SERVICE
RoAnn Destito was born and raised in Utica and moved to Rome when she married her husband, Chris. A lifelong Mohawk Valley resident, she has spent much of her life serving the people who call this area home. Her career took her from higher education to the New York State Assembly and then to statewide leadership, but the reasons she became involved have always been personal. “Being involved has always been satisfying to me.”
That example began at home. Her mother was a public health nurse, first for the county and then for New York State, and her father was a Utica firefighter. Both taught her the importance of giving back. She found that same commitment in Chris, who, like her father, was civic-minded and a good cook. Over the years, the support she received from the community gave her another reason to continue helping others.
After attending Le Moyne College, RoAnn returned home to work at what is now SUNY Polytechnic Institute. Volunteering with the YWCA introduced her to advocacy around sexual assault and domestic violence, and she served as President of its Board of Directors. That experience sparked an interest in the legislative process, leading to legislative staff work and eventually elected office. She represented the Utica-Rome area in the State Assembly from 1993 to 2011. In 2011, she was nominated by then-Governor Andrew Cuomo and unanimously approved by the Senate as the first woman Commissioner of the New York State Office of General Services.
Retirement has given RoAnn different ways to continue that work. “I like to say I have been repurposed and now volunteer my time to nonprofit organizations some here in the MV and one state wide organization.” As College Council Chair at SUNY Polytechnic, she values its role in providing affordable education for local students and attracting students who may become part of the region’s workforce. As a Community Foundation trustee, she encourages philanthropy and investment in the Mohawk Valley.
She also serves on the Nascentia Health Board of Directors, supporting its development of an over-50 neighborhood at Beeches Manor that will offer older adults a way to downsize while remaining in the community. As President of the NYS Retired Public Employees Association, she advocates for affordability so people living on fixed incomes can remain in New York.
Health care and education are especially close to RoAnn’s heart. “I lost my mom, dad and husband to cancer and we need research and good quality health care services in all our communities.” She supports Hospice, research at MMRI and pancreatic cancer research, a cause made personal by how quickly the disease took Chris nearly 17 years ago. Access to local specialists matters to her, too. When she needed a neurosurgeon, she was able to find one at MVHS. She wants families to have access to specialists and well-staffed emergency departments, and recognizes how much both health care and education matter when people consider making a home here.
For RoAnn, the most meaningful results are the people who receive the care or assistance they need. That was also the focus of her legislative office. “The heart of my legislative office was constituent service and I continue to help people even today that I am retired.” Her advice to anyone wondering how to begin follows that same straightforward approach: “Find your passion and get involved in helping or making it better.”
There is also more time for family and a little fun. Readers know RoAnn from our Mohawk Valley Living food tours, where she joins me to explore the food and cultural traditions found throughout the region. She refers to herself as our Food Editor, and our outings have included the always-popular ice cream tour. I’ve loved having her alongside me as we visit local restaurants and share what we find with you.
Above all, she treasures being available for her family. “And most important to me now is being with my family and able to help and support all their activities especially my son, daughter in law and granddaughter.” She is proud of her son and his business partner’s success and thankful for the community’s support of their two food locations. Even with that success, she adds, “A mom worries about their children for a lifetime.”
This Thanksgiving, RoAnn is grateful for the life and career she has built here. “I have been very fortunate to have had a great career spent serving my community as well as the state of NY. I am grateful to have had those opportunities.” After years of helping others through some of their most important moments, what she values most is simple: “I am grateful for my family and our good health because without that nothing else matters.”
