PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2021 - now | Community Engagement Manager, Empire Wind & Beacon Wind, Equinor
︎ Equinor is developing Empire Wind I, Empire Wind II, and Beacon Wind, some of New York’s first offshore wind energy projects off the coast of Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk counties. In my position, I collaborate with NY communities in the development these projects, serve as a reliable point of contact for citizens, community leaders, elected officials, and other stakeholders whose feedback is essential to building these major renewable energy infrastructure project, and ensure Equinor supports the principles of Environmental Justice and creates opportunities for frontline communities.The success of Equinor’s US East Coast offshore wind projects depends on the development of world-class offshore wind infrastructure, including a new port in Sunset Park, and close collaboration with the surrounding communities and stakeholders.
︎ Co-manages day-to-day operations of a consultancy and interdisciplinary network of facilitators, planners, architects, and engineers based in NYC, with projects throughout the NY-NJ-CT area. Its 23 Members and 8 Affiliates represent a combined century of experience in creating and leading visioning and consensus building processes, providing technical assistance, and organizing in collaboration with communities. Its mission is to further economic, social and environmental justice and sustainability by helping communities shape decisions that affect their lives. The all-women-owned collective is a certified WBE. For more info visit: https://collectiveforcce.com/
2020 - now | Faculty Fellow, Urban Systems Lab/The New School
︎ Leads research on environmental stewardship and its role in combating eco-anxiety.
2020 - now | Adjunct Professor, School of Design Strategies, Parsons/The New School
︎ Co-teaches Urban Colloquium I. The course is an entry point into urban practice and the dynamic and intersecting environmental, economic, and social issues facing NYC today. The class takes a wide lens to the “wicked problems” under capitalism and climate change and showcases radical perspectives and solutions. Guest speakers share their work on coalition building, community-based planning, community-land trusts, environmental and climate justice, and the Green New Deal and students develop community-informed projects.
︎ Taught a dual program thesis course in the Design and Urban Ecologies (MS)/Theories of Urban Practices (MA) to help students shape research and projects in urban ecology, urban studies, social advocacy and other topics.
2019 - 2021 | Community Engagement & Planning Consultant
︎ Led the community-based aspect of a research initiative—with RISE, Columbia University, Stevens Institute and New York Hall of Science—to grow awareness and build capacity of Rockaway residents to use existing resources to adapt to coastal flooding. The project is a collaboration of 12+ local association and CBOs and will evaluate how a co-production approach impacts adaptation decisions.
︎
Managed civic engagement for a Rockaway-wide project to engage community voices in developing a design for long-term dune system monitoring, conservation and stewardship. The multidisciplinary team includes WXY & EDesign Dynamics and partners RISE, NYCParks, US Army Corps & NYSDEC.
2016 - 2020 | Adjunct Professor, Harry Van Arsdale Jr. Center for Labor Studies, SUNY
︎ Teaches Labor and the Economy. The undergraduate level course covers competing concepts and theories in economics and their implications on public policy.
2017 - 2019 | Deputy Director, Planning & Development, RISE
︎ Created and executed community planning and engagement initiatives with diverse community stakeholders and led neighborhood advisory councils. Convened and elicited input from and 500+ residents and 50+ local groups annually through workshops, focus groups, interviews and surveys. Projects included mapping assets and building community capacity in arts in culture (with NYC DCLA), community health action planning (NYC DOHMH/Hester Street), improving the public realm (NYC DOT/Design Trust for Public Space) and conservation (NYC DEP/NYS DEC/NYC HPD).
︎ Supported “Project Underway” a community initiative to reclaim underutilized demapped roadway under the elevated subway and reimagine it as public space through collaborations and programs.
︎ Developed alliances across nonprofit, government and private partners in a low-income community of color to achieve common goals around youth development, health, conservation and arts/culture.
︎ Secured $372K to develop a comprehensive site assessment and preliminary design to restore 7 miles of coastal dunes. The project aims to transform the shoreline into an extensive, biodiverse and habitat-rich dune system and recognize the importance of community-led stewardship. Project partners include NYC Parks, US Army Corps, NYS DEC and community partners.
︎ Oversaw the execution of the 5-Year Strategic Action Plan to build organizational capacity, improve community outcomes and increase financial sustainability of the organization.
︎ Managed staff, interns, consultants and volunteers across marketing, planning and development.
︎ Wrote proposals and program/annual reports, manages grant administration and outreach to foundations, corporate, city, state and national funders for a $1M organizational budget. Helped to grow the budget by more than $600K over five years.
︎ Managed a $3.4M capital project including the cash flow and budgets, capital campaign and grant administration with NYC EDC, DASNY and other funders for a new community hub, the RISE Center.
︎ Aided with organization infrastructure and program development of a new community hub.
︎ Assisted with board engagement, development, nonprofit oversight and administration.
2014 - 2017 | Planning & Development Associate, Rockaway Waterfront Alliance (now RISE)
︎ Cultivated and strengthened relationships with a wide range of funders including foundations, corporations and government agencies. Grew the organization’s government funding by 400%.
︎ Designed, administered and evaluated programs, specifically related to planning, conservation, community development, public events and the arts to ensure timely completion of deliverables.
︎ Conducted and oversaw research internally and with academic partners. Deployed on-the-ground surveying in collaboration with youth in Shore Corps. Cleaned and analyzed data using ESRI ArcGIS and QGIS. Collected data and maps that today serve as advocacy tools.
︎ Managed Art Under the Elevated, a public art program that supports community collaboration, innovation and livability for the re-envisioning of the space underneath the elevated subway. Tasks included organizing open call, managing review committee, managing artists and installation.
︎ Curated and oversaw the installation of environmental arts exhibits at the RISE gallery, past shows include “Washed Ashore,” “Rockaway Field Guide,” “Discover Coral” and “The Landfill Project.”
2014 - 2015 | Project Manager, J Max Bond Center on Design for the Just City, CCNY
︎ Conducted research and data analysis of the NYC DOT Plaza Program and the intersection between social justice and design.
︎ Worked with project partners Gehl Studio and Transportation Alternatives to conduct observational and intercept surveys, data entry and data cleaning.
︎ Aided in the development of social justice design indicators.
2013 - 2014 | Urban Planner, WXY architecture + urban design
︎ Managed editing and design of reports and plans including the Rockaway Parks Conceptual Plan.
︎ Researched civic and public space for Reimaging the Civic Commons with MASNY for the Knight Foundation.
︎ Designed materials and facilitated community design charrettes.
︎ Managed the development and submission of winning grants and proposals for multimillion dollar projects.
2012 - 2013 | Project Manager, Democracy, Equity & The Public Realm Initiative, NYC
︎ Planned, designed and managed public programs promoting a discussion on the importance of public space at The Center for Architecture, Pratt Institute, and Van Alen Institute.
︎ Curated and designed From Zuccotti to Taksim: Negotiating the Right to the City through Public Space an exhibit at the Robert & Hazel Siegel Gallery.
2013 | Urban Planning & Design Pratt Fellow, The Municipal Art Society of New York
︎ Researched NYC transportation, economic development and livability issues.
︎ Researched policy, wrote reports, and created graphics and maps. Projects include for PENN 2023, a joint project with the Regional Planning Association.
︎ Organized campaign and outreach strategies for leading NYC issues including Madison Square Garden’s special permit renewal and the rebuilding of Penn Station.
2011 - 2012 | Urban Planning Fellow, Pratt Center for Community Development
︎ Coordinated grant writing and project partnership with NYC’s
CBOs.
︎ Facilitated community charrettes particularly the Cypress
Hills Verde Summit.
︎ Performed community surveys and processed survey data.
︎ Designed posters, guides, documents and maps for charrettes
and processed outputs.
NOTABLE PUBLICATIONS
︎ Beyond Zuccotti Park: Freedom of Assembly and the Occupation of Public Space, New Village Press, 2012. {A collaboration with Pratt PSPD, Center for Architecture (CFA), City College of New York and AIA, and New Village Press, the book was accompanied by an exhibit at the CFA in 2012 and a policy initiative entitled Democracy, Equity and the Public Realm. The book garnered acclaim from the NYTimes, The Progressive Planner, The Big City and others. Visit beyondzuccotti.org.}
NOTABLE CONFERENCES
︎ Planners as Community Healers, Hindsight Conference, 2019.
︎ A Resilient Rockaway through the Public Realm, Summit for Resilient Waterfront Parks, Regional Planning Associaton, 2016.
EDUCATION
︎ New York University, New York, NY, BA in Comparative Literature, 2007
︎ Sorbonne University Paris, France, Diploma in French Language, 2010
︎ Pratt Institute, New York, NY, MS in City & Regional Planning, 2017
TECHNICAL SKILLS & LANGUAGES
︎ Workshop facilitation.
︎ Survey development, implementation and processing.
︎ Proficient in Adobe Suite, ESRI ArcMap GIS, QGIS, Microsoft Office, FilemakerPro, and PM software including Asana and Trello.
︎ Working knowledge of SPSS, AutoCAD and Google Sketchup.
︎ Proficient in Chicago Manual of Styles and MLA.
︎ Bilingual English and Russian, conversational French.
︎ Macintosh and Windows proficient.
︎ Salesforce and Donor Perfect.
TRAINING
︎ The Management Center, Managing to Change the World, 2020.
︎ Community Resource Exchange, Leadership Caucus, 2018.
︎ Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York, Results & Impact Learning Lab, 2018.
AFFILIATIONS
︎ Faculty Fellow, Urban Systems Lab, The New School.
︎ Fellow, Urban Design Forum.
︎ Member, WE ACT for Environmental Justice.
︎ Member, Div Comm & Hindsight Conference, NY Metro Chapter, American Planning Association.
︎ Member, American Society of Adaptation Professionals.
︎ Member, Rise 2 Resilience Coalition, Waterfront Alliance.
VOLUNTEERING
︎ Volunteer, WFMU, 2014-2016.
︎ Co-founder, Pratt Disaster Resilience Network, 2012-2013.
︎ Volunteer, Not An Alternative & Occupy Sandy, 2012.