Speaker Heastie Announces Staff Appointments

Speaker Carl Heastie today announced that he has appointed Philip Fields to serve as secretary to the Ways and Means Committee and has appointed Matthew Golden to serve as director of Budget Studies.

“Philip and Matthew are integral members of a strong, talented team that supports the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, and I am happy to announce that they will be stepping into new positions within our team,” Speaker Heastie said. “Between the two of these dedicated public servants is nearly five decades of experience in the People’s House, working to craft legislation and budgets that help families and move our state forward. I know this will serve them, as well as the people of New York State, well as they step into their new roles.”

Fields, who has worked for the New York State Assembly for more than 30 years, most recently served as budget director. Prior to that he served as deputy fiscal director and senior transportation analyst for the Ways and Means Committee. Fields is the deputy chair of the Schenectady County Legislature. He currently chairs the County Rules Committee as well as the County Ways and Means Committee. He earned master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Economics from the University at Albany.

Golden most recently served as principal deputy director of Budget Studies. As a deputy director, he has led teams for education, higher education, housing, transportation and environmental conservation. He began at the Assembly as a legislative budget analyst for education in 2005. Prior to that he served as a fellow with the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office. He earned a master’s degree in Public Policy from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Urban and Regional Studies from Cornell University.