Lea Montalto-Rook joins as Director of Administration;
Adanech Makey joins as Policy and Community Engagement Specialist
ALBANY – Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to advancing policies that strengthen New York children and families, has announced the hiring of two new staff members – Lea Montalto-Rook and Adanech Makey.
Lea Montalto-Rook joins Schuyler Center as its next Director of Administration. Following an extensive search led by Good Insight, Montalto-Rook joined Schuyler Center in July.
“Lea’s deep experience and dedication to serving children and families will be a catalyst in our work to improve health, well-being, and human services for all New Yorkers, especially those experiencing poverty,” said Kate Breslin, President and CEO.
In her new role, Montalto-Rook will be a key member of Schuyler Center’s senior leadership team, directing financial management, human resources, grants management, information technology, and other administrative functions that support Schuyler Center’s staff and mission.
“I am thrilled to join an organization so essential to the lives of New Yorkers,” said Montalto-Rook. “It’s inspiring to see the impact that policy change and advocacy can have on building equity and uplifting all residents, particularly those most vulnerable. I look forward to being part of that change.”
Adanech Makey joined the Schuyler Center team as Policy and Community Engagement Specialist. In this role, Makey conducts policy and data analysis and advocacy with a focus on eliminating inequitable access barriers to benefits and services and expanding access to high-quality child care. She also plays a leading role in Schuyler Center’s efforts to engage community leaders and representatives of directly impacted communities in all aspects of policy work, from the early stages of identifying issues that would benefit from policy change, to exploring and developing policy solutions, to advocacy for adoption of policies, all the way through implementation.
Makey is an Annie E. Casey Rising Leader for Results Fellow in the inaugural 2023-2025 cohort.
Prior to joining Schuyler Center, Makey served as the Director of Civic Engagement and Advocacy at Jumpstart for Young Children; in that role she was an active leader of the Empire State Campaign for Child Care, New York’s campaign for universal child care, which Schuyler Center co-founded and helps to lead.
“I’m incredibly excited to join the Schuyler Center team, a place with a rich legacy of advocating for policies that uplift New Yorkers, especially those most impacted by poverty,” said Makey. “It’s an honor to be part of an organization that doesn’t just talk about change but has a long history of making it happen. I look forward to contributing to this vital work and collaborating with a dedicated group of advocates to drive meaningful change.”
About Lea Montalto-Rook
Lea Montalto-Rook brings more than 20 years of organizational leadership, fundraising, marketing, communications, and financial management experience to Schuyler Center.
A resident of New York’s Capital Region since 2011, Montalto-Rook most recently served as Chief Executive Officer for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region (BBBSCR) from 2020-2024, leading the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic. Under her leadership, BBBSCR dramatically expanded programs and wraparound services, providing families assistance with securing food, medical attention, crisis intervention, and more.
Lea holds an M.S. in International Marketing from Saint Joseph’s University and a Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from the University of South Florida.
About Adanech Makey
Adanech Makey served as the Director of Civic Engagement and Advocacy at Jumpstart for Young Children; in that role she was an active leader of the Empire State Campaign for Child Care, New York’s campaign for universal child care. Adanech is an Annie E. Casey Rising Leader for Results Fellow in the inaugural 2023-2025 cohort. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Howard University with a minor in Community Development.
About the Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy
For more than 150 years, Schuyler Center has led advocacy rooted in compassion, evidence, and belief that government should work for the greater good. Schuyler Center’s work acknowledges the historic racism woven throughout shared systems, and advocates for public policies that seek to address inequities while improving health, welfare, and human services for all New Yorkers.
Schuyler Center achieves its goals through creative and detailed policy analysis, coalition-building, and advocacy with elected officials, agency executives, policymakers, and stakeholders. Schuyler Center’s policy initiatives are determined by its Board of Trustees in collaboration with senior policy staff, with priority given to combating poverty and helping New York’s children and families thrive. Learn more at scaany.org.
About Good Insight
With a mission to connect good causes to great leaders, Good Insight is an executive search firm and governance consultancy serving the social sector. They plan leadership transitions, recruit talented senior executives, and strengthen boards of directors. Good Insight focuses on leadership searches for small and mid-sized nonprofits with a nationwide reach. Learn more at www.good-insight.org.
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