NYC DEP Appoints Borough Commissioners for Brooklyn and Manhattan
January 28, 2025
New Appointees to Serve as Chief Liaisons for Each Borough, Responding to Community Concerns and Promoting DEP Initiatives
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has appointed Borough Commissioners for Brooklyn and Manhattan to serve as chief liaisons for community members, stakeholders and elected officials. Drisana C. Hughes will serve as Borough Commissioner for Brooklyn and Martin “Marty” Fatooh will serve as Borough Commissioner for Manhattan.
These newly created positions will work closely with elected officials, community boards, neighborhood associations, environmental groups, sports and cultural organizations, and other interested stakeholders to address community concerns. They will coordinate with city, state, and federal agencies to deliver services to their constituents while supporting key DEP initiatives including: the advancement of critical capital projects that address flooding; the monitoring of air and noise issues; and assisting property owners and all DEP customers.
The Brooklyn and Manhattan Borough Commissioners join the recently appointed Borough Commissioners for Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. All Borough Commissioners report to Deputy Commissioner for Public Affairs Beth DeFalco and will also keep the DEP Commissioner and senior leadership apprised on issues concerning projects, personnel, programs, and facilities within their respective boroughs.
BROOKLYN—Borough Commissioner Drisana Hughes is a skilled public policy and political strategist who most recently worked in the White House as a Special Assistant for Economic Mobility and Racial Justice and Equity. She has previously managed multiple political campaigns while working for Stu Loeser & Co. She served as deputy campaign manager for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and as an organizing director for the Scott Stringer for Mayor campaign. She recently received her Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Harvard University. CONTACT: Brooklyn-related inquiries can be sent to DHughes@dep.nyc.gov and BrooklynDEP@dep.nyc.gov.
MANHATTAN—Borough Commissioner Marty Fatooh comes to DEP from the NYC Office of Asylum Seeker Operations, where he most recently served as Senior Advisor for Intergovernmental Affairs. Prior to that, he worked for the NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice, where he led the overall legislative, intergovernmental affairs, and engagement strategy. Before coming to NYC, he worked for the City of San Francisco and then for the California School Boards Association, where he advised more than 350 school board members in San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties. CONTACT: Manhattan-related inquiries can be sent MFatooh@dep.nyc.gov and ManhattanDEP@dep.nyc.gov.
QUEENS—Borough Commissioner Alfonso Lopez most recently served as Chief of Staff for the NYC Mayor’s Office of City Legislative Affairs, where he worked with a variety of agencies to advance mayoral priorities. Before that, he worked for a decade in federal government as a legislative assistant in the U.S. House of Representatives and as Associate Director for Legislative Affairs for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. CONTACT: Queens-related inquiries can be sent to ALopez2@dep.nyc.gov and QueensDEP@dep.nyc.gov.
THE BRONX—Borough Commissioner Effie Ardizzone previously served as Deputy Director of Community Affairs at DEP where she spent nearly 20 years liaising with local, state, and federal agencies, advisory boards, community boards, civic associations, and environmental groups. She’s handled DEP’s Bronx-specific community affairs and comes to the Borough Commissioner role with strong local stakeholder relationships. CONTACT: Bronx-related inquiries can be sent to EArdizzone@dep.nyc.gov and BronxDEP@dep.nyc.gov.
STATEN ISLAND—Borough Commissioner Mario Bruno has served as Assistant Commissioner for Intergovernmental Affairs at DEP since 2013. In this role, he advised on the development and implementation of agency strategies for critical projects and initiatives. He joined DEP in 2013 and has been actively involved in the management of DEP-related constituent cases from elected officials, community boards, and civil associations, specifically within Staten Island. CONTACT: Staten Island-related inquiries can be sent to MBruno@dep.nyc.gov and StatenIslandDEP@dep.nyc.gov.
About the NYC Department of Environmental Protection:
DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing approximately 1 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water each day to nearly 10 million residents, including 8.8 million in New York City. The water is delivered from a watershed that extends more than 125 miles from the city, comprising 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes. Approximately 7,000 miles of water mains, tunnels and aqueducts bring water to homes and businesses throughout the five boroughs, and 7,500 miles of sewer lines and 96 pump stations take wastewater to 14 in-city treatment plants. DEP also protects the health and safety of New Yorkers by enforcing the Air and Noise Codes and asbestos rules. DEP has a robust capital program, with a planned $33.3 billion in investments over the next 10 years. For more information, visit nyc.gov/dep, like us on Facebook, or follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter.