Jan. 22, 2016 -- In a move reflecting his commitment to expertise and diversity, County Executive Robert P. Astorino today announced the appointments of Mary J. Mahon as Commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Human Resources and Adam Rodriguez as Director of Real Estate.

Mahon, previously the county's Director of Real Estate, has extensive experience in the areas of labor and employment practices and related litigation. She served a combined 11 years at the Long Island Rail Road and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. As General Counsel at both organizations, she earned a reputation as a skilled and resourceful negotiator. Her responsibilities also included providing legal advice to the executive staff in the areas of regulation, compliance and employment practices.

Rodriguez is moving into his new post as head of Real Estate from his job in the Westchester County Attorney's Office, where he served as Associate County Attorney. While in the Law Department, Rodriguez successfully represented the county in federal and state litigation, including before the United States Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals and the New York State Appellate Division.

"Good government requires effective management, and these appointments put professionals with broad and diverse experience into two key positions of county government," Astorino said. "Mary and Adam have served the county well in their previous roles, and the county will continue to be well served by their legal knowledge and management expertise."

Prior to joining the county from the MTA, Mahon served as General Counsel to the New York City Community Development Agency, where she oversaw compliance with city and federal law in the administration of federally funded community block grants. She also advised on employment matters. Before that, she worked at Smith Barney for more than a decade and was involved in all aspects of the firm's legal work. She is a graduate of Fordham Law School. Mahon succeeds Kerry Oristano, who left the role of commissioner last year to pursue opportunities outside county government.

"I am looking forward to bringing my experiences with private and public sector enterprises to bear in helping position the county's workforce to handle the challenges today and into the future," said Mahon.

Just like Mahon, Rodriguez has been directly involved in the county's affordable housing settlement. Most notably, he has presented written and oral arguments to the courts on the county's defense of local zoning and compliance with the settlement's benchmarks, which the county has exceeded every year. A graduate of Fordham Law School, Rodriguez served as a law clerk to U.S. District Judge Dora L. Irizarry before joining the county.

"I am a first generation American," said Rodriguez. "Both my parents were born in Cuba and came to America to flee Communism in search of a better life. The County Executive's faith in me in this role demonstrates the promise of opportunities in the United States. I look forward to promoting the county's real estate interests and protecting the interests of taxpayers in the process."