Robert Megna

Robert Megna is President of the Rockefeller Institute of Government and Senior Advisor to the Chancellor. Prior to this role, he was appointed Senior Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer in November 2017. In this role, he oversaw the operations of Chief Information Officer, the State University of New York (SUNY) Plaza business functions, capital facilities, campus energy management, and the Charter School Institute.

Mr. Megna has spent nearly three decades in public service leadership with a focus on creating long-term policy and strategic initiatives related to business, finance, and facilities. He joined SUNY System Administration from Stony Brook University where he served as Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration. In this role, he oversaw all administrative, business, and facility areas including human resources, internal audit, police and emergency management, design and construction, environmental health and safety, and parking and transportation. Prior to joining Stony Brook, he served as Executive Director of the NYS Thruway Authority and NYS Canal Corporation, overseeing operations and finances of both organizations.

In addition to these roles, he served as Budget Director for the NYS Division of the Budget, during which time the state achieved its highest financial rating in 40 years from three major credit rating agencies and passed four on-time budgets for the first time since the 1970s, showing his ability to improve both fiscal operations and relationships across highly complex organizations. While serving in this role, he also chaired multiple governmental boards including the Financial Restructuring Board, the New York Racing Association, and the Public Authorities Control Board.

Other highlights of Mr. Megna’s career include serving as Commissioner for NYS Taxation and Finance where he was responsible for the collection of $90 billion in state and local taxes. He has also served as Director of the Revenue and Economics Unit at the NYS Division of Budget, Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Tax Policy at the Virginia Department of Taxation, Director of Tax Studies at the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance, and Deputy Director of Fiscal Studies on the Assembly Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. Megna earned an M.S. in Economics from the London School of Economic and Political Science at the University of London, and received both his B.A. in Economics and M.P.A. from Fordham University.