Ali Oliver brings heart, dedication, and a forward-thinking mindset to her work in public service – qualities shaped as much by her professional journey as by her life experiences outside the office!

Ali is a proud parent of two teenagers and, together with her husband, a former licensed foster parent through Chenango County. That path led to the foster adoption of their daughter, an experience Ali fondly summarizes by joking that she once had a “license to parent.” Her family-first perspective carries through in everything she does, grounding her leadership style in empathy and collaboration.

Professionally, Ali holds an Associate of Science in Business Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Business, Management and Economics, with a concentration in Human Resources Management, both earned through SUNY Empire State College. After spending nearly two decades in private-sector Human Resources and Payroll, she transitioned to public service just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. That shift, as Ali describes it, required her to “relearn” HR – particularly civil service law. Since then, she has embraced continuous learning, regularly researching local rules, state civil service law, and relying on NYSAPCSO resources while collaborating with colleagues across counties.

Ali currently serves in dual roles for Chenango County as Deputy Personnel Officer, a position she has held since April 2023, and Deputy Health Plan Administrator, which she assumed in January 2024. She began her county career in June 2022 as a Personnel Technician Trainee, following earlier public-sector experience that started in 2019. In these roles, Ali oversees a wide array of responsibilities, from employee relations, contracts, benefits administration, training, and compliance, to onboarding and offboarding, examinations, classification, and HR policy development. On the health plan side, she manages weekly claims processing, consults on plan issues, assists with new plan implementations and communications, and prepares reports and budgets. All of this is accomplished within a small but mighty 6.75 FTE office that supports a broad and demanding workload.

One of Ali’s proudest achievements has been helping rebrand the Chenango County “Personnel Office” into the “Human Resources and Civil Service Department.” She has played a key role in modernizing outdated processes (retiring typewriters in favor of computerized systems) while also contributing to a complete physical redesign of the office space and the adoption of cloud-based file sharing. Watching the department evolve has been deeply rewarding for Ali, who already has many more ideas for continued growth.

Ali describes herself as a collaborative leader who values balancing team input with professional intuition. She believes that understanding how decisions affect employees’ day-to-day work leads to better outcomes and stronger engagement – a philosophy that has helped foster trust and productivity within her team.

For those new to civil service, Ali’s advice is clear: get involved with NYSAPCSO. She strongly encourages joining the association, participating in the NYSAPCSO Google email group, and enrolling in the Paul Eldridge Mentorship Program. These resources, she notes, provide real-world answers, shared experiences, and invaluable support for navigating the complexities of civil service.

Looking ahead, if Ali could implement one improvement to the civil service system, it would be the continued revision of the testing process. She points to the success of the NYHELPS program, which has resulted in more than 150 approved local titles in Chenango County alone, significantly expediting hiring in this rural region of New York State.

Outside of work, Ali stays busy supporting her children’s sports and activities, spending time with her best friend over coffee or shopping trips, attending concerts with her large extended family, and enjoying family gatherings. She also loves reading and, unapologetically, enjoys eating cake.

Ali Oliver exemplifies the innovation, collaboration, and commitment that strengthen public service and the civil service profession – making her a valued member of both Chenango County and NYSAPCSO!