Chair

Andrew H. Kimball (Fellows Program NY 1990); Chief Executive Officer, Industry City

Vice Chair

Melissa Roman Burch (Leadership New York 2007); Executive General Manager, Lend Lease, Inc.

Treasurer

Anne F. Pollack; Retired Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, New York Life Insurance Company

Secretary

Melody Rollins Downes (Leadership New York 2005); Executive Vice President, Pacific Investment Management Company LLC

Members

Sandra Altine; Managing Director for Global Diversity & Inclusion, Moody's Corporation

Greg Berman (Fellows Program NY 1993); Executive Director, Center for Court Innovation

Richard A. Caccappolo (Leadership New York 2002); Chief Operating Officer, MailOnline

Andrew Cantor (Fellows 2003); Vice President of Development, Related Companies Inc.

Russell Dubner; President & CEO, Edelman U.S.

Matthew Fassler (Leadership New York 2001); Managing Director, Goldman Sachs & Company

Freida Foster; Board Member, New York State Worker's Compensation Board

Betsy Gotbaum; Former Public Advocate of New York City

Wayne Ho (Immigrant Civic Leadership Program 2005); Chief Program and Policy Officer, Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies

Joan Jacobs (Leadership New York 2008); Vice President of Learning & Inclusion, Consolidated Edison Company of New York

Patrick B. Jenkins; Partner, Patrick B. Jenkins & Associates

Aaron Koffman(Leadership New York 2011); Principal, The Hudson Companies

Gayle Matthei; Chief Marketing Officer, DTZ

David I. Moskovitz (Fellows Program SL 2004); Chief Executive, Accenture Federal Services

Peter C. Neger; Partner, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius

Katherine O'Brien; Chief Human Resources Officer, New York Life Insurance Company

Jeffrey Plaut (Fellows Program NY 1988); Founding Partner, Global Strategy Group

Tucker Reed (Fellows Program NY 2004); President, Downtown Brooklyn Partnership

Fatima A. Shama; Executive Director, Fresh Air Fund

William F. Squadron; Executive Vice President, STATS, LLC

Travis Terry (Leadership New York 2004); Chief Operating Officer, Capalino+Company

Nancy Youman (Leadership New York 1996); Deputy Director of U.S. Programs, Open Society Foundations

Coro Alumni Advisory Board Co-Chairs (CAAB)

Cliff Archey (Fellows Program NY 2012); Program Manager of Education, IBM

Leenda Bonilla (Immigrant Civic Leadership Program 2013); Community Outreach Coordinator, Partnership for Parks

All staff can be reached at:

Coro New York Leadership Center
42 Broadway, Suite 1827-35
New York, New York 10004
(212) 248-2935 | main phone
(212) 248-2970 | fax

Bino Realuyo, Program Director, Immigrant Civic Leadership Program

brealuyo@coronewyork.org (ext. 320)

Bino joined Coro in May 2014 and is very excited to work with immigrant leaders and their communities.  He is joining Coro after a three-year directorial stint at the SEIU1199 Training and Education Funds, where he successfully reorganized a large department by leveraging best practices in leadership and educational technology. He has over fifteen years of experience in training, education, and program management with a special focus on immigrant communities.  Five years into immigrating to the U.S., he finished college and soon after co-founded two community organizations, one of which is the Asian American Writers Workshop.  He is a published poet and novelist, and regularly writes about the Filipino-American experience on The Huffington Post.  He has a Masters of Education degree from Harvard University, which he attended as a full scholar and leadership fellow at the Kennedy School's Center for Public Leadership.   

Christopher Neal, Director of Youth Programs and Initiatives

cneal@coronewyork.org (ext. 321)

J.Christopher Neal is a "native son" of Detroit Michigan. The son of two talented artists, Harold L. Neal, a celebrated painter, and Claire Neal, a classically trained vocalist, Christopher is a painter and began his formal art training at Mumford High School and at the Center (now College) for Creative Studies' Saturday Workshops. He later went on to study Fine Art, African-American Studies, and Women's Studies at Eastern Michigan University. After completing his undergraduate studies he enrolled in Howard University's Master's of Fine Arts program, not quite sure of his prospects but open to the journey. Christopher came to Coro with an Arts Education background, which he began developing shortly after arriving in  New York City. He has taught in classrooms across all five Boroughs and Connecticut.

Christopher Woltering, Youth Programs & Initiatives Assistant

cwoltering@coronewyork.org (ext. 303)

Chris joined Coro in September 2015 as a member of the New York City Civic Corps. Previously, Chris worked as an Intellectual Property attorney and as an advertising executive. Chris received his B.A. in History with a minor in African-American studies from Northwestern University, and he holds a law degree from St. John's University School of Law. Chris has lived in Chicago and San Francisco, and he currently resides in Queens with his wife and infant son. Chris is an avid surfer, cook and sports and music enthusiast, having been on college radio and collaborated on the production of concerts and speaking engagements. He ran the 2014 NYC Marathon as a team member for Athletes to End Alzheimer's, has volunteered with New York Cares and coached youth soccer and basketball.

Claudia Paredes, Program Director, Fellows Program in Public Affairs

cparedes@coronewyork.org (ext. 302)

Claudia Paredes is an older sister, daughter and adopted mother to Charlie, a multi-ethnic California rescue dog. She is driven by her commitment to equity, social justice and the advancement of opportunity for communities of color and low income communities.  Over the past 6 years, Claudia served as the Leadership Academy Director for The Greenlining Institute. Together with a dedicated team, she led five core leadership development programs that engage diverse, emerging leaders in various stages of their educational and professional trajectory. Through a shared vision based on the values of collective leadership, these programs empower and train the next generation of leaders dedicated to sustainable solutions that include and benefit California's most vulnerable communities. A formerly undocumented immigrant from Peru, Claudia was educated in East Bay public schools, holds a B.A. in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Public Policy from Pepperdine University. Claudia is a perpetual student of leadership development and believes in the power of individual and collective development and empowerment as a means to greater social change. She is a proud of alumna of Rockwood Leadership Institute and the Hispanas Organized for Policy Equality (HOPE) Leadership Institute. Most recently, Claudia was a part of the inaugural cohort of the New Leaders Council Oakland.

Cynthia Wong, Program Director, Youth Leadership Academy

cwong@coronewyork.org (ext. 321)

Cynthia joined Coro in January 2015 after serving as Coordinator of the CUNY Start program at Medgar Evers College in central Brooklyn.  A committed public service professional, she has spent several years building community leadership and strengthening resources in diverse neighborhoods across New York City.  At the Coalition for Asian American Children & Families, Cynthia helped launch a leadership development program for pan-Asian high school students aiming to make positive changes in the educational system.  As Senior Program Officer at the Union Square Awards, she oversaw grants and technical assistance programs for grassroots organizations working to address the city's most pressing social justice issues. Cynthia is a proud member of the National Urban Fellows alumni network and Greenlining Academy Alumni Association. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California at Berkeley, a Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University, and a Master of Public Administration from Baruch College in New York City.

Elba R. Guichardo, Bookkeeper

eguichardo@coronewyork.org (ext. 311)

Elba R. Guichardo Joined Coro in July 2013. She has a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration, Major Hospitality from O & M University in The Dominican Republic. Prior to Coro, Elba spent over 12 years as Office Manager, Bookkeeper and Corporate Billing Manager in various For Profit and Nonprofit entities, which she enjoys immensely. Elba Feel Proud to live in New York and work at Coro, Organization that works building a better place for all New Yorkers. She lives in Queens with her Husband and Two Daughters. 

Elizabeth Maguire, Development and External Affairs Associate

emaguire@coronewyork.org (ext. 315)

Elizabeth Maguire joined Coro in September of 2015 after graduating magna cum laude with high honors in History from New York University. At NYU, her senior thesis on the militarization of the U.S. Mexican border won the Albert S. Borgman Prize for the best thesis in the social sciences. Prior to joining Coro, Elizabeth interned with several immigrant advocacy organizations, including Make the Road New York and New Immigrant Community Empowerment. She currently lives in Brooklyn and enjoys food, biking, and knitting.

Fenella Thornton, Director of Development and External Affairs

fthornton@coronewyork.org (ext. 318)

Fenella joined Coro in September 2013 to direct fundraising and communications strategies in support of Coro's mission.  Most recently she was Development Director at Project Renewal, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering homeless men and women to rebuild their lives.  Fenella has been in Development since 1984, previously with Poly Prep Country Day School in Brooklyn and National Audubon Society before that.  Fenella grew up in New York City and received her bachelor's degree from Yale University.

Garrett J. Lucien, Program Director, Neighborhood Leadership

glucien@coronewyork.org (ext. 308)

Garrett is a Neighborhood Leadership 2012 Alumni, who has joined the Coro team in September 2013.  He comes with over sixteen years of community and economic development experience. Garrett has worked with SoBRO for the past 8 years, most recent as the Senior Director of Economic Development of Economic Development and Financial Services. He also brings with him a wealth of experience in facilitating groups and leading retreats and workshops. Garrett holds a B.A. from SUNY New Paltz, and a MBA from Keller Graduate School of Business in NY. Garrett is a native New Yorker who is passionate about helping people develop skills and opportunities to create positive change within themselves and their communities.

Gina Femia, Recruitment Associate

gfemia@coronewyork.org  (ext. 300)

Gina is a Brooklyn native with a background in theatre and public education.  She joined the Coro team in 2014 and was previously the Project Assistant for the Apollo Theater's Education program, helping to implement more than 20 public education events during her time there.  She mentors with Writer's Guild of America, East and often works with Young Playwrights, Inc. as an educator.  As a playwright, her work has been produced as a part of more than 30 festivals locally, nationally and internationally.  She received her MFA from Sarah Lawrence College in 2011 where she was awarded the Lipkin Prize in Playwriting.

Kristen Illes, Senior Director of Programs

killes@coronewyork.org (ext. 301)

Kristen Illes is the Senior Director of Programs at Coro New York Leadership Center.  A main focus of her work is to support program staff to provide 7 premiere civic leadership development programs experienced annually by over 225 people-from high school students to experienced professionals- committed to bringing about change and building the leadership community of NYC.  Kristen's work also extends to strategy and the organizational well being of Coro and she continually seeks ways to execute on both areas.  Kristen's career has been focused in the non profit sector and for close to 25 years and she has been privileged to hold management positions with a focus on learning and development.  Prior to joining Coro in 2009, Kristen led Training and Development for Safe Horizon, the nation's leading victim assistance organization.  Accomplishments included implementation of a Community Trauma Response Academy to equip over 1,000 community based providers the skills to respond to New Yorkers' impacted by 9/11 and partnering with Verizon Wireless to design and deliver a national training program "SafeWork" which was used by corporations to train their managers how to appropriately respond to domestic violence in the workplace. The purpose-filled thread throughout Kristen's career is to work with people and organizations that are committed to change grounded in vision.  Kristen treasures time spent with her son Connor, partner Jeff, family and friends.  Kristen is accredited by the American Society for Training & Development as a Certified Professional in Learning & Performance, is a member of the International Leadership Association and earned her Masters Degree in Psychology from Marist College.

Laura Gale, Senior Director, Training and Consulting

lgale@coronewyork.org (ext. 302)

Laura has spent her career designing transformative learning experiences for a wide range of communities in New York City, including artists and audiences, students and educators, executives and early career professionals. She has worked across sectors, industries, and age groups to help others reflect, grow, learn, collaborate, inspire and lead. Before coming to Coro in 2011, Laura founded and managed a nonprofit arts organization, serving as Executive Artistic Director for eight years, and worked in urban schools, using creativity as a vehicle for change-making to support the leadership and development of hundreds of New York City students and teachers leaders. As Senior Director of Training and Consulting at Coro, Laura is responsible for bringing Coro's training and expertise into organizations across the city and beyond. Through this work, Laura helps teams and organizations tackle complex leadership challenges and collaborate across differences to build capacity, culture, self-awareness, and effectiveness. She also oversees the Fellows Program in Public Affairs, which she led at Coro for four years. She is thrilled to work now with Coro alumni and many friends of the organization to help a wider range of people benefit from Coro training and to support the extraordinary work of so many folks seeking to deepen their impact. She holds a Masters degree in Nonprofit Management and a Post-Master's Certificate in Organizational Development from The New School, as well as undergraduate degrees in Theatre and Sociology.

Maisha Sebastiany, Program Director, New York City Youth Council

msebastiany@coronewyork.org (ext. 323)

Maisha Sebastiany came to Coro through her work as a program facilitator with the Exploring Leadership program in June 2012 and returned as Recruitment Manager in 2013. She became Program Director for MYLC in July 2014.  Maisha's background includes nonprofit arts management and youth development programming and recruitment. She has been a facilitator of leadership training models at both the collegiate and high school levels.  Maisha founded and managed her own arts-in-education organization creating an educational training model for young actors/ filmmakers in urban environments providing opportunities for collaborative production. Maisha holds an undergraduate degree in Communications from Morgan State University and her MBA with a specialization in Media Management from Metropolitan College of New York.

Maya Gutierrez, Program Director, Leadership New York

mgutierrez@coronewyork.org (ext. 304)

Maya has served as Coro's Director of Leadership New York program since August 2010. Prior to Coro, Maya structured and offered professional development and training for program staff in offices domestic and abroad for the Ford Foundation.  Maya also worked for the national office of the I Have A Dream Foundation, providing training and resources for over 150 local sites.  Maya earned a self-designed Bachelor of Arts degree (cum laude) from Dominican University in her home state of Northern California and was awarded the National Urban Fellowship to earn a Master's degree (valedictorian) in Public Administration from Baruch College in New York City.  Maya is a proud AmeriCorps Alum (NCCC and Campus Reads) and published in the AmeriCorps storybook Pass The Flame.  She is committed to lifelong learning and developing savvy, capable change agents for New York City.

Michael Perry, Youth Programs and Initiatives Associate

mperry@coronewyork.org (ext. 310)

Michael grew up in Westchester County, NY and joined Coro in September 2014 as a member of New York City Civic Corps.  He received his Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University in history in May of 2014.  At Cornell he had an active role in the campus community and served as President of Cornell Cinema as well as Vice President of Public Relations for the Cornell Class Council.  He also volunteered weekly at a local community center tutoring children.  He also previously interned in the House of Representatives Small Business Committee.  Mike is proud to continue to work with young people and engage them in policy and leadership through his work at Coro.

Molly Rodau, Assistant Director, Fellows Program in Public Affairs

mrodau@coronewyork.org (ext. 326)

Molly is a proud Coro Fellows alumna (2011-2012) who returned to join the Coro staff in 2015. Molly is passionate about creating space for others to find their voice and connect to their passions. Before working at Coro, Molly worked at a number of non-profits where she managed strategic partnerships, worked  on volunteer engagement efforts, and developed and led comprehensive volunteer training programs. Molly has also worked in HIV and community health settings as a mental health clinician, and has traveled and worked extensively with community groups in Central America. Most recently, Molly co-led a summer leadership institute for high school aged youth focused on sexual health and education.
She holds a Masters degree in Social Work from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College and an undergraduate degree in English and Creative Writing from Suffolk University. Molly is intent on bringing her clinical expertise and creative energy into the leadership training field. Molly is also an avid reader and is passionate about vegetarian cooking, music, travel and her dog, Beezus.

Pamela Dicent, Program Director, Exploring Leadership

pdicent@coronewyork.org (ext. 322)

Pam brings her passion for leadership development and creating community-driven change to her work as Program Director for Exploring Leadership. She was previously the Development and Communications Associate at Community Resource Exchange (CRE) where she also served as the facilitator and coordinator of the Far Rockaway/Arverne Nonprofit Coalition through CRE's Neighborhood-Based Capacity Building Initiative. In this role, she worked to create a space for authentic youth leadership and engagement in partnership with diverse community and nonprofit leaders. Pam is an alumna of the NYU Wagner Fellowship for Emerging Leaders in Public Service (FELPS) and the Posse Foundation Leadership Program. She graduated magna cum laude from Wheaton College (MA) and earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. When she's not at Coro, Pam enjoys summer weekends in Rockaway Beach, working on her Italian-language skills, and adding stamps to her passport from new travels each year.

Scott Millstein, Executive Director

smillstein@coronewyork.org (ext. 306)

Scott has been the Executive Director of the Coro New York Leadership Center since 2008.  Under his leadership, Coro developed a new strategic vision, expanded its programs, developed new partnerships with city government, and increased the number of participants and alumni engaged in the organization. Prior to Coro, Scott spent 10 years as Chief of Staff, Chief Operating Officer, then Interim CEO overseeing day-to-day operations at Safe Horizon, the nation's leading victim assistance organization.  Scott has also worked for the City of New York in various leadership positions at the Department of Homeless Services, the Mayor's Office, and the Parks Department.  Scott is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and holds a graduate degree in public policy from Columbia University.  He serves on the National Advisory Board of the Center for Community Partnerships, which strengthens local, national and international networks of institutions of higher education committed to engagement with their local communities.

Sohaim Khan, Office and Program Manager

skhan@coronewyork.org (ext. 211)

Sohaim Khan is the Office and Program Manager at Coro New York Leadership Center since September 2015. His main focus in Coro is to enhance efficiency in office operations, and to continue to provide quality support to Leadership Programs, and Coro's staff. He enjoys working at Coro where he combines his passion for public policy with community leadership development. He graduated from Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management with Honors in May 2009 from Carleton University in Ottawa Canada. He has 5 years of experience in supporting cross-functional teams and executives in small businesses and investment firms, including managing their office operations in Toronto Canada. He also coordinated events, assisted in fundraising and development for nonprofit's community service programs in New York City. He is also fluent in four languages including English, Spanish, French, and Urdu. Sohaim immigrated to United States from Toronto, Canada in September 2014, and currently resides in Brooklyn New York.

Sonia Banegas, Youth Programs & Initiatives Assistant

sbanegas@coronewyork.org (ext. 303)

Sonia joined Coro in September 2015 as a member of the New York City Civic Corps. She is a recent graduate from Fordham University where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Human Development and was selected for an undergraduate scholarship from the New York League of Puerto Rican Women. Sonia interned at various municipal and government agencies before arriving at Coro.  Sonia wants to work with individuals who measure success by their ability to empower others through knowledge and advocacy. Through the NYC Civic Corps program, she is able to contribute to the collaborative efforts at Coro and witness a network of professionals build a relationship with the community they serve. Sonia Banegas is a native New Yorker and resides in the South Bronx. Sonia enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and trying new food.

Staci Taustine, Assistant Director, Youth Leadership Academy

staustine@coronewyork.org (ext. 309)

Staci joined Coro as a Youth Leadership Academy Assistant Director in September 2015. She is a 2011 Teach for America Corps member and taught in West Baltimore for three years. She implemented social emotional learning strategies in the classroom and facilitated trainings to encourage teaching the whole child within her district. She has an undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and Gender & Women's Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Masters of Urban Education from The Johns Hopkins University. She is passionate about helping people achieve their potential and believes that together we can be the change we wish to see in the world.  She is a fan of traveling, indoor cycling, and anything written by Malcolm Gladwell.

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