WALDEN – Former Town of Woodbury Supervisor Katherine Luciani is expected to be named village manager of Walden, replacing interim manager Tony Cardone.
Luciani, a Republican, said she is expected to be officially appointed at the next Village Board meeting on Aug. 18. Her salary is expected to be up to $100,000. Cardone, who was appointed in June, was brought on board to provide steady leadership while the village searched for a permanent manager.
Luciani is also running for Town of Woodbury supervisor against Democrat Jackie Hernandez, who defeated her in November’s election, 1,646 votes to 1,475. Luciani said she will “stop campaigning” for Woodbury supervisor but will remain on the November ballot.
“I am excited and I look forward to serving as Village of Walden manager,” Luciani said. “As a supervisor, I was always hands-on, working closely with all departments, and I loved that part of the job. I will continue that in Walden, and I think this position is totally for me.”
Luciani served in the Town of Woodbury, first as a councilwoman and later as supervisor, from 2022 to 2025. She narrowly lost to Democrat Chris Eachus in the 2022 race for the 99th Assembly District, 18,539 votes to 18,531. Luciani currently serves as deputy clerk for the Village of Highland Falls.
If Luciani defeats Hernandez in November, she said she would appoint a deputy supervisor, who would then become supervisor.
“It was a difficult situation,” Luciani said. “I loved being a councilwoman and a supervisor, but the position in Walden gives my family and me more stability.”
Luciani takes over during a tumultuous time for the village. Cardone replaced John Revella, who was removed by the Village Board in May after 16 years as village manager.
Revella’s dismissal came two months after he was federally indicted on allegations that he filed false tax returns. Federal prosecutors allege Revella, who also serves as an Orange County legislator, underpaid his federal taxes by $383,322 during tax years 2019 through 2022.
He is also at the center of an investigation by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office into the Village of Walden’s Housing Rehabilitation Program. Multiple subpoenas have been issued in the investigation, which focuses on whether select participants, including a local real estate agent and members of his family, improperly received low-interest loans for which they may not have been eligible. Prosecutors allege Revella oversaw and approved the loans.
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