How do you create community in a place as busy and spread out as New York? Hear from three panelists who have done it successfully.
WATERFRONT ALLIANCE
President And CEO
A lifetime New Yorker, Roland Lewis has worked in the field of community development since 1984. A graduate of Columbia University, he then went on to earn both a Master of City and Regional Planning and a Juris Doctor from Rutgers University. For nine years he served as a partner in the law firm of Dellapa, Lewis, and Perseo, whose clients included nonprofit organizations, civic groups, churches, cooperative corporations, and private real estate developers.
In 1997 Roland became the executive director of Habitat for Humanity New York City. He led the organization for 10 years, guiding it to become one of the top producers in the region and a nationally emulated model for Habitat for Humanity locations in other urban settings.
In early 2007, Roland took the helm of the Waterfront Alliance. Under his leadership, the Waterfront Alliance has organized a powerful constituency for a better waterfront. It has instituted new programs, initiated and helped create a new waterfront plan for the City of New York, and become the leading waterfront policy organization in the New York region, known nationally and internationally. Recognized as a community development, waterfront, and nonprofit expert, Roland has written extensively and spoken widely on these topics. In addition to his professional experience with community development, Roland is active with many nonprofit community organizations.
HOSTELLING INTERNATIONAL USA
Northeast Regional Engagement Manager
Paul Kuhne currently works for Hostelling International USA (HI USA) as their Northeast Regional Engagement Manager. Paul has spent more than six years working in the nonprofit world, and the last three years working with HI USA. In his role as Regional Engagement Manager, he helps spread the word about hostelling and providing new travelers with the resources they need to go abroad. Previous to his work at HI USA, he worked at a small nonprofit settlement house in Somerville managing a food pantry, volunteer program, resource development and fundraising events. Apart from his work in the nonprofit world, he is an avid traveler, Spanish-speaker, writing enthusiast and hip-hop fan.
Paul got his start traveling in college where he studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina. From there, he traveled to other parts of South America too, including Venezuela and Chile, and later on, northern and southern Europe. He’s also backpacked through eastern and southern Africa, explored Hong Kong, and visited Israel, and hopes to make it to New Zealand and Australia soon. He currently lives in Boston, MA.
STRAVA
NYC Marketing Director
Megha Doshi is the Local Marketing Director for Strava, the social network for athletes, where she is responsible for local growth and community activation in NYC. Megha previously spent 5 years at Nike, where she worked on a variety of strategy and marketing initiatives for Nike+ in the Digital Sport group.
Megha is also a long distance runner, rookie cyclist, podcast-addict, and vegan baker. She currently lives in San Francisco, CA.
NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE
URBAN FELLOW - NEW YORK CITY
Prior to becoming the Urban Fellow for New York City, Floyd V. Myers served as Chief of Business Development and Partnerships for the National Park Service, National Parks of New York Harbor. Before this, he was Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of the City of Mount Vernon Department of Recreation. He has extensive experience in business management of a music and media production company, serving as President of Soul on Soul Inc. for two decades. Floyd uses his extensive Park Service training to support the superintendents and the partners of the National Parks of New York Harbor, which consists of 10 parks. His responsibilities in the commissioner’s office include drafting agreements to establish partnerships with local and federal agencies, such as the City of New York and the Army Corps of Engineers, and other groups. He also supports the parks’ concessionaires and nonprofit partners in enhancing the visitor experience. Floyd’s recent accomplishment involves acting as a Lead Coordinator for all entertainment and public speakers for the 50th Anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery March. This event brought together 150 youth (ages 18-25) and 150 public participants from the United States, including counties along the historic trail.