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ODI Staff Spotlight: Daniel Paterson
By Rena Micklewright
UCS Office of Diversity and Inclusion
 Principal Court Analyst Daniel Paterson joined the ODI staff in 2021, but his career with the UCS goes back to 1991, when he was hired as a court analyst in the NYC Criminal Court.
“I still remember it, room 150 at 100 Centre Street,” recalled Daniel with a smile. “I later worked in the Borough Chief’s office, and after that, joined Family Court in the CSET part.”
After almost a decade in the courts, Daniel came to OCA in 2000. He worked for the Purchasing Department for several years, and then joined the Office of Public Affairs. “In Public Affairs, we did a lot of community outreach, and I was very involved with the Student Ambassador (internship) program,” Daniel said. “To this day, I will occasionally get a call or an email inquiry from someone interested in participating as a Student Ambassador. It was a great program, and I enjoyed interacting with the students. They bring a lot of goals, ideas, and passion to this work.”
In 2016, Daniel had an opportunity to join the staff at the Judicial Institute in White Plains. “I assisted with the educational programs at the J-I, and was fortunate to work with the Hon. Juanita Bing Newton (former DCAJ and Dean of the Judicial Institute) – one of the greatest, a leader and visionary.”
Daniel returned to Beaver Street in mid-2021, to become part of the Office of Diversity & Inclusion. “ODI strives to create a culture in the court system that supports all identities – a place where you can come to work and can be yourself,” he said. “That helps everyone to feel more comfortable, and when we’re comfortable, we can work more efficiently, without bias. And employees know that they can come to us (in ODI) if they need help or guidance with these concerns.”
Daniel is a born-and-raised New Yorker who loves Harlem, where he lives. “Harlem is a place filled with history,” he said. “I serve on the Community Board, and there is a lot of work that goes into trying to improve the neighborhood, so that everyone, young and old, can enjoy it and feel safe.”
Husband to Eloise – whom he lovingly describes as “my anchor” -- Daniel is a proud Dad of three boys. “But” he says, laughing, “It's our dog Darcy, a feisty Jack Russell terrier, who really runs the house!”
During his off-work hours, Daniel enjoys “Anything outdoors, especially bicycling, basketball, and swimming. In 2014, I completed the NYC Marathon. But these days, I usually don’t run that far.”
Earlier this year, at the annual National Action Network conference, Daniel had the opportunity to meet Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd (https://www.georgefloydglobalmemorial.org/). “It was incredibly emotional meeting him and knowing what his family had been through. To me, it feels like many of the issues of the Civil Rights movement are surfacing generations later, yet we continue to move forward and work to build unity.”
L-R: Philonise Floyd and his wife with Daniel at the National Action Network conference.
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