Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz has appointed Julie Barrett O’Neill, Esq., as deputy commissioner for planning and economic development in the Erie County Department of Environment & Planning, the county announced Friday.
Poloncarz said he has worked with O’Neill previously and praised her experience. “I have known Julie for many years and worked with her in her previous positions. I’ve always thought very highly of her experience and professionalism,” he said. “The diversity of her experience will be important assets as she takes on a leadership role implementing various economic and community development related projects and responsibilities.”
O’Neill said she was returning to the department where she began her career. “I’ve been blessed to have worked with many impactful organizations over my career, but when I had the opportunity to return to DEP to help advance the administrations’ planning, economic development, and affordable housing initiatives, I knew this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I’m excited to return to County service where my career began,” she said.
According to the county, O’Neill brings more than 25 years of experience in planning, economic and community development, environmental work and affordable housing across both government and nonprofit sectors. Her recent roles include serving as a regional director for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, leading operations across a multi-county region, and serving as executive director of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) from 2018 to 2022, where she oversaw program expansion, strategic planning and COVID response.
O’Neill previously served as the first executive director of Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper, growing that organization from a one-person operation to a professional staff, and was Green Program Director and general counsel for the Buffalo Sewer Authority before joining LISC. She is a graduate of the University at Buffalo and earned her law degree at the University of Iowa.
In her new role she will oversee the DEP Division of Planning and Economic Development, which includes the Office of Economic Development; Office of Planning and Development; HUD/Community Development and Housing; Office of GIS; Office of Agriculture; Erie Arts & Cultural Advisory Board and the Arts in Public Places initiative; the Buffalo & Erie County Food Policy Council; and the Lands Advisory Review Committee.
The county posted the announcement through the Office of the Erie County Executive. The Department of Environment & Planning website is listed by the county as https://www3.erie.gov/environment/.
