The 2019 Nonprofit Power 100; 51 - 100

Jim Purcell oversees valuable resources for New York-based nonprofit organizations that serve youth, providing training programs and vital guidance on changing regulations. More than 100 member organizations rely on the Council of Family and Child Caring Agencies to advocate for them before local and state government. Purcell previously served at the Division for Youth and the Department of Social Services, which were the predecessor agencies to the state Office of Children and Family Services.

Correction: An earlier version of this profile incorrectly described Purcell's organization as a state agency. It is not.

After eight years on the New York City Council, David Greenfield returned to the nonprofit sector as head of the organization responsible for helping low-income Jewish New Yorkers through social services, affordable housing and the largest kosher food network in the country. Greenfield’s political experience is certainly a boon for the Met Council, which often relies on government funding. He previously served as executive vice president of the Sephardic Community Federation.

Superstorm Sandy made landfall the same day Sheena Wright began her role at United Way of New York City. Under her leadership, the nonprofit managed to raise more than $10 million to help New Yorkers affected by the storm. Her entry was also a historic one: Wright is the 81-year-old organization’s first female president. The South Bronx native previously was CEO of the Abyssinian Development Corp.

Laura McQuade is steering Planned Parenthood through a major transition at a time when the federal government has restricted funding for abortion access. The organization announced McQuade will lead Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, an anticipated merger between five Planned Parenthood affiliates in New York state. Once approved, it will cover more than half of the state’s population and will provide about 200,000 patient visits for its sexual and reproductive health services every year.

New York’s AIDS epidemic is set to end by next year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced recently. This must have been welcome news to Gay Men’s Health Crisis, the world’s first provider of HIV/AIDS care. Kelsey Louie oversees the nonprofit serving 13,000 people per year, whether through legal support, housing, workforce development or mental health support. The organization’s reach may soon expand as it explores a possible merger with the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center.

When Edward Myers Hayes took the reins at Cayuga Centers in 1995, the nonprofit had a $2 million annual budget. He now oversees an organization with more than $55 million in operating expenses for child welfare services spanning New York and two other states. That growth has been controversial, as the federal government provided much of that funding to house separated migrant children, making Cayuga one of the largest foster care providers for unaccompanied youth in federal custody.

Katy Gaul-Stigge hit the ground running when she joined the $120 million nonprofit in 2016. She spearheaded a new strategic plan to allow Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey to better achieve its mission to help people with disabilities and other barriers to employment enter the workforce. An expert in workforce development and policy, Gaul-Stigge oversees 57 programs and 37 retail locations throughout New York and New Jersey.

Correction: An earlier version of this profile incorrectly listed Katy Gaul-Stigge's title.

Joyce McMillian advocates for parents dealing with a child welfare system that disproportionately targets black and Latino families – and it seems her efforts may end up transforming New York state’s approach to child welfare. In June, the state Legislature passed legislation that would raise the standard of proof needed to substantiate child neglect allegations and make it possible for parents who have been accused to get off the state’s database more quickly.

José Calderón is a powerful ally for the Hispanic Federation’s 101 members, and is responsible for its program and resource development as well as its public policy initiatives on behalf of Latino nonprofit organizations in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Florida. As concerns ramp up over immigrant participation in the 2020 census count, Calderón has offered key input on behalf of community organizations before New York’s census commission.

Justine Olderman has worked her way up at The Bronx Defenders since joining as a staff attorney in 2000. She served as managing attorney of the criminal defense practice – where she oversaw an expansion that more than doubled the practice’s caseload – before becoming the public defender nonprofit’s first managing director. Now as executive director, she manages the organization’s unique “holistic defense” approach to helping 27,000 low-income clients in the Bronx.

A former commissioner of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, Rafael Cestero brings significant experience to the Community Preservation Corporation, the country’s largest community development financial institution solely investing in multifamily homes. He joined the nonprofit in 2012 and has helped transform it into a leading affordable housing and community revitalization institution. He previously held leadership positions at L+M Development Partners and Enterprise Community Partners.

David Woodlock took the Institute for Community Living’s mission of supporting those living with mental illness, substance use and developmental disabilities to new heights last year. The nonprofit, alongside Community Healthcare Network, opened its $30 million East New York Health Hub, a first-of-its-kind facility that offers physical and mental health care and was described as a national model. He has also served as deputy commissioner of the New York state Office of Mental Health.

Since 1984, Elizabeth Gaynes has transformed the Osborne Association from a two-person office into a nonprofit with more than 300 staff operating in more than 30 prisons and jails in New York. Gaynes oversees the organization’s reentry programs in education, workforce development and behavioral health, and programs for families interacting with the criminal justice system. The White House recognized her as a “Champion of Change” for her work helping children of incarcerated parents in 2013.

Catherine Trapani oversees the interests of her organization’s 50 members serving homeless people throughout New York City. With more than 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Trapani has a wealth of knowledge about the challenges homeless New Yorkers face. She previously served as director of the HousingLink program at New Destiny Housing, where she helped implement the first rapid re-housing program for survivors of domestic violence in the city.

Raul Russi heads one of New York City’s largest shelter providers, having pulled in more than $1 billion in contracts from the city’s Department of Homeless Services since 2010. More than 170,000 people turn to the nonprofit, which provides support in health care, economic development, education and the arts. But Acacia Network has recently been marred by scandal, accused of running hazardous and poorly managed facilities and investigated for undisclosed ties to for-profit companies.

A leading expert in family and child homelessness, Ralph da Costa Nunez oversees policy research at the Institute for Children, Poverty and Homelessness. The organization analyzes issues homeless families face with regard to education, health care and employment – which helps inform the decisions made by advocates and service providers in New York City and around the country. Da Costa Nunez also heads the institute’s affiliate organization, Homes for the Homeless.

As the federal government calls for cuts to food stamps, City Harvest’s work has become even more important. Jilly Stephens leads New York City’s largest food rescue organization, distributing 64 million pounds of food to pantries and soup kitchens across the five boroughs each year. Under her leadership, the nonprofit created a food warehouse and storage facility that allowed it to double the amount of food rescued and delivered over the course of seven years.

Two orphanages merged to become MercyFirst three years before Gerard McCaffery took over as president and CEO in 2006. McCaffery took on the responsibility of integrating the nonprofit’s organizational culture and pulling it out of a tenuous financial situation – a goal he has met with success. Offering services in family support, youth development, foster care and health, MercyFirst now serves more than 3,200 people each year in Brooklyn and Queens as well as Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Though David Rivel is set to leave The Jewish Board next year, there’s no doubt he’s made his mark on the state’s largest human services organization, transforming the 175-year-old nonprofit which services more than 40,000 people at 75 facilities in New York City and Westchester County. Over the course of his eight-year tenure, The Jewish Board took on $75 million worth of additional programming, increased fundraising and went through a rebranding initiative.

Michelle Yanche has big shoes to fill at Good Shepherd Services, where she’ll replace longtime Executive Director Paulette LoMonaco. Yanche is already well-acquainted with the youth services organization, having served as associate executive director for government and external relations at the organization since 2016. And as the nonprofit’s first director of public policy, she spearheaded citywide campaigns to secure funding for early childhood and after-school programming.

State Sen. Roxanne Persaud took the reins at the legislative body’s Social Services Committee last year, and already Gov. Andrew Cuomo has approved legislation she has spearheaded – including a measure to allow people participating in tuition assistance and workforce development programs to more easily access public benefits. Persaud also sponsored new laws protecting domestic violence survivors from workplace discrimination and reducing prison sentences for those committing crimes of self-defense.

New York Road Runners is the organization behind the famous New York City Marathon – the largest marathon in the world – which raised a record $40 million last year for local and nationwide charities. Since 2015, President and CEO Michael Capiraso has overseen the nonprofit’s work, which also includes running youth programming in New York City schools and parks. He has run 27 consecutive New York City marathons.

Supportive housing aims to empower vulnerable people through housing and social services, and Laura Mascuch’s job is to back the nonprofits managing those programs. She oversees the policy interests of more than 200 organizations developing and operating supportive housing throughout the state. Before joining the Supportive Housing Network of New York in 2014, Mascuch worked on issues related to homelessness and health at New York City agencies and did consulting work for supportive housing providers.

Helping New York nonprofits succeed is Katie Leonberger’s priority as head of the Community Resource Exchange, a nonprofit consulting firm. About 400 organizations seek Community Resource Exchange’s support every year, looking for guidance on everything from leadership development to strategic planning. Through its Rising Fund, the organization aims to make those services accessible to small nonprofits. Before joining the firm, Leonberger led initiatives promoting public sector innovation at Bloomberg Philanthropies, where she launched the Mayors Challenge competition.

After a decade serving in the U.S. Army, Wendy McClinton has become a voice for fellow New York veterans. Her organization provides food, career development and supportive housing services to veterans reentering civil society – particularly those dealing with challenges such as substance abuse, mental illness or homelesness. McClinton serves on the board of directors of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans and the New York City Mayor’s Veterans Advisory Board.