Our Team

Meet our Staff, Board and Chairman’s 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

Catherine Hall

Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer

Robyn Rehak

Chief Advancement Officer

Administration

Alexis Braxton

Office Manager

Engagement and Programming

Corey Blant

Director of Urban Agriculture

Caio Miranda Carneiro

Engagement Coordinator

Genevieve Harding

Urban Agriculture Manager

Michael Horwitz

Public Programming Coordinator

Charlie Reynoso

Director of Engagement

Development and Marketing

Chris Barrett

Institutional Giving Director

Cory Hasson

Government Affairs Manager

Monique Holloway

Database Manager

Sophie Maisterra Navratil

Executive Office & Communications Associate

Ariel Lauren Wilson

Senior Director of Marketing & Communications

Operations

Carley Guida

Zone Gardener, Brooklyn Gardens

Charles Hill

Landscape Supervisor

Annie Klein

Citywide Project Coordinator

Ryan Lawrence

Forest Restoration Specialist

Kareen Matadeen

Gardener, Northern Manhattan Parks

Christopher McArdle

Deputy Director, Northern Manhattan Parks

William Pries

Citywide Project Coordinator

Yessenia Santiago

Assistant Director of Operations

Edwards Santos

Sherman Creek Park Manager

Jason Sheets

Director of Garden Horticulture & Citywide Greening Projects

Simon Skinner

Senior Director of Operations

Jason Smith

Director, Northern Manhattan Parks

Andrew Stewart

Citywide Project Manager

Donte Taylor

Deputy Director, Community Gardens

Dustin Thomsen

Chief of Repair & Construction

Jerell White

Groundskeeper, Northern Manhattan Parks

Stephen Williams

Zone Gardener, Bronx & Manhattan

Seasonal Staff

  • Landon Bates Seasonal Parks Stewardship Assistant
  • Alaina Brewer Seasonal Park Stewardship Assistant
  • Jordan Deshields Seasonal Operations Crew Member
  • George Edison Seasonal Assistant Gardener, Brooklyn
  • Dante Gomez Seasonal Assistant Gardener, Bronx and Manhattan
  • Jahsiah Jones Seasonal Operations Crew Member
  • Maria Korolkova Seasonal Parks Stewardship Assistant
  • Caitlin Kuehn Seasonal Parks Stewardship Assistant
  • Jesse Newman Seasonal Assistant Gardener, Brooklyn
  • John Ramirez Seasonal Assistant Groundskeeper
  • Nelson Thomas Seasonal Parks Stewardship Assistant
  • Angel Tobar Seasonal Urban Agriculture Coordinator
  • Quinn Van Buren Seasonal Urban Agriculture Coordinator
  • Lucy Whitman Sandmeyer Seasonal Assistant Gardener (Bronx and Manhattan Gardens)
  • Chelsea Yamada Seasonal Forest Restoration Technician

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

Darcy Stacom

Co-Chair

Samuel M. Ashner

Co-Chair

Vered Rabia

President

Erhard Marius

Treasurer

Sara Arno

Krystyna Blakeslee

Bruce Bozzi

Heather Butts

Betty Y. Chen

Todd DeGarmo

Susan Donoghue

Ex-Officio

Rachel Mattes Greenberg

Walter Hood

Michael Kors

Michael Lorber

James L. Nederlander

Kelebohile Nkhereanye

Janice Parker

ASLA

David Rockwell, FAIA

Josh Sirefman

Shannon Szoke

Sophie von Haselberg

Sondra C. Wenger

Miriam Wheeler

Shelly Malkin

Emeritus

Ann Ziff

Emeritus

Chairman's Council

NYRP's Chairman's 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
  • Alexandra Cohen
  • Margo MacNabb Nederlander
  • Douglas Durst
  • Joshua Rider
  • Amy Goldman Fowler
  • Paul D. Selver
  • Tim Gunn
  • Andrea Woodner

Join the Chairman's Council

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

Learn More