Ms. Benaquisto is one of three teacher members on the 10-member Retirement Board. First elected to her position in 2021, she serves on the Audit, Disability Review, and Investment committees.
A longtime NYSTRS delegate prior to joining the Board, Ms. Benaquisto has taught special education in the Schenectady City School District since 1988. She is past president and a current member of the executive committee of the Schenectady Federation of Teachers after having served as president for 16 years. Ms. Benaquisto has served NYSUT since May 2020 in several capacities, including serving as director of Election District 12 (ED-12) on the NYSUT Board of Directors.
She received her bachelor’s degree in special education at SUNY Geneseo and her master’s degree in education psychology from SUNY Albany.