Poughkeepsie — Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino has announced she will appoint Alisyn Gaffney, MSW, to serve as the next Director for the Office of Probation and Community Corrections. Ms. Gaffney will begin serving as Director following confirmation by the Dutchess County Legislature.
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Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino said, “The Dutchess County Office of Probation and Community Corrections has established a long tradition of integrity, commitment to public safety and helping people turn their lives around. The work our Probation team does each day truly changes lives. With over 30 years of experience in criminal justice and social work, Alisyn Gaffney will continue that proud tradition and I am pleased to appoint her as our new Director.”
Ms. Gaffney joined Dutchess County Government in 2009, beginning as a Probation Officer. She has advanced through the department and was most recently promoted to Principal Probation Officer in September 2024. In this role, Ms. Gaffney plans, directs and coordinates the work of Probation Supervisors including reviewing and assigning case files and is responsible for employment and promotion interviewing. Additionally, Ms. Gaffney oversees the Women’s Reporting Center, an Alternative to Incarceration operated by Project MORE, Inc., which provides cognitive-behavioral therapy, employment readiness, family support, and case management for pre-trial and probation-assigned women.
Prior to her service with Dutchess County Government, Ms. Gaffney worked extensively in the social assistance field for local agencies and organizations, including Hudson River Health Care, the Dutchess County Department of Community & Family Services’ Child Protective Services Unit and Astor Home for Children.
Ms. Gaffney has served on the Dutchess County Criminal Justice Council since 2021, including as current chair of the Special Needs Sub-Committee and member of the Re-Entry Committee. Ms. Gaffney also serves as an adjunct professor at Greenhaven Correctional Facility as part of the Columbia-Greene Community College’s partnership with the non-profit Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison and the New York State Department of Corrections (DOCCS), providing degree opportunities to incarcerated individuals.
Ms. Gaffney received her Associates of Applied Science in Human Services from Dutchess Community College, a Bachelor of Sociology from SUNY New Paltz and a Master of Social Work from Adelphi University. She is actively involved in the local community, volunteering for the Eileen Hickey Annual Holiday Dinner, serving with Hope on a Mission, and coordinating the Probation Office’s annual Adopt-A-Family program.
As Director, Ms. Gaffney will be responsible for furthering the Department’s mission of promoting positive change in the lives of those under judicial supervision and helping ensure the safety and well-being of the community by improving the overall operation of the criminal justice system, reducing offender recidivism and serving victims of crime. Each year, the department promotes public safety through effective supervision of approximately 3,000 defendants and probationers placed on community supervision by the courts, through evidence-based probation and diversion programs.
Ms. Gaffney said, “I am grateful to be asked by County Executive Serino to lead the amazing team who serve in the Office of Probation and Community Corrections. I am dedicated to supporting our team and working closely with our partners in the criminal justice system to ensure Dutchess County remains a trusted leader in protecting our community and fostering positive change.”
Ms. Gaffney will succeed Kathy McQuade, who has served as provisional Probation Director since May 2024. Ms. McQuade will continue her service in the Office of Probation and Community Corrections, returning to her role as Probation Supervisor in accordance with New York State Civil Service requirements.
County Executive Serino has forwarded a resolution confirming Ms. Gaffney’s appointment as Probation and Community Corrections Director for review at the Dutchess County Legislature’s committee meetings on Thursday, January 15th and approval at the full Board Meeting on Monday, January 20th.
