Pagan Named as Head of County Youth Bureau
Dr. Iris Pagan, a White Plains resident and former teacher whose experience also includes working for the White Plains Youth Bureau, has been named head of Westchester County’s Youth Bureau. In her role, she will lead the county’s efforts to partner with non-profit agencies to provide programs and services that encourage healthy lifestyles and position youngsters for success in life.
A graduate of Pace University in White Plains, Pagan also holds master’s and doctorate from Columbia Teachers College. She is fluent in Spanish. In her previous positions with the White Plains Youth Bureau and as a teacher with the French American School of New York, she worked with youth, parents, and principals on curriculum and student outcomes.
“What’s remarkable about Iris is her personal story,” County Executive Rob Astorino said when making the appointment. “She worked her way up from a G.E.D. in high school to a Ph.D. from Columbia. She is a great example for kids, and adults too, of how hard work and perseverance pay off.”
Astorino thanked Mary Kate Cabaleiro, who has been serving as interim director, for her outstanding service in that role. Cabaleiro will continue as assistant director.
Pagan said she was looking forward to making a strong office even better. “Our youth need to know that the community cares about them and that the help they need to build skills to succeed is available,” she said. “Developing youth is not a matter of money. It’s more a matter of exposing kids to positive encouragement whether in the form of programs or just one person being there for them.”
In 2011 Pagan, a republican, ran for a seat on the county legislature to represent District 5. She lost to the incumbent democrat, Bill Ryan.
Other appointments announced by Astorino this week include Jennifer M. Wacha of New Rochelle, the former director of the county’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM), who has been promoted to deputy commissioner of Emergency Services. Dennis Delborgo of Mamaroneck, who has worked in Emergency Services since 2005, has been promoted to director of the OEM division. And, Francesca K. Bossey of Yonkers, who has more than two decades of business and financial experience within the private sector, has been appointed deputy budget director.
In her new position as deputy commissioner of DES, Wacha will oversee administration, emergency management and emergency medical services within the department. In her previous job as director of OEM, she managed many recent emergencies in the county, including hurricanes Sandy and Irene. As such, she and her team (which included Delborgo) coordinated the county’s response to residents, local governments, school districts, hospitals and other public and private agencies. She was and is also responsible for the county’s preparedness for the annual Indian Point drills.
Wacha has worked for the county since 2005. Her 25 years of fire and emergency management service included serving as a firefighter and hazardous materials technician with Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department in Virginia and an instructor at the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute. Wacha has a degree from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and is currently attending Pace University.
Delborgo, who holds a master’s degree in protection management from the City University of New York at John Jay College, has worked for DES since 2005, with previous experience in emergency management in several local municipalities, including the Village of Pelham, as well as New York City.
In the course of his work, he has assisted in the management of five federally declared disasters in Westchester, including hurricanes Sandy and Irene, and helped coordinate emergency management training and disaster preparedness exercises. He has been a volunteer firefighter for more than 10 years and currently serves as a captain in the Town of Mamaroneck’s Fire Department. He holds various state and national certifications in fire rescue, emergency medical services, hazardous materials emergency response and homeland security.
Bossey has worked in various financial roles for Fortune 100 companies, such as PepsiCo and Citigroup. In addition to her corporate experience, she has been an entrepreneur, having successfully run a small business with her husband. Most recently, she was the head finance officer of an Omnicom Group marketing and advertising agency in New York City. She holds a B.A. in Communication Arts and Journalism and an M.B.A. in finance from Iona College.
