Business Council Speakers Bureau
Making Your Event a Success!
Heather C. Briccetti, Esq., President and CEO
Heather C. Briccetti, Esq. is the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of The Business Council of New York State, Inc., the primary, statewide association advocating for New York’s business community. Ms. Briccetti is a dynamic leader, trusted advisor and champion for economic growth, good jobs and strong communities across New York.
As a visionary for New York’s economy, she has created a leading voice for business on economic growth, corporate governance, tax policy, labor, manufacturing, campaign finance reform, value creation, and education, among other issues.
Ken Pokalsky, Vice President
Specialties: Taxes, Economic Development and Chambers of Commerce
With more than 30 years of business advocacy and association management experience, Ken oversees The Business Council's overall legislative and regulatory advocacy efforts, and is directly responsible for the Council’s lobbying on taxation and economic development, as well as its Lobby Act reporting and compliance. He has extensive experience on a wide range of business issues, including environment, workers’ compensation, government procurement and others. He has served on numerous state advisory panels, including state’s Business Taxpayer Advisory Committee, its Environmental Justice advisory, the Superfund Working Group and others. He is a graduate of the SUNY Albany Graduate School of Public Affairs and SUNY at Brockport.
You can contact Ken at [email protected].
John T. Evers, PhD
Specialties: Construction, Contract Procurement, Manufacturing, Technology/Telecommunications, Transportation, Travel & Tourism
Johnny Evers, Director of Government Affairs, is responsible for advocacy on construction, contract procurement, manufacturing, technology/telecommunications, transportation and travel & tourism issues.
Johnny’s work experience includes service in the New York State Assembly; as executive director of the Food Bank Association of New York State, the Director of Legislative Affairs for the New York State Department of Taxation & Finance; and most recently for Albany County as Commissioner of General Services, and the County Director of Operations.
Employed by The Business Council from 1999-2004, Evers’ previous issue areas included Energy, Transportation, Construction, and U.S. Borders & Trade.
Active in state and local community affairs, he has served as President of the Board of Education for the City of Albany, a member of the New York State Council on Food Policy, Acting Secretary of the Albany Public Library Board of Trustees, and Treasurer of the Albany Police Athletic League (PAL). His affiliations also include board membership on the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce’s Al Tech Loan Fund, Albany County Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Albany Downtown BID.
He currently serves as a member of the board of directors of the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, Foundation Board of LaSalle School in Albany, the Empire Society of Association Executives (ESSAE) and the City of Albany Citizens' Police Review Commission.
A Bachelor of Arts graduate of Siena College (’91), he also holds a Master of Arts (’98) and Doctorate (’13) in Public Policy History from the State University of New York at Albany. His doctoral dissertation focused on Governor Al Smith and the Moreland Act. Evers has been published numerous times on topics including New York State governmental and political history. He has also served as the Albany County Historian and Historian of the New York State Assembly.
You can contact Johnny at [email protected].
Lev Ginsburg, Esq.
Specialties: Health Policy/Health Insurance, Financial Services and Legal Reform
Lev is responsible for The Business Council's advocacy on health care & health insurance, financial services, legal reform issues and head our Amicus Curiae program. He sits on the Board of Governors for the New York Compensation Insurance Rating Board, New York Workers’ Compensation Board’s Medical Advisory Committee as well as its Advisory Committee on Independent Medical Examinations. He led The Business Council’s successful 2017 legislative campaign to reform New York’s workers’ compensation system, saving hundreds of millions of dollars annually for New York’s employers. Previously, Lev served as a staff member for U.S. Senator Arlen Specter, and as a staff attorney with T-Mobile Communications, and as attorney and staff supervisor with the former Governor's Office of Regulatory Reform (GORR). At GORR, Lev handled stakeholder outreach and regulatory oversight over most State regulatory agencies, and his regulatory oversight work covered a broad range of issue areas with a focus on health and labor regulations. He is a graduate of the University of Buffalo and the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.
You can contact Lev at [email protected].
Frank Kerbein
Specialties: Labor and Human Resources, Unemployment Insurance and Workers' Compensation
Frank is responsible for advocacy on labor/HR, unemployment insurance and workers' compensation issues, and for providing human resources consulting services to Council members. Frank comes to The Business Council from the New York State Funeral Directors Association where he provided human resource and OSHA consulting services to employers of all sizes. Prior work experience includes human resources staff and leadership positions in the financial services and health care arenas. Frank is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations with nearly 35 years of experience in human resource management. He is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), a Certified Association Executive (CAE), and a frequent presenter of human resource topics across the state and nationally.
You can contact Frank at [email protected].
Amber L. Mooney
Specialties: Workforce Development and Education
Amber Mooney is the Director of Workforce Development, responsible for advocacy and programs in education and workforce development. Her diverse background includes economic development, workforce development, education, and she has been involved with the entrepreneurial ecosystem in New York State in a number of capacities. Most recently, as the industry engagement manager at FuzeHub, the statewide Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Center, she launched the Jeff Lawrence Manufacturing Innovation Fund, designed to spur technology development and commercialization throughout New York State. Prior to FuzeHub, she cultivated business and education partnerships for the Ballston Spa Central School District. As a program manager at the Center for Economic Growth, the MEP affiliate for New York’s Capital Region, Amber crafted and implemented workforce development initiatives aligned with the region’s tech-led economic strategies. In August 2017, she was selected by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) for their Fellowship for Education Attainment. She has received “40 Under 40” awards from ACCE, City and State Magazine, and the Albany Business Review. Amber received a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Language and Literature from the University at Albany.
You can contact Amber at [email protected].
Darren Suarez
Specialties: Energy, Environment and Occupational Safety and Health (OSH)
Darren Suarez, Senior Director of Government Affairs, is responsible for advocacy on energy, environmental, and occupational safety and health issues.
Prior to joining The Business Council, Darren worked at Hinman Straub LLC, where he lobbied for a number of Fortune 500 companies on energy and environmental issues. He also previously served as the program director for environmental and economic development for the New York State Senate, where he represented the Majority Leader at meetings and public events in addition to developing, amending, and negotiating economic development tax incentives.
Additionally, he was also a government affairs representative for the City University of New York and Cornell University, and worked for the New York State Department of Labor as a job services representative — working with employers to meet their workforce needs.
Darren holds a degree in Political Science from UMass — Dartmouth. He was the recipient of the 2006 Economic Development Service Award in recognition of work in attracting GlobalFoundries to construct a $3.2 billion 300 mm-wafer fab in New York State. In 2005, Darren was awarded the New York Nature Conservancy’s Salamander Award for working to protect New York’s biodiversity and was a joint recipient of the 2004 National Conference of State Legislatures Staff Chair Award for work as a primary author of New York’s Brownfield Cleanup Program.
You can contact Darren at [email protected].