Seth Agata takes top post at PBA union
Veteran of Cuomo administration, state government to become executive director
Veteran of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s administration and state government leaves private law practice to become executive director.
The union representing a variety of state agency law enforcement officers has hired an experienced Cuomo hand as its new executive director.
Seth Agata is leaving his private law practice to head the PBA of New York State, which represents nearly 1,200 University Police, Park Police, Forest Rangers and Environmental Conservation Officers.
Agata comes to PBANYS from the law firm of Jenner & Block, where he was co-chair of the lobbying law and government ethics practice and a special counsel in the litigation department. He has deep experience in a variety of previous jobs in state government, including as part of the administration of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.
Prior to joining Jenner & Block, Agata served as the executive director of the state Joint Commission on Public Ethics. He stepped down in June 2019, as the state Inspector General’s office was conducting an investigation into an alleged leak of information to Cuomo from a closed-door JCOPE meeting — a matter that Agata reported in January of that year.
He also chaired the state Public Employment Relations Board, was acting counsel in the Executive Chamber, and counsel for investigations in the state Comptroller’s office. He also held a number of legal and policy positions within the state Assembly and several local government posts.
The PBA is a relatively new union, created in 2011. Some of its units, such as the Park Police, have been critical of the Cuomo administration, which they say has been dragging its feet on a planned merger with the larger State Police, which could bring a pay and benefit increase to the park officers.
Agata said he was excited to take on the new role.
The union’s founding executive director, Dan De Federicis, is retiring. “I have had the honor and privilege to be with PBANYS since day one,” he said in a statement. “Over the past decade we’ve seen a number of challenges as an organization and as a state, and the men and women of PBANYS have always risen to the occasion.”
“Seth’s experience in labor relations and ethics is unparalleled, and he is highly regarded and respected on both sides of the aisle,” De Federicis added.
Agata will start the first week of August.