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Our Team

Meet our Staff, Board and Ambassadors Council

Staff

Our team includes experts in construction, horticulture, design, environmental education, administration and fundraising.


Leadership

Lynn B. Kelly

Executive Director

Gary Dearborn

Chief of Capital

Robyn Rehak

Chief Advancement Officer

Simon Skinner

Chief of Programs and Operations

Administration

Alexis Braxton

Administrative Manager, Office Services and HR SupportĀ 

Devin Dai

Director of Finance

Operations

Ezra Ellingwood

Gardener, Northern Manhattan Parks

Lovett Evans

Bronx/Manhattan Zone Manager

Charles Hill

Landscape Supervisor, Northern Manhattan Parks

Annie Klein

Citywide Project Coordinator

Ryan Lawrence

Forest Restoration Project Manager

Christopher McArdle

Deputy Director, Northern Manhattan Parks

William Pries

Brooklyn Zone Gardener

Yessenia Santiago

Assistant Operations Director

Edwards Santos

Sherman Creek Park Manager

Jason Sheets

Director of Community Garden Operations and Citywide Greening Projects

Jason Smith

Director, Northern Manhattan Parks

Andrew Stewart

Citywide Project Manager

Donte Taylor

Deputy Director, Community Gardens

Dustin Thomsen

Director of Repair & Construction

Mateo Vega

Forestry and Grounds Technician

Jerell White

Forestry and Grounds Supervisor

Community Engagement

Caio Miranda Carneiro

Engagement Coordinator, Northern Manhattan Parks

Mel Giraldo

Community Garden Engagement Coordinator

DK Kinard

Director of Community Engagement

Neishja Ransom

Community Garden Engagement Coordinator

Urban Agriculture & Public Programming

Corey Blant

Director of Urban Agriculture & Public Programming

Genevieve Harding

Urban Agriculture Manager

Michael Horwitz

Public Programming Manager

Maggie Paradis

Urban Agriculture Coordinator

Advancement

Chris Barrett

Institutional Giving Director

Meg Dooley

Individual Giving Officer

Cory Hasson

Government Affairs Manager

Monique Holloway

Database Manager

Sophie Regina

Advancement Coordinator

Marketing & Communications

Sophie Maisterra Navratil

Marketing & Communications Manager

Ariel Lauren Wilson

Senior Director of Marketing & Communications

Seasonal Staff

  • Jabari Cordis Seasonal Assistant Gardener (Bronx & Manhattan Gardens)
  • Paige Kloss Seasonal Public Programming & Urban Agriculture Assistant
  • Anjana Peddireddi Seasonal Community Garden Engagement Assistant
  • Dominic Pelosi Seasonal Public Programming Assistant
  • Xavier Reyes Seasonal Urban Agriculture Specialist

Board

NYRP's Board includes leaders in architecture, design, real estate, and entertainment who oversee the affairs and advance the core mission of the organization.

Bette Midler

Founder

Josh Sirefman

Chair

Vered Rabia

President

Erhard Marius

Treasurer

Sara Arno

Krystyna Blakeslee

Bruce Bozzi

Heather Butts

Betty Y. Chen

Todd DeGarmo

Rachel Mattes Greenberg

Harry Guinness

Walter Hood

Michael Kors

Michael Lorber

James L. Nederlander

Kelebohile Nkhereanye

Janice Parker

ASLA

David Rockwell, FAIA

Sangita Sharma

Tricia Shimamura

Ex-Officio

Sophie von Haselberg

Sondra C. Wenger

Shelly Malkin

Emeritus

Ann Ziff

Emeritus

Ambassadors Council

NYRP's Ambassadors Council represents a select group of civic-minded individuals who, through their involvement and leadership, embrace and promote the mission of our work.

  • Janice Parker, Chair
  • Leleah James
  • Charles Bendit
  • Mychal Johnson
  • Adrian Benepe
  • Sophie Coquillette Koven
  • Noble Black
  • Jakob Levison
  • Diane Brownstone
  • Rob Light
  • Douglas Durst
  • Margo MacNabb Nederlander
  • Frank DiLella
  • Adria Petty
  • Anna Marie Gabriel
  • Joshua Rider
  • Amy Goldman Fowler
  • Paul D. Selver
  • Tim Gunn
  • Andrea Woodner

Join the Ambassadors Council

Members participate in special projects including galas, thought leadership events, and exclusive garden occasions. Contact us to learn more.

Learn More