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Carol Kellermann

Carol Kellermann is President of the Citizens Budget Commission. Kellermann has over 25 years experience in leadership positions in non-profit, philanthropic, and government settings. She has served as Interim Executive Director of the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers and PENCIL, Inc., and as a consultant to City University of New York, where she initiated a pilot program to improve graduation rates and job outcomes at CUNY’s six community colleges. As Executive Director and CEO of the September 11 Fund she oversaw the $500+ million charitable fund, which provided grants and assistance for the short and long term needs of victims of the September 11th attacks. Prior to that, she was Executive Director of Learning Leaders, the oldest and largest volunteer program in the New York City public schools. Kellermann has been chief of staff to then Congressman Charles E. Schumer and held various executive positions in New York City government, including Deputy Commissioner of the NYC Department of Finance. She holds degrees from Harvard Law School and Harvard College.

Charles Brecher

Charles Brecher is the Consulting Research Director since 2011. Prior, he served as the Executive Vice President and Director of Research since 1986 and for several years before then was a research consultant to the Commission.

Brecher is also a Professor of Health and Public Administration at New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. Brecher is the author and editor of numerous books and articles in the fields of state and local budgeting and health care financing. His books include Power Failure: New York City Politics and Policy Since 1960, written with Raymond D. Horton and published by Oxford University Press, and Privatization and Public Hospitals, a Twentieth Century Fund Report. He received a BA degree with honors from the University of Florida and a Ph.D. in political science from the Graduate Division of the City University of New York.

Elizabeth Lynam

Elizabeth Lynam is the Vice President & Director of State Studies. Lynam covers the New York State and City budgets and other policy issues important to state and local government. She works closely with the media, and has designed and authored studies on reforming New York State’s fiscal practices, Medicaid, special education policy, collective bargaining, alternatives to incarceration for drug offenders, and local tax relief.

Prior to the Citizens Budget Commission, Lynam was the Deputy Director of the Office of Special Education Initiatives at the New York City Department of Education, where she helped manage the transformation of the way special education services are delivered in New York City public schools. She received her BS from Cornell University and an MS in Urban Policy and Management from the New School University.

Maria Doulis

Maria Doulis is Director of City Studies. She manages New York City budget analysis and government studies. Her research focuses on urban competitiveness, municipal labor relations, the public workforce and infrastructure policy. She has authored reports and blogs frequently on topics such as budget deficits, capital planning, PLANYC, public-private partnerships, employee compensation, and pension and health insurance obligations at both the State and City levels. Maria also oversees the annual publication of the "Pocket Summary" and the “Pension Sweetener Scorecard,” as well as the “Budget Navigator” and CBC’s online and social media efforts.

Prior to the Citizens Budget Commission, Maria worked for the Council of Graduate Schools and the Government Performance Project. She has a Master of Public Administration degree from George Washington University and a BA from Queens College, City University of New York. She was named one of City & State’s “40 under 40: Rising Stars in New York City Politics” in 2011.

Tammy Gamerman

Tammy Gamerman is a Senior Research Associate.  She provides ongoing analysis of the New York State budget, as well as state and local economic issues. Gamerman has also conducted extensive research into state and local tax policy, economic development programs, rent regulation, and solid waste management.  

Prior to the Citizens Budget Commission, Gamerman was a Research Assistant at the Center for Youth and Communities at The Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University.  She received a BA from Brandeis University and a MA in Economics from The New School.

Rahul Jain

Rahul Jain is a Research Associate. He covers regional transportation and economic development issues, with a focus on the City of New York. Most notably he made empirical contributions to a benchmarking report on operations of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Jain has worked in a number of capacities with local and state government, performing research for the Georgia Office of Planning and Budget, the City of Marietta, and Georgia Tech’s Economic Development arm.

Prior to this research work, Jain worked as an underwriter in the financial services industry for five years. Jain holds a MURP and MSPP from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a BS from New York University Stern School of Business.

Asya Pikovsky

Asya Pikovsky is a Research Assistant. She covers New York City budget and labor issues. Before joining the CBC, she worked for several years as a Budget Analyst for the Massachusetts House Ways and Means Committee. She holds a BA with Honors in Government and a minor in Economics from Bowdoin College.

Corey Kunz

Corey Kunz is the Director of Operations. Kunz's responsibilities include the oversight of the administration, human resources, and office budget for the CBC. He also oversees the Annual Dinner and all external events, trustee recruitment and retention, fundraising, and the Under 40 Society.

Prior to the Citizens Budget Commission, Kunz was the Director of Research for NYCivic. Kunz holds a BA in Political Science and History from Brown University and a MA in Politics and Education from Columbia University.

Kevin Medina

Kevin Medina is the Communications and Public Affairs Associate. Medina’s responsibilities include: all external communications with the public; the operations and maintenance of CBC’s web presence; the design of visual communications such as interactive charts and maps, and infographics; the design of printed and online material for research and events; and assisting in the coordination of external events.

Prior to the Citizens Budget Commission, Medina was a research assistant at NYCivic. Medina holds a BA and MA in Political Science from St. John’s University.

Laura Colacurcio

Laura Colacurcio is the Development Associate. Colacurcio focuses on board development, trustee communications, event planning including the CBC Annual Dinner, and general administrative operations.

Prior to the Citizens Budget Commission, Colacurcio was Senior Account Manager at online auction firm Charity Folks, Inc. Colacurcio holds a BA, magna cum laude, in Mass Communication and a minor in Economics from the University of Delaware.