Brian Fessler is NYSSBA’s Chief Advocacy Officer, a position he has held since January 2025. He has served as the association’s chief lobbyist since February 2020, and first joined the NYSSBA staff as a governmental relations representative in January 2014. He brings to NYSSBA nearly two-decades worth of experience in government relations, school finance and other education policy issues.

Prior to joining NYSSBA, he was a specialist with Questar III BOCES State Aid and Financial Planning Service, where he assisted school districts and BOCES with state aid, taxation and other school funding issues. Before that role, Brian was a legislative associate for The College Board, where he supported the organization’s government relations efforts in state capitals from the northeast through the mid-Atlantic.

Brian received his bachelor’s degree in political science and history from the University at Albany and holds a master of public administration degree from Rockefeller College at the University at Albany.