CYBER NYC - Key Persons
Mr. De Leon is an attorney/consultant in the financial services industry. He was previously General Counsel and Head of Compliance & Regulatory Affairs for: the US operations of the French-Belgian Dexia Bank, the Swedish Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken, and Head of Compliance Advisory & Regulatory matters for the Zurich Insurance Group-North America. He has extensive experience in the financial services industry, including providing volunteer services for the Financial Services Volunteer Corps and lectures part-time at the Pace University Center for Global Governance, Reporting & Regulation. He is a FINRA arbitrator, and sits on the Board of Trustees of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, (he was previously on the board of Newark Public Radio, Inc.- WBGO 88.3 Jazz). Mr. De Leon earned his law degree from the University of San Diego School of Law, and a BA in political science and philosophy from The City College of New York.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- President
- President & CEO of New York City Economic Development Corporation
Andrew Kimball is President & CEO of New York City Economic Development Corporation, where he leads NYCEDC's work growing an innovative and inclusive economy for all New Yorkers. Prior to his appointment in 2022, Andrew served as the CEO of Industry City, where he directed the transformation of the long-underutilized industrial facility in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Under his leadership, Industry City invested over $450 million in infrastructure and place-making initiatives, and grew thousands of jobs and hundreds of businesses, ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies.
Andrew previously served as President and CEO of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation, overseeing the transformation of the 300-acre former Naval ship-building facility into a national model for the creation of innovation-economy jobs, sustainability, and community partnerships.
Prior to his time at the Navy Yard, Andrew served as director of operations for NYC2012, the privately funded bid to bring the 2012 Olympic Games to New York City, and as vice president of the New York Public Library.
Up until his appointment to NYCEDC, Andrew sat on numerous boards, including the Coro New York Leadership Center, where he served as chair; Prospect Park Alliance; Gowanus Canal Conservancy; Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce; Citizens Budget Commission; and the NYS Regional Economic Development Council.
He holds a bachelor's degree from Hamilton College and is a graduate of the Coro Public Affairs Fellowship program. A life-long New Yorker, Andrew lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn with his wife, Sarah Williams, and two children.
Anthony Del Vecchio is an entrepreneur, investor, and businessman who has worked with or advised global bulge bracket financial institutions and large corporate entities, as well as middle-market and start-up ventures in both developed and emerging markets. Mr. Del Vecchio is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Fortrium Strategic Partners, a strategic and venture investment advisory firm that focuses on assisting early stage and emerging growth companies as well as corporations, family offices, and other institutional investors. Prior to his work with Fortrium, Mr. Del Vecchio was senior counsel to the Global Prime Finance Group at Citigroup where he was lead counsel to the repurchase and securities lending divisions, while also structuring and negotiating other derivatives, credit facilities, and structured finance transactions; and advised senior management on collateral use and liquidity issues in significant structured credit and asset-backed financing transactions, as well as bankruptcy issues related to failed domestic and international financial institutions. Prior to Citigroup, Mr. Del Vecchio worked in a variety of leadership functions at a corporate law firm, venture capital firm and event-driven hedge fund that he co-founded, and Japanese fund of funds. Mr. Del Vecchio has also advised boards for organizations such as Columbia Business School and Yale School of Medicine; and, in addition to continuing to advise start-up ventures within Columbia's Startup Lab and other company boards, he is also a mentor for Columbia's Center for Entrepreneurship and a member of the Board of Trustees for the athletic department at Binghamton University. Mr. Del Vecchio has an MBA from Columbia Business School, a JD from Hofstra Law School, and a BA in Economics from Binghamton University.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President, External Affairs
Bernice Clark leads the External Affairs division, which comprises three departments: Government & Community Relations, Marketing, and Public Affairs. This division creates connection and engagement with the public, by building relationships with communities and stakeholders and communicating NYCEDC's work to benefit New York City and New Yorkers. Bernice served as Chief Marketing Officer prior to her current role and spearheaded the launch of the digital-first targeted "Why NYC" business development campaign.
Prior to joining NYCEDC, Bernice was Senior Vice President, Marketing at Macy's, the $24B omnichannel national retailer, where she held key senior marketing roles across digital media, ecommerce, marketing operations, brand, and product content that were critical to re-positioning and evolving Macy's as a national brand and top-25 US advertiser. Prior to joining the Macy's organization, Bernice worked at top-tier advertising agencies such as Leo Burnett, Young & Rubicam, and Saatchi & Saatchi.
A native of Brooklyn, NY, Bernice holds a BA from Barnard College/Columbia University with a double major in sociology and program in the arts/piano performance. She also holds an MBA in marketing from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Bernice and her husband are the parents of twin teenage sons.
New York City Comptroller Brad Lander was elected to serve as the city's budget watchdog and chief accountability officer on November 2nd, 2021. Lander's background in community organizing and urban planning informs his work to make government work better for all New Yorkers. First elected to the City Council in 2009, Lander co-founded the Council's Progressive Caucus and has a strong track record of partnering with community advocates to win transformative change for a more just and equitable city. Prior to holding public office, Lander spent 15 years in the nonprofit sector as the director of the Fifth Avenue Committee and the Pratt Center for Community Development. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Meg Barnette, President and CEO of NonProfit New York, and their children, Marek and Rosa.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President, Strategic Investments Group
Brinda leads the Strategic Investments Group, overseeing the organization's impact investing efforts. She is passionate about using finance as a tool for social change and has more than 20 years of experience in the investment space, the bulk on transactions with a dual mission around generating financial returns and social impact. Prior to joining NYCEDC, Brinda was the Chief Operating and Chief Compliance Officer at Elevar Equity, an impact venture capital firm that invests in Latin America and India. Earlier in her career, she managed impact investing portfolios-across asset classes-at The Rockefeller Foundation, Living Cities, and the Open Society Foundation. Brinda has also worked at Citigroup, in the corporate investment bank, covering healthcare clients; and at Charles River Associates, an economic consulting firm. Brinda graduated from Bryn Mawr College with a BA in economics and Spanish, and she holds an MBA from Columbia Business School. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter.
Job Titles:
- Chief Strategy Officer
- Executive Vice President
Cecilia Kushner is the Chief Strategy Officer, a role in which she leads multidisciplinary teams to deliver projects and programs focused on developing emerging sectors equitably and building neighborhoods of economic success. Prior to her current role, Cecilia spent over a decade working for the City on a range of infrastructure, transit operations, land use, and community development programs and policies, most recently as the Executive Vice President for Planning and NYC Ferry at NYCEDC, and earlier at the Department of City Planning in the Brooklyn, Resiliency, and Executive Offices.
Prior to immigrating to New York City in 2005 from France, Cecilia lived in London for two years, working on economic analysis for historic preservation. Cecilia received her bachelor's degree from La Sorbonne and holds a master's degree in historic preservation from the Bartlett School of Planning at University College London, and a master's degree in city planning from Hunter College, where she has taught planning as an adjunct. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children.
Job Titles:
- Senior Policy Analyst, Economic Research & Policy
Dan Garodnick, appointed by Mayor Eric L. Adams, began serving as Director of the New York City Department of City Planning and Chair of the City Planning Commission in February 2022. Dan served in the New York City Council for 12 years, representing the East Side of Manhattan, and was known as one of New York's most independent voices and effective legislators. Dan chaired the City Council's Planning and Economic Development Committees and served as a member of the Land Use Committee. Garodnick, a lawyer who has also served as a not-for-profit executive, is best known for his skill in negotiating complicated land use matters, such as the rezoning of 80 blocks of East Midtown and the Vanderbilt Corridor. This rezoning - approved unanimously by the City Council - not only has already spurred energy and new growth in a key commercial district, but is expected to deliver nearly a billion dollars in improvements to subways and public spaces in Midtown over the next 20 years. Garodnick also negotiated the largest affordable housing preservation deal in New York City's history - 5,000 middle-class housing units in Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village. He wrote a book on that subject, Saving Stuyvesant Town, which Amazon called one of the best nonfiction books of 2021. During his time in the City Council, Garodnick authored and passed 60 bills, which included relief for small businesses from the Commercial Rent Tax, a right for tenants to sue a landlord for harassment, a biotech tax credit, transparency in the use of economic development incentives, the City's first "green" energy code, and various good government reforms. Immediately before he took the helm at the City Planning Commission and the Department of City Planning, Garodnick was President and CEO of the Riverside Park Conservancy, a not-for-profit organization advocating for a six mile park on Manhattan's West Side. Prior to his public service, Garodnick was a litigator at the New York law firm of Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison LLP. He has a B.A. from Dartmouth College, and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where he served as the Editor-in-Chief of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review. He lives with his wife and two sons in Manhattan.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Partnerships
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Initiatives
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President, Capital
Elizabeth leads a multidisciplinary team, composed of engineers, architects, landscape architects, and technical project support staff, to deliver on a diverse portfolio of over 100 projects, representing nearly $6 billion in construction costs. The work implemented by the division provides critical citywide improvements, with particular focus on infrastructure, resiliency, open space, and civic projects. The team works closely with other City agencies to align on project goals, delivering projects to improve the quality of life for all New Yorkers. As a registered architect, Elizabeth brings expertise to design, construction and the built environment. During her time at NYCEDC, Elizabeth has led the planning and building improvements for Health + Hospital's billion dollar resiliency program, the reconstruction efforts for Orchard Beach, design and coordination for NYCEDC's headquarters, and other critical projects across CAP's portfolio. Before joining NYCEDC, Elizabeth worked at the architecture firm Ennead Architects, focusing on healthcare and resiliency in New York City. She is a graduate of Williams College and Columbia GSAPP, where she earned a masters of architecture. She lives in Brooklyn with her family.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Property Operations, Asset Management
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Marketing
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Neighborhood Strategies
Job Titles:
- Assistant Vice President, Grants Management
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President, Asset Management
Francisco comes to NYCEDC with over 20 years of leadership and operational experience across the private and academic sectors-leading acquisitions, scaling teams, re-positioning assets, and delivering real estate, energy, and construction projects. He was most recently the Program Chair of the Columbia Graduate Program for Construction, a member of the Columbia University Faculty, and Director of the Columbia Construction Diversity Initiative. In addition, he served on President Biden's Infrastructure Policy Committee and continues to serve in the US Naval Reserves as a logistics officer.
Francisco holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and is a PhD candidate in urban infrastructure systems at NYU's Tandon School of Engineering.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, NYC Ferry
Job Titles:
- Director of Research and Global Strategies
Ms. Brindle-Khym is Director of Research and Global Strategies for the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU-UFCW). She oversees all corporate research and international affairs functions for the union. Formerly with the Fair Labor Association, UNITE HERE!, and the Worker Rights Consortium, Ms. Brindle-Khym has a broad-set of international and domestic experience in advocating and campaigning for workers' rights and corporate accountability. Brindle-Khym holds a Bachelor of Science from Boston College and a Master's in Public Affairs from Columbia University School of International Policy and Affairs. Brindle-Khym also sits on various committees and boards for the global union federations, UNI Global Union and the IUF, and the New York City pan-Asian community-based organization, CAAAV.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President, Real Estate Transaction Services
Hester oversees NYCEDC's Real Estate Transaction Services department, leading the organization's public-private partnerships involving City-owned property to support the growth of quality jobs, promote livable and affordable communities, and facilitate redevelopment projects that drive inclusive growth and positive return to the city. Prior to NYCEDC, Hester did real estate acquisitions and eventually went on to head the Debt Capital Markets team in J.P. Morgan's Real Estate Asset Management division. Hester holds a master's in real estate finance from New York University and a BA in economics and architectural history from the University of Virginia.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Vice President, Strategy
Jacques-Philippe Piverger is an entrepreneur who has harnessed his business and philanthropic acumen to affect change where it is needed most in the globe. He is co-Founder and President of Metripol Corporation, a company that will disrupt the brokerage side of the real estate market using a tech-enabled platform. He is co-founder and former CEO of MPOWERD, Inc., a solar product company he led from inception to global distribution into more than seventy countries. He is Executive Chairman of RegenOrganics, a commercial-scale, smart technology food dehydration system with its base in the Central Plateau of Haiti. He honed his business acumen as a Director at PineBridge Investments, helping direct over $10 billion of private equity, hedge and real estate transactions globally. Jacques-Philippe also worked at AIG Investments, Friedman Billings Ramsey, and Barclays Capital. He founded The Soleil Group, a strategy firm with a diverse portfolio of clients such as Western Union, Universal Music, New York Public Library, Glaceau Vitamin Water, BMG, and Motorola. He is co-founder and board member of The Council of Urban Professionals, a nonprofit which is focused on empowering women and minorities with a presence in New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. with support from over one hundred corporate partners. He's a Young Global Leader as designated by the World Economic Forum. He was a Term Member at The Council on Foreign Relations and an Advisory Board Member of George Clooney's Hope for Haiti Now Fund. He holds a Bachelor's degree from Georgetown University and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. He also has executive certificates from Yale University and the Harvard Kennedy School.
Job Titles:
- CEO for Casandra Properties
James Prendamano is the CEO for Casandra Properties, Staten Island's premier real estate firm. For over 20 years, James has shepherded the completion of transformative projects, including major initiatives reshaping Staten Island's commercial real estate landscape. Currently James serves as a consultant and Broker responsible for bringing NYC's first and only outlet mall to the St. George district of Staten Island. This has resulted in bringing thousands of much needed construction and permanent jobs to the community. He also developed an exclusive Real Estate Portfolio Optimization program helping non-profits unlock capital through their real estate to help fund their mission. James also serves on the board of Staten Island Chamber of Commerce; as a cabinet member for the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation, and is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers and various Real Estate Associations. He also serves on the board of directors CFLC (Central Family Life Center).
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President and Executive Director, NYC Ferry
James serves as the Executive Director for NYC Ferry. He began working at NYCEDC in 2014 in a planning role for passenger ferries, a nascent idea when the East River Ferry was still a pilot service. Since then, James has overseen the planning, implementation, and launch of the NYC Ferry system, which opened in May 2017 and now serves over 6 million riders annually. He built a dedicated department and leads an agency-wide effort to ensure the safe and efficient operation of ferries. Today, he manages a team that handles NYC Ferry contracting, finance, operations, and the fleet of vessels, while overseeing other NYCEDC work in connection with landing maintenance and delivery of new ferry facilities.
A transportation planner and engineer by education, James previously consulted on street design, transit operations, and corridor planning projects for cities around the United States and abroad. He has published multiple peer-reviewed research articles on transit data, operations, and system management. James has a bachelor's of science in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and master's degrees in civil engineering and city and regional planning from Georgia Tech. He lives in Brooklyn and is an avid volleyball player.
Janet is an EOP Alumna of SUNY Binghamton, holding a BA in Latin American and Caribbean area of Studies (LACAS) and Sociology with honors, she is a proud product of NYC's public-school education, and a 2019 fellow of the Council for Urban Professionals. Janet started her public career in the nonprofit sector with the Vance Center for International Justice, a division within the New York City Bar Association. There she organized a network of private law firms and encouraged the promotion and expansion of clearing houses aimed at bridging access to free legal services for civil society and non-profit organizations in Latin America and Africa. At the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS), Janet served the communities that raised her as the Senior Rezoning Manager on citywide land use projects with a focus on the Bronx and Upper Manhattan. Closely working with City Hall, local elected officials, community boards, and community partners. Janet's tenure at SBS began in the Division of Business Services managing pro bono services and leading the first-of-its-kind Commercial Lease Assistance program, offering free legal representation to commercial tenants. During the height of the pandemic, Janet served as a community organizer working with Bronx-based mutual aid groups and local small businesses to increase access to food and PPE. Janet also serves as the Bronx Borough Director for Amplify Her, an organization that works to increase the number of women in elected office. Janet was an Associate at Constantinople & Vallone, a government relations firm, heavily focusing on and advocating for local nonprofits and affordable housing. Janet is currently serving as the Bronx Deputy Borough President for Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson.
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Executive Vice President
Jeanny has spent the last 25 years working in public finance investment banking. Most recently she was head of UBS's East Region Public Finance Division. Jeanny has spent most of her career working with public sector clients at the state and local levels where she developed and executed financial strategies, large bond transactions, and forward-thinking financial structuring. She has led large teams and is very active in groups and initiatives that promote women and people of color in the finance industry.
Jeanny holds a Bachelor's degree in psychology from Cornell University and a Master in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.
Job Titles:
- Chief of Staff
- Executive Vice President
- Chief of Staff, President 's Office
As NYCEDC's Chief of Staff, Jennifer Montalvo serves as chief strategist to the President & CEO, and oversees the management of the President's Office and External Affairs division to help advance NYCEDC's agenda and move critical projects forward. Since Joining NYCEDC in 2019, she has served as Senior Vice President and Vice President of the Government and Community Relations department, where she managed short- and long-term government and community affairs initiatives that strengthened and built external relationships, public engagement, and community support for the full spectrum of NYCEDC's work. She led the team and their inclusive community outreach for all NYCEDC's legislative affairs, citywide transportation and industry initiatives, and projects moving through the land use and public approval processes.
Prior to NYCEDC, Jennifer served as the Senior Deputy Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Relations at the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), where she was responsible for advancing NYCHA's legislative priorities and public policies, as well as managing interdepartmental agency initiatives. Jennifer previously served as a Legislative Policy Analyst in the New York City Council under former Speakers Christine Quinn and Melissa Mark-Viverito, where she worked to enact the passage of key legislation, including IDNYC. Jennifer is an alumna of Siena College and lives with her partner on the Lower East Side.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President, Planning
Jennifer Sun leads the Planning Division, which brings together the Land Use, Neighborhood Strategies, and Transportation departments to shape the growth of neighborhoods and business districts, and the sustainable movement of people and goods. She brings 20 years of neighborhood planning and economic development experience in the public and nonprofit sectors, including two prior stints at NYCEDC as the first Executive Director of Sunset Park in Asset Management, and as Senior Vice President leading Bronx and Upper Manhattan projects in Planning. In addition to NYCEDC, Jennifer has managed economic development initiatives in the Mayor's Office and implementation of the Community Parks Initiative at NYC Parks. Prior to rejoining NYCEDC, Jennifer was Co-Executive Director of Asian Americans for Equality, a NYC-based community development organization. She holds bachelor's degrees in economics and East Asian studies from UCLA, and a master's degree in urban planning from Columbia University. She lives in New York with her husband and two kids.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Vice President, Neighborhood Strategies
Job Titles:
- Senior Project Manager, Asset Management Design & Construction
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Funding Agreements
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President and Chief Infrastructure Officer
Josh Kraus is the Chief Infrastructure Officer at NYCEDC, where he works across divisions to ensure successful delivery of the corporation's highest-priority capital and planning projects. Prior to Joining NYCEDC in April 2021, Josh served as Director of the New York City Mayor's Office of Capital Project Development. There, since 2013, he managed complex, multi-stakeholder capital and planning projects across the five boroughs, from Pre-K sites and post-Sandy rebuilding to cultural institutions, parks, public plazas, and COVID care facilities. Josh also coordinated the City's engagement on planning for regional infrastructure projects, such as the Gateway project, Moynihan and Penn Stations, and Port Authority Bus Terminal-a role he now continues to play at NYCEDC. Josh previously spent seven years in the Lower Manhattan Borough Commissioner's Office of the NYC Department of Transportation, where he supported the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site as well as reconstructing streets and utilities across Lower Manhattan following the 9/11 attacks. Josh holds a master's in urban planning from McGill University and a bachelor's in social geography and urban development from Boston University. He lives in the Bronx with his wife and three children.
Job Titles:
- FOIL Appeals Officer / New York City Economic Development Corporation
Job Titles:
- Counsel of the City of New York
Justice Sylvia Hinds-Radix was appointed as the 81st Corporation Counsel of the City of New York on February 25, 2022. In this role, she is the attorney for the City of New York, the Mayor, the City Council and all City agencies - both Mayoral and non-Mayoral. Prior to her appointment as Corporation Counsel, Justice Hinds-Radix served as an Associate Justice of the NYS Appellate Division, Second Department from 2012. In December of 2020, Governor Andrew Cuomo designated Justice Hinds-Radix as a member of the NYS Constitutional Bench. Before joining the Appellate Division, she served as Administrative Judge for Civil Matters in the Second Judicial District for three and a half years. In her capacity as Administrative Judge, Justice Hinds-Radix oversaw both the New York State Supreme Court, Civil Term and the New York City Civil Court, which also encompasses the Housing Court of the City of New York. Justice Hinds-Radix was elected to the Supreme Court, Kings County in November of 2004 and served as a New York City Civil Court Judge from 2002 through 2004, spending her first year in the Criminal Court of Kings County. In 1985, soon after graduating from Howard University School of Law, Justice Hinds-Radix joined the legal staff of District Council 37 Municipal Employees Legal Services, where she remained until her Civil Court election in 2001. While at DC 37, she practiced in the areas of Civil Practice, Bankruptcy, Landlord/Tenant and was General Counsel of the immigration program, a program which she founded. Justice Hinds-Radix earned her Bachelors of Science Degree from the University of Massachusetts, her Master's Degree in Political Science from Long Island University and her Jurist Doctorate Degree from Howard University School of Law. Justice Hinds-Radix also received an Honorary Doctorate from Metropolitan College of New York (MCNY). Justice Hinds-Radix is married to Dr. Joseph Radix and they are the proud parents of three wonderful daughters.
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer of Heritage Link Brands
Mr. Cuffe is Chief Operating Officer of Heritage Link Brands. He oversees all fiscal control functions. Formerly with Prudential Financial and UBS Investment Bank, Cuffe has a decade of experience in public and corporate finance, with transactional experience in mortgage-backed securities, mergers and acquisitions, debt, equity, and initial public offerings. Having also served as director of marketing for L'Oreal USA and, prior to that, as a marketing executive with the Proctor & Gamble Company, Cuffe brings extensive general management experience to the organization. Cuffe is a graduate of Wesleyan University and holds Master's degrees from Harvard Business School and the John F. Kennedy School of Government. He also serves as a board member for LISNR, communication protocol that sends data over audio.
Maria Torres-Springer is the NYC Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development, charged with spearheading the administration's efforts to strengthen and diversify its economy, invest in emerging industries, bolster small business, connect New Yorkers to family-sustaining jobs, and expand access to arts and culture. She previously was Vice President of US Programs at the Ford Foundation where she oversaw the foundation's domestic grant making and made historic investments to support racial equity, workers' rights, voting rights, and arts and culture across the country. As commissioner of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, Maria focused on the production of housing for the city's most vulnerable communities, while also launching several new programs to protect tenants' rights. She led the implementation of Housing New York, a five-borough, 12-year plan to create or preserve 300,000 affordable homes; and she steered the financing of approximately 60,000 affordable homes. Earlier, as president and CEO of New York City Economic Development Corporation, Maria led the implementation of the new citywide ferry service and made major investments in key sectors of the city's economy. She also spearheaded several neighborhood revitalization plans. Prior to that, as commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services, Maria prioritized efforts to raise wages and support women and immigrant-owned businesses and worked to prepare New Yorkers for 21 st-century jobs. Maria earned her bachelor's degree in ethics, politics, and economics from Yale University and a master's in public policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two daughters.
Job Titles:
- Vice President and Chief of Staff, Contracts
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Economic Research & Policy
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer
- Executive Vice President
Melissa Román Burch is NYCEDC's Chief Operating Officer and leads the Real Estate Transaction Services and Asset Management divisions. As COO, she oversees public/private developments involving City-owned property, and manages NYCEDC's portfolio of 200+ unique and iconic assets spanning 64 million square feet and composed of commercial and industrial real estate, critical infrastructure, and energy assets. Melissa also leads the Strategic Investments Group, which structures impact investments through discretionary tax benefits and tax-exempt financing, and initiates catalytic investments that mobilize private capital and support the growth of strategic sectors.
Melissa joined NYCEDC in April 2022 after two decades as a leading property executive and developer of large-scale, mixed-use projects distinguished by investments in transportation infrastructure, environmental leadership, and innovative partnerships. Prior to NYCEDC, Melissa served as Executive General Manager for Lendlease, where she initiated and led all acquisition and development activities for the NY region. Melissa was previously Executive Vice President for Forest City Ratner, where she oversaw the development of Pacific Park Brooklyn, anchored by the Barclays Center Arena and composed of new market-rate and affordable housing, office space, transportation improvements, and parks.
A committed civic leader, Melissa proudly serves as a Trustee of the Henry Street Settlement and Coro New York Leadership Center. She was previously a Trustee and on the Executive Committee of the Citizen's Budget Commission. Melissa is an active member of the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), Urban Land Institute (ULI), and W/X New York Women Executives in Real Estate. Melissa graduated magna cum laude in government from Harvard College and received her MBA from the Harvard Business School. She lives in Manhattan with her husband and two children.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President
- General Counsel
Before joining NYCEDC, Meredith worked at corporate law firms and as counsel to a multi-national engineering and construction company. She also served as general counsel for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and as Chief of the Cable Services Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission. She is a graduate of Swarthmore College and received her Juris Doctor from Yale Law School.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Neighborhood Strategies
Job Titles:
- Community Outreach Manager for the LaGuardia Redevelopment Program
Shanel Thomas recently joined the LaGuardia Airport Team as the Community Outreach Manager for the LaGuardia Redevelopment Program. In this role, Ms. Thomas serves as the public information liaison on the redevelopment program by developing and maintaining working relationships with elected officials, businesses, and community leaders. Her responsibilities include keeping the public informed on the progress of the program, informing the public of available opportunities during and after redevelopment (e.g. employment and contract opportunities), and monitoring consumer activities to improve customer experiences, as well as support the communities surrounding the airport. Ms. Thomas brings over fifteen years of experience in community development, capacity building, sales, business development, event production, program execution, and media relations. A life-long resident of East Elmhurst Corona, Ms. Thomas has served on several local boards, including the Kiwanis Club of LaGuardia Airport, Elmcor Youth & Adult Activities, Inc., Neighborhood Housing Services of Queens CDC, Neighborhood Housing Services of New York City, 115th Precinct Council, and Community Board 3. Ms. Thomas has a BA in International Business with a concentration in marketing and holds her Masters in Public Administration from Howard University. Ms. Thomas has also studied abroad at the Sorbonne in Paris, France, and the Cultural Institute in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President
- Finance
- Treasurer
Spencer oversees NYCEDC's Finance Division, which includes the Accounting, Budget, and Grants Management departments. Previously, he assisted in managing NYCEDC's Internal Audit group for many years. He is a life-long resident of Queens, NY and received his bachelor's degree in accounting from CUNY at York College in Jamaica, Queens. He is a certified public accountant as well as a certified internal auditor. Before joining NYCEDC, Spencer spent several years conducting audits throughout the east coast for a hotel and restaurant employee's union trust fund.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Accounting