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DIRECTOR EJECUTIVO
michelle de la uz
Director ejecutivo
Michelle de la Uz is a leading nonprofit comprehensive community development executive with over 25 years of experience and has been the Executive Director of Fifth Avenue Committee since 2004. Michelle oversees FAC’s mission and impactful programs that serve thousands of low-and-moderate income New Yorkers annually, several non-housing affiliate corporations, real estate assets, and an affordable housing development pipeline of over 1,600 units. She serves on several boards including the national board of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). Additionally, Michelle was appointed as a City Planning Commissioner on the New York City Planning Commission from 2012-2021.
Michelle is an alumna of Connecticut College, Columbia University, and of Harvard Kennedy School’s Executive Education Program.
CÍRCULO DE GESTIÓN
Sara Batchu
Director de Programas
Sara Batchu joined FAC in 2023 as Director de Programas. In this role, she oversees our programs including adult education, public benefits eligibility screening and access, financial coaching, homeownership programs, and organizing and advocacy. Previously, she served as Chief of Staff and Interim Director of the Center for Wellbeing & Happiness at the Lower East Side Girls Club (LESGC), where she launched an innovative intergenerational space focused on tackling the root causes of health inequities and empowering BIPOC communities with holistic solutions. Before LESGC, Sarah held roles in the NYC Mayor’s Office and the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, advising on policies to improve the lives of New Yorkers, especially those in public housing, and launching programs to create a fairer, more just city.
Sarah graduated with a master’s from Columbia University and a bachelor’s from Barnard College
Emily en blanco
Subdirector de Asuntos Exteriores y Estrategia
Emily en blanco
Subdirector de Asuntos Exteriores y Estrategia
Emily Blank is FAC’s Deputy Director of External Affairs and Strategy. She directs the organization’s fundraising, communications, evaluation, and strategic planning. Emily has over 25 years’ experience working for and with New York Community based organizations. She joined FAC in 2021. Prior a her work at FAC, she served as a Senior Community Development Officer at LISC NYC, and at Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation, first as Director of Community Organizing and then as Director of Planning and Development.
Emily is a graduate of Brown University and the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College.
Yannerys Castillo
Gerente de Servicios Comunitarios
Yannerys Castillo
Gerente de Servicios Comunitarios
Yannerys serves as the Community Services Manager and has been with FAC since 2011. In this role, she oversees all referrals, intakes, and outreach for benefits and support, including public benefits, financial coaching, legal services and tax preparation assistance. Previously, Yannerys worked at the Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership as the Shelter Plus Care Program Representative.
Yannerys earned her associate degree in Business Administration from Hesser College in Salem, New Hampshire.
Antonio Coker
Gerente de Programas de Propiedad de Vivienda
Antonio Coker
Gerente de Programas de Propiedad de Vivienda
Bora Lee
Jefe de estado mayor
Bora Lee serves as FAC’s Chief of Staff, managing organizational development and special projects, including FAC’s Race, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts. She joined FAC in 2019. Bora’s non-profit management experience includes administration, operations, fundraising, communications, and special projects management at Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York, the Center for an Urban Future, and the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families. Bora started her career in the public sector as an AmeriCorps VISTA at the MinKwon Center for Community Action.
Bora received her BA in Sociology and Urban Studies from Queens College, CUNY and her MPA in Public and Nonprofit Management from NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service.
Charmaine Marizan
Gerente de Comercialización y Arrendamiento de Vivienda Asequible
Charmaine Marizan
Gerente de Comercialización y Arrendamiento de Vivienda Asequible
Charmaine Marizan is FAC’s Affordable Housing Marketing and Leasing Manager. She oversees our work to market affordable housing, developed by FAC or other partners, and to support housing applicants through NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s lottery process. Charmaine has been with the organization since 2016. She previously worked as an executive administration assistant at Peachtree Enterprises in Long Island City.
Charmaine completó varios cursos en SUNY Brooklyn, NeighborWorks y el Departamento de Vivienda y Preservación y tiene certificación de crédito fiscal. También posee una licencia de notario del estado de Nueva York.
Lavina Maykut
Gerente sénior de recaudación de fondos
Lavina Maykut
Gerente sénior de recaudación de fondos
Lavina “Viney” Maykut joined FAC in January 2018 as Development and Communications Coordinator. In January of 2021, she was promoted to Senior Fundraising Manager. Prior to FAC, she served as the first Director of Development and Communications for UPROSE, a grassroots environmental justice and youth organizing non-profit in South Brooklyn. In 2012, she transitioned to providing grant writing and development supports on a consultancy basis to a range of NYC based education, social service, social justice, and environmental justice nonprofits and institutions including Queens Library, Kingsborough Community College, the Arab American Family Support Center and Damayan Migrant Workers Association.
Lavina forma parte de la junta directiva de City Growers, una organización sin fines de lucro de educación ambiental de base con sede en la ciudad de Nueva York. Tiene una maestría y una licenciatura en Estudios Ambientales con especialización en Medio Ambiente Urbano de la Universidad de Pensilvania.
Aura Mejía
Gerente de Organización y Defensa de Inquilinos
Aura Mejía
Gerente de Organización y Defensa de Inquilinos
Aura has been a member of NHN’s organizing and advocacy staff since 2013. In her role, she leads a team of organizers and advocates who assist neighborhood residents to maintain or obtain stable affordable and decent housing, and to engage in building, comunidad and citywide organizing campaigns. Prior to NHN, Aura served en FAC as a Tenant Advocate & Organizer, Housing Advocacy Associate, and a VISTA Housing Management Associate.
Aura graduated from City College of New York and Drake School of Manhattan.
Brian Mendes
Director de Educación de Adultos
Brian Mendes joined FAC in 2008. As the Director of Adult Education, he supervises all Adult Education classes including ESOL, GED, digital literacy, and our Bridge program, which provides contextualized instruction to prepare students to enter sector-based workforce development programs with FAC’s affiliate, Brooklyn Workforce Innovations (BWI). In the 20-plus years he has been involved in Adult Education, he has been a teacher of ESOL, ABE, HSE, and Mathematics for Construction Workers, Carpenters, Caretakers, Pesticide Applicators, Electricians, and Cable Installers. In his time with FAC, he has been the Family Literacy Coordinator, ESOL Coordinator, HSE Coordinator, and Associate Director. He has developed and implemented curricula for a wide variety of Adult Basic Education and Workforce Development programming at BWI, New York City Small Business Services, New York City Housing Authority, New York City College of Technology, and Pathways to Apprenticeship.
He has a BA in Education from Boston College.
Roy Nielsen
Director de Finanzas y Tecnología de la Información
Roy Nielsen
Director de Finanzas y Tecnología de la Información
Roy joined FAC’s staff in 2000, after serving as Director of Financial Services for The Nonprofit Connection (formerly Brooklyn In Touch) from 1995-1999. He oversees the fiscal operations for FAC and affiliates Neighbors Helping Neighbors and Brooklyn Workforce Innovations, as well as all housing corporations managed under FAC. He also schedules audits and review audit preparation work for all corporations and ensures FAC’s compliance with tax and fiscal reporting requirements.
Roy graduated from Baruch College in 1995 and received a BBA in Accounting.
andres parkes
Associate Manager of Asset & Property Management
Andrew serves in the role of Associate Manager of Asset and Property Management. This department manages and maintains over 500 units of affordable, mixed-use, cooperative and commercial housing in Brooklyn. Andrew has worked in the Asset & Property Management unit in FAC since 2006, including initially as an AmeriCorps VISTA, then eventually as a Management Associate and Compliance Manager.
Andrew received his B.S. in Physics and Mathematics from St. John’s University.
Zully Rolan
Director de Gestión de Activos y Propiedades
Zully Rolan
Director de Gestión de Activos y Propiedades
Zully oversees the management of FAC’s portfolio of affordable housing, incluyendo proyectos de mejora de capital. Zully joined FAC en 2008 after more than twenty years of experience working in a range of non-profit housing development and management capacities at St. Nicks Alliance (formerly St. Nicholas Neighborhood Preservation Corporation) and UHAB as well as the City’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Zully oversees FAC’s management of encima 500 unidades of affordable housing in over three dozen properties throughout South Brooklyn.
Aarón Shiffman
Executive Director of BWI
Aaron has served as BWI’s Executive Director since the organization’s inception in 2000, growing BWI from a single neighborhood‐based program into a well‐respected citywide non‐profit workforce development organization serving more than 850 individuals annually. BWI’s mission is to empower low‐ and moderate‐income people by creating living‐wage employment opportunities and access to career paths. Aaron remains closely involved in BWI’s continual program development efforts and new, collaborative initiatives to match unemployed New Yorkers with career‐path jobs.
Prior to launching BWI, Aaron served as FAC’s Director of Economic Development for five years and as an urban planner with Abeles Phillips Preiss & Shapiro, a Planning and Real Estate consulting firm. Aaron is a member of the Executive Committee of the New York City Employment and Training Coalition’s Board of Directors.
Aaron recibió su maestría en Planificación Urbana y Regional del Pratt Institute y su licenciatura en Ciencias Políticas de Vassar College.
Denise Torres
Director de RRHH y Administración
Denise es FAC’s Director of HR and Administration. She oversees the recruitment and staffing for the organization including the compensation and benefits administration. She also oversees all oversight of communications and workflow between FAC and affiliates’ multiple offices, ensuring common identity and effective teamwork among all staff. Denise joined FAC in 2012 and started her current position as Director of HR & Operations in 2014.
Denise se graduó de Baruch College.
Bill Yates
Director de Desarrollo de Vivienda
Bill es FAC’s Director of Housing Development. He joined the organization in 2020, with more than 15 years of experience in NYC community development and affordable housing. Bill’s professional life includes eight years as Director at Citi Community Capital. In this role, he helped finance new and existing multifamily affordable housing developments and community facilities throughout NYC and the Northeast. Bill also served as VP and Director of Strategic Planning with Citibank Community Development.
He is a graduate of Columbia Business School and Connecticut College. Bill serves on the Board of the Brooklyn Kindergarten Society.
En la foto: (Fila de atrás) Eric Magnus, Erik Paulino, Melanie Ash, Michelle de la Uz, Julio Peña, III, Juan Barahona.
(Primera fila) Kate Gilmore, Pristine Johannessen, Ayana Muhammad, Jessica Yager, Carolina González
Sin foto: Dany Cunningham, Sam Marks, Gawain Patterson, Mariadele Priest, Christine Zinnel y César Zúñiga
Miembros de la junta directiva de FAC y NHN
*Melanie ceniza, Copresidente
*Juan Barahona, Tesorero
*Dany Cunningham
**Carolina González
*Prístina Johannessen, Copresidente
Jared Watson, Representante del personal
*Sam marcas
*Ayana Mahoma
*Gawain Patterson
**Erik Paulino, Tesorero de la Junta de NHN
**Julio Peña, III, Presidente de la NHN
* Sacerdote Mariadela
**Jessica Yager, Secretario
**Catherine Zinnel
***César Zúñiga
*Miembro de la junta directiva de la FAC
** Miembro de la junta de FAC y miembro de la junta de Vecinos Ayudando a Vecinos (NHN)
*** Miembro de la junta directiva de NHN