Central Region
6595 Kirkville Rd.
East Syracuse NY 13057
(800) 559-7975
(315) 433-0915 (fax)
Executive Vice President Chantalise DeMarco, re-elected in March of 2024, had previously served three terms as Region 5 Secretary.
Chantalise has worked over 30 years for Tompkins County in the Mental Health Department.
Chantalise is a founding member of the Labor Chaired Joint Committee of the Tompkins County Health Insurance Consortium. She helped write the language that still ensures there are Labor Voting Seats on the Board.
Chantalise is a member of the CSEA Region 5 Political Action Committee and the chair of the CSEA Statewide LGBTQ Committee.
Previously, Chantalise was the President of Tompkins County Local 855 and President of the County White Collar Unit where she assisted in negotiating many outstanding contracts.
Chantalise has a strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as political action. Chantalise is committed to developing new leaders and activists through mentorship and accountability in action.
Chantalise has and will continue to be a voice for all members.
First Vice President Tom Hingher was re-elected in March of 2024 and is a long time CSEA activist.
Tom has worked at SUNY Cortland since 1998 where he started as a temporary snow shoveler and worked his way up to supervising the campus HVAC crew. He has been Local President for the past 12 years and was Vice President four years before that.
He was also recently elected to serve on the Board of Directors representing State Universities.
Tom is a staunch advocate for workplace safety and sits on the Statewide and Region Safety and Health Committees. He plays a key role in the region’s yearly tree dedication for Worker’s Memorial Day. As a veteran of the Air Force himself, he’s also officer liaison for the Region Veterans Committee.
Tom is a graduate of the CSEA L.E.A.D. Program No. 7 and has been a healthy and safety peer trainer for over 10 years.
You can often find him slaving away at the grill at team-building tailgate parties at region conferences and events!
Second Vice President Karen Bright is a long time CSEA activist. She currently serves as Madison County Local 827 President, and as the President of the Madison County White Collar Unit. She also serves as the representative to the CSEA Statewide Board of Directors for Madison County.
Karen chairs her Local PAC and is an active member of the Region 5 PAC. She is a past recipient of the Irene Carr Leadership award and a graduate of the LEAD program. She serves as the Chair of the Statewide PEOPLE Committee and is the Officer Liaison to the Region 5 Women’s Committee and the Constitution and By-Laws Committee.
Karen has received recognition as a PEOPLE recruiter of the month and awarded PEOPLE Recruiter of the Year.
Karen’s passion in CSEA is the PEOPLE program, often saying “It is the most important program in CSEA as it is the only one solely dedicated to fight legislatively for CSEA members”.
Karen looks forward to continued activism as a member of President Kenny Greenleaf’s Region 5 Executive Board.
Third Vice President Andy Maroney was appointed to the position in 2023 and was re-elected to a four-year term in March 2024.
Andy has been a State DOT worker for almost 14 years and has served as the Local President of Southern Tier State Employees Local 002 since 2021. Andy was also recently elected to serve as the State Division DOT representative on the CSEA statewide Board of Directors.
Andy is a current participant of CSEA’s L.E.A.D. Program No. 9.
Andy previously served as chair of the Region Community Outreach Committee, of which he is now officer liaison, and has been a supporter and participant of the Central Region Polar Plunges to support Special Olympics New York. Andy helped to organize the annual Region Cornhole Tournament. The inaugural tournament in 2023 helped raise over $8,000.
Andy has a team-first mentality and doesn’t care for titles or recognition. He says it’s often a thankless job, but something he enjoys doing every day. Andy looks forward to continued service and engagement with CSEA members at every level of our organization.
Region Secretary Dan Vadala is currently in his second term of being the President of Onondaga Local 834, the largest Local in Region 5.
Dan has helped advocate for responsible local government spending to help public employees. Dan was appointed as Region 5 Secretary at the September 2023 Region Conference and was elected March 1, 2024, to a new 4-year term.
Dan is the Chair of the CSEA Statewide Audit Committee. He also sits on the CSEA Region 5 Political Action Committee and is the liaison to the Region 5 Local Government Committee.
Dan is also on the Statewide Board of Directors as a Representative for Onondaga County.
Dan was also elected to be an AFSCME Delegate for a second time.
Dan is also a graduate of the CSEA L.E.A.D. Program.
Dan’s training and skills will serve him well as he takes on the duties and responsibilities of Region Secretary. Dan is looking forward to his new role as secretary to help his fellow brothers and sisters of CSEA to move this union forward into the future.
Region 5 Treasurer Amy Simmons was re-elected in March 2024 and is a Principal Account Clerk in the Child Support Unit in St. Lawrence County.
Amy is the President of St. Lawrence County Local 845 and Unit 8400, both positions she has held since 2010. She had previously served as the Local’s Secretary and is a trained Steward and Grievance Representative.
Amy is the Chair of the CSEA Statewide and Regional Local Government Committees. She also sits on the CSEA Statewide Insurance Committee and is an active member of the CSEA Region 5 Program Committee.
Amy is the Statewide Board of Director Representative for St. Lawrence County.
Amy is also a member of the Central Trades Labor Council where she serves as Sergeant at Arms.
In addition, she helps to coordinate the CSEA Groups for the Massena Labor Day Parade and the North Country Polar Plunge for Special Olympics.
In 2013, Amy was the recipient of the CSEA “Mission Achievement Award” for the Local Government Division.
Amy’s credentials, training, and experience will serve her as she continues in the role of Region 5 Treasurer. Amy will be passionate in her duties leading with honesty, integrity, and attention to detail.