Growing Leaders from Within: NYCHA Celebrates CMLA Cohort 3 Graduation
On March 26, a proud and grateful gathering of NYCHA staff came together to celebrate the graduation of CMLA Cohort 3: the newest graduating class of the Authority’s Coaching and Mentoring Leadership Academy (CMLA) .
“This isn’t just a graduation,” said Yvette Andino, Vice President of Employee Engagement and founder of the CMLA program. “It’s a visible shift in the culture of our organization.”
Over the course of the 16-week program, mentees are paired with mentors who share not only practical expertise but also the perspective and working wisdom that come from years of experience: successes, mistakes, lessons learned, and the realities of leadership inside a large and complex organization.
The CMLA’s emphasis extends mere beyond technical expertise; the course encourages participants
to reflect deeply on how they lead, communicate, collaborate, and support one another.
But the CMLA’s emphasis extends beyond technical skills alone. The program encourages participants to reflect more deeply on how they lead, communicate, collaborate, and support one another.
“These mentees balanced their everyday responsibilities with something much deeper,” Ms. Andino said. “They found the time not just to manage their jobs and responsibilities — but to reflect deeply on how they do that important work.”
That spirit of mutual investment and support was echoed throughout the ceremony.
“To all of you mentees — thank you for being part of this program, because being part of this program means you are taking an active part in creating a better NYCHA,” said NYCHA CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “To all of you mentors — despite all the challenges you handle every day, you chose to give your precious time to help other people learn and grow and thrive.”
“When you have somebody who makes you feel supported and heard and understood, it just makes such a difference,” Ms. Bova-Hiatt added. “And the more we pay it forward, the more we create an incredible NYCHA.”
NYCHA Chief Operating Officer Eva Trimble reflected on the important role mentorship has played in her own life and career.
“I would not be here today without my mentors,” Ms. Trimble told participants. “They absolutely shaped my life and my career.”
Participants were also encouraged to continue building connections across departments and to carry the program’s lessons into their everyday work.
“Leadership is about service,” said NYCHA Chief Administrative Officer Erin Villari. “And a key ingredient of real leadership is humility.”
“The supportive, coaching aspect of leadership should be at the forefront of everything,” Ms. Villari added. “Service in leadership; humility in leadership; humanity in leadership — what a great program!”
Dr. Tischelle George of NYCHA’s Learning & Development team praised the program’s broader impact on both mentors and mentees alike.
“The CMLA program really opens your eyes,” Dr. George said. “We serve an organization that cares about all of us, about our growth and development as professionals.”
As mentors and mentees were recognized, the sense of a growing leadership community was unmistakable. Participants reflected on increased confidence, stronger relationships, and a deeper sense of purpose in their work.
That momentum is already continuing beyond graduation. Several participants now plan to join Learning & Development’s “Learning Leaders” initiative, extending learning opportunities throughout the Authority, while new graduates were encouraged to return to the program as mentors themselves.
As certificates were presented and the ceremony drew to a close, one message emerged clearly: leadership is not a static title, but an ongoing practice grounded in reflection, connection, humility, and service.
For NYCHA’s newest CMLA graduates, that practice is already well underway.
