Senator Skoufis Welcomes New Chief of Staff, and Assigns Emma Corey as Director of Investigations

Senator James Skoufis (D-Orange County) announced the appointment of Jacob Salzmann, a state and federal public servant, as Chief of Staff to oversee the day-to-day operations of the Senate office, including handling constituent services, grant coordination, community engagement, investigations, communications, and policy. Longtime Skoufis team member, Emma Corey, is relocating full time to the Senator’s Albany office, where she will serve as Director of Investigations & Senior Advisor, leading examinations for the Senators’ Investigations and Government Operations Committee. 

”I have no doubt that both of these colleagues will serve these roles impeccably with an unwavering dedication to the Hudson Valley. Jacob brings a unique perspective to the office and Emma has long remained a formidable asset to everyone on the team,” said Senator Skoufis. “I’m looking forward to working together to advance the goals of our district.”

“As a lifelong Hudson Valley resident, I am honored to join Senator Skoufis’ office and serve the folks of Orange County. The Senator’s years of commitment and service to his community is admirable, and I look forward to joining that legacy of delivering the results our communities deserve,” said Salzmann.

“Serving Orange County alongside Senator Skoufis and this phenomenal team has been an incredible privilege. I look forward to continuing to represent the interests of our Hudson Valley neighbors as we pursue investigatory work that shines a light on government waste, fraud, and abuse,” said Corey.

ABOUT CHIEF OF STAFF JACOB SALZMANN

Prior to joining Senator Skoufis' team, Jacob worked at both the federal and state government levels, serving under former Hudson Valley Congressman and current New York State Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado. Most recently, he served as Upstate Political Director for Delgado.

During his service in Delgado's congressional office, Jacob worked to deliver critical constituent services for a freshman member of Congress during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as serving as the director of district office operations for the 11-county battleground district. Following Delgado's appointment as New York Lieutenant Governor, Jacob served as Special Assistant and Director of Upstate Outreach, leading a diverse portfolio in the Lieutenant Governor's office. Jacob led non-profit and community relation outreach north of New York City and travelled across the state to execute events and meetings alongside the Lieutenant Governor, in addition to leading communications for the office.

Jacob received a B.A. in political science from the State University of New York at New Paltz and is a lifelong Hudson Valley resident, residing in Kingston.

ABOUT DIRECTOR OF INVESTIGATIONS EMMA COREY

Emma began as the office’s Director of Communications in 2021 and was promoted to Chief of Staff in 2023. Prior to joining the Skoufis team, Emma served as a strategic communications consultant for arts organizations across the country, helping them tell better stories to drive audience and donor engagement. 

As the first full-time Director of Marketing and Communications for the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival in Putnam County, she grew the Festival’s profile regionally and nationally, hitting annual revenue targets of $1.3M, welcoming 35,000 visitors each year, and helping the organization position itself for its eventual 2022 campus expansion. She previously served in administrative and marketing roles with Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts in Westchester.

Emma received a B.S. in visual art from the State University of New York at New Paltz. Now residing in Saratoga Springs, she grew up in the Adirondacks, where she developed an early passion for small town public service.