City Administrator Marc Nelson has named former City Corporation Counsel Paul Ackermann to lead his transition team as Nelson prepares to assume the office of Mayor in January. Ackermann, an attorney, joined the City as an Assistant Corporation Counsel in 2008. He was appointed to lead the City’s Law Department in 2011 and served in that role until returning to the private sector in November 2021. Ackermann was born and raised in the City of Poughkeepsie, where he continues to live with his wife and two children, and is currently the President of Mental Health America of Dutchess County Board of Directors.
Also joining the transition team will be:
Sakima McClinton
McClinton is a lifelong Poughkeepsie resident who has served the community from an early age. She has worked with REAL Skills and The Art Effect, served as city of Poughkeepsie School Board president and served on both the board of Mental Health America of Dutchess County and the City of Poughkeepsie Planning Board. She is a member of Exempt Firemen’s Association, a Veterans of Foreign Wars Lifetime Member and a member of the Hudson Valley Veterans Alliance. McClinton was the first African-American female from New York to graduate from the United States Military Academy and is a combat veteran. She previously served on the City of Poughkeepsie Common Council as the representative of the 8th Ward.
Joseph Ciardi
A 23-year veteran of the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department and City of Poughkeepsie resident, Ciardi served in Community Policing, the Neighborhood Recovery Unit, the Juvenile Bureau and Detectives before retiring in 2021 as a Patrol Sergeant. Active with the City’s Behavioral Evaluation Action Team and with CPPD training initiatives, Ciardi served on the City’s Ethics Board and was a member of the PBA’s Executive Board for many years.
Da’Ron Wilson
Da’Ron Wilson is a political scientist who has long prioritized service to the Poughkeepsie community, serving from an very early age with numerous local organizations including The Northside Community Center, Harambe, PACMAN, Real Skills, Protect the Dream, Brother2Brother, Upward Bound and CM2. Wilson is a combat veteran and has spent more than two decades serving City of Poughkeepsie students and their families in the Poughkeepsie City School District, where he is currently the Executive of School Engagement.
“I am grateful for the willingness of these community leaders to help guide me as I assume the Office of Mayor next month,” said Nelson. “Their focus on engaging with citizens, city employees, our local businesses and nonprofit partners will help guide our work in the coming year.”
The transition team may be contacted by email at transition@fastmail.com