John P. Cahill

Chancellor, Archdiocese of New York

John P. Cahill was appointed chancellor of the archdiocese of New York by Cardinal Timothy Dolan in October 2019. He is the first layperson to hold the position. As chancellor, he oversees the temporal matters of the archdiocese on behalf of the cardinal.

Prior to his service for the archdiocese, Cahill served as the senior counsel to the law firm of Norton Rose Fulbright where he concentrated on energy and environmental issues and was recognized as one of the leading utility lawyers in the country. He was also the cofounder of the Pataki-Cahill Group, a strategic consulting firm focusing on the economic and policy implications of domestic energy needs.

Cahill has had a distinguished career in the public sector. He was appointed secretary and chief of staff to Governor George E. Pataki (the highest appointed position in the state) on February 27, 2002, and in May 2005 he was given the added responsibility of leading and coordinating the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site in lower Manhattan. He also served as senior policy advisor to Governor Pataki, where he advised the governor on a full range of critical issues including the coordination of the state’s response to the aftermath of the attacks of September 11, 2001.

Cahill first joined the Pataki administration as general counsel to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in 1995. In 1997 he was appointed commissioner of the DEC, where he led the state agency responsible for enhancing and protecting the state’s natural resources. He also served as chairman of the Environmental Facilities Corporation, the public authority responsible for investing in public infrastructure related to environmental protection. Prior to joining the DEC, he was a partner in the New York City law firm of Plunkett & Jaffe, P.C., where his practice focused on environmental and municipal issues.

Cahill has been recognized by numerous organizations for his public service. He was a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, which is presented to United States citizens for their outstanding contributions to America. The Adirondack Council awarded him with the Conservationist of the Year Award for his conservation efforts in the Adirondack Park. The National Audubon Society presented him with its William B. Hoyt Environmental Excellence Award for his statewide conservation efforts. He was honored by the Historic Hudson Valley as the recipient of their Hero Award for his extensive work in preserving the historic heritage of the Hudson Valley.

Cahill currently serves on the board of trustees for the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, Archbishop Stepinac High School-White Plains, and the Open Space Institute. He is a member Sterling National Bank board of directors.

Cahill received his Juris Doctor degree and a Master of Law in environmental law from Pace University Law School. He received his BA in economics from Fordham University.

He is an avid long-distance athlete, having completed numerous marathons and triathlons including several Lake Placid Ironmans.

John and his wife, Kim, have four children and reside in Yonkers, New York.