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Alex Stokes is a Director at HR&A Advisors, Inc., a real estate, economic
development and public policy consulting firm headquartered in New York
City. At HR&A, Alex has crafted strategies to guide the usage of public
incentives and financing tools, the provision of affordable housing and
open space, and the redevelopment of urban waterfronts and cultural
districts around the country. Alex also serves as an in-house advisor for
HR&A’s real estate practice and oversees the firm’s financial modeling
training program. Since 2015, Alex has co-taught a seminar on
redevelopment feasibility at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of
Design. Alex is a graduate of Harvard College and the University of ParisDauphine. Through Coro LNY, Alex hopes to explore the strategies and
partnerships required to support the equitable revitalization of New York
City’s neighborhoods and improve the quality of life of all New Yorkers.
Alice Shay is a city planner and urban designer with the Bloomberg
Associates Urban Planning practice. She develops strategic planning and
urban design projects that address waterfront infrastructure, public space,
neighborhood development, and the implementation of land use tools.
Prior to Bloomberg Associates, Alice worked with WXY Architecture and
Urban Design, architecture and planning firm focused on the public realm.
Alice consulted for the UN-HABITAT City Development Strategies program
in Indonesia with the non-profit organization, Solo Kota Kita (SKK). Alice
co-authored the Firm Foundation Social Design Field Guide, a guidebook
on participatory design. Alice received a B.A. from Brown University and a
M.C.P. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is a fellow of
the Urban Design Forum. Alice is joining Coro LNY to develop innovative
approaches to engage the relationship between equitable development and
the design of the public realm.
Allegra Blackburn-Dwyer is Director of Strategic Initiatives at the New
York City Department of Parks and Recreation, where she manages agencywide strategic planning and critical new initiatives that support a more
sustainable, resilient, and equitable city. Allegra has wide-ranging
experience in program design, management, and evaluation, as well as
communications, fundraising, and partnership development. Before joining
NYC Parks, Allegra held several positions at the Mayor’s Office and was
Chief of Staff for the Center for Economic Opportunity. In these roles, she
developed a vision for New York City’s anti-poverty agenda, launched new
programs, established learning networks, and built public-private
partnerships - raising over $130 million to complement city-led initiatives.
Allegra received a bachelor’s degree from Barnard College and an M.P.A.
from New York University. Allegra has joined Coro LNY to strengthen her
capacity to effect change and improve services for all New Yorkers.
Special thanks to Edelman, the Coro Leadership New York Program Partner, for their generous support
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Amanda Rothman Papir is the Deputy Director of the Association for a
Better New York (ABNY), a 45 year-old non-profit civic association
dedicated to the constant growth and renewal of New York City's people,
businesses and communities. As Deputy Director, Amanda is responsible
for developing and executing ABNY's strategic direction, priorities, and
agenda along with the Executive Director, overseeing ABNY's Young
Professionals Network, and working with 300 member organizations on
issue specific advocacy campaigns and policy proposals. Before ABNY,
Amanda worked as the Director of Development for JWM Productions, an
independent production company, where she honed her communications
and media skills. Amanda considers herself to be a community builder,
advocate for civic engagement, and a lifelong learner. She joined Coro LNY
to deepen her understanding and gain new insight into current and
complex policy issues facing NYC. Amanda graduated from Barnard College
with a degree in English and Film Studies.
April Gariepy is currently leading District-Charter Partnerships, one of
Mayor de Blasio's Equity & Excellence initiatives, for the NYC Department
of Education (NYC DOE). Through this work, she supports the creation of
meaningful opportunities for district and charter school collaboration for
sustained progress and the overall advancement of all students in New York
City through school-to-school, district-wide, and system-wide
programming. Previously, April focused on improving human capital
systems through her work with charter school network Achievement First,
TNTP’s Performance Management group, and the NYC DOE’s Division of
Human Resources and Talent. April is a National Urban Fellow with a
M.P.A from Baruch’s School of Public Affairs and a B.A. in Communication
Studies from Bridgewater State College. April resides in Brooklyn, NY
where her daughter is in 3rd grade at P.S. 11, and April serves on the
Parent-Teacher Association’s Executive Board.
April Schneider, PE, LEED AP ND is a Senior Engineer at LEVEL
Agency for Infrastructure, a for-profit, mission-driven business that
provides sustainable infrastructure solutions for cities around the world. At
LEVEL, April focuses on integrating ideas of equality, justice, and
sustainability within the engineering space to develop design solutions that
have wide-reaching social impact. She leads projects for water-related
infrastructure, working for clients across the public and private sectors.
April holds a M.U.P. from the University of Illinois at Chicago, a B.S. in
Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Wisconsin –
Madison, and a Certificate in Technical Communication from the
University of Wisconsin – Madison. April is passionate about cities and the
infrastructure systems that underpin their livability, and as an avid
traveler, brings a global curiosity and international perspective to all her
projects. She joined Coro LNY to expand her breadth of knowledge about
civic issues in New York City and develop the leadership skills that will
inspire the next generation of women engineers.
Special thanks to Edelman, the Coro Leadership New York Program Partner, for their generous support
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Barika Williams is the Deputy Director at the Association for
Neighborhood Housing Development (ANHD). She serves on the board of
the Atlantic Yards Community Development Corporation and of
CommonWise, a Bronx economic democracy organization. Throughout her
career, she has worked to promote and ensure equity and opportunity in all
neighborhoods, especially for low-income communities and communities of
color. Previously, Barika worked at the Urban Institute in Washington, D.C.
where she published on a number of topics including affordable housing,
healthy neighborhoods, urban mobility, neighborhood schools, tenant
rights, disaster recovery, and homelessness. She served as Project Manager
for a leading DC real estate firm and on a community-based comprehensive
education reform initiative. Barika holds a master’s from MIT’s
Department of Urban Studies and Planning and a bachelor’s degree from
Washington University in St. Louis. She joined Coro LNY to develop new
relationships and skills in service of NYC’s diverse communities.
Ben Kleinbaum is Senior Vice President at Capalino+Company, the city’s
largest government relations firm. Since joining the Capalino+Company in
2011, Ben has provided strategic advice for clients on issues related to
public policy, land use, and economic development, leading to long-term
sustainable successes. He has represented national trade associations,
premier private schools, major developers, and some of New York's largest
not-for-profit institutions. Previously, he worked on several political
campaigns across New York where he focused on organizing, data
management, and targeting. Ben is a graduate of Bard College and earned a
M.S. in Urban Policy Analysis and Management from the New School. Ben
is eager to attend Coro LNY so he can continue to grow as an advocate
for positive change in New York City.
Bethany Basile is the Director of Foundation Relations at Roundabout
Theatre Company, the nation’s largest not-for-profit theater. She
strategically builds philanthropic engagement in the intuition’s mainstage,
living artists, education, archives, and access programs. Most prominently,
she is raising funds for the Arts sector’s first technical theater workforce
development initiative, for which she is collaborating with JobsFirstNYC,
IATSE, The Door, and leading not-for-profit theaters across the city. Prior
to joining Roundabout, she worked on landmark initiatives at Brooklyn
Academy of Music (BAM), including securing a three-year funding contract
for 1.2 miles of free public Wi-Fi in downtown Brooklyn and collaborative
exchanges with three cities in upstate New York as an expansion of the
community’s celebrated DanceAfrica Festival. She is a graduate of New
York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. She joins Coro LNY to learn how
to leverage valuable artistic practices in improving programs serving New
York.
Special thanks to Edelman, the Coro Leadership New York Program Partner, for their generous support
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Bonnie McGuire is the Deputy Director of the NYC Parks’ Urban Park
Rangers, the city’s premier environmental educators. Bonnie manages all
fee-based programming for the Rangers including school, camp and youth
group environmental education and adventure programs. She oversees the
budget and purchasing, numerous special projects and programs, and has
led a number of trainings for seasonal and full-time staff. Bonnie has a
M.P.A. in Emergency Management from John Jay College and a M.S. in
Entomology from the University of Delaware. Her quest for knowledge and
belief in knowledge sharing has led her to join NYC Emergency
Management’s Community Emergency Response Team in an effort to
educate the community about emergency preparedness. Bonnie joined Coro
LNY to connect with others in the quest to empower New Yorkers with a
specific focus in being prepared for any situation.
Catalina Cruz, Esq. is the Director to the Joint Task Force on Worker
Exploitation and Employee Misclassification for the Office of Governor
Cuomo. Catalina oversees the coordinated enforcement and outreach of 13
state agencies combating worker exploitation. She has dedicated her career
to protecting the rights of low-income communities, holding positions in
government and the non-profit sector. She served as Counsel to the
Immigration Committee at the NYC Council, Counsel to the Division of
Immigrant Affairs at the NYS Department of Labor, Staff Attorney at the
Goddard Riverside Law Project, and as a Volunteer Assistant Attorney
General. Catalina serves on the board of the Latino Lawyers Association of
Queens County and the Cypress Hills Child Care Corporation. She graduated
from John Jay College and the CUNY School of Law. Catalina considers
herself an advocate for underprivileged New Yorkers and joined Coro LNY to
develop new approaches that promote their success.
Catherine Zinnel is Deputy Chief of Staff to New York City Council
Member Brad Lander in Brooklyn, who co-founded the Council’s Progressive
Caucus and serves as Deputy Leader for Policy. During her time at the City
Council, Catherine has organized new ways for people to become involved in
government decision-making—premised on the idea that by broadening
participation, we make more-equitable and better-leveraged investments in
our shared future. She has twice coordinated a year-long participatory
budgeting process, through which community members decide how to spend
$1,500,000 on local capital projects, and is currently leading “Bridging
Gowanus,” a community planning process for infrastructure and land use
regulations in the Gowanus Canal area. Catherine is a graduate of the
Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College and a 2010 New York City
Urban Fellow. She joined Coro LNY to meet change-makers with whom she
can collaborate and further develop her personal leadership style.
Special thanks to Edelman, the Coro Leadership New York Program Partner, for their generous support
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Cathy Kim is a Senior Program Officer with Enterprise Community
Partners, a national affordable housing organization dedicated to creating
opportunity for low- to moderate-income households. Cathy develops and
implements programs and policies designed to ensure access to affordable
housing and long-term housing stability for New York City’s most vulnerable
populations. Currently, she manages a direct impact program that is helping
the city address its homelessness crisis. Throughout her career, she has been
committed to developing innovative ways to use housing as a platform to
create access to economic opportunity. Cathy has a degree in Diplomacy and
World Affairs from Occidental College and a M.U.P. from Columbia
University. Cathy is passionate about creating pathways to opportunity in
New York City and she is excited to expand upon this work through her
experiences and with her colleagues within Coro LNY.
Chuck Whitt serves as an Assistant District Attorney at the New York
County District Attorney’s Office in Manhattan, the premier prosecutor’s
office in the country. As Deputy Bureau Chief of Trial Bureau 60, Chuck
helps supervise and train over 50 attorneys in his unit in all areas of criminal
investigation, trial advocacy, ethics, and professional skills development.
Chuck is a veteran prosecutor of violent crimes, domestic violence, identity
thief and vehicular crimes. He also serves on the office’s hiring committee.
He has a J.D. from Loyola University School of Law in Chicago, a master’s
degree in Communications from Howard University and a B.S. from Cornell
University. Chuck, a native New Yorker, believes that dedicated, honest
people working in public service can help build stronger communities.
Chuck lives in Brooklyn with his wife and eighteen-month-old daughter. He
joined Coro LNY to learn new ways of solving complex public policy
problems.
Christine Curella is the Director of Business Initiatives and Job Quality at
the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development. Christine founded and
directs Best for NYC, a campaign that leverages business impact
measurement tools to improve labor practices and increase community
investment. Previously, Christine led economic inclusion projects at the NYC
Economic Development Corporation, coordinated strategic planning for the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and consulted for the World Bank.
Christine has advised on community development initiatives in the Bronx,
Baltimore, and New Orleans. An avid dancer, Christine has performed with
Alvin Ailey’s Extension Program and Dance Place D.C. Christine holds a
bachelor’s degree from the Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College,
where she was awarded the Truman Scholarship for public service, and
received her M.C.P. from MIT. Christine joined Coro LNY to further the
skills and build the network to advance equitable economic development
across New York City.
Special thanks to Edelman, the Coro Leadership New York Program Partner, for their generous support
5
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Dana Yeganian is Senior Vice President, Communications at Global
Strategy Group, leading communications and public affairs campaigns for
multiple clients and overseeing client engagements and business
development. Dana joined GSG from a communications firm in North
Carolina where she served as EVP/MD for client services, leading the health
care, public affairs, energy and professional services practices. Earlier in her
career, Dana worked at Progress Energy and for North Carolina Governor
Jim Hunt, where she focused on early childhood and education issues. Dana
joined Coro LNY to get more involved in civic life in New York City and to
learn more about issues important to the vitality and livability of the city,
particularly for the city’s children. Dana is a graduate of the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Daniel McPhee is Executive Director of the Urban Design Forum, an
independent membership organization that convenes leaders in urban
planning, design and development to debate the defining issues facing New
York City and our urbanizing world. As Executive Director, he works with
the Board of Directors to present programming on issues like community
development, historic preservation, housing, open space, resiliency, and
transportation. In recent years, he has led inquiries into the redevelopment
of American public housing, the mass urbanization of China, and the future
of urban mobility. He is also the editor of the Forum's publications,
including Next New York: 40 Ideas for the Future of the Built Environment
and the Urban Design Review, which he edited from 2010 to 2013. He joins
Coro LNY to better understand the relationship between public policy and
the built environment.
Donovan Jones is the Director of Jurisdictional HIV Testing Initiatives at
the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. He supervises the New
York Knows HIV Testing Initiative, aimed at making sure all New Yorkers
are tested for HIV and are connected to HIV care and HIV prevention
services. Donovan and his staff manage coalitions in each of the five NYC
boroughs, run workshops, meetings, and develop social marketing
campaigns to increase HIV testing city-wide. They also provide technical
assistance to hospitals, health centers, non-profit and other partner
organizations to increase their capacity to meet the goals of the initiative. In
addition, Donovan serves on the Board of Directors for Big Apple
Performing Arts – the home of the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus and the
Youth Pride Chorus. Donovan is a graduate of the NYU College of Global
Public Health where he currently serves as an adjunct faculty member for
biostatistics and epidemiology. Donovan is passionate about HIV
prevention, social justice and health equity and is looking forward to
expanding his role in the public health landscape through Coro LNY.
Special thanks to Edelman, the Coro Leadership New York Program Partner, for their generous support
6
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Eleni Bourinaris is the Queens Borough Director in Government and
Community Relations at the New York City Economic Development
Corporation (NYCEDC). Eleni is the liaison between Queens elected officials,
the community and the various projects to ensure that we’re meeting the
needs of the area while achieving mission-aligned project goals over
implementation and build-out. Throughout her career in the public sector,
she has worked on the communications side of political campaigns,
developed outreach strategies for nonprofits and PR plans for sociallyconscious tech companies in the private sector. She earned her M.S. in
Urban Policy Analysis and Management at The New School for Public
Engagement – Milano and is a graduate of Rutgers University. Eleni is an
advocate for economic equity. She joined Coro LNY to extend the reach of
her network and learn how to use these levers to affect quality of life
improvements in New York City to strengthen neighborhoods.
Elizabeth Stewart is the Founding Executive Director of Civic Hall Labs, a
nonprofit designing and building technology pilots for the public good.
Having spent the last 16 years working with nonprofits, government, and the
private sector, she is demonstrating how open innovation, collaboration, and
digital tools can benefit the public and improve societal challenges at the
local level. As Cofounder and CEO of Impact Hub Los Angeles, she deployed
a variety of skills supporting social good start-ups ranging from clean tech to
community development. Elizabeth holds a M.U.P. in Economic
Development from UCLA. She has served on the board of the Liberty Hill
Foundation and Advisors in Philanthropy, LA. Elizabeth considers herself an
intermediary between sectors and disciplines and is excited to participate in
Coro LNY to gain more experience integrating a social justice lens when
building collaborations that drive civic innovation within cities.
Emily Msall is the Director of Strategy, Product, and Analytics at
Education Pioneers, a national non-profit organization dedicated to building
and connecting a network of leaders with diverse skills and perspectives to
transform our country’s education system so that all students receive an
outstanding education. Emily leads cross-functional strategy and planning
to strengthen EP’s core fellowships to better meet the needs of talent and
education organizations and advance sector-wide impact. Emily has spent
her career working to expand opportunities for underserved students, first at
the classroom level, as a Citizen Schools Teaching Fellow, and then at the
system level in a variety of roles at Education Pioneers over the past seven
years. She is a graduate of Columbia University, where she studied English
and Comparative Literature and developed a passion for NYC and a
commitment to social justice. Emily is dedicated to dismantling the
oppressive power structures that divide our city and our country, and joined
Coro LNY to deepen my understanding of the intersecting stakeholders,
interests, and issues that shape opportunity and access; and to build and
apply new leadership skills to drive systemic change in New York City.
Special thanks to Edelman, the Coro Leadership New York Program Partner, for their generous support
7
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Gina Barrow is the Associate Budget Director at Open Society
Foundations (OSF). OSF places a high priority on protecting and improving
the lives of people in marginalized communities all over the world. Gina
oversees the day-to-day budgetary operations of approximately $1 billion
annual budget. Prior to joining Open Society, Gina held numerous financial
roles within the Office of the Chief Financial Officer for the District of
Columbia. Her most recent position was the Education Cluster Budget
Director for D.C. Government where she was responsible for the
formulation, execution, and management of over $2 billion in local, federal
grants and capital funds. Barrow has a B.A. in international finance and
marketing from the University of Miami, and an M.P.A. from Baruch College
where she matriculated as a National Urban Fellow. She also considers
herself a promoter of education reform and joined Coro LNY to develop new
skills to help her realize this endeavor.
Halley Potter is a fellow at The Century Foundation, where she researches
public policy solutions for addressing educational inequality. Her work
focuses on school integration, preschool equity, charter schools, and college
admissions. She is coauthor, with Richard D. Kahlenberg, of A Smarter
Charter: Finding What Works for Charter Schools and Public
Education (Teachers College Press, 2014). A graduate of Yale University,
Halley taught at Two Rivers Public Charter School in Washington, D.C.,
prior to joining Century. In 2014, she co-founded the National Coalition of
Diverse Charter Schools, a grassroots advocacy and membership group
supporting the creation and expansion of quality racially and economically
diverse public charter schools. She is also a member of St. Ann and the Holy
Trinity Church in downtown Brooklyn. Halley joined Coro LNY to develop
new skills, perspectives, and relationships to help her become more effective
leader in pushing for inclusive and equitable public education.
Hanying Peng is the Deputy Director of Marketing and Compliance at
NYC Housing Partnership, New York City’s primary intermediary for the
development of affordable workforce housing. Hanying manages the day-today operations of the rental division of the department and together with her
staff ensures that affordable housing resources are fairly and efficiently
matched to clients and communities in need. She came to Housing
Partnership after several positions in urban planning and public policy. She
holds a M.P.A. from NYU Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service and is a
graduate of Fudan University in Shanghai, China. She is deeply committed
to affordable housing and other public policy issues that New York faces
today. Hanying hopes to bring her own international perspective to Coro
LNY while learning from her fellow participants.
Special thanks to Edelman, the Coro Leadership New York Program Partner, for their generous support
8
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Jillian Shagan is the Director of Community Health and Safety Strategies
for the Center for Court Innovation, where she oversees gun violence
prevention efforts – managing a portfolio of community violence prevention
programs, strengthening organizational understanding of the roots and
impact of violence, and planning new approaches to building safer and
healthier communities. She is also currently the Interim Project Director of
the Harlem Community Justice Center, a community court focused on
housing, youth justice, and offender reentry. In her 16-year career at the
Center Jillian has had multiple roles, including running the Crown Heights
Community Mediation Center, serving as Development Director, and
planning and implementing a variety of court and community-based
initiatives. Before joining the Center, Jillian directed the legal unit of
Lutheran Family and Community Services’ immigration and refugee
resettlement division. She received her B.A. from Oberlin College and her
J.D. from the NYU School of Law.
John Campos is the Director of the Soundview Cornerstone Program for
Phipps Neighborhoods; which is focused on addressing poverty in the one of
the lowest rated socio-economic communities in the country. Prior to
working for Phipps Neighborhoods, John worked in the business world for
over 25 years in several different leadership roles. His last position in
business was responsible for managing a national business service contract
for a Fortune 50 company. He is well-versed in P & L management, staff
development, strategic planning, HR management, and the
development/documentation of processes/procedures. He is also very
familiar with youth development and advocacy, community engagement and
outreach, mentoring, and program design/development. A graduate from
Saint Mary’s College of California, John believes that many of today’s
challenges can be effectively dealt with through collaboration on a strategic
level by multiple stakeholders and believes Coro LNY provides an exciting
opportunity to do so.
Julie Silverman is the Director of Communications at The Fresh Air Fund,
where she oversees communications strategy and media relations. She
previously served as The Fund’s Associate Director of Development and the
Director of Volunteer Programs. Since 1877, The Fresh Air Fund has
provided free summer experiences to more than 1.8 million New York City
children from low-income communities. The Fund also offers year-round
academic enrichment and leadership programs. Julie is a graduate of
Kenyon College with a B.A. in International Studies and holds a M.P.A. from
NYU Wagner’s School of Public Service. Julie’s love of travel and
volunteerism has brought her to Kenya, Ghana, Israel, Asia, and Central and
South America, but she always finds her way back to her native NYC. Julie
has joined the Coro LNY community to further develop her leadership skills,
while learning from and working with a network of individuals committed to
NYC.
Special thanks to Edelman, the Coro Leadership New York Program Partner, for their generous support
9
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Julius White is the Section Manager of Con Edison’s central warehouse
located in Astoria, Queens. Julius oversees the day-to-day operations of
material replenishment orders that are distributed throughout Con Edison’s
territory. He is responsible for fostering safe work practices, establishing
policies and procedures, and empowering a team of almost 70 employees.
Julius is an active member in the Company’s Power of Giving program, an
initiative dedicated to community involvement and he is a recipient of the
2015 Corporate Black Achievers Award from the Harlem YMCA. He has a
bachelor’s degree from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia and a M.B.A.
from St. John’s University in Queens, New York. Julius’ civic interests
include promoting community based initiatives that keep city youths active
and out of prison systems. Julius expects that the program will be an
enlightening experience and provide an opportunity to develop both his
personal and professional life.
Kaberi Banerjee-Murthy is the Vice President of Programs at the
Brooklyn Community Foundation. Kaberi leads the grantmaking, programs
and advocacy work to “spark change for a fair and just Brooklyn.” She has
fifteen years of philanthropic leadership in Education, Health, Community
Development, Civic Affairs and Arts & Culture at the local, regional and
national level. She serves on the Steering Committees for the Asian
Women's Giving Circle and the NYC Fund for Girls & Young Women of
Color. She has a B.A. from Carleton College in History and Women's
Studies, and a Ed.M. from Harvard University. She's had significant
experience traveling and living abroad, including a year traveling around the
world. Kaberi considers herself an advocate for social justice and racial
equity, and joined Coro LNY to develop new relationships to amplify
collective efforts to improve systems for under-served New Yorkers.
Kaitlin McCready is a senior account supervisor at Edelman, a
communications and marketing agency. In her role, Kaitlin works with
technology companies to create and tell their stories and connect with their
target audiences. Kaitlin has spent her career in corporate communications
in the technology industry, including helping to define and promote
awareness of corporate social responsibility programs. She also previously
served five years on the associate board at Malachi House, a non-profit in
Cleveland that works with the terminally ill who lack funds or an available
caregiver at the end of life. As a recent transplant to New York City and
advocate for connecting the public and private sectors, Kaitlin joined Coro
LNY identify common ground between these sectors to promote social
justice and diverse communities. Kaitlin received a B.A. in Communications
and Public Relations from Baldwin Wallace University.
Special thanks to Edelman, the Coro Leadership New York Program Partner, for their generous support
10
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Kala Wright is the Director of External Affairs at the Taxi and Limousine
Commission, the agency responsible for licensing and regulating New York
City’s taxi industry. Kala implements large scale outreach initiatives to taxi
licensees, industry members and elected officials and manages a team of
analysts who plan dynamic events and projects that inform the taxi
community. Throughout her career in city government, Kala has enjoyed
exploring challenges and creating systems of improvement, first at NYC311
as a Trainer/Developer, then at TLC’s Licensing Division as the Director of
the Call Center and Correspondence Unit. Kala has a degree in Education
from Tufts University and degree in Illustration from Pratt Institute. She
joined Coro Leadership to enhance her experience in addressing large scale
issues in city government and looks forward to learning with and from a
network of dynamic leaders.
Karla Cordero is the Chief of Staff for the Office of Energy Management
(DEM) at the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative
Services. DEM serves as a hub for municipal government’s energy supply
and energy efficiency programs and strategy, and plays a central role in
reducing the city’s building greenhouse gas emissions. Karla oversees the
day to day operations and manages a staff of seven in implementing energy
efficiency projects. Prior to her current role, she spent the majority of her
career in the social services arena developing programs and meeting
constituent needs. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from Fordham
University and is currently pursuing a M.P.A. from Baruch College. Karla is
a committed civil servant and aspires to shape polices to address equitable
challenges facing the city and joined Coro LNY to develop strategies to
impact policy decision-making in New York City.
Katherine Greig is a Deputy Director focused on building resiliency, flood
risk outreach and flood insurance advocacy at the NYC Mayor¹s Office of
Recovery and Resiliency. She is also the City’s liaison with the New York City
Panel on Climate Change, a team of leading climate scientists that provides
downscale climate change data for the New York City region. She previously
worked on the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force, the Boston
Consulting Group, and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. She has a
Master’s of Law and Diplomacy (MALD) from the Fletcher School of Law
and Diplomacy, an M.B.A. from Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business and a
B.A. from Stanford. She lives in NYC with her husband and two sons.
Through Coro LNY, Katherine hopes to expand her ability to reach and
influence New Yorkers who need to understand the risks and associated
costs of climate change.
Special thanks to Edelman, the Coro Leadership New York Program Partner, for their generous support
11
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Lacey Keller serves as the Director of Research and Analytics for the NYS
Office of the Attorney General. Her department works closely with senior
staff to support the Office of the Attorney General’s major initiatives,
investigations, and policy development. Since joining the Office of the
Attorney General in October 2013, Lacey has grown the Department of
Research and Analytics into a leading force in leveraging big data to make
cases. Her department, which includes the first data scientist to be hired by a
state attorney general, continues to explore cutting-edge technologies and
analytical techniques to improve the casework of the Office of the Attorney
General. Prior to working at the Office of the Attorney General, Lacey
worked in the research department at 32BJ Service Employees International
Union. Lacey holds a master’s in Economics from the New School for Social
Research in New York City and a bachelor’s degree in Business
Administration from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas.
Laura Rog is the Director of Volunteer Strategy and Development at NYC
Service, Office of the Mayor. In her role, she works with City agency and
non-profit partners to drive innovative strategies to connect NYC residents
to each other and the City through service, with a focus on developing outer
borough engagement. Laura began her service in 2002 as an AmeriCorps
VISTA with the NYS Education Department, and worked in both public
school and nonprofit settings prior to joining NYC Service. She has a B.A. in
English from SUNY Geneseo and an M.S. in Teaching and Curriculum from
the University of Rochester, and has an avid interest in topics relating to
service as social justice and the effect of civic engagement as a tool to help
communities thrive. Laura looks to Coro LNY to build a greater framework
to articulate and activate the potential that lies within all NYC communities.
Lauren Corona Racusin has built her career on strategically investing in
cities to improve urban life. As the Deputy Director for Empire State
Development in New York City, Lauren advances economic development in
New York State. She previously worked at Hudson Square BID where she
was responsible for the creation and execution of its $27 million streetscape
improvement plan. After graduating from Columbia’s GSAPP, Lauren was
awarded the Goodman Fellowship through which she developed and
implemented an urban planning project in Yangon, Myanmar. She has
worked on initiatives in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as well as Lima, Peru with the
U.S. Embassy in Peru. Lauren completed her undergraduate work at
Princeton University. Additionally, Lauren serves on Manhattan Community
Board 2 in the Land Use and Landmarks Committees, as the Executive CoChair for the Urban Land Institute’s Young Leaders Group, and on the Board
of Managers for the Chinatown YMCA.
Special thanks to Edelman, the Coro Leadership New York Program Partner, for their generous support
12
L EADER SHI P NEW YO RK 2 8 PRO G RAM
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Lauren Hare is an Account Supervisor in the Business + Social Purpose
practice at Edelman, where she advises clients on CSR programs and nonprofit fundraising and marketing. Before joining Edelman, Lauren spent 9
years raising funds for non-profits providing educational and college access
support to low-income youth. Her social change career began as an
Americorps volunteer at the D.C. Rape Crisis Center, leading presentations
on child sexual abuse prevention. Committed to LGBTQ equality, Lauren has
served on the Board of Directors of Right Rides for Women’s Safety and
Edelman Equal. After the Pulse shooting in June 2016, Lauren worked onthe-ground with Orlando’s LGBTQ community to build a nonprofit coalition
to support victims’ families and survivors. A graduate of Smith College with
a M.S. in Strategic Communications from Columbia University, Lauren
joined Coro LNY because she believes that social change is possible when
sectors collaborate and prioritize the greater good.
Lauren E. Wang is a Senior Resiliency Planner at the New York City
Department of Housing Preservation and Development. She creates and
advocates for local and federal policies in support of safer, more resilient
housing in the city’s waterfront neighborhoods. She also leads several
housing resiliency initiatives identified in the Resilient Edgemere
Neighborhood Initiative. Lauren previously worked with partners across
more than 15 agencies, firms, and non-profit organizations to streamline
development processes for Build it Back, a Sandy recovery program assisting
30,000 households in New York City. In her career she has held roles in the
design, planning, and legal industries. She has a M.S. in City and Regional
Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a B.A.
from Princeton University. Lauren joined Coro LNY to challenge her vision
of a resilient and sustainable New York with perspectives from other sectors
and disciplines.
Lisa Primeggia is the General Manager of Manhattan Electric
Construction at Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc., a
subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc., one of the nation’s largest investor
owned utilities, providing electric, gas and steam service to customers in
New York City. She is responsible for the maintenance and construction of
electric distribution equipment and facilities in Manhattan. Throughout her
career in Con Edison she has held various roles working in electric power
generation, transmission and distribution. Lisa was also an attorney in Con
Edison’s Commercial Transactions Group. She is a graduate of Polytechnic
University (now NYU Tandon School of Engineering) with a B.S. in
Mechanical Engineering and holds a J.D. from St. John’s University School
of Law. Lisa considers herself an advocate for women working in STEM
related occupations and has joined Coro to contribute to positive change
surrounding the education of our young women.
Special thanks to Edelman, the Coro Leadership New York Program Partner, for their generous support
13
L EADER SHI P NEW YO RK 2 8 PRO G RAM
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Marline Vignier is the Regional Minority Health Consultant at the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary
for Health in Region II (NJ, NY, PR, VI). Marline leads national and
regional initiatives eliminating health disparities, promoting disease
prevention and health equity in collaboration with federal, state, territorial,
tribal and community partners. During her career in the public sector, she
held several roles providing program management, capacity building, and
strategic planning addressing various emerging and public health issues.
Marline serves as a mentor to emerging professionals in the public health
workforce, and enjoys volunteering and mission work domestic and abroad.
She is a graduate of Cornell University, with a M.P.H. and a certificate in
Non-Profit Management and Leadership from the University of Albany. An
advocate for social justice, Marline joined Coro LNY to adopt new
approaches promoting change on public inequities affecting New York City.
Marlon Aranda is a Project Director in the Office of Strategic Assessment,
Planning, and Design at New York University. He has worked on several
large-scale planning and construction projects. Most recently, he has
focused on planning projects in Downtown Brooklyn, including the upgrade
to the NYU Tandon School of Engineering research facilities and the
renovation of 370 Jay Street for the new Center for Urban Science and
Progress (CUSP). Prior to coming to NYU, he worked at Rogers Marvel
Architects and Polshek Partnership as a designer – focusing on residential,
institutional, and higher education projects. Marlon is a registered architect
and received his B. Arch. from Syracuse University and his M.C.P. from MIT.
Marlon is interested in the impact of the built environment on its
surrounding communities. He joined Coro LNY to broaden his
understanding of how different organizations approach complex problems
and get things done.
May Yu is the Director of Neighborhood Planning at the New York City
Department of Small Business Services, where she oversees communitybased
revitalization
of
commercial
districts
in
changing
neighborhoods throughout the City. May has a background in community
organizing and international development, and has worked on large-scale
development projects in New York, Beijing, and Rio de Janeiro. Prior to
joining SBS, she worked as a Senior Project Manager at the New York City
Economic Development Corporation and as a Plenary Associate at the
Clinton Global Initiative. May holds a B.A. in Political Science from the
University of Chicago and a M.U.P. from Columbia University. She enjoys
street food, water sports, and bad puns. May joined Coro LNY to challenge
her current views on the complexities of city planning so she is better
equipped to build a more inclusive and dynamic city.
Special thanks to Edelman, the Coro Leadership New York Program Partner, for their generous support
14
L EADER SHI P NEW YO RK 2 8 PRO G RAM
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Morgan Monaco is the Associate Director for Project Management at the
Mayor’s Office of Operations, the City’s performance measurement and
management office. She has nearly ten years’ worth of government
experience at the intersection of environmental sustainability and social
justice. During her tenure at NYC Parks, she oversaw PlaNYC initiatives and
was the Director of MillionTreesNYC. At Operations, she helped to create
OneNYC, which combines sustainability, equity and resiliency policy into
one plan for NYC’s future. In her current role, she is responsible for applying
performance measurement to increase government accountability and
efficiency. Working with an array of agencies, she provides strategic insight
and project management leadership to design and implement policy.
Morgan has a M.P.A in Non-Profit Management from NYU Wagner, as well
as a B.A. in International Studies from Vassar College. She lives in Brooklyn
with her husband and two cats, Raymour and Flannigan.
Nahomie Louis is a Management Consultant Manager in Accenture’s
Health and Public Service practice, where she delivers consulting services
and best practices to local government. She supports her clients in several
capacities including organizational transformations, change management,
and business process design. Nahomie also serves as co-lead of Accenture’s
African American Employee Resource Group in New York focusing on
professional development, community service, and local market initiatives.
She received her B.A. in Business Administration from Northeastern
University. She has a passion for people development and innovation, and in
the wake of the digital disruption era, believes there is power in technology
to drive social change. Additionally, she believes in the power of the
individual and importance of community, which served as motivating factors
to join Coro LNY. In this program, she hopes to gain comprehensive
perspective of New York City’s civic landscape, and the essential tools to
make a valuable impact.
Patrick Yacco is the Manager, Executive Office & Special Projects at
Friends of Hudson River Park, a non-profit organization dedicated to the
completion and care of Hudson River Park. Patrick's role encompasses
several areas, including government affairs and development. While at
Friends, Patrick oversaw community outreach for the Chelsea Waterside
Play Area Capital Campaign, which allowed users to provide direct input for
the design of the project through surveys and public forums. Patrick is a
passionate environmental and social justice advocate, serving on the New
York League of Conservation Voters' Young Professional Committee and the
Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City. He received his B.A. and
M.P.A. from New York University. While participating in Coro LNY, Patrick
seeks to gain a deeper understanding of how New York City's government
influences the daily lives of its residents, and how it can help to create a
more just and equitable city.
Special thanks to Edelman, the Coro Leadership New York Program Partner, for their generous support
15
L EADER SHI P NEW YO RK 2 8 PRO G RAM
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Rachel Van Tosh is a Deputy Commissioner at the NYC Department of
Small Business Services. She oversees programs that help more than 10,000
businesses navigate government, start, and grow every year. Prior to her
position as Deputy Commissioner, Rachel worked in planning and economic
development roles at the NYC Economic Development Corporation, the NYC
Mayor's Office, and in community development non-profits in the
Philadelphia area. Rachel has a B.A. in Political Science from Haverford
College and an M.A. in City and Regional Planning from the University of
Pennsylvania.
Renee V. McClure-Mills is the Manager of Community and Customer
Management for National Grid, the largest distributor of natural gas in the
Northeast. Her expertise lies within IT and Community engagement. She
is a graduate of NYIT and California School of Ministry. Renee has
participated or held leadership roles in Junior Achievement, Future
Business Leaders of America, National Association of Negro Business and
Professional Women Young Adults, NY chapter and National BDPA,
Chairperson of Black Leadership at KeySpan. Currently, the Community
Chairperson of Alliance of Black Professional at National Grid, Secretary
of Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College, Co-Chair
of the MWBE Committee and Executive Board for the Brooklyn Chamber
of Commerce, Weeksville Board and an executive of the NYMAC American
Blacks in Energy. The methodology used by Coro provides the opportunity
to explore methods to identify creative tools for implementation.
Richard Kwon is Chief of Staff at Families for Excellent Schools (FES), an
advocacy organization working to shift the balance of power toward parents
through organizing parents and running strategic campaigns that enable
excellent schools to grow. He manages multiple strategic projects that help
the organization grow with strong culture and systems. Prior to FES, he
taught middle school math and history in East New York as a Teach for
America corps member and worked as an investment banker at Barclays
Capital. He is a graduate of Harvard University with a bachelor’s degree in
Economics, and holds a master’s degree in Education from Relay School of
Education. Having spent time in the private, public and non-profit sectors,
he wants to tackle the challenges of making New York City a better place to
live for all residents through Coro LNY. Richard lives with his wife and
daughter in Harlem.
Special thanks to Edelman, the Coro Leadership New York Program Partner, for their generous support
16
L EADER SHI P NEW YO RK 2 8 PRO G RAM
BI OG RAPHI ES 2 0 1 6 - 2 0 1 7
Robin Lester Kenton is the Vice President of Marketing and
Communications for Brooklyn Public Library, the fifth-largest public library
system in the country. Robin manages a team that oversees public
communications on behalf of the library, promoting free programs and
materials to all of Brooklyn’s residents. She previously served as the Director
of Strategic Communications for the NYC Department of Transportation,
and worked on projects including the launch of Citi Bike. She is also a board
member of the Bed-Stuy Parents Committee, a group dedicated to
supporting public schools in Brooklyn’s District 16. Robin received a B.S. in
Television, Radio and Film from Syracuse University, and an M.A. in
Sociology from the New School for Social Research. She is passionate about
explaining how the city runs in creative and engaging ways to engage local
residents. She joined Coro LNY to help further develop her team
management skills.
Romie Barriere is the Chief of Staff for the Division of Strategy and Policy
at the NYC Department of Education. In her current role, Romie advises the
Deputy Chancellor for Strategy and Policy and provides oversight support
for the Division of Early Childhood Education, the Office of Student
Enrollment and the Office of Field Support. Education and advocacy have
been key pillars throughout Romie’s career. She has worked to increase
equity and access in admissions for special populations including students
with disabilities and English language learners, advised States on federal
education programs and served as a Graduate Fellow at the US Department
of Education. Romie received her J.D. from Columbia Law School and was
admitted to the NY State Bar in 2011. Romie has worked almost exclusively
in the public sector and she is interested in exploring public policy from
diverse perspectives.
Ryan Chan is a Supervising Analyst in the Economic Development Unit at
the NYC Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget, where he oversees the
capital budgets of the City’s economic development agencies, as well as the
expense and operating budgets of the NYC Economic Development
Corporation. At OMB, Ryan focuses on how City dollars can be effectively
used to create jobs in the City and how they can be used to equitably expand
the City’s tax base. Through Coro LNY, he hopes to better understand how
the public sector can work with the non-profit and private sectors to deliver
better services to the public in a timely, cost-effective and equitable manner.
He is a graduate of Connecticut College and earned his M.P.A. from
Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, where he
concentrated in Urban Policy. He is also the current chairperson of the
Chinatown YMCA’s Board of Managers.
Special thanks to Edelman, the Coro Leadership New York Program Partner, for their generous support
17
L EADER SHI P NEW YO RK 2 8 PRO G RAM
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Scott Hobbs is the Deputy Director of the Union Square Partnership
(USP), a community-based organization proudly serving the 14th StreetUnion Square neighborhood for the past 40 years. USP’s mission is to
improve the quality-of-life for the district’s residents, businesses and
visitors, by providing public safety, sanitation, economic development and
marketing services, and investing in the beautification of Union Square
Park. At USP, Scott manages strategic planning, communications, vendor
relations, and the training and supervision of staff. Scott also oversees the
planning, fundraising, and execution of USP’s yearly events, including the
organization’s signature food and wine tasting event, Harvest in the Square.
The LNY Program is the next step in Scott’s quest to build great public
spaces. Through the program’s exposure to new ideas, a network of rising
leaders across industries, and a framework to problem solving, Scott hopes
to build a stronger foundation for affecting change and advancing policy.
Solana Chehtman is the Public Programs Manager at Friends of the High
Line, the conservancy that maintains, operates and programs the High Line
park. Solana is responsible for cultivating and engaging the diverse
community around the park through envisioning, producing and evaluating
unique and memorable cultural public programs that are free, reflective of
different voices, and relevant to diverse publics. Throughout her career
Solana has worked in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors, in the
areas of social development, education, and local government, both in her
country of origin, Argentina, and internationally. Solana moved to New York
in 2012 and joined Coro LNY to develop new ways to lead change as an
advocate for social justice and cultural equity in her new chosen home.
Sonam Velani is an Advisor to New York City’s Deputy Mayor for Housing
and Economic Development. She develops strategic policies to increase
affordable housing, build infrastructure, and promote economic
development throughout NYC. In conjunction with large, multi-disciplinary
teams across city agencies, Sonam manages initiatives such as the $2.5
billion Brooklyn Queens Connector streetcar project; the city’s $70 million
broadband strategy to close the digital divide; Women Entrepreneurs NYC,
giving women access to capital, courses, and mentorship to start and scale
their businesses; and neighborhood revitalization plans to bring housing,
jobs, and social services across the five boroughs. Previously, Sonam was an
Urban Development Associate at the World Bank. She helped plan, finance,
and implement infrastructure investments across South Asia, including
mass transit systems in India, coastal protection structures in Bangladesh,
and civic technology applications in Nepal. Sonam started her career at
Goldman Sachs, where she financed over $10 billion of infrastructure
projects for clients including the City of New York, the Metropolitan
Transportation Authority, and the Chicago Public Schools. Sonam has a B.A.
in Economics, Government, and Visual and Environmental Studies from
Harvard University. Continuously working to improve life for others less
fortunate, Sonam joined Coro LNY to meet others with similar passions and
together develop the skills to be effective change-makers.
Special thanks to Edelman, the Coro Leadership New York Program Partner, for their generous support
18