Leadership

Susan Filburn serves as Acting Executive Director of the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). Susan joined OCM in June of 2024 as Chief Administrative Officer, where she was tasked with stabilizing and formalizing the agency’s administrative functions to support licensing, compliance, and enforcement operations.

Working closely with the licensing and technology teams, Susan implemented process improvements that streamlined the license review process and improved overall responsiveness.

Susan brings more than 20 years of experience in New York State government, including the last four years serving as Deputy Commissioner of Employment Security at the Department of Labor. She is a U.S. Army veteran who served in numerous locations as an Aviation Officer. Susan holds a Master of Public Administration from the Syracuse University Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and a Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Dr. June Chin, D.O. is a nationally recognized expert in cannabis therapeutics and integrative medicine, with over two decades of experience at the intersection of patient care, public health, research, and regulatory policy. As Chief Medical Officer of the Office of Cannabis Management, Dr. Chin leads the agency’s public health initiatives, clinical engagement strategies, and evidence-based cannabis research. Prior to joining OCM, Dr. Chin founded and operated integrative medical clinics across California, New York, and Connecticut. She played a key role in developing internationally accepted cannabinoid formulations, clinical protocols, and provider training programs—helping to expand safe and equitable access to cannabis care for thousands of patients.

Dr. Chin holds a degree in Nutritional Sciences from Cornell University and earned her medical degree from Touro University California. In addition to clinical practice, she has led and contributed to research focused on cannabis safety, healthcare utilization, and the integration of cannabinoid medicine into traditional care models.

An experienced educator, Dr. Chin has taught Cannabis Health and Science courses at New York University and Syracuse University. She is also the author of Cannabis and CBD for Health and Wellness, and a longtime advocate for health equity and science-based policy. Dr. Chin previously served as Vice Chairperson of the New York State Cannabis Advisory Board, where she helped shape key initiatives related to medical access, research, and safety. Through her leadership, she remains committed to building a cannabis framework that prioritizes patient well-being, community trust, and scientific integrity.

Tom Donohue currently serves as the Office of Cannabis Management’s Acting General Counsel. He joined the agency in January 2024 as Director of Operations. Prior to joining OCM, Tom was at the New York State Liquor Authority, serving in several leadership positions including General Counsel and Deputy Commissioner of Licensing. A graduate of Albany Law School, Tom previously was Counsel to the Commissioner of Social Services, First Assistant District Attorney and First Assistant Public Defender in Columbia County, as well as being a partner in the law firm of Hogle and Donohue.

Stephen Geskey, Esq. serves as the Executive Deputy Director over Licensing, Compliance and Laboratories. In this capacity, Steve oversees OCM’s regulated operations. Steve comes to the OCM with a breadth of public sector legal and executive management experience. Steve began his legal career serving as House Judiciary Counsel, for the Michigan House of Representatives, Democratic Caucus, drafting legislation and providing strategic policy counsel. From there, he served as an Assistant Attorney General under three Attorneys General (Michigan Department of Attorney General) and during his near decade of service, Steve drafted opinions of the Attorney General, served as legal counsel for the State Board of Ethics, and litigated employment and campaign finance cases in both state and federal trial and appellate courts. Later, Steve was appointed to serve as the chairperson over an appellate-level quasi-judicial tribunal presiding over unemployment benefit and contribution cases. In this capacity, Steve oversaw rule promulgation processes, cast the deciding vote in contested case proceedings, and drafted select Board decisions. 

Daniel G. Haughney serves as Director of Enforcement and Investigations at the NYS Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). He is responsible for all operations within the Enforcement and Investigations Division, including policy decisions, procedures, agency regulations, investigations, and liaising between OCM and enforcement leads at other state and local agencies. Dan has more than 28 years of law enforcement experience, handling both criminal and administrative investigations, at positions with the State University of New York, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, and the New York State Gaming Commission. He earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at Plattsburgh State University.

John Kagia serves as the Director of Policy for the Office of Cannabis Management. He leads the team responsible for policy development and implementation for the medical, adult use, and cannabinoid hemp programs in New York. John also manages development of research and data systems to measure and track industry performance, and he oversees deployment of the Office’s educational public health campaigns. 

Since joining the cannabis industry in 2014, John has been a pioneering industry analyst delivering groundbreaking research into emerging global markets, investment and capital flows, supply chain trends, product innovation, and evolving consumer behavior. He works with policy makers, investors, and business owners to capitalize on emerging opportunities, hedge against risk, and predict market defining trends. Prior to joining the cannabis industry, John spent a decade delivering market research and strategic intelligence to high-performing organizations across the federal government, technology, and non-profit sectors.

Robert MacGiffert serves as Director of Audit, Quality Assurance, and Internal Control (AQI), reporting to the OCM Executive Office. In this role, he is responsible for establishing policies governing all aspects of auditing and compliance, which includes testing the reliability of OCM internal controls and quality assurance systems. Rob will develop and execute OCM’s annual audit plan and assess and ensure that the assets and resources of OCM are adequately safeguarded and utilized appropriately. 

Prior to his role in OCM, Rob worked for OCFS for over 25 years in the Division of Juvenile Justice and Opportunities for Youth.  He held several roles including the Director of Quality Assurance and Improvement. Most recently, Rob served as the Associate Commissioner for the OCFS Office of Facilities Management. During this time, he was responsible for the general oversight, compliance, and operations of juvenile justice facilities across New York State. 

Patrick McKeage serves as the Chief Operating Officer for the Office of Cannabis Management. Patrick has worked on the cannabis file in New York State for the past five years helping to implement the cannabinoid hemp program, expand the medical cannabis program and create the adult-use cannabis program. 

Patrick has extensive knowledge of cannabis policy and regulations and has been managing the operational logistics associated with implementing the Marihuana Regulation & Taxation Act and standing up the new Office of Cannabis Management. Patrick brings prior experience working in New York State Government from previous roles at the Department of Health, Office of General Services and the Department of Taxation and Finance. Patrick also has experience working in the New York State Assembly and an Albany based government relations firm.

John F. Udochi, Esq. serves as the Chief Administrative Law Judge for the Office of Cannabis Management. With over 27 years of progressive experience in administrative law, John Franklin Udochi has dedicated his career to ensuring fairness, integrity, and impartiality in adjudicatory proceedings.
 

As a former Supervising Administrative Law Judge at the New York State Office of Children and Family Services—overseeing regional hearing operations in New York City, Nassau, and Suffolk Counties. Judge Udochi brings a wealth of expertise in managing complex legal processes and developing best practices for judicial decision-making.
 

A certified trainer for Continuing Legal Education and an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, Judge Udochi combines his extensive legal background with a commitment to serving diverse communities. His insights into effective adjudication and leadership in promoting inclusive practices make him a distinguished voice on issues of diversity and equity.

L. Simone Washington serves as Chief Equity Officer for the Office of Cannabis Management where she leads the Social and Economic Equity and Internal DEIA teams and is responsible for ensuring the integrate of equity across the agency’s operations. As an equity practitioner, Simone focuses on driving progressive change at the intersection of racial and economic equity. 

With nearly 2 decades of experience, Simone has worked with numerous preeminent social justice organizations and mission-led corporations to implement equity-first principles across their value chains, including the Ben & Jerry's, BSR (Business for Social Responsibility) and Wellspring Philanthropic Fund, where she was spearheaded global equity & inclusion operations designed to improve internal culture as well as external business practices. Simone is the co-author the 2021 World Economic Forum Lighthouse Action on Social Justice Through Stakeholder Inclusion report, 2018 Initiative of Change Community Trustbuilding Fellow, former civil rights attorney and mediator.