Former North Country Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava will serve as Deputy Secretary for Local Government at the Department of State, according to an announcement of appointments to state government from Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office.

Scozzafava, a Republican from Gouverneur, was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1999-2010, serving as Minority Leader, Pro Tempore from April 2009-December 2009. She served as Chairwoman of the Assembly Republican Review Committee and the Save NY Task Force.

She ran for Congress in a special election to fill the seat vacated by John McHugh when he was appointed to be Secretary of the Army in the Obama administration. Facing strong opposition by Conservative Doug Hoffman and little to no support from national Republican leaders, she dropped out of the contest just before the election, endorsing the eventual winner, Democrat Bill Owens. After that, she did not seek re-election to the Assembly.

Prior to the Assembly seat, Scozzafava was Mayor of Gouverneur from 1994-1998. In the private sector, she spent 20 years working for Tucker Anthony/RBC Dain Rauscher as an investment advisor.

She is a graduate of Boston University and received an MBA from the Clarkson School of Management in Potsdam.