NYSAA Executive Board Candidates

Lisa Gorée - Candidate for President

My name is Lisa R. Goreé and I am the Sole Assessor for the Town of Southampton.  With my husband Kristin of 41 years, together we have raised 3 beautiful daughters who have blessed us with 6 wonderful grandchildren.  We live on the Shinnecock Reservation, the oldest self-governing Native American tribe in NY State. In 2024 I was elected to serve as the Chairwoman of the Shinnecock Indian Nation.  The first female leader of our nation in over 230 years.  I am also the first Native American to hold a department head position in the Town and like my ancestors, in some way, I consider myself “a keeper of the land.”

I’ve worked in the Town of Southampton Assessor’s Office for over 25 years, having first started as an Assessment Clerk.  Since then I’ve held several titles, including Deputy Assessor for 4 years and later appointed Sole Assessor in 2013.  With a staff of only 10, including myself, I am charged with overseeing the valuation of more than 50,000 parcels that include 37,000 residential properties. We average approx. 1,500 annual sales, 5,000 grievances, 1,200 SCAR’s, and 2,500 certioraris.      

I was involved with the 2004 town-wide reassessment where I over saw the data collection and data conversion process from Boeckh to Marshall & Swift.  In 2011 we implemented the online grievance submission process by providing an electronic fillable PDF application on our website which is then emailed directly to our MS Outlook grievance inbox.  Applications are assigned a parcel ID associated with their tax map number and subsequently uploaded to their individual files located in our database.   This process allows the Town to email 95% of the BAR notices which has saved the Town thousands of dollars annually in time, staff and printing. 

Since becoming a member of the NYSAA Executive Board, I’ve served on several committee’s as well as chaired the By-Laws and Constitution Committee for the last 5 years where we’ve made changes for the benefit of our NYSAA members and executive board.  It is important that we continue to educate ourselves, but it is as equally important to educate our local officials and constituents on the ever changing real property tax laws and the impact if has on standard assessment practices.

I look forward to sharing in the education and work of the NYSAA.

Heather L. Weinhold - Candidate for First Vice President

Heather L. Weinhold was raised in Guilderland, NY and is currently the Assessor for the Town of Guilderland and the Town of Knox. She was born into the assessment community as her mother worked in the Town of Guilderland's Assessors Department for 37 years maintaining the role of Assessor for 16 of those years. Throughout Heather's younger years she was known as the Town Hall mascot.

Heather attended Mohonasen High School participating in the travel Marching Band through 12^th grade, graduating in 2003. Participating in the Marching band gave way to wonderful friends, taught time management with having to juggle studies along with two weekly practices and traveling for competitions on the weekends. After high school Heather's strong work ethic

enabled her to complete her 4-year degree in just 3 years, at SUNY Oneonta earning a Bachelor of Science in English. During college breaks Heather would return home and work part time for her mother in the Assessor's office, doing clerical work and assisting with a reassessment in 2005.

Heather's career started full time in the spring of 2013 when the opportunity arose for the position of Assessment Clerk. From that moment on, the end goal was to become the next Town Assessor to continue on the legacy that runs in her blood. One Day seminars, conferences, along with courses given by New York State Tax and Finance soon began to get her closer to that goal. In July of 2020 Heather was appointed to Sole Assessor for the Town of Guilderland. Since taking office, Heather has made sure to maintain a positive and welcoming work environment for all staff and residents alike.

NYSAA means more than just a professional association, it stands for support, knowledge, growth, integrity. It stands for a family of workers who go above and beyond to make sure that we are giving the best information and assistance to our municipalities and residents. It stands for a group of peers who will help you no matter what time of the day to answer your question so that you may assist your resident to the best of your ability. It is an Association that every member should be proud to be a member of.

During my first term as an Executive Board member, I have had the privilege of sitting on many different committees that our association has to offer. I have been or currently are still a member of the Membership/Mentoring committee, Memorial committee, Annual Conference committee, Legislative committee, Ethics committee, Awards committee, RPSO with New York State Tax and finance and RPTAC. Being a part of these committees and aiding in the growth of our association is a big part of why I became a board member. I have been able to assist in gaining new members for our organization, keep an accurate mentoring list for those who may reach out for guidance, help to create a future succession plan and how to get new individuals into this field. Most recently I have begun a relationship with the Department of Taxation and Finance on the RPTAC and RPSO committee to help create a positive relationship between NYSAA and Tax and Finance along with making sure that items brought up by fellow assessors are heard.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I am looking forward to serving on our Executive Board for another term.

John J. Noto, Jr., IAO - Candidate for Second Vice President

John J. Noto, Jr. is a seasoned real estate and property tax professional with more than three decades of leadership experience spanning real property assessment, valuation, tax administration, brokerage, project management, and government relations. Throughout his career, he has built a reputation for strategic problem-solving, operational leadership, and expertise in navigating complex real estate and taxation matters.

Currently serving as Sole Assessor for the Town of Clarkstown, John oversees all operations of the Assessor’s Office and is responsible for managing approximately 28,000 parcels. In this role, he provides oversight of assessment administration while ensuring compliance, fairness, and efficiency in municipal property valuation practices.

In addition to his public service, John is Founder and President of JJN Real Estate and Real Property Tax Consultants, a boutique consulting firm specializing in real property tax review, strategy, and appeals. His extensive background also includes leadership positions with municipalities, consulting firms, and private-sector organizations, including roles with the City of Yonkers, Paradigm Tax Group, Normandy Real Estate Partners, and the County of Rockland. Across these positions, he has managed large portfolios, led valuation and appeal efforts, negotiated complex agreements, and advised public officials and private clients on real estate strategy and taxation matters.

John holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from St. Thomas Aquinas College and maintains multiple professional credentials, including New York State Certified Assessor, Certified County Director of Real Property Tax, Professional Assessor designation, and New York State Licensed Real Estate Broker. He is also actively involved in professional organizations and community service, including leadership roles within assessor associations and long-standing volunteer service with the National Ski Patrol.

Jeremy Baracca - Candidate for Executive Board Member

Before getting into Assessment administration, I had been a full-time Certified Real Estate Appraiser since 2002. After several slow years in the appraisal business during the housing market crash, I decided to switch gears and try my hand in assessment administration. That led me to the City of Newburgh where I applied for and was appointed the Assistant Assessor position in October 2015. There, I worked with Joanne Majewski to maintain a 100% equalization rate and performed two in-house reassessment projects, one in 2017 and one in 2020. Then in September 2021, I became the Assessor for the Towns of Rochester, Marbletown and Rosendale in Ulster County. In February 2025, after demonstrating the need for a full-time assessor, I lobbied the Town Board and became the full-time Assessor in the Town of Rochester. I then began preparation to perform a town-wide reassessment project for the 2026 assessment roll. As of this writing, I have completed the grievance process and filed the final roll after a very contentious and controversial period during the 2026 reassessment project. But that is a story for another day. My personal interests include bow hunting, hiking, kayaking, bicycling, birding, and almost anything to do with the outdoors. I have a 1970 Dodge Challenger that I have owned since 1990, and I am currently in the process of restoring it. I enjoy bringing it to classic car shows in the area. I have one son who has recently graduated from High School and will be attending the University of Kentucky in August.

Tom Cardinal - Candidate for Executive Board Member

Thomas Cardinal, SCA, is the Assessor for the Town of Salina in Onondaga County and the Town of Lenox in Madison County. He began his assessment career as an Appraisal Aide with the Town of Salina and now serves as Assessor for both municipalities.

Tom served as President of the Onondaga County Assessors Association in 2025 and Vice President in 2024. He is a member of the New York State Assessors Association and the International Association of Assessing Officers. He was recognized as NYSAA Outstanding New Member in 2022 and received a NYSAA Certificate of Appreciation in 2025.

Tom currently serves on the NYSAA RPS Governance Committee, the NYSAA Assessment Tools & Technology Committee, and the RPSO Constituents Group. Through this work, he has been involved in discussions regarding RPSv4 and RPSO, assessment technology, system functionality, and tools that can better support local assessment offices.

Before entering the assessment field, Tom worked in finance, investment support, credit counseling, and financial advising. That background has helped him in valuation, budgeting, taxpayer communication, and explaining complex issues in a practical way.

Tom is running for the NYSAA Board because he believes the association plays an important role in supporting assessors across New York State. Assessment offices continue to face staffing challenges, changing technology, new legislation, and increasing public expectations. If elected, Tom would bring a practical, working-assessor perspective to the Board and would support continued education, improved communication, thoughtful use of technology, and strong representation for the assessment profession.

Raymond Flammer, IAO, RES, Candidate for Executive Board Member

Ray Flammer has served as the City Assessor for the City of Long Beach for the past nine years. Long Beach is located on a barrier island off the south shore of Long Island, where Ray grew up and continues to reside. It was a personal goal of his to one day have a three-minute commute and to serve the city he calls home as it continued its recovery from Superstorm Sandy.

As Assessor, Ray serves as Chairman of both the Board of Assessors and the Board of Assessment Review. He previously served as the City Treasurer.

Prior to joining the City of Long Beach, Ray worked for the Nassau County Department of Assessment for eighteen years. During his tenure with the County, he held a variety of positions, including Residential Field Supervisor. He participated in nine reassessments, including Nassau County's first countywide reassessment since 1938.

Ray is a New York State Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser and an approved Supervisory Appraiser. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration from Long Island University and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in administration. In 2012, he earned the prestigious IAO designation from the Institute of Assessing Officers. In 2023, he was awarded the Residential Evaluation Specialist (RES) designation from the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) and is currently a candidate for the Assessment Administration Specialist (AAS) designation.

If reelected, Ray hopes to expand educational opportunities available to members and help grow the Association's membership base. He believes the Association is only as strong as its membership and looks forward to continuing to serve. Ray considers the opportunity to represent and serve the membership a tremendous honor.

Vicky Fradella, IAO - Candidate for Executive Board Member

My name is Vicky Fradella, and I hope you will consider voting for me to serve on your Executive Board. I believe I can bring a unique perspective to our community that will further enrich and strengthen our organization.

In my current position with the Nassau County Department of Assessment as a Certified Assistant County Assessor, I have gained a perspective that I believe is not currently fully represented on the Board. As part of a large special assessing unit, I have developed a unique understanding of the educational and professional needs of areas that are sometimes overlooked, while also gaining insight into the many nuances of our profession.

In addition, as a civil service-appointed member of the assessment community, I have served in multiple leadership roles within our local union, including my current position as Vice President, which I have held for more than 16 years. These roles have provided me with valuable experience mentoring and guiding employees at all levels throughout various stages of their careers. They have also strengthened my leadership abilities beyond my responsibilities as an Assistant County Assessor. It would be a great honor to bring these experiences and skills to the NYSAA community.

I have been a member of the assessment community for more than 23 years and earned my IAO certification in October 2021. Since receiving my certification, I have remained actively involved in NYSAA serving on several comittees including the Conference Committee, IAO Awards Committee, IAO One Day Seminar Committee, and the NYSAA Constitution and Bylaws Committee. I have greatly enjoyed expanding my knowledge through interactions with not only the IAO community but the broader NYSAA membership as well.

I also completed the NYSAA Instructor Training Workshop, which further enhanced my educational and leadership skills. The knowledge and experience I gained through that program would help me effectively serve as an Executive Board member and contribute to the continued growth of our educational offerings. One of my primary goals would be to expand accessibility to the NYSAA educational platform for all members while exploring new educational initiatives.

Additionally, I would like to serve as a resource for members who are interested in becoming more involved but may be unsure where to begin. My vision is to strengthen and enrich our community for current members while also growing our membership by making NYSAA an organization that appeals to professionals at every level of the assessment field.

I look forward to the opportunity to serve you as a member of the Executive Board and thank you for your consideration.

Stephen Pigeon - Candidate for Executive Board Member

I started my real estate career working at the appraisal company ENPM, Inc. My first assignment was data collection for the Cheektowaga reassessment project. This led me to working on several different reassessment projects including the Towns of Scriba and Wellsville. My duties included scanning of parcel documents, performing field reviews of inventories, and modeling/valuation training. I was an assessment consultant for the Town of Hanover, helping with various tasks in the Assessor’s office including reviewing building permits, inventory input, and valuation. My employment at ENPM Inc, as an appraiser assistant, involved training in both residential & commercial properties.  

 I got an opportunity at the Town of Orchard Park as the Real Property Appraiser in the assessment office. This position included training in all the aspects of the assessment system under experienced mentors. This led to the desire to further my career in the assessment field.

In 2015, I was hired as the Assessor for the City of Geneva and City of Canandaigua. I conducted my first in-house reassessment project in the City of Geneva in 2016. It went so well that City of Canandaigua wanted me to conduct their reassessment project in 2017. Getting into the reassessment cycle, I did a reassessment in 2020 for the City of Geneva and 2021 for the City of Canandaigua. This is where I learned more about Article 7 cases. In the City of Geneva, we had a foundry which contaminated 225 properties with arsenic and lead. This led to dealing with how to assess those properties during the years of cleanup process.

I was raising my young son full time, so decided to move back to East Aurora in 2023 to be closer to family. I am currently the Assessor for the Town of Aurora.