family caregivers and long-term care supports and services.

Jennifer is a graduate of Albany Law School and Fairfield University and is licensed to practice law in New York State and Connecticut.  

Rose Golden is the Deputy Director of the Division of Local Program Operations at NYSOFA.  In her current role she is responsible for the oversight of multiple programs such as the Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs), Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), The Senior Community Employment Service Employment Program (SCSEP), Foster Grandparents, Nutrition for the Elderly Program, NYSOFA Disaster Preparedness and Planning activities, and the Data and Reporting unit. 

Prior to joining NYSOFA, she was president of GoldenLane Associates, Inc. which provided gerontological consulting services, including strategic planning, program development, team building, and staff training to organizations serving older adults and caregivers. Rose brings 30 years of experience in health and human services including serving as Commissioner of the Albany County Department for Aging.  

She has a B.S. in Recreation Education with a minor in Gerontology from SUNY Cortland and Master of Social Work from Syracuse University where she received a certificate in Gerontology from the All Gerontology Center.

Alana Stelline is Deputy Director of NYSOFA’s Division of Policy, Planning, Program, and Outcomes where she oversees and manages the day-to-day operations of various programs, including NY Connects, the Health Insurance Information Counseling and Assistance Program, the Statewide Client Data System, the Expanded In-Home Services for the Elderly Program, Chronic Disease Self-Management Education, Healthy Aging, Elder Justice and Elder Abuse Education and Outreach Programs, Elder Abuse Interventions and Enhanced Multidisciplinary Teams, Social Adult Day Services Programs, Caregiver and Respite Supports and Services Initiatives, and State Respite Programs.

Alana has extensive experience spearheading innovative long-term supports and services in both the public and private sector. She joined NYSOFA from the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities’ (OPWDD) Division of Policy and Program Development where she improved program quality through policy development, implementation, and oversight. Alana was involved in several initiatives under OPWDD’s home and community-based services waiver, including the implementation of Care Coordination Organizations for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She also played an integral role in OPWDD’s response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Previously, Alana was a Monitoring and Oversight Coordinator at the New York State Department of Health’s Office of Health Insurance Programs where she was involved with numerous Medicaid Redesign initiatives aimed at integrating care for dual-eligible individuals. Alana played a key role in the planning, policy development, and implementation of the Fully Integrated Duals Advantage (FIDA) Demonstration under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Financial Alignment Initiative.

Alana holds a B.A. in behavioral science from Green Mountain College.

Roger Noyes is Director of Public Information for NYSOFA where he oversees the agency's public communications.

He has worked in communications for the past 16 years, first as an Assistant Press Secretary in the State Senate and then as Communications Director in the home and community-based care field. 

Roger began his career in journalism, as a reporter and editor for a group of newsweeklies covering Schenectady and Saratoga Counties. He has also taught college-level English composition and Literature. He has a B.A. in English from Union College and an M.A. in English from SUNY Albany.