State Names Mark Sollohub Executive Deputy Commissioner
The New York State Department of Veterans' Services has elevated its outreach special assistant to a senior leadership role.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Military Jobs
The New York State Department of Veterans' Services appointed Mark Sollohub as executive deputy commissioner, announced in a department news release on Thursday. Sollohub, a Navy veteran, previously served as special assistant for outreach at the agency.
Why it matters
The appointment places a veteran with community outreach experience in a senior role overseeing agency priorities, operations, and services for veterans across New York. It signals a continued focus on connecting service members and their families with benefits and support.
The announcement records a single leadership appointment within the agency, with no budget, staffing, or program figures reported. The source does not specify how many veterans the department currently serves.
The players
Mark Sollohub
Mark Sollohub is a Navy veteran who previously served as special assistant for outreach at the New York State Department of Veterans' Services.
Viviana DeCohen
Viviana DeCohen is the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Veterans' Services, overseeing the agency's benefits and support programs.
The details
Sollohub will work alongside Commissioner Viviana DeCohen on agency priorities, operations, and services. In his prior role he worked on community partnerships, outreach, and connecting veterans with benefits, and the department says he has deep roots in New York's Capital Region.
Timeline
Thursday: The department announces Sollohub's appointment in a news release.
Military Jobs Landscape
The appointment reflects the New York State Department of Veterans' Services model of pairing community outreach with benefits navigation, the work it describes as connecting veterans, service members, and military families with support. Elevating an outreach specialist to executive deputy commissioner places that connection work at the top of the agency's operational leadership.
Veterans, service members, and military families in New York who need benefits or support can work with the department's outreach and benefits teams under its new leadership. Those seeking assistance can contact the agency to learn about available services.
The takeaway
Veterans and military families in New York benefit most when outreach leaders hold senior authority over services. Checking the state veterans portal can connect you to benefits you may not yet know you qualify for.
Further reading
Explore more on Military Jobs to see how veteran employment and state services connect.
More information
Schedule time with a state veterans benefits adviser through the New York State Department of Veterans' Services website.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Fingerlakes1.
