Hochul’s nomination awaits official confirmation
By Gwendolyn Craig
Gov. Kathy Hochul nominated Benita Law-Diao to be a member of the Adirondack Park Agency. If confirmed by the state Senate, Law-Diao would be the agency’s first Black board member.
Her appointment was approved by the state Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday morning, along with the reappointment of APA board member Art Lussi. Law-Diao would replace former board member Chad Dawson, who resigned in December 2020, APA spokesman Keith McKeever confirmed. Lussi’s appointment had expired in June last year.
A spokesperson for Hochul responded to the Adirondack Explorer Wednesday morning calling the nomination “historic.” Law-Diao “will help advance the preservation of this natural gem, while balancing long-term public and private land use to address the critical need for affordable housing, support tourism and boost small businesses across the region creating a more diverse and inclusive experience,” the spokesperson wrote.
Law-Diao declined comment on Tuesday until Hochul’s office made an official announcement.
Law-Diao, 62, originally hails from Queens but has lived in the Capital District since the late 1980s. For 32 years she worked for the state Health Department and is a dietician by training. Law-Diao has worked with food banks and food pantries across the state, including in the Adirondacks.
For the last few decades, Law-Diao has made the Adirondacks her second home. She spoke with the Adirondack Explorer last year on a trip she organized with the nonprofit organization Outdoor Afro.
“I came to hike, and I fell in love,” she said, of her first experience hiking in the Adirondacks years ago.
David Gibson, managing partner of Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve, was glad to see Law-Diao’s appointment confirmed in committee and he expected it would pass the Senate. Gibson highlighted Law-Diao’s leadership in Outdoor Afro and her service on boards like John Brown Lives!, an organization that honors the abolitionist John Brown and promotes “social justice and human rights.” The group also preserves and promotes John Brown Farm State Historic Site in the Town of North Elba.
“Her professional, science-based, nutritional health background should also serve her and the agency’s responsibilities for Park planning, resource analysis and protection very well,” Gibson said. “We thank Governor Hochul for nominating her and the State Senate for the wisdom of confirming her nomination.”
Gibson said in a phone call that he was sure the Senate would make the confirmation, though they had not yet officially done so.
“John Brown Lives! applauds Governor Hochul’s pick of our dear friend and JBL! board member Benita Law-Diao to serve on the APA,” said Martha Swan, executive director of John Brown Lives! “This historic nomination is an acknowledgment that Benita’s love of the outdoors, her commitment to stewardship, sustainability, and inclusivity, and her experience and worldview as a Black woman matter. It’s an important step forward for New York State, the Park Agency, for all of us and for future generations.”
If the Senate confirms Law-Diao and Lussi, the only board member to still be serving on an expired term would be APA Chairman John Ernst. The Adirondack Explorer has asked Hochul’s office why Ernst was not included in her next round of nominations.
“From my experience serving with Art and from what I have heard about Benita Law-Diao, these are excellent choices,” Ernst said. He did not know the status of his own appointment.
Two other board members’ terms are also coming close to their expiration dates. Mark Hall and Ken Lynch have terms expiring on June 30.
Worked for health department as a dietitian. Wow. A non park resident with no environmental experience gets on the APA board. Time for towns and villages to start looking for ways to take their lands out of the park.
Congratulations to Benita Law-Diao on her nomination by Gov. Hochul to serve as a board member on the Adirondack Park Agency.
Those of us who care about the Adirondack Park come from many different backgrounds, experiences and varying points of view. I have always considered that a strength rather than a weakness. Similarly, Ms. Law-Diao, the Agency’s first Black member, will help the APA focus on the Park’s needs in service to the more diverse population that will be our next generation of visitors, residents and lovers of this wonderful place.
A dietician knows about park planning?
Sounds like she was picked for another reason.
It seems that a day never goes by that one of our politicians isn’t jamming something else down our throats. No relevant qualifications here.
Great choice! I welcome new blood at the APA. “The mission of the APA is to protect the public and private resources of the Park through the exercise of the powers and duties provided by law.” The Adirondack Park is a state park, meaning everyone in the state should have equal say on protecting it.
Where is it written that members of the APA have to be born and be slated to die here in the Park ? There were the same snarky comments when John Ernst was nominated to be. Chair of the APA even tho the Ernsts were landowners, employers and utterly dedicated to this region.Ms.Law – Diao is a resident of the Albany region, has hiked here for years and is on the Board of John Brown Lives. A fresh perspective never hurt any organization especially the APA which is everyone’s favorite punching bag up here. I was amazed to read that she will be the first Black member – what century are you people living in ?
Go back and look at what was said about Mark Hall when he was appointed to the board . He was not qualified to be on the board even tho he was a town supervisor , environmental engineer , water district supervisor and was on the local planning board for towns and villages in the park. This lady is a dietitian with no experience in any sort of environmental issues . I dont care where she is from, she is NOT qualified to make decisions about my property.
Dietitians follow a rigorous academic course of studies in college and usually have degrees beyond the Batchelor level. They are not the lunchroom “ ladies in hair nets “. Her outside interests may very well be environmental ! Why else would she even agree to be on this contentious board ? Although she may have second thoughts after reading some of these comments.
Great Job Benita! Do great things and block out the negativity! It’s obvious through reading some of the comments that we still live in a racist and prejudice society.
What comments are on this thread are racist ? If you are implying my comments are racist you are wrong. To me as a resident of the park it doesn’t matter what the color of the board members are just as long as they are qualified. The only credentials she has is that she has been to park and enjoys the outdoors. When mark hall was appointed many people said he wasn’t qualified . If mark was qualified then she most definitely is not
I wonder why more residents of the park don’t show interest for these positions until someone else gets it. The Adirondacks are for the residents as much as any other New Yorkers… For people who don’t personally know her, you really shouldn’t have much of an opinion based off of an excerpt written by someone else. Pay your taxes and mind your business.
1.) This appointment reeks of politics.
2.) I don’t care what color she is, I do not consider her qualified to make informed experienced decisions about my land owner rights.
Politics, racism, qualifications or lack thereof, public input or not; on and on it goes, as comments are registered about this historic nomination for a commissioner of the APA. The one thing that I think we can ALL agree upon is that the Adirondacks is a very special place that we ALL care deeply about.
This is why I appreciate this space provided to us by the Explorer/Almanack. It invites any and all to share our stories, our opinions, and whatever else is on our minds in a moderated regional alternative to the fear-mongering social media platforms that are stirring up so much hatred and discord among us.
The Explorer/Almanack forum is the closest thing I can find to times gone by when local folks used to get together at community meetings where we could voice opinions, disagree respectfully, and sometimes come away with ways to help each other and do things better. Thank you Gwen, Melissa, Tracy, Jim and the rest for all that you are giving us.
in the final analysis, our democracy will succeed or fail based upon our ability to talk to each other and work together to find solutions to our problems. Hatred and silence in response to lies and hatred will only make things worse. Think about it…
Who said anything about “hatred”? Just because she is black, and some people express the opinion that they do not think that she is qualified for the job, why do some people automatically assume that there is “hatred” involved?
Congratulation to Benita! I know Benita for over 40 years. The ones who say she is not qualified are only the ones who do not know her or her past environmental work. You are basing your comments off a news clipping. Get to know her. And you will find she is more passionate about people rights then you give her credit for. She is humble, brilliant and a gentle soul.
And she’s also passionate and very formidable.
She is an excellent choice, you just do not know it yet.