Cardinal Timothy Dolan named Father Dennis A. Nikolić the interim dean of Ulster County on October 1, 2023. Father Nikolić will retain his position as dean of dean of Orange County and pastor of the Church of St. Joseph, Middletown.

A native of Staten Island, Father Nikolić attended St. John Neumann Seminary Residence and then St. Joseph’s Seminary, and was ordained by Cardinal Edward Egan in May, 2002. He served as parochial vicar at the Church of St. Joseph, Middletown, from 2002 to 2009, and was named its pastor in 2009. He was named dean of Orange County in October, 2019.

The Archdiocese of New York has 13 deaneries: Staten Island; South Manhattan; North Manhattan; East Bronx; West Bronx; South Westchester; North Westchester; Rockland; Orange; Putnam; Dutchess; Ulster; and Sullivan.

A deanery is a geographical division or grouping of parishes within an archdiocese or diocese, headed by an area or rural dean.