Ulster County Appoints James Amenta as Deputy Executive

Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger has appointed James Amenta as the new Deputy County Executive. Amenta will take over from Johanna Contreras, who is leaving her position on Friday (April 25) to join Congressman Pat Ryan's office. Amenta, a resident of Phoenicia, brings 18 years of federal government experience, including a decade with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and eight years with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

In his most recent role as Program Manager at HUD, Amenta co-led a team that managed $1 to $2 billion in federal grants annually. He also directed fiscal strategies for over 600 grants per year, and led initiatives to enhance community access to housing and economic development. Prior to this, he served as a Senior Community Planning and Development Representative at HUD, overseeing a $50 million portfolio for housing and public services.

County Executive Metzger praised Amenta's leadership and collaborative approach, stating, "James brings a wealth of government leadership and management experience, a deep knowledge of housing and community needs, and the kind of collaborative, can-do approach to public service that is so important to this leadership role."

Amenta holds a Master of Public Administration from the City University of New York and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Philosophy from Central Connecticut State University. He has been active in his community since moving to Phoenicia in 2018, co-founding the Phoenicia Farmers Market and the Shandaken Community Compost Project.