Publisher's Section
The 2026 Nonprofit Trailblazers
Visionaries and innovators on a mission to serve New Yorkers.
City & State presents the 2026 Nonprofit Trailblazers. Glen Mar Studio; Jeff Moran, Box of Dreams Photography; April Pabon Photography
Nonprofit organizations are active in virtually every industry, but what unifies them is that they are driven by a clear mission with a public benefit. The social services sector is a particularly robust segment of the nonprofit world in New York, contributing to a social safety net as they serve people who are facing poverty, homelessness, addiction, mental health struggles and other challenges. Other nonprofit entities include advocacy groups, trade associations, arts organizations, institutions of higher education, business improvement districts and even some media outlets.
City & State’s annual Nonprofit Trailblazers features notable leaders in this sector in New York, including influential executives of nonprofit organizations as well as mid-level staffers driving groundbreaking programs and initiatives. The list also highlights advocates, consultants, advisers and others who help organizations effectively serve those in need.
The honorees on this year’s list will be celebrated at an evening gala at Manhattan Penthouse on May 20, with Kim L. Yu, New York City’s chief procurement officer, giving the keynote remarks. We’re pleased to introduce the 2026 Nonprofit Trailblazers.
Adam Aponte
Dr. Adam Aponte runs the East Harlem Council for Human Services, which operates the Boriken Neighborhood Health Center and provides residents with medical services, regardless of immigration status or ability to pay. Aponte has achieved operational efficiencies, expanded clinical programs and improved quality metrics for the center. In March, the East Harlem native joined a group of fellow federally qualified health center leaders in Albany to advocate for funding in the state budget. He’s also the board chair of Mentoring in Medicine, which supports diversity in the field.
Ilana Arbeit
Ilana Arbeit is driven to position nonprofit organizations to achieve their objectives by crafting employee benefits strategies that retain talent while bolstering their bottom line. A go-to expert on nonprofit workforce matters, Arbeit is the Benefits Practice vice president at Hilb Group, where she develops comprehensive employee benefit plans for small and large clients. She’s also a graduate of the Leadership Westchester program, a past president of the New York State Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals and a current member of the development committee for Volunteer New York, a Hudson Valley volunteerism nonprofit.
Michelle Avila
Michelle Avila directs public policy and advocacy for Children’s Aid, which helps children living in poverty thrive at home, in school and in their community. The Fordham University and NYU graduate works with local, state and federal governments to advance the organization’s political agenda, aimed at creating pathways for children and families to succeed. The native Bronxite previously worked at NYU Langone Health on policy and community outreach and engagement campaigns, and as a legislative aide in the Assembly, giving her an insider perspective to her policy work.
David Aviles
David Aviles assists with fundraising and institutional giving at Union Settlement, a social services organization providing youth development, education, mental health and aging services in East Harlem. He helps shape institutional fundraising strategy and cross-departmental coordination to contribute to the nonprofit’s growth, capacity and measurable impact. Outside of Union Settlement, Aviles is an advisory board member of the Northern Manhattan Improvement Corp. and works with the South Bronx Job Corps Workforce Council.
Colleen Borrelli
At Burke Rehabilitation Hospital and White Plains Hospital, Colleen Borrelli forges critical ties with elected officials and community partners. Throughout her tenure at the Montefiore medical facilities, Borrelli has completed a number of successful initiatives, including spearheading the creation of the Marsal Family Caregiver Center to support patients’ families and caregivers within an acute rehabilitation hospital. She also launched the Burke Advantage compassion-based staff training program and trained the team of trainers who then trained more than 1,000 employees.
Cheryl Brannan
In 1994, Cheryl Brannan founded Sister to Sister International, a nonprofit organization that supports women, girls and families of African descent. Brannan brings more than three decades of experience in the nonprofit, for-profit and public sectors to her work leading the Westchester County-based organization, where she has created a STEAM summer camp and academy for Black girls and girls of color in the Hudson Valley. She also published a report, “Still I Rise: Status of Black Women and Girls in Westchester County,” and has advocated for improved Black maternal health.
Pernell Brice III
Pernell Brice III coordinates public policy advocacy and government affairs for Children’s Health Fund, which provides healthcare services to children in underserved communities. The former legislative staffer manages relationships with advocacy groups, healthcare providers and elected officials at the local, state and federal levels in order to pursue policies and funding improving healthcare access for low-income children. He led the Coalition for Healthy Students – New York State, which pushed successfully for expanding school-based Medicaid, and secured critical funding from public and private givers to expand school-based health programming in New York City.
Eduard Bulku
Promoted to practice manager at BTQ Financial two years ago, Eduard Bulku is an experienced financial executive with a passion for financial stewardship and community service. He manages finance and accounting for nonprofit clients, including more than 15 community-based organizations and human services agencies, and is the lead for foster care agency and community housing initiative clients. Bulku works to ensure nonprofits operate as efficiently as possible by providing timely and accurate financial reports, creating budgets and communicating with client management on fiscal issues.
Jessica Bynoe
Jessica Bynoe has led Pencil, which connects students to mentors, internships and career exploration programs, since 2022. She has sharpened the organization’s focus as an intermediary between students and the workforce, increasing access to career pathways. During her tenure, Bynoe has spearheaded a number of initiatives, including a Career Xplorer software for middle school students and Pencil’s signature Principal for a Day experience. She also led the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic, transforming its offerings to maximize reach and impact for students in a tumultuous time.
Corinne Carey
When Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the Medical Aid in Dying Act in February, it represented the culmination of years of advocacy and coalition-building by Corinne Carey. Carey leads policy campaigns for Compassion & Choices, which advocates for better end-of-life care and giving people who are dying more options. The law, which allows medically assisted suicide in very specific cases, was a major win for the organization that also passed similar legislation in New Jersey. Carey is also a co-founder of New Yorkers for Mental Health Alternatives, which supports access to psilocybin.
Alfred C. Cerullo III
For more than two decades, Alfred C. Cerullo III has led the Grand Central Partnership, one of New York City’s biggest business improvement districts, covering midtown Manhattan near Grand Central Terminal. The BID recently opened Pershing Square Plaza East and expanded public programming like Pershing Square Sounds and Jazz on the Plaza. Cerullo’s BID is also part of the Future of Fifth initiative to create a pedestrian-focused corridor between Bryant Park and Central Park. Formerly a City Council member and consumer affairs commissioner, Cerullo has been a commissioner on the New York City Planning Commission since 2004.
Jennifer Ching
Driven by her passion for social justice, Jennifer Ching is the executive director of the North Star Fund, which provides grants to grassroots nonprofit organizations across New York City and the Hudson Valley. Under her leadership, North Star awarded $3 million across 230 grants last year alone. This year, the pro-democracy organization has pledged to commit $7 million in single-year and multiyear grants to go toward protecting immigrant and transgender rights. Prior to joining North Star, Ching was a litigator for 20 years, working on civil, immigrants’ and workers’ rights cases.
Lori Cohen
Lori Cohen has dedicated her career to fighting against human trafficking. Now the CEO of Protect All Children from Trafficking, Cohen previously co-founded and led a legal services program serving international and domestic human trafficking survivors. In her role at PACT, she is able to attack the problem through education, advocacy and private sector engagement. Currently, PACT is expanding education about legal protections for immigrant trafficking victims and how to report trafficking amid an increased trafficking risk during the World Cup.
Timothy Coleman
Songwriter Timothy Coleman is the education director for BronxNet, a community television network. He heads up programs that teach and empower people of all ages to use media to share their voices, including media certification courses and workforce development training. Over the past decade, Coleman has taught more than 1,000 people how to use podcasting to tell their stories, and he recently earned a Google AI certification to stay on top of media innovation. He also wrote the lyrics for and performed in “The Last Grain of Rice,” an off-off-Broadway show, last year.
Erica Coletti
It’s Erica Coletti’s mission to improve the health of New Yorkers, and her career journey reflects that. Currently, she’s the CEO of Healthy Alliance, a coalition of health organizations and providers that works to improve health outcomes for Medicaid members in upstate New York by removing barriers, cutting medical costs and expanding service capacity. Previously, she was a healthcare consultant at EXL. At Healthy Alliance, Coletti’s efforts got the organization designated as a Social Care Network Lead Entity, and it disbursed around $18 million to community-based organizations.
Robert Cordero
Under Robert Cordero’s leadership, the social services organization Grand St. Settlement has enjoyed impressive growth. Over the past 11 years, the operating budget has grown from $15 million to more than $60 million, allowing the nonprofit to reach 18,500 people annually across its early childhood, youth and older adult programs. The organization is expanding its Head Start programs into the Bronx for the first time in its 110-year history. Cordero is also overseeing a new tech center to open on the Lower East Side to provide science and technology education.
Nereida Coronel
The first time Nereida Coronel entered the Adults Benefiting from a Loving Environment House at the Emma L. Bowen Community Service Center, she did so as a patient seeking recovery. Several years later, she joined the ABLE House as a counselor. Now, she’s the residential treatment facility’s program manager, as well as the supervisor for the center’s food pantry, which distributes 100,000 packages annually. Guided by her lived experiences, Coronel helps people rebuild their lives with compassion and patience. Outside of ABLE, she is part of the NOH8 campaign for gender equality.
Kelly Coyne
At victim service organization Safe Horizon, Kelly Coyne supervises programs to ensure the nonprofit effectively delivers quality services to clients who have experienced domestic, physical, sexual or emotional abuse. A core component of her job is standardizing best practices for all services that center the clients and their experiences. Coyne, who joined Safe Horizon in 2013, has been focused on strengthening team culture and supporting staff mental health. Coyne is also the board chair of the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
Alia Crawford
When nonprofit organizations need to craft their benefits plans, one expert they can turn to is Alia Crawford. Crawford handles insurance services at USI Insurance Services, a New York-based firm delivering property and casualty insurance, employee benefits and retirement plans, with a focus on serving nonprofit clients and helping them attract and retain skilled professionals. She also serves on the Brooklyn advisory board for Visions/Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired and contributes to the New York State Society of CPAs’ employee benefits and not-for-profit organizations committees.
Scott Crowley
Serving a number of nonprofit clients, Fontas Advisors executive Scott Crowley leverages his more than two decades of government, budget and labor experience to help organizations with their legislative and funding advocacy. In recent years, he has secured hundreds of thousands of grant dollars for nonprofit clients, such as the Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement and The Floating Hospital, for which he also helped obtain permits to open a health clinic in Brooklyn. Earlier in his career, Crowley was the deputy director of the New York City Council Finance Division.
Cicely Cruz
As a real estate leader at Services for the UnderServed, Cicely Cruz supports the social services nonprofit’s extensive portfolio of more than 1,000 apartment leases and 60 commercial leases. Cruz, who had earlier career stops at Catholic Charities, Lutheran Social Services of New York and the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, is adept at developing cost-saving strategies and has saved her current organization more than $750,000. Cruz’s work supports the organization’s overarching goal to ensure that all New Yorkers have a safe, clean and affordable home.
Max Denler
Retirement benefits are an appealing perk in any sector, and Max Denler is helping nonprofits craft competitive plans for their workers. Since he joined Alliant Retirement Consulting in 2013, he has helped a range of nonprofit and corporate clients with their retirement offerings. Denler is a go-to expert on retirement plans for nonprofits and has spoken to associations and industry groups about the issues nonprofits face when it comes to plans and plan governance. He also sits on the committee overseeing the New York City Imagine Awards, which highlights the nonprofit sector.
Eric Dryja
Eric Dryja is a veteran team member at Spectrum Health & Human Services, a mental health and addiction counseling nonprofit serving eight counties in Western New York. Dryja oversees the organization’s Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics and was part of the clinical team that transformed existing clinics into CCBHCs, which aim to deliver coordinated comprehensive behavioral health care. He also helped develop grant-funded programs to enhance behavioral health services, such as substance use treatment for incarcerated people and in-home mental health services for older adults.
Andrew Dzenis
Whether it’s office space, supportive housing or medical facilities, nonprofits often have many real estate needs. Andrew Dzenis of the real estate services company JLL is an expert at fulfilling these needs. As the managing director of the firm’s Nonprofit, Education and Government Practice, Dzenis supports nonprofit clients through all phases of a project, including strategic planning, demographic analysis, labor analytics, zoning analysis, site selection, financial analysis, negation and closing. His team represented the Robin Hood foundation on its headquarters relocation and helped Yeshiva University expand its health sciences facilities.
Benero Estevez
Benero Estevez leads the Remote program at the New York Psychotherapy and Counseling Center, a nonprofit, community-oriented mental health organization. While in his current role, Estevez recently filled in as the interim director for the organization’s newest clinic, the Queens Child and Family Mental Health Clinic in Jackson Heights, during which he collaborated with various departments to make sure the new program met operational and regulatory requirements. Estevez has been with NYPCC for two decades and worked in homeless services before entering the field of mental health.
Rachel Fernbach
As a co-chair of law firm Moritt Hock & Hamroff’s Not-for-Profit Practice Group, Rachel Fernbach concentrates her law practice on nonprofit and healthcare law. She has extensive experience guiding nonprofit organizations through formation, application for federal tax exemption, mergers and dissolution. Her counsel helps these organizations to grow and continue developing as they carry out their missions. Additionally, Fernbach represents healthcare providers, especially those dealing with mental health and intellectual and developmental disabilities. She’s also the executive director and general counsel of the New York State Psychiatric Association.
Julissa Ferreras-Copeland
Julissa Ferreras-Copeland is a top executive at Hollis Public Affairs, which has vaulted into the top echelon of lobbying firms in New York City in recent years. Ferreras-Copeland has forged relationships with countless stakeholders in the public sphere thanks to her tenure as chair of the New York City Council Finance Committee, a role in which she helped shape a then-$82 billion budget. Among the firm’s clients that she lobbies for are the Association for Neighborhood Housing & Development, Covenant House and Philanthropy New York.
Chanelle Gallman
Advancing efforts to transition New Yorkers from homelessness to housing stability, Chanelle Gallman helps oversee shelter services at Housing Solutions of New York. She is dedicated to ensuring the nonprofit organization delivers quality services to its clients and provides strategic oversight of shelter operations. Her team focuses on helping clients reach long-term stability that continues even after the services end. Additionally, it’s important to Gallman to support her staff’s professional development and growth through mentorship, succession planning and creating an inclusive work environment.
Ana García Reyes
Ana García Reyes spearheads community outreach, legislative affairs and cultural initiatives for Hostos Community College, which is part of New York City’s extensive public university system. Thanks to the relationships that García Reyes has built among the college, the community and elected officials, she is able to ensure Hostos students have access to opportunities both inside and outside of the school. García Reyes also leverages her connections with national and international universities to benefit Hostos’ professional development and study abroad programs for students and staff.
Russell Granet
The arts are an integral part of New York City, and it’s Russell Granet’s mission to get young people interested in the performing arts. At New 42, he advances the award-winning nonprofit’s goal to expose people of all ages to theater by hosting international performances at the New Victory Theater and providing dance, theater and opera companies with rehearsal space. Granet has been in the arts world for years, formerly serving as the acting president of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and founding the international consulting group Arts Education Resource.
Tom Harris
If Times Square is the heart of New York City, then Tom Harris is the man that keeps its business community healthy. Harris is the longtime leader of the Times Square Alliance, the business improvement district supporting the neighborhood’s businesses and entertainment venues. As part of his goal to ensure the corridor continues being a thriving district, he launched a new five-year strategic plan this year that sets out to “define culture, challenge conventions and embrace change” in the community. Harris is also a co-chair of the Midtown Community Improvement Coalition.
Seanelle Hawkins
This month, Seanelle Hawkins took on a new role leading the nonprofit Daystar Kids, which describes itself as New York state’s only pediatric complex care and learning center. The Rochester-based organization helps young children with complex medical conditions transition from the hospital to home and school. Previously, Hawkins was the first female president and CEO of the Urban League of Rochester, where she oversaw a period of growth, doubling the operating budget and expanding programs to prioritize public health initiatives.
Gayle Horwitz
Since taking over the helm of JASA last year, Gayle Horwitz has strengthened the nonprofit’s impact for the older adults it serves. She launched an organizationwide listening tour to uncover hidden needs and opportunities, which led her to restructure the executive team to improve operational performance. Horwitz also started JASAcakes, an initiative to annually deliver 2,000 birthday cakes to older adults facing social isolation. Before joining JASA, she was CUNY’s senior vice chancellor and secretary of the board, as well as the interim president of the Research Foundation of CUNY.
Gary Jenkins
Serving the underserved is a defining characteristic of Gary Jenkins’ career. Formerly the commissioner of the New York City Department of Social Services, Jenkins was promoted to lead Urban Pathways in March. He first joined the nonprofit in 2024, supporting its mission to reduce homelessness through supportive housing, employment assistance and other initiatives. In April, Jenkins opened a 79-unit supportive housing building in the Bronx, which supports residents with case management services and skills training. Jenkins is also board chair at Metropolitan College of New York.
Andrea Jerves
For almost two decades, Andrea Jerves has been developing and implementing programs at HANAC, a social services nonprofit that was originally founded to serve the Greek community in Queens. Jerves helps manage more than 50 programs and works with program directors to serve some 30,000 individuals across New York City each year. The Ecuadorian American immigrant maintains relationships with elected officials, small businesses and other nonprofits to create more impactful programming for clients. She also co-led the development of the affordable housing project Corona Senior Residence.
Kalima Johnson
The Parkside Group’s Kalima Johnson is a key player in the consulting firm’s growing nonprofit practice group, helping mission-driven clients advance their policy and budget goals. Johnson has worked at nonprofit organizations and in the public sector, giving her a unique understanding of her clients’ needs. Previously, she served as the associate director of advocacy and partnerships at the nonprofit Education Trust-New York, managing the organization’s advocacy agenda and strategic partnerships. She started her career in the state Legislature and later was a New York City Council staffer.
Craig Joseph
Craig Joseph has dedicated his career to creating opportunities and community for young people. Joseph is the director of mentoring at Student Sponsor Partners, an organization that provides mentoring, scholarships, college prep and private high school placements. He oversees the mentoring program that serves more than 1,200 students. Earlier in his career, he spent more than two decades at Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx, where he worked on the private school’s admissions and student life teams, mentoring teen boys in an underserved community.
David Kupecky
This year marks a decade of David Kupecky’s tenure as CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Queens, which offers after-school, summer camp and teen programs. In this time, Kupecky has ushered the club through a period of significant growth. Its annual membership rose from 1,000 to 7,500, with daily attendance rising from 150 to 1,400 individuals. The organization’s main clubhouse was also expanded on Kupecky’s watch. Kupecky is also a vice president of New York State Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs.
Amy LaFountain
Amy LaFountain has spent two decades at Joseph’s House & Shelter advancing its mission to serve families and individuals experiencing homelessness in New York’s Capital Region. The nonprofit organization offers street outreach, emergency shelters and permanent housing programs. LaFountain became the organization’s executive director in 2023, after serving as its director of supported housing. In her current role, LaFountain has spearheaded collaborations with government leaders, past board members and other nonprofits and expanded professional development opportunities for her staff.
Luisa Lopez
Social workers spend their careers supporting others, and Luisa Lopez and the Latino Social Work Coalition and Scholarship Fund return the favor. She has advocated for the state Social Work Workforce Act, which would eliminate an exam requirement for social work licensure. Her coalition aims to boost the number of culturally and linguistically competent social workers, providing scholarships, mentoring and professional development. Lopez marked the organization’s 25th anniversary last year, awarding $900,000 in scholarships to social work students. She also serves on the board of Social Workers for Justice.
Paul Mak
In 1988, Paul Mak founded the Brooklyn Chinese-American Association to address the needs of the growing Asian community in Sunset Park clustered around Eighth Avenue. Since then, the association has provided bilingual legal support, translation services, mental health care, children’s programs and more, filling in the gaps being faced in what Mak calls “Brooklyn’s Chinatown.” Mak has kept the organization afloat and innovating, creating new programs to serve the community. BCA now has 28 service sites and a staff of 400 that serves 3,000 families daily.
Pablo Malaver
Guided by his passion for service, Pablo Malaver is a family advocate at the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester. In his role, Malaver connects families to the organization’s opportunities for children, such as after-school, summer camp and Head Start preschool programs. He also helps local families in need get food and clothing. Separately, the Peruvian immigrant supports the operations team of Neighbors Link at Mount Kisco, an immigrant services organization, helping to create a welcoming environment for clients seeking English language courses, legal assistance, parent education and more.
Zak Malik
Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies’ Zak Malik is a champion for nonprofits, community organizations and civic groups. His budget and legislative advocacy for his clients helps them better carry out their missions. He helped secure $75 million in New York City funding for programmatic initiatives and capital projects for nonprofit organizations in fiscal year 2026. His advocacy has helped the nonprofit City Parks Foundation renovate the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater and supported the renovation of the Apollo Theater. He’s also an avid runner and plays drums in a cover band that fundraises for breast cancer research.
Phil Marciano
Phil Marciano is an expert in the field of not-for-profit accounting. He’s a partner at the Manhattan-headquartered professional services firm Citrin Cooperman, where he audits nonprofits, as well as small municipalities, schools, libraries and other special purpose entities. Marciano also teaches auditing and accounting courses for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and regularly presents about nonprofit accounting at conferences. He’s a consultant for Kaplan as well. Before he joined Citrin Cooperman in 2024, he worked at Mayer Hoffman McCann and CBIZ Marks Paneth.
Wanda Matos
Ponce Bank considers itself an active, integrated part of the neighborhoods it serves, and this community-focused mindset extends to local nonprofits. Bank executive Wanda Matos is the director of the institution’s nonprofit services, spearheading initiatives to expand mission-based organizations’ access to financial resources. To this end, Matos oversees the bank’s Nonprofit Grassroots Program and nonprofit office hours in order to guide organizations through fiscal issues and growing capacity. She is also the interim branch manager for Ponce’s new location in Inwood.
Marcella McKoy
Marcella McKoy is dedicated to increasing equity within her organization and among its clients. She is the director of team experience and engagement at Graham Windham, a nonprofit aiding children and families facing poverty, racism and injustice. In her role, McKoy improves workplace culture and performance through a people and culture strategy she designed and implemented that aligns operational policies with the nonprofit’s goals. Her strategy improves inclusion within a diverse and multigenerational team and focuses on early-career professionals. McKoy is also certified by the International Coaching Federation to coach young professionals.
Amanda Milazzo
For nearly two decades, Amanda Milazzo has capitalized on her banking expertise and people-first approach to help her clients achieve their financial goals. At Valley National Bank, Milazzo works with a number of nonprofit clients, delivering tailored financial solutions that help the organizations follow through on their mission statements. Since she joined the New Jersey-based financial institution at the end of 2022, she has secured nearly $300 million in new commitments. Earlier in her career, she worked at well-known banking institutions, such as JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Citi.
Gary Milchman
In the nearly a year since Gary Milchman took the reins at YAI, he has advanced a person-centered vision and has expanded access to the organization’s services. With his help, the nonprofit serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities secured a state grant to fund improved access to medical and dental care for wheelchair users and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Milchman, who has been at YAI since 1998, also helped the organization offer temporary residential crisis support to children in the state Office of Mental Health system.
Michael Moriarty
Windels Marx attorney Michael Moriarty is a longtime partner of the law firm and a member of its Public Finance and Not-for-Profit Practice Group. He is experienced at representing not-for-profit housing developers, assisted living centers and skilled nursing facilities, as well as financial institutions. Apart from work, Moriarty is the board chair of The De LaSalle School, a middle school on Long Island for boys from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and he serves on the board of the New York Catholic Foundation.
Diana Noriega
Diana Noriega founded Good Shepherd Services’ Mission and Learning Department, which promotes leadership development, culture change and equity. In her role at the long-standing social services nonprofit, Noriega is devoted to improving workplace cultures to be more inclusive and diverse. The native New Yorker recently launched a leadership development program for supervisors, and she is working to make executive decision-making more inclusive. She also co-founded the New York Equitable Economies Coalition, which highlights diverse vendors that nonprofits can work with, and she offers coaching and consulting services on the side.
Himali Pandya
As the first woman of color to lead the Child Care Council of Dutchess and Putnam, Himali Pandya drives the organization’s strategy and advocacy for affordable childcare in Dutchess and Putnam counties. The nonprofit educates families about childcare opportunities, refers children to its 290 partner programs and provides training for the childcare workforce. Since she succeeded Jeanne Wagner as executive director last fall, Pandya has been a champion of Dutchess County’s new universal childcare pilot by bringing together stakeholders and shaping strategy.
Franchelle Parker
Franchelle Parker is the founding executive director of Open Buffalo, a justice-centered organization that builds community power, promotes equity and opens pathways for leadership and opportunity in Western New York. During her tenure, she has advanced plans for a 10-acre Open Buffalo Urban Ecology Campus on Buffalo’s East Side, which is aimed at addressing environmental issues, disinvestment and poverty. Before she helped launch Open Buffalo in 2014, she handled communications for the influential labor union 1199SEIU in Western New York.
Kilsys Payamps-Roure
When Braven, a Chicago nonprofit that supports students from humble backgrounds who are navigating college, expanded to New York, it brought on Kilsys Payamps-Roure as its founding executive director in the state. In the role, she has equipped more than 2,500 students at Lehman College and the City College of New York with skills, training and networks to succeed in the job market. Payamps-Roure had previously served as chief of staff to the general manager and chief operating officer at the New York City Housing Authority.
Masha Pearl
The Blue Card is a New York-based nonprofit organization that provides direct financial assistance to Holocaust survivors living in poverty, an effort that is led by Masha Pearl. Pearl, who is the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, has expanded the organization’s reach to 35 states, boosted its operating budget and spearheaded innovative new programs, including an artificial intelligence-powered hologram of a real Holocaust survivor for use in schools. Pearl has also advocated for federal funding for Holocaust survivors and for educating students about the tragic murder of 6 million Jews.
David Pearson
David Pearson has spent more than a quarter century in human resources and client relationship management, and he brings his extensive experience to his work at the New Jersey human resources firm ExtensisHR. The company, which Pearson joined in 2013, serves a wide range of clients, including nonprofit organizations. Among the services it provides for nonprofits are recruiting and hiring, crafting benefits packages that retain talent and providing insight on relevant regulations. Pearson and ExtensisHR have also earned various awards during his tenure.
Mark Piszko
At the New York accounting, tax and advisory practice PKF O’Connor Davies, Mark Piszko serves as partner-in-charge of the firm’s Not-for-Profit Practice Area. Piszko is an expert on the issues facing a wide range of nonprofit organizations, including charitable organizations, religious entities, educational and cultural institutions, and social services organizations. He’s also a member of the not-for-profit organizations committee of the New York State Society of CPAs and has chaired the organization’s annual nonprofit conferences held in Rochester and New York City.
Mary Plum
Hardly a week goes by when there’s not a New York nonprofit announcing a retirement or resignation in its leadership and launching a search for a new executive. That’s where Mary Plum comes in. Plum, who’s part of the nonprofit practice at the staffing and recruiting company McDermott + Bull, guides nonprofit organizations as they seek the right leaders to carry out their missions. She brings nearly a decade of experience to her work, and she has advised notable organizations, including BronxWorks, Children’s Aid, NewYork-Presbyterian, Part of the Solution and the Drug Policy Alliance.
Michelle Pryce-Screen
At the helm of Getting Out and Staying Out since 2024, Michelle Pryce-Screen has overseen the nonprofit’s strategic and operating plans, program funding, infrastructure development and engagement with a variety of internal and external stakeholders. Known as GOSO, the reentry organization takes steps to keep young people from returning to Rikers Island. Pryce-Screen has boosted mental health services, including offering psychiatric care through an in-house clinic, and launched a literacy program. She started at GOSO as its chief program officer and had previous stints at Hope Community, Phoenix House, The Fortune Society and Win.
Insha Rahman
This month, Insha Rahman succeeded Nicholas Turner as the leader of the Vera Institute of Justice, which aims to end the “criminalization and mass incarceration of people of color, immigrants and people experiencing poverty.” The political strategist and criminal justice expert will also lead Vera Action, its sister 501(c)(4) organization that she had already overseen as its director since 2020. She has been a champion of New York’s bail reform law, a proponent of closing Rikers Island and a critic of federal funding cuts for violence reduction and other programs.
Jeffrey Reynolds
Nearly a dozen years ago, Jeffrey Reynolds came on to lead the Family & Children’s Association, one of Long Island’s largest and oldest nonprofit organizations. On his watch, the nonprofit health and human services organization has secured more than $18 million in new funding and launched innovative initiatives, including recovery centers and a recovery peer advocate program. Reynolds ran the Long Island Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence before joining FCA, which serves more than 35,000 individuals each year.
Jennifer Rizzo-Choi
Jennifer Rizzo-Choi has guided the International Institute of Buffalo through a challenging period, with the federal government targeting immigrants and refugees, a population served by her nonprofit. Rizzo-Choi, who joined the Western New York nonprofit in 2021, has maintained the organization’s mission of empowering foreign-born people and welcoming people from diverse cultures. The former television journalist is an expert in refugee and asylum law. She also serves on the advisory board of the Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy at the Rockefeller Institute of Government.
Gracie-Ann Roberts
Nearly a decade ago, Gracie-Ann Roberts joined the Community Health Center of Richmond, a provider of primary care, maternal and infant health, behavioral health, dental care and other services on Staten Island. Roberts, who moved up from a senior director to chief quality officer in 2022, has been a key player on the executive team amid a period of growth for the Community Health Center of Richmond. Last month, she participated on a panel on maternal health at a healthcare summit sponsored by Staten Island University Hospital.
Denise Rosario
Denise Rosario has run the Coalition for Hispanic Family Services, a community-based organization serving Latino and Black families in Brooklyn and Queens, since it was founded in 1990. On her watch, she has built the nonprofit up from a small child welfare program to a large organization with various services, including foster care and adoption, family support, mental health, youth development and community programs. And the organization is continuing to grow, recently launching three new service sites and two School-Based Early Support Programs in Bushwick, Brooklyn, and Jackson Heights, Queens.
Michael N. Rosenblut
As the longtime leader of the Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation, Michael N. Rosenblut helms one of the largest downstate post-acute care organizations. He launched Parker At Your Door, which provides medical house calls for homebound adults; established an Indian Cultural Unit, with specialized care for Indian patients; and recently added bedside blood transfusions to minimize hospital visits. In addition to running the New Hyde Park-based organization, Rosenblut is also president and CEO of the Queens-Long Island Renal Institute, a dialysis center.
Raul Russi
Raul Russi’s Acacia Network is a major Hispanic-led human services organization, offering more than 100 programs across New York, the Southern U.S. and Puerto Rico serving 150,000 people annually. Russi, who has led Acacia Network since 2009, has overseen the development of supportive housing for older adults in Buffalo and Puerto Rico, partnered with Rochester’s Out of the Darkness to expand services for women in recovery and launched the Safe Point Lighthouse mobile unit in Dunkirk to expand access to addiction treatment services.
Michael Schall
With more than 25 years of experience in the industry, certified public accountant Michael Schall leads the nonprofit practice group for tax and accounting firm SAX. He works with a number of nonprofit organizations, spanning the fields of arts and culture, social justice, LGBTQ+ rights, health and welfare, and education. He has also assisted New York City government agencies, including the Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services and the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services. Schall is a member of the New York State Society of CPAs’ exempt organizations and not-for-profit organizations committees.
Liza Schwartzwald
In February, Liza Schwartzwald joined the anti-poverty, social policy and advocacy nonprofit FPWA as its director of policy and advocacy. Previously, Schwartzwald handled policy work for EdFund and the New York Immigration Coalition, gaining experience advocating on tax policy, childcare, education and adult literacy. Schwartzwald was also part of the working families tax credit campaign that led to a $350 million supplemental investment in the Empire State Child Credit, and she helped launch Promise NYC, which provides childcare assistance for undocumented families.
David Shippee
The Whitney M. Young Jr. Health Center is a federally qualified health center that has operated in the Capital Region since 1971, offering affordable primary, dental and mental health care for low-income and uninsured community members. As president and CEO, David Shippee is deepening its impact. He opened one of the area’s only dental residency programs to care for more Medicaid patients. He also began a $12 million capital improvement campaign to modernize its main primary care center and expand its opioid treatment program.
Amy Sigona
Connecting people with organizations that can deliver the help they need is Amy Sigona’s passion, and she gets to do it every day as the development director at CAMBA. The social services organization serves more than 80,000 people annually with programs for housing stability, workforce development, college prep and more. Sigona’s job is to further develop CAMBA’s ability to serve. This year, she helped the strategic partnerships team reach a record fundraising goal from the annual CAMBA Night Out and directed a software transition in order to improve operational efficiency.
Tom Stebbins
The Lawsuit Reform Alliance of New York believes that the New York legal system is costly and unbalanced – and Tom Stebbins is committed to shifting course. LRANY advocates for legal reform legislation, educates the public on lawsuit abuse and publishes reports about what it considers to be the negative impacts of the status quo in the legal system. Outside of his day job, Stebbins is a fundraiser and auctioneer, helping to raise money for a number of big-name nonprofits and charities, such as Make-A-Wish, the Boys & Girls Club and the American Heart Association.
Doreen Thomann-Howe
Doreen Thomann-Howe is the regional CEO for the American Red Cross in Greater New York. The organization responded to 1,051 home fires and disasters during the first half of fiscal year 2026, helping 3,057 families while distributing $6.5 million in financial assistance. She oversees an initiative to install 15,000 free smoke alarms in New York City homes, in partnership with the New York City Fire Department. Thomann-Howe was previously at homeless services nonprofit Project Renewal and a deputy commissioner of family services for the New York City Department of Homeless Services.
Thacher Tiffany
It’s Thacher Tiffany’s job to make sure that Goddard Riverside Community Center clients have safe, affordable places to live. As the chief of housing development for the nonprofit, Tiffany drives efforts to build and maintain affordable and supportive housing. It’s an area he’s been working in for 20 years, having also served as a project manager at Preservation of Affordable Housing. One of his most recent accomplishments was the opening of the new Stephan Russo Residence supportive housing development in October, with a capacity of more than 60 people.
Eileen Torres
Serving more than 66,000 people annually, BronxWorks is a nonprofit offering services for homelessness, immigration assistance, health and wellness, benefits assistance and more. CEO Eileen Torres guides the organization and its nearly 1,000 employees and finds ways to expand its scope and reach, including establishing new sites and partnerships. In January, the organization was awarded $7.5 million for a major renovation of its Carolyn McLaughlin Community Center. Torres’ organization has also partnered with the New York City Department of Homeless Services on homelessness prevention.
Courtney VanBuren
Courtney VanBuren’s job is to help other people get jobs. She’s the manager of apprenticeship at the Associated Builders and Contractors’ Empire State chapter, where she coordinates with employers, applicants and apprentices to make sure the program is effective and productive. This means helping navigate apprenticeship requirements, maintaining strong training programs, tracking progress and ensuring compliance with state Department of Labor regulations. In recent years, VanBuren has increased the number of apprentices from 30 to 300 and expanded an employer network to 200 partners.
Noelle Withers
With two decades of experience in the homeless services sector, Volunteers of America-Greater New York’s Noelle Withers manages the nonprofit’s housing, health and wealth-building programs. She has been a proponent of its Street to Home supportive housing program and steered the opening of the organization’s Economic Empowerment Center in the Bronx. Withers was also a supporter of New York City legislation to require first responders be trained to recognize and handle traumatic brain injuries that resulted from domestic violence, which passed in November.
Chauncy Young
As a parent to a former Bronx District 9 student, Chauncy Young is deeply invested in bettering education in his community of Highbridge. His work with New Settlement’s Parent Action Committee allows him to advocate for education justice and reform in his neighborhood and across New York City. Young was instrumental in the creation of the Highbridge Green School in District 9 and used federal funding for student environmental sustainability projects. He’s also a founding member of the Healing-Centered Schools Working Group, which pushes schools to adopt a “healing-centered framework.”
NEXT STORY: Tomorrow’s Leaders