Fair Funding Director To Head Westchester DA Communications

OSSINING, NY — The woman who led Ossining's multi-year effort to overcome the state's under-contribution of education aid has been tapped as Westchester County District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah's new director of communications.

Jess Vecchiarelli will take on that role, and Yorktown-based journalist Anna Young has been named Public Information Officer.

“Upon becoming District Attorney, I pledged to make this office more transparent and more responsive to the needs of the community,” Rocah said in an announcement of the new appointments. “This new communications team will continue to improve the way we connect with the public, and their extensive experience and dedication will help spread our mission of safety, accountability, integrity, and justice.”

Vecchiarelli, who has spent more than 20 years working in the public, private, education, and non-profit sectors, was the former director of Ossining for Fair Funding. There she developed and led community advocacy efforts to fix the state's education aid contribution to Ossining, which was historically far below what was due. Ossining was one of just three districts in New York that received less than half of what they were entitled to under the state's funding formulas.

SEE:

• Ossining Schools State Aid Underfunded by 60 Percent
• Ossining Community Invited to Educational Equity Rally

Vecchiarelli previously worked as the Director of Marketing and Communications for Summit School at Nyack, and held management roles at MasterCard, where she performed in both nationwide and global markets. Additionally, Vecchiarelli has served in marketing and communications positions at Corsearch and the American Museum of Natural History.

Vecchiarelli graduated from Marist College with a B.A. in Communications.

“It’s an incredible time in our society for social justice issues as we navigate and shape a post-pandemic world,” Vecchiarelli said. “Being a community advocate, Westchester native and busy mom provides me with a unique perspective that will enhance the delivery of our Office’s message and mission. It is my privilege to work with District Attorney Rocah, and to help further her goals of bringing transparency to the work of our Office.”

Young is an award-winning journalist and the former Digital Editor for Examiner Media, a weekly publication that covered both Westchester and Putnam counties. She worked previously for The Sun News in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, providing in-depth coverage on government, politics and community news.

Young, a Yorktown Heights native, has also written for various local news outlets where she reported on community features, government, politics, crime, education, and breaking news. A graduate of SUNY Purchase College where she received a B.A. in Journalism, Young has received accolades from both the New York Press Association and the South Carolina Press Association.

“Working at the forefront of local journalism in both New York and South Carolina, especially during these unprecedented times, has been an incredible experience and a true privilege,” Young said. “But I am deeply honored to join the District Attorney’s Office in this capacity with my colleague Jess Vecchiarelli to represent a dynamic and resilient trailblazer like District Attorney Mimi Rocah as she forges a path to a more equitable criminal justice system for all in Westchester County.”