Ricardo E. Morales, First Deputy Comptroller

Served as Chairman to the New York City Housing Authority (“NYCHA”) the largest public housing authority in North America with a $3.2 billion annual budget and 11,600 employees. In that capacity, Mr. Morales planned and implemented the nation’s largest “shovel ready” public housing capital infrastructure reinvestment initiative ($423.5 million) involving over 70 capital projects under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act. In 2009, for his efforts at establishing a model ethics program at NYCHA, he was selected to receive the Ethics in Government Award by the NYC Conflicts of Interest Board. As NYCHA’s General Counsel, Mr. Morales managed a staff of over 200 with a budget of approximately $30 million and successfully reduced outside counsel fees by approximately 50%. With 28 years of legal and high level executive experience in the private and public sectors, he offers ethical leadership, legal expertise, transparency and accountability within a highly complex, multi-stakeholder, financial, administrative and public service environment.

Valerie Budzik, Deputy Comptroller for Legal Affairs / General Counsel

Valerie Budzik has been with the Comptroller’s Office since 1998, and was appointed Deputy Comptroller for Legal Affairs/General Counsel in February 2012.  Prior to her appointment, Ms. Budzik served as First Deputy General Counsel where her work focused on pension fund investment and fiduciary matters.  Ms. Budzik holds a BA from Fordham University and JD from Fordham University School of Law.

Ari Hoffnung, Deputy Comptroller for Budget and Public Affairs

Ari Hoffnung has been a leader in promoting transparency initiatives since he joined the Comptroller’s staff in February 2010 as Executive Director of Accountancy & Budget.  He was the driving force behind Checkbook NYC, which gives the public online access to the City’s $66 billion in annual expenditures, and Pension NYC, which provides unparalleled access to information pertaining to the five New York City pension funds. He was promoted to Assistant Comptroller for Budget & Chief Policy Officer in August 2010 and in that role, he spearheaded “Retirement Security NYC,” a major research project that sought to protect the retirement security of public employees while ensuring the City’s financial health.

Deputy Comptroller Hoffnung currently serves as Comptroller Liu’s representative at the Office of Payroll Administration (OPA) and the Financial Services Agency (FISA), where he played an integral role in ending the runaway spending associated with the CityTime project. Hoffnung also serves as the Comptroller’s representative on the New York City Banking Commission.

Prior to joining Comptroller Liu’s administration, Hoffnung served as Chief of Staff to then-City Councilman Simcha Felder, and was a Managing Director at Bear Stearns where he worked for more than a decade.

Hoffnung holds an MBA in Finance from New York University’s Stern School of Business and a bachelor’s degree from Queens College. He resides in the Riverdale section of the Bronx with his wife, Annie, and their two children.

H. Tina Kim, Deputy Comptroller for Audit

Formerly the Director of Audit and Civil Rights for the New York State Department of Transportation, leading a division of fifty with responsibility for the Internal Audit, Contract Audit, Investigations, Enterprise Risk Management and Civil Rights Assurance functions. Previously, Ms. Kim served as Deputy Inspector General for Audit at the New York State Office of the Inspector General and as an Auditor with the New York State Office of the State Comptroller.

Carol S. Kostik, Deputy Comptroller for Public Finance

Worked in Comptroller Bill Thompson's administration from 2006 as the Deputy Comptroller for Public Finance. Hired from New York City Housing Development Corp., where she was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Previously, Ms. Kostik served as the CFO of the Nassau County Interim Finance Authority, leading debt issuance for what was then a newly-created State Authority and successfully establishing and supervising the financial reporting on $800+ million revenue stream. Prior to Nassau County, Ms. Kostik served as Vice President at Merrill Lynch & Co. She holds an MBA from Stanford University.

Lawrence M. Schloss, Deputy Comptroller for Pensions, Chief Investment Officer

Mr. Schloss comes to the Comptroller’s Office with a wide range of financial experience. He was the co-founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the private equity firm Diamond Castle Holdings since September 2004.

Prior to Diamond Castle, Mr. Schloss was Global Head of CSFB Private Equity, where he was responsible for a staff of 450, including 125 investment professionals on four continents with $32 billion of alternative assets under management.

Prior to the acquisition of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette by Credit Suisse, Mr. Schloss spent 22 years at DLJ and was Chairman of DLJ Merchant Banking since 1995. Under his leadership, the alternative asset investment business at DLJ grew to include $19 billion under management across various fund strategies.

He was Chairman, Co-Chairman or a member of the investment committees of each of the DLJ Merchant Banking Partners private equity funds, as well as the mezzanine funds, real estate funds, secondary funds and funds of funds. As such, he has overseen investments in over 200 companies with total transaction value in excess of $100 billion.

Mr. Schloss joined DLJ in 1978 as an investment banker focused on leveraged finance and energy, and began investing DLJ's capital when the firm began its leveraged buyout principal investing activities in 1985.

Mr. Schloss is a member of the Board of Trustees of Tulane University, the New Police & Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund, and has served on the boards of directors of numerous public and private companies.

Maria Tavares, Deputy Comptroller for Accountancy

Deputy Comptroller Tavares oversees the operations of Comptroller Liu’s Bureau of Accountancy, which is responsible for all aspects of the City’s accounting and financial reporting. She oversees the City’s accounting operations throughout the year, as well as the preparation of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), which contains the City's official, audited financial statements.

She is also responsible for the design and management of the accounting aspects of the City’s centralized accounting and budgeting system, the Financial Management System, the accounting mechanism in which New York City pays its bills and receives deposits.

Deputy Comptroller Tavares is a 15-year veteran of the Comptroller’s Office. She is a graduate of Syracuse University.

Geneith Turnbull, Deputy Comptroller for Contracts and Procurement

Geneith Turnbull was appointed Deputy Comptroller of Contract Administration by Comptroller John C. Liu in January 2010. Ms. Turnbull is tasked with monitoring the integrity of the procurement process of the City of New York and identifying areas where City resources are being wasted.

Ms. Turnbull is an astute attorney with academic training in law and healthcare, complemented by diverse experience in the public sector. She has more than twenty years of cross-functional experience in contract administration, real estate transactional work and regulatory compliance.

Prior to her appointment, Ms. Turnbull served as Deputy Commissioner of the Office of Purchasing and Materials Management with the New York City Human Resources Administration where she directed staff numbering 110 individuals in the procurement of goods and non-human services. In addition Ms. Turnbull previously served with the New York City Health & Hospitals Corporation, Office of the New York State Attorney General, the Battery Park City Authority and the New York State Finance Agency.

Ms. Turnbull holds a master’s degree in health services administration from Iona College, a Juris Doctor from Western New England College School of Law, and a bachelor’s in political science degree from Pace University.