GRAMERCY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATES - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board of Directors
• President of the Board of Directors

Alan was elected president of the GNA Board of Directors in 2010 and has been instrumental in leading new growth initiatives for the organization. He is an active participant in Community Board Six meetings, which allows GNA to be promptly informed about certain issues affecting the Gramercy Park community. Alan successfully spearheaded GNA's centennial campaign in 2012, started our annual Clean & Green program and is a member of our Taste of Gramercy and Canine Comedy Parade event committees. Alan is a Vice President at Halstead Property, one of the largest residential real estate brokerage firms in New York. A native New Yorker, Alan Krevis has always had a passion for the city and the people he meets. Alan's zeal for New York touches every part of his life. A Gramercy Park resident, he knows every local store and has made friends of both neighbors and local characters. He is an avid theater buff and, until recently, was a member of the Board of Directors of his Gramercy co-op. Alan is a graduate of Brooklyn College and the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board of Directors
• Vice President, Finance

Antonella joined GNA in 2008 and was elected to the Board of Directors as Treasurer in 2009. Upon joining the Board, she led the initiative to implement the organization's new web design and social marketing campaign. Antonella is an executive member of GNA's Taste of Gramercy event committee. Antonella is the Head of Investor Relations at Deerpath Capital Management, a private debt fund. Prior to that, she was a Director and private equity product specialist at Credit Suisse. Antonella graduated cum laude from Georgetown University with a dual major in Finance and International Business. In addition, she sits on the Junior Committee of the Alzheimer's Association New York City Chapter and was previously a Chairman on the Georgetown Alumni Admissions Program for New York City.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board of Directors

Bernice, a native New Yorker, joined GNA in 1975 and has been a member of the Board of Directors since the early 1980's. She studied fine art at The Art Students League and is fortunate that her entire career has been involved with what she enjoys most: creative design, specifically the design of footwear and handbags. Working with leading factories globally, she developed innovative lasts, heel designs, new leather colors and textures, trimmings and of course original silhouettes. Writing and creating seasonal themes and trend designs in booklet form, she also did fashion presentations at retail venues and international meetings. Her reports of European industry events were published in all major trade journals. She has been a consultant for well-known footwear companies in the US, Italy, Spain, the UK, Switzerland, France, Germany, China, Portugal and Mexico. Recently, she was honored by the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art which requested the donation of her many archives, original sketches, written material, published interviews and articles to the Museum. This huge body of work (32 archival boxes) is now part of their permanent collection. A volunteer at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art for more than 10 years, Bernice is a member of the Fashion Group International, of Trends/Fashion News Workshop, of the Advisory Board of the High School of Fashion Industries and is on the Fashion Committee of the National Arts Club. She is a longtime member of the National Arts Club and of the Players Club.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board of Directors
• Precinct Representative

Carol joined GNA's Board of Directors in 2014 and brings with her nearly two decades of experience servicing our community through various leadership roles. Carol was appointed Vice President of the 13th Precinct Community Council in 2008 and continues to serve in that role. Carol also worked with Community Board Six for 17 years (1995-2012) and served as Chair from 2004 to 2006, and Chair of the Business Affairs and Street Activities Committee from 2002 to 2004 and 2006 until 2012. She is a former member of Bellevue Community Advisory Board (2008 - 2011) and former President of the Stuyvesant Park Neighborhood Association (1985 - 1994). Carol is also a leader outside of her neighborhood community - she is Comptroller and Church Administrator of Jan Hus Church and Neighborhood House in Yorkville, where she has served for almost ten years. This church has an Outreach Program which provides food, clothing, computer services, job training, a mailing address, and so much more, to over 200 clients. Carol also co-founded All Out Arts, formerly known as OLGAD, the Organization of Lesbian and Gay Architects and Designers and is one of the five founders of 1,000+ Friends, formally known as 100+ Friends of Parks.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board of Directors
• Branding and Business Development

Cathy Smith joined the GNA Board of Directors in January 2016 after being an active member for many years. She is also a member of GNA's Taste of Gramercy and Membership committees. Drawing on a 20+ year track record of leading marketing departments at prominent digital and traditional media companies, (including Meredith Corporation, The New York Times, and XO Group Inc.), she formed CES Marketing Inc. in 2007. The focus of her company's work is on developing brand positioning, sales tools, B2B websites, and proprietary research for major media brands. She is passionate about what she does and where she lives, and hopes to leverage her experience by helping to create programs that support GNA's marketing efforts and neighborhood initiatives. Cathy has also been a Team Leader and volunteer for New York Cares since 2008. She is an honors graduate of the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, and a native New Yorker who studied classical music at the High School of Performing Arts.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board of Directors
• Vice President, Events and Technology

Emily joined GNA in 2011 and was elected to the Board of Directors in 2014. Emily has been a Gramercy resident for over 10 years and prior to her time on the Board, she was an active GNA volunteer. Emily is an executive member of GNA where she leads the events committee and manages Taste of Gramercy Neighborhood, GNA's signature event. Emily is currently a Vice President at Reich & Tang Deposit Solutions in Sales and Relationship Management and is responsible for developing profitable programs and partnerships on behalf of a national roster of clients. Emily's expertise in business development, marketing, and technology enhances her ability to anticipate the needs of her customers and provide solutions to grow their businesses. Emily is also an avid foodie, kitchen experimenter, and photographer and uses these passions to help create awareness and educate the community on the rich and vibrant neighborhood she loves, Gramercy Park.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board of Directors

Joseph Straus joined the GNA Board of Directors in 1999, with 20 years of corporate work history "under his belt." Soon thereafter, he "shifted gears," and now can be found fashion and art modeling (both at NYU and Gramercy based School of Visual Arts, as well as online) and working as a clinical massage therapist. His community service work dates back to the 1980s and Joe has volunteered with organizations such as God's Love We Deliver and Northern Lights Alternatives. He has been recognized by USA Today for his volunteer activities. In addition, Joe recently celebrated his 30th anniversary as a Special Minister at Epiphany Parish. One of his focuses at GNA has been with providing assistance to the elderly, a cause that is near-and-dear to him.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board of Directors
• Community Board Six Representative
• Member of GNA and Was Elected to the Board of Directors

Louise Dankberg has been a long time member of GNA and was elected to the Board of Directors in 2013. She hopes to bring her years of community service to help GNA gain more recognition and increase membership. Louise was a career supervisor and manager at the NYS Department of Labor working in both the Employment and Unemployment Divisions, after graduating cum laude from CCNY of the City University of New York. She has been a Democratic District Leader in the 74th Assembly District for the past 20 years, is the past Chairperson of the Bellevue Hospital Center Community Advisory Board, is a co-founder of the NYU Langone Patient and Family Advisory Council, is a former Vice Chairperson of the Union Square Community Coalition and a member of Community Board 6 and a member of its Health, Seniors and Disability Committee. In her spare time, Louise is a Bronze Life Master in Duplicate Bridge, attends theater, ballet, concerts, and opera. Louise and her husband Jay, a retired Civil Court Judge who is now in private practice have been residents of the Gramercy Park Community for 45 years. As a child of Holocaust survivors, Louise has dedicated herself to giving back to New Yorkers for all the opportunities she has received.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board of Directors
• Vice President, Marketing and Media

Susan was elected to the board of directors in 2015 and runs GNA's Annual Art Show and Exhibition, which showcases the work of artists from around the world. She is a member of GNA's Taste of Gramercy planning committee, bringing experience as a seasoned marketing professional specializing in producing full-scale events. Recognized and awarded for her philanthropic work, Susan was recently chosen to sustain volunteer initiatives and increase organizational capacity for the NYC Mayor's Office, and she has raised thousands of dollars for global charities through her marketing and fundraising efforts. She is also an award-winning photo-journalist, having amassed national recognition and awards. Her work has been featured in media from The New York Times to Smithsonian Magazine. A native New Yorker, Susan is thrilled to work with GNA and is dedicated to supporting community initiatives that benefit the residents of Gramercy and the citizens of New York.