WESTCHESTER RESIDENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES - Key Persons
Alan, a board member since 1991 and now retired, served as IBM's Counsel for Global Real Estate Operations. There, he was responsible for all IBM real estate transactions in the U.S., and provided advice to IBM's worldwide operations on such matters. After graduation from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School and Cornell Law School, Alan served in the U.S. Marine Corps.' Judge Advocate Division. He is a former Chair of WRO. Alan lives in Chappaqua.
Job Titles:
- Test Coordinator Ext. 341
Job Titles:
- Deputy Executive Director
- Executive
- Deputy Executive Director Ext. 339
- Fair Housing Director Ext. 339
Andrew joined WRO's fair housing department in the beginning of 2017 and has coordinated both fair lending and fair housing testing programs for WRO. Prior to joining WRO, Andrew was a corporate partner with the law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in New York City, specializing in leveraged buyouts and other mergers and acquisitions. Andrew has a BA from Brown University and a JD from Columbia Law School.
Job Titles:
- Principal Broker of Better Homes
Barry is the principal broker of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Choice Realty in Eastchester, where he resides. During 2018, Barry serves as President of the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors (HGAR). He is also a board member of the NYS Association of Realtors (NYSAR), and he has played leading roles with respect to fair housing and cultural diversity at both HGAR and NYSAR. In addition, Barry was for 10 years a member of the Westchester County Human Rights Commission, including as Chair and Vice Chair. Barry is a member and past board member of the LOFT, the LGBT Community Center of the Hudson Valley region. At WRO, Barry serves as Chair of the First-Time Homebuying Advisory Committee. He joined WRO's board in 2012.
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- Finance Associate Ext. 337
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- Co - Director Ext. 338
- Home Buying Counselor Ext. 338
- Mortgage Counselor Ext. 338
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- Co - Director Ext. 311
- Home Buying Counselor Ext. 311
- Mortgage Counselor Ext 311
Job Titles:
- Affordable Housing Marketing
The weddings and events industry has been Debra's passion for over 25 years. She began her career as an Event Planner at a well-known Westchester, NY Country Club then, 14 years ago, started her own business. Debra's award-winning firm, Weddings by Debra, has brought hundreds of dream weddings and events to life throughout the New York Metropolitan area. Debra actively attends and plans educational and networking events, and is a Professional Wedding PlannerTM in the Association of Bridal Consultants.
Debra is just as passionate about using her skills to help non-profits, and has proudly served on the Board of Directors for Hamilton-Madison House for the last 27 years. Her professional experience is invaluable in assisting both organizations with their event, fundraising, development, and membership efforts.
Job Titles:
- Housing Counseling Coordinator Ext. 305
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of the National Center for Law and Economic Justice
Dennis Parker serves as the Executive Director of the National Center for Law and Economic Justice (NCLEJ), an organization which was founded in 1965 to fight for economic justice for our nation's most vulnerable - low-income families, communities of color, people with disabilities, immigrants and children. NCLEJ uses a combination of litigation, ground-breaking advocacy and policy analysis in collaboration with a wide range of partners across the country to advance racial, immigrant, and gender justice concerns. Prior to joining NCLEJ in January of 2019, Dennis served as the director of the Racial Justice Program of the ACLU, leading its efforts in combating discrimination and addressing a range of issues which have a disproportionate negative impact upon communities of color, including the "School-to-Prison" Pipeline, racial bias in the criminal justice system, housing discrimination and related economic justice issues and digital discrimination. Prior to joining the ACLU, he served as the Chief of the Civil Rights Bureau in the office of the New York Attorney General and, for fourteen years, worked on and directed the educational work of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Dennis began his legal career as a staff attorney in the Criminal Defense Division of the New York Legal Aid Society. He has co-authored or contributed chapters to books and articles dealing with civil rights and has lectured extensively on the subject across the country. He serves as an adjunct professor at New York Law School where he teaches a course on law and social change. Dennis is a graduate of the Harvard Law School and Middlebury College.
Job Titles:
- Independent Living Director Ext. 165
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- Test Coordinator Ext. 324
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- Retention Counselor Ext. 312
- Retention Housing Counselor Ext. 312
A WRO board member since 1983 and a White Plains resident, Henry serves as Treasurer and sits on the Executive and Finance Committees. Henry is retired from IBM Global Services. He is an active board member of the Graham Windham Child Welfare Service Agency and is a School Board Director of the Greenburgh-Graham Union Free School District. Henry is also a proud member of Omega Psi Phi, the premier African American men's college fraternity in the U.S.
Job Titles:
- Retention Counselor Ext. 304
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- Homeless Outreach Case Manager Ext. 166
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- President of Peter Pauper Press, Inc
Larry is the president of Peter Pauper Press, inc., a publisher of books, stationery, and gifts, with offices in White Plains, NY. After graduating from Brown University, he worked in finance for Miller, Tabak and Hirsch and became a Chartered Financial Analyst. At WRO, Larry is a member of the Executive, Finance and Personnel Committees. He is a resident of Greenwich, CT, and Manhattan, and a WRO board member since 2014.
Leah serves as WRO's Co-Chair. Since 2001, she has been the Principal Broker of Park Sterling Realty (formerly Bronxville-Ley Real Estate) where she is a hands-on supervisor of over 50 real estate agents. Leah was the 2009/10 President of the Westchester Putnam Association of Realtors (now the expanded Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors). She is a member of the National Association of Realtors and the NYS Association of Realtors, where she has served as President of its Housing Opportunities Foundation, and Chair of its Professional Standards Committee. Leah is certified by NY State to teach real estate license law, agency disclosure, and ethics. She joined the board in 2011.
Job Titles:
- Program Assistant Ext. 309
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- Mortgage Counselor / HECM Counselor Ext. 313
- Mortgage Counselor Ext. 313
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- Executive Director Ext. 306
Marlene was previously WRO's Deputy Executive Director, responsible for all WRO programs including Fair Housing, First Time Home Buying, Mortgage Default Protection, Senior Housing, Independent Living and Eviction Prevention. Marlene joined WRO in 2010 as Fair Housing Director, supervising federal and local grants to conduct fair housing and fair lending testing, and education and outreach. In addition to supervising, Marlene is a frequent speaker on behalf of WRO at public events. Prior to joining WRO, she practiced corporate law, most recently with Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP in New York City, where she placed substantial priority on pro bono matters. Marlene has a BA from University of Pennsylvania and a JD from Boston University School of Law.
Job Titles:
- Admininstrative Assistant Ext. 301
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- Professor, Executive Director of John Jay Legal Services
Gretchen, a White Plains resident, serves as WRO Co-Chair. She is a Pace Law professor, Executive Director of John Jay Legal Services, and faculty supervisor of the Equal Justice America Disability Rights/Health Law Clinic. In these capacities, Gretchen supervises and mentors Pace Law students in clinical work. Previously, Gretchen was Director of the Elderly Project at Volunteers of Legal Service and Managing attorney of the Legal Department of the NYC Commission on Human Rights. Gretchen is a graduate of Barnard College and Columbia University School of Law, and has been a WRO board member since 1998.
Job Titles:
- Test Coordinator Ext. 322
Job Titles:
- Partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Prior to his retirement as a Partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, Thomas C. Rice served in a number of leadership positions at Simpson Thacher, including as Co-Chair of the Firm's Litigation Department and long-time member of the Firm's Executive Committee. Tom is a prominent commercial trial lawyer with more than 35 years handling a wide variety of complex litigations, including securities, antitrust, bankruptcy litigation, ERISA and professional malpractice. He has received a variety of professional recognitions, and has been consistently recognized as a leader in his field by Chambers USA, The Legal 500 and Euromoney's Benchmark Litigation.
Tom has also been active on the boards of several not-for-profit organizations. In addition to WRO, Tom is a member of the Board of My Sisters' Place and is a member of the Board of The North Castle Historical Society.
Job Titles:
- AIP Home Repair Coordinator Ext. 333
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- Partner at Clair Gjertsen & Weathers PLLC
Wendy is a Partner at Clair Gjertsen & Weathers PLLC. Wendy is active in the NY State, Westchester County, Westchester Women's, Queens County, and Fairfield Bar Associations, and serves as President of the Westchester County Bar Association during 2018. Wendy is the recipient of a NYS Bar Association 2016 President's Pro Bono Service Award for the 9th Judicial District. Wendy, a member of WRO's Mortgage Counseling Advisory Committee, has a great deal of experience in and understanding of the problems and opportunities faced by homeowners in mortgage default. Wendy is a Peekskill resident, and a WRO board member since 2015.