Staff

 
Drew Becher, Executive Director

Since his appointment as New York Restoration Project’s (NYRP) Executive Director in 2006, Drew Becher’s commitment to improving New York City’s parks, community gardens and open spaces has manifested into his initiation of a wide range of innovative new programs designed to improve the quality of urban life and promote economic growth throughout New York City’s five boroughs.

Mr. Becher has grown NYRP’s annual operating budget from $5 million in 2006 to $13 million in three years. He spearheads one of New York City’s most ambitious environmental programs – MillionTreesNYC – an initiative that came as the result of New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s and NYRP Founder Bette Midler’s dream of planting and caring for one million new trees by 2017. Since its launch in October 2007, the initiative has planted over 240,000 trees citywide – 20 percent ahead of schedule.

Mr. Becher has reduced NYRP’s administrative costs, which continues to help the organization achieve and maintain its coveted Four-Star Charity Navigator rating. He also engages corporate and foundation support of NYRP and MillionTreesNYC from such organizations as Target, Home Depot, BNP Paribas, Toyota and Bloomberg Philanthropies. He manages operations and capital projects for 140 acres of land, which include Swindler Cove Park, The Peter Jay Sharp Boathouse, New Leaf Restaurant & Bar and 55 community gardens – several of which have since been featured in major publications, such as The New York Times, Architectural Digest and Landscape Architecture.

Prior to joining NYRP, Mr. Becher served as Deputy Director of the Neighborhood Planning and Development/Urban Design Program for the District of Columbia’s Office of Planning, where he oversaw the development of the Capital Space Plan – a proposal for the revitalization of Washington’s parks and open spaces – and a master plan for a new city center in Washington, DC.

From 1999 to 2004, Mr. Becher served as Chief of Staff of the City of Chicago’s Park District. Appointed by Mayor Richard Daley, Mr. Becher oversaw that agency’s 4,800 annual programs, 2,800 employees and daily operations including traffic control, construction, facilities management and other functions for nine museums, Soldier Field and numerous parking, harbor and grounds areas – totaling 8,000 acres. Earlier in his career, as an Assistant to the Mayor, Mr. Becher played a key roll in enhancing community pride and promoting commerce in Chicago’s downtown and diverse neighborhoods with such groundbreaking initiatives as the award-winning “Get in the Loop” campaign and with his involvement in several major infrastructure projects, including Millennium Park and Soldier Field. In addition, Mr. Becher presided over the largest parks capital improvement program ever and was lead initiator on Chicago’s Landscape Ordinance and the city’s Greening Agenda, contributing greatly to Mr. Daley’s recognition as one of America’s greenest Mayors.

Mr. Becher received a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from DePaul University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Urban Design and Planning from the University of Cincinnati. He currently serves on the Boards of Directors of the Rodale Institute and City Parks Alliance.

  back to Top

Jo Anne Barry, Chief Financial Officer

Jo Anne Barry is a Certified Public Accountant with more than 20 years of experience in the financial field. In 2004, she joined NYRP as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) overseeing all aspects of the Finance Department and playing a key role in the operational and strategic decision-making processes of both the not-for-profit organization and its for-profit subsidiary.

Prior to NYRP, Jo Anne was Controller/CFO of a fast-growing, celebrity-owned manufacturing/wholesale corporation, where she was responsible for improving the company’s cash management and financial reporting capabilities. Prior to that position, Joanne spent five years as Assistant Controller of a high-end international women’s retail fashion corporation, an assignment that followed 12 years as an auditor in public accounting with such firms as Price Waterhouse Coopers and Hays & Company, LLC in New York City, where she worked with diverse industries from retail, insurance, manufacturing and securities to minor league baseball, not-for-profit charities and the dairy sector.

Jo Anne received her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1985 and was certified in 1988. She is a member of both the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants (NJSCPA).

  back to Top

Kristin Dougherty, Chief Development Officer

Kristin Dougherty leads NYRP’s process to chart its course in philanthropy and fund development. In her position as Chief Development Officer (CDO), Kristen serves as an organizational ambassador, securing charitable contributions to support NYRP’s mission and vision, nurturing community relationships and identifying individuals for board candidacy. Her responsibilities include fostering a culture of philanthropy throughout NYRP and creating a donor-centered culture that helps sustain loyalty through comprehensive relationship-building programs, including cultivation and communications.

Prior to joining NYRP, Kristin held positions of increasing responsibility at the Bayard Advertising Agency in New York City, moving from Account Coordinator to Account Executive. Before that, she was an Administrative Assistant at Talbert Communications, Ltd.

Kristin graduated from Adelphi University in 2004, receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree, with honors, in English. She also maintained dual minors in Business and Secondary Education.

  back to Top

Amy Gavaris, Executive Vice President

Amy Gavaris has been on staff at NYRP since its founding by Bette Midler in 1995 and has since helped lead the organization from its grassroots origins to becoming one of New York City’s – and the nation’s – leading and most respected environmental non-profit entities.

Amy manages NYRP’s programmatic initiatives, open space redevelopment and major capital projects. Among her key accomplishments are: overseeing the cleanup of a five-acre dump site on the Harlem River and creating Swindler Cove Park and Riley-Levin Children’s Garden, assisting in the acquisition of 55 community gardens and creation of the subsidiary New York Garden Trust, overseeing the construction of the Peter Jay Sharp Boathouse on the Harlem River, supervising the design and installation of a Cherry Tree Esplanade along the Harlem River Drive and restoring a historic stone building in Fort Tryon Park, home to the New Leaf Restaurant & Bar – an NYRP enterprise whose profits support the organization’s ongoing park maintenance and beautification.

In addition, Amy has managed several special restoration projects in post-Katrina New Orleans, chief among them guiding the design and construction of a new community park in Gentilly, one of the city’s most flood-ravaged neighborhoods.

Amy spent her early years at a Rudolf Steiner school, learning the value of environmentalism through organic gardening, composting and reading Rachel Carson. Her love of nature and passion for New York City led her to earn degrees in Landscape Architecture and a Master’s in Urban Planning from the City College of New York, where she was the recipient of many awards for design, writing, academic and athletic achievement.

  back to Top

Catherine Hall, Chief Operating Officer

As Chief Operating Officer (COO), Catherine Hall oversees NYRP’s internal organizational and operational functions – managing day-to-day operations including facilities, human resources and technology – and serves as AmeriCorps Program Director.

Prior to joining NYRP in 1998, Catherine worked with director Alan J. Pakula, where she was directly engaged in the research, development, budgeting, production and release of four major feature films and management of his production office for eight years. Previous professional experience includes office management at Lehman Brothers, Kuhn, Loeb and management of a stock photography agency.

A native of the United Kingdom where she studied Economics and History, Catherine received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the School of Visual Arts and has a certificate in Non-Profit Fiscal Management from New York University.

  back to Top

Akiima Price, Chief of Education and Programs

Akiima Price joined NYRP in 2007 and quickly developed a strategic plan for the organization’s educational programming focusing on Urban Ecology, Urban Conservation, Urban Planning, Boat Building and vocational objectives – all incorporating major NYRP initiatives, including the MillionTreesNYC initiative. Akiima is responsible for a number of innovative, diverse and collaborative public programs that encompass in-school, drop-in, vocational, recreational and multi-generational offerings, which maximize the use of NYRP-maintained sites citywide.

Akiima brings a wealth of hands-on experience and dedication to NYRP. Prior to joining NYRP and over the course of 10 years, she held a number of positions focusing on all aspects of environmental education, including Environmental Education Director at the Earth Conservations Corps; Outreach Manager with Discovery Creek Children’s Museum of Washington, DC; and a variety of consulting, program management and volunteer positions with environmental organizations, such as Chesapeake Bay Foundation, The Nature Conservancy and several others headquartered in the Capital area.

In 1995, Akiima received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Maryland – Eastern Shore, where she also minored in Communications.

  back to Top

Barrett Robinson, Vice President of Horticulture and Construction

Barrett Robinson joined NYRP in 2007 and is responsible for managing the design process for the organization’s 55 community gardens and individual park renovation projects, working with many renowned landscape architects and designers from across the country. In addition, Barrett oversees NYRP’s procurement of all horticultural and construction materials and selects landscape contractors for NYRP’s capital and MillionTreesNYC-affiliated projects. He is also principal coordinator of our Corporate and Community Volunteer days and manager of the MillionTreesNYC Training Program.

Prior to joining NYRP, Barrett worked in garden design and project management in New York City and was responsible for project cost analysis, scheduling, site management and materials procurement. Prior to that, he held positions of increasing responsibility at a number of landscape service companies specializing in sourcing and procurement and also as an independent designer and installer in and around the Columbus, OH, area. Early in his career, Barrett was employed in the hospitality industry.

Barrett attended Ohio State University, where he majored in Agri-Business and minored in Marketing. He also attended the ATI Extension of Ohio State, where he majored in Landscape Design and Construction.

  back to Top