DSNY names new assistant commissioner for policy and external affairs

TheNew York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) announced the appointment of Gregory Anderson as the department’s assistant commissioner for policy and external affairs. In this new position, Anderson will work to ensure that the department meets the needs of neighborhoods and communities across New York City as the department seeks to become more responsive in its delivery of effective and equitable services to all residents.

In this role, Anderson will shape the department's external-facing programs and communications, including overseeing community affairs and intergovernmental affairs. He will also coordinate activities with the legislative affairs division within the Bureau of Legal Affairs, and he will shape the department’s policy agenda as the city works toward the goal of sending zero waste to landfills. Anderson will also continue working in his current role as chief of staff.

“I am pleased to promote Gregory Anderson into the new position of assistant commissioner for policy and external affairs and am continually impressed by his dedication to this organization and his expertise on policy,” Sanitation Acting Commissioner Steven Costas says. “For the last five years, Greg has been an important part of the leadership team at DSNY, and he is fully engaged in the department’s vision of sending zero waste to landfills. I wish him continued success in his new role.”

In Anderson’s position as the department’s chief of staff, he oversees the Commissioner's Office and the Bureau of Community Affairs offices as well as the department's policy portfolio. During his time in this role, Anderson represented the department’s in the development of OneNYC, led the planning in developing DSNY’s goal to send zero waste to landfills, supervised the creation of the department’s first-ever strategic plan, and has oversaw efforts to implement commercial waste zones—a comprehensive reform of the city’s private waste collection industry.

Under his leadership, the bureau has more than doubled the number of outreach events it organizes or attends, has ensured 24/7 staffing for winter weather operations, and has increased the city council expense funding allocations for department services by more than $6 million. He’s also been responsible for leading the bureau’s proactive approach to engaging with elected officials and constituents, the agency says.

Before joining the DSNY in 2014, Anderson served as a policy analyst with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, where he managed a range of projects, including fleet management modernization, agency procurement process redesign, and agency open data law compliance, among other responsibilities.

Gregory Anderson graduated from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts in urban studies and received a Master of Public Administration from the New York University Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.