Acting Commissioner
DENISE MIRANDA
Denise Miranda was nominated by Governor Hochul in March 2024 to serve as the Acting Commissioner of the Division of Human Rights (DHR). The Division is dedicated to eliminating discrimination, remedying injustice and promoting equal opportunity, access, and dignity. Recently, under Governor Kathy Hochul’s leadership, the Hate and Bias Prevention Unit was launched by DHR to help communities combat prejudice and discrimination.
Prior to this, Acting Commissioner Miranda was appointed and Senate confirmed as the Executive Director of the New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs for 7 years. Acting Commissioner Miranda has been actively engaged in the practice of law for nearly 30 years focusing her work on social justice issues and protecting the rights of vulnerable individuals. Prior to her appointment as Executive Director of the Justice Center, Acting Commissioner Miranda served for six years as Managing Director of the Urban Justice Center’s Safety Net Project (UJC) in New York City. UJC provides direct legal services, impact litigation, research and policy initiatives to achieve economic justice for low and no income New Yorkers. During her tenure Acting Commissioner Miranda facilitated free city-wide legal programs to ensure access to economic supports and federally subsidized housing for low and no income residents while also spearheading diversity equity and inclusion initiatives within the agency. In addition, Acting Commissioner Miranda also served as Co-Chair of the Public Housing Taskforce for the Women’s City Club of New York.
Acting Commissioner Miranda began her legal career as an Assistant District Attorney in the Domestic Violence and Sex Crimes Bureau of the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office. Her extensive experience working with domestic violence survivors served as a foundation for her transition to civil practice working as a Senior Attorney with the Network for Women’s Services and later when she established her own private practice. She graduated from New York University and from St. John’s University School of Law, is a member of the Bar of the State of New York, and is admitted to the Southern and Eastern Federal District Courts. Acting Commissioner Miranda is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the Puerto Rican Bar Association, 100 Hispanic Women of Westchester, Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus, the Latina Mentoring Initiative, and a legislatively-appointed member of the Westchester County Hispanic Advisory Board. She is an active volunteer in her community and resides with her family in Westchester County.
Executive Deputy Commissioner
SHANNON CANTIELLO
Shannon Cantiello is the Executive Deputy Commissioner for the Division of Human Rights. As part of her portfolio, she oversees the execution of the agency’s mission and the implementation of agency program and policy and has brought with her over a decade of state government experience to the role.
Shannon’s career includes serving as Chief of Staff for the New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs and prior to that, Deputy Executive Director for the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence. In those roles, she oversaw operations and policy initiatives to achieve the missions of those agencies and to offer collaboration with sister state agencies in pursuit of shared priorities. Shannon began her state career with the New York State Assembly Ways and Means Committee where she served as a Legislative Budget Analyst focusing on the state’s Human Services portfolio.
Her other public service work includes a variety of community-based volunteer work, serving as a Wish Granter with Make-a-Wish, and a board member of several non-profits throughout her professional life. She earned a BA in History/Political science/Education from the College of Saint Rose and an MS in History and Public Policy from SUNY Albany.
Deputy Commissioner, Enforcement
MELISSA FRANCO
In October 2011, Ms. Franco was appointed to serve as Deputy Commissioner for Enforcement. In that capacity, she is responsible for identifying potentially high impact cases and designing investigative plans to carry out Division Initiated complaints. Ms. Franco also oversees the prosecuting attorneys.
Prior to joining the Division, Ms. Franco was with the King’s County District Attorney’s office where she served in various capacities including First Deputy Bureau Chief of a Trial Division; Deputy Bureau Chief of the Grand Jury Bureau; and a Senior Trial Attorney.
Ms. Franco holds a JD from Fordham University and BA in Psychology from the University of South Florida.
Chief Administrative Law Judge
LILLIANA ESTRELLA-CASTILLO
Lilliana Estrella-Castillo was appointed Chief Administrative Law Judge of the New York State Division of Human Rights in May 2013. As Chief Administrative Law Judge, she is responsible for the day to day statewide operations of the Hearing Unit, involving supervision of Administrative Law Judges, as well as the Calendar Unit which schedules all administrative matters coming before the Unit.
Ms. Estrella-Castillo joined the Division in January 1999, as a Senior Attorney in the Office of Administrative Law Judges, a title she held until September 2002 when she was appointed Administrative Law Judge. As Administrative Law Judge, she presided over pre-hearing settlement conferences, preliminary conferences, and public hearings in cases where the Division issued a finding of probable cause.
Prior to joining the Division, Ms. Estrella-Castillo was an attorney in private practice for a boutique general practice law firm. She is a member of the National Association of Administrative Judiciary, a recipient of the 2022 State Academy for Public Administration Public Service Excellence Award, and a member of Governor Kathy Hochul’s Latina Mentoring Initiative with the New York State Mentoring Program.
Ms. Estrella-Castillo is a graduate of Fordham University and New York Law School.