About Our Executive Team

Greg Olsen is the Acting Director of the New York State Office for the Aging. Throughout his career, he has focused on advocacy and the development and delivery of programs and services that support and empower older New Yorkers and their families.

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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.

Karen Jones serves as Deputy Director of NYSOFA’s Division of Finance and Administration where she oversees finance, budgeting, federal and state program development, grant and contract management, process improvement, and administrative operations, among others. She most recently served as Assistant Administrative Officer (Financial Administration) in the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations (GOER). Prior to that, she served as Manager of Grant Solicitation and Distribution for the New York State Office of Indigent Legal Services (ILS). Before joining ILS, she worked at the NYS Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC), where she was responsible for planning, developing, managing, and providing oversight of DDPC’s funded projects.

Karen’s professional experience also includes positions at the Department of Health and the State Insurance Fund, where she managed multiple federal, state, and private research grants and contracts. She also served as a Court Analyst at the Office of Court Administration, and worked in the Division of the Budget’s Health Unit and Intergovernmental Affairs Unit.

She received a B.S. in Business Administration from the University at Albany and an M.A. in Psychology from the Sage College of Albany.

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.