Meet the Deputy Commissioners
Liam Kavanagh
Liam Kavanagh is the First Deputy Commissioner at Parks & Recreation. A lifelong New Yorker, Mr. Kavanagh was born in Manhattan, raised in the Bronx, and now resides in Brooklyn. A graduate of the City University's Herbert H. Lehman College, Kavanagh joined Parks in 1981. He has served as Brooklyn Forestry Director, Deputy Chief of Operations in Brooklyn and Manhattan, and Chief of Operations in Manhattan before his appointment as Deputy Commissioner by Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe on February 25, 2002.
As First Deputy Commissioner, Mr. Kavanagh oversees efforts to improve the quality and increase the number of well maintained greenspaces in public parks throughout New York. He traces his involvement in the field to the renovation of the gardens along the Brooklyn Heights Promenade in 1989, where a great gardener and a willing crew of helpers transformed a lackluster landscape into a showpiece. It remains one of his most memorable projects and it demonstrated the tremendous opportunities for growing great gardens in parks throughout the City. "People respond positively to well maintained greenspaces," Kavanagh notes, "they've become a hallmark of successful public spaces."
Therese Braddick
Therese Braddick is the Deputy Commissioner for Capital Projects for the City of New York Department of Parks and Recreation. She leads over 300 architects, landscape architects, engineers and budget staff responsible for investing $300 million annually in parks, playgrounds, and recreation facilities throughout the five boroughs of New York City.
For six years prior to becoming Deputy Commissioner, Braddick held two titles: Director of Historic Houses for Parks and Executive Director of the Historic House Trust. During this time, she raised millions of dollars, both public and private, for historic house projects; directed the re-branding of the Trust; and increased the Trust’s services to Parks’ 22 historic properties, addressing education programming and long-term planning needs, in addition to emergency repairs, capital improvements and maintenance issues.
Prior to her work with the Trust, Ms. Braddick served as Deputy Director and Director of Development for the City Parks Foundation where she also raised millions of dollars and managed complex restoration projects including the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre in Central Park.
Therese first joined Parks in 1983 as an Urban Park Ranger. Two years later, she moved to Natural Resources Group (NRG), first as Education Coordinator in 1985, and then was promoted to the Deputy Director in 1986. Returning to the Rangers in 1987, she served as a Director, where she managed the 100-member uniformed division. From 1990 to 1992, Braddick was the Chief of Staff to Queens Borough Commissioner Oliver Spellman. She has a degree in Resource Management from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. She lives in Queens with her husband.
Robert L. Garafola
Robert L. Garafola is Parks & Recreation's Deputy Commissioner for Management and Budget. In this position he is responsible for overseeing the management of Parks’ budget, internal auditing program, welfare-to-work division, and Operations and Management Planning division.
Prior to his career at Parks, Garafola worked at Housing Preservation & Development, becoming the Budget Director in 1980. In 1983, he came to Parks, where he’s remained as the Assistant Commissioner for Management and Budget. In 1986, he was promoted to Deputy Commissioner of Management and Budget. Some of his accomplishments include creating the Parks Computer Resource Centers, expanding after-school programs, and implementing many of Parks’ management systems.
Deputy Commissioner Garafola received his MA in City Planning from Harvard University in 1973 and is a life-long resident of New York City.
Kevin E. Jeffrey
Kevin E. Jeffrey was appointed Parks & Recreation’s Deputy Commissioner for Public Programs in April 2002. Public Programs encompasses the operation of 35 recreation centers, 17 Nature Centers, Central Recreation, Urban Park Rangers, Parks Enforcement Patrol, Partnerships for Parks, and Central Communications.
Deputy Commissioner Jeffrey was raised in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. In May 1979, he joined the city’s Department of Parks & Recreation as one of the very first Urban Park Rangers. During his tenure with NYC Parks, he supervised the Mounted Rangers Unit, served as Executive Director of the Parks Enforcement Patrol, was next appointed Chief of Operations of Brooklyn’s Prospect Park and thereafter, Chief of Brooklyn Recreation. Jeffrey left NYC Parks to serve as Deputy Commissioner of Recreation, Programs and Services with the State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. He was later appointed Regional Director of State Parks holdings in New York City.
Jeffrey returned to Brooklyn in 1997, taking on the role of Executive Director of the Bedford Stuyvesant YMCA where he spearheaded the task of revitalizing this large urban youth development facility. He has also served as a trainer and coordinator in the design and implementation of Total Quality Management programs within the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation and the National Parks Service.
As Deputy Commissioner for Public Programs, Kevin Jeffrey is committed to expanding recreational, educational, and athletic opportunities for all New Yorkers.
He resides in Brooklyn and has four children. He spends his free time enjoying fishing, camping and other outdoor activities with his family.