Congratulations on the Following Appointments and Promotions

Kathie Soroka, formerly Senior Counsel to the General Counsel at HUD, was appointed Vice President for Real Estate Development in April 2017. Responsible for implementation of NYCHA’s real estate development strategy as outlined in NextGeneration NYCHA, Ms. Soroka oversees the management of development opportunities on vacant and underutilized NYCHA-owned land and the preservation of NYCHA’s… MORE

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NYCHA Wins Prize for Public Service Innovation

The Citizens Budget Commission (CBC) recently awarded NYCHA its 2017 CBC Prize for Public Service Innovation for its NextGeneration NYCHA Digital Initiatives. As part of NextGen NYCHA, our 10-year strategic plan, the Authority has implemented several digital initiatives that increase efficiency, reduce operating costs, and improve customer service. These initiatives include the MyNYCHA app, smart… MORE

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NYCHA Launches Employee Engagement Committee

Applications have been received from throughout the Authority to serve on NYCHA’s new Employee Engagement Committee (EEC). The EEC will develop plans that can help us work together more effectively and efficiently, feel empowered to make positive changes in our workplace, and take ownership of NYCHA’s success. At regularly scheduled meetings, employees working in property… MORE

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DOC’s Leticia Barboza Featured in City Hall Exhibit

Congratulations to Department of Communications’ photographer Leticia Barboza, whose photograph, at left, is featured prominently in the “City at Work: Portraits in Civic Pride” exhibit in City Hall. The images of City employees and residents provide a collective portrait of the individuals that City Hall and its agencies advocate for on a daily basis.

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Toy Drive Makes Holidays Merrier

Twenty volunteers from NYCHA’s employee associations, the Department of Community Engagement and Partnerships, and the Office of Intergovernmental Relations joined with volunteers from Hillsong Church on December 21 to help Santa distribute gifts to more than 150 children living in NYCHA developments. A toy drive spearheaded by Marcela Medina, in Intergovernmental Relations, and Alicka Ampry-Samuel,… MORE

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Haitian-American Assoc. Responds to Hurricane Matthew

On November 14, the Haitian- American Association at NYCHA hosted a Hurricane Matthew fundraising luncheon, which was well attended by staff from various departments. Acting President of the Association Sybille Louis introduced its mission and the members of the Association’s board. Yvette Andino, Director of Employee Engagement and Special Assistant to the Chair, shared with… MORE

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Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration

Congratulations to the Hispanic Society of NYCHA for hosting its Hispanic Heritage Month celebration on October 13. Proud Hispanic employees and others attended the lively event, along with District Council Local 957 President Walthene Primus; Board Member Victor Gonalez; executive staff; and Society members, families, and friends. The evening included remarks from guest speakers Yvette… MORE

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Congratulations on the following recent promotions:

Nicole Ferreira, formerly Vice President for Real Estate Development, was promoted to Executive Vice President for Real Estate. As a leader of the senior team, Ms. Ferreira oversees the Real Estate Development Department, leading the team to execute NextGeneration NYCHA strategic initiatives for both the preservation and new construction of affordable housing. She also oversees… MORE

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Congratulations on the following recent appointments:

Deborah Goddard, former Managing Director for Policy and Program Development at MassHousing, was appointed Executive Vice President for Capital Projects in August 2016. She is responsible for leading and directing the activities of NYCHA’s Capital Projects Division, which manages and administers NYCHA’s multi-billion dollar, multi-year capital program committed to preserving and modernizing NYCHA’s public housing… MORE

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Say Hello to “J” Stakenburg, Director of the Office of Emergency Management

Jeffrey Stakenburg, formerly Emergency Manager at the Federal Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), was appointed Director of the Office of Emergency Management in July 2016. Mr. Stakenburg is responsible for coordinating NYCHA’s preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts to minimize disruptions to the Authority’s operations and services in the event of a… MORE

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Resident Watch to Merge With City’s Emergency Response Team

NYCHA has teamed up with the Office of Emergency Management to merge the existing Resident Watch Program with the City’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), creating a more responsive community-based watch effort that will be an asset not just to NYCHA developments but also to surrounding communities. CERT trains volunteers for different types of disasters,… MORE

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Watch “Ras” at Urban Decision-Makers Conference

On July 19, Rasmia (“Ras”) Kirmani- Frye, President of the Fund for Public Housing and the Director of NYCHA’s Office of Public/Private Partnerships, participated in a conference sponsored by the New York Times called “Cities for Tomorrow: The Pre-eminent Conference for Urban Decision-Makers.” People value public systems such as police, libraries, parks, and schools but… MORE

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LGBTQ Association Marches with Pride

Members of NYCHA’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) Employee Organization joined thousands of New Yorkers at the City’s Pride March on June 26. “Our members were excited by the opportunity to participate in this year’s Pride March under our organization’s banner—NYCHA’s Association of LGBTQ Employees,” said Association president D’Andra Van Heusen (third from… MORE

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Congratulations to Rosanne Pisem

School’s out for Associate Counsel Rosanne Pisem, who completed the Department of Citywide Administrative Services’ (DCAS) Leadership Institute on June 28. The NYC Leadership Institute prepares outstanding mid-level executives to lead organizational change initiatives by introducing them to state-of-theart change models focusing on process and performance improvement. The four-month curriculum focuses on planning and implementing… MORE

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State Safety Law Protects NYCHA Workers

Like firefighters and police officers, NYCHA employees are public servants who take their job responsibilities seriously. Property management staff work hard to keep NYCHA developments and facilities clean, safe, and well-maintained. And, like firefighters, police officers, and other public servants, NYCHA employees receive special protections under the law. Legislation passed in 2014 provides NYCHA staff… MORE

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NYCHA Notes

Josephine Russo, former Associate General Counsel, was appointed Vice President for Supply Management and Procurement in April 2016. Ms. Russo plans and directs the implementation of NYCHA’s procurement operations, oversees the Supply Management Department, and is responsible for procurement, materials management, warehousing and distribution for all NYCHA locations. Tricia Roberts, CIA, former Director of Risk… MORE

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Construction Group Meeting Ends with a Call for Photos!

A special request made at the end of the Construction Group’s meeting has NYCHANow excited. Director of Construction Patricia Zanger asked the group to send photographs of NYCHA staff overseeing or inspecting construction work in visually interesting environments to include in this publication. Just one day later, the first photo has arrived (see right). NYCHANow… MORE

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Congratulations

Karen Caldwell, former Managing Director of Amundi Alternative Investments, was appointed Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President in January 2016. Ms. Caldwell is responsible for all financial planning, accounting, and reporting, as well as payroll, insurance, energy, and treasury activities for NYCHA’s annual operating budget of $3 billion and five-year capital budget of $2.45… MORE

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Congratulations

Kerri Jew, former Deputy Commissioner at the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS), has been appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, effective January 4, 2016. Ms. Jew oversees major components of NYCHA’s organizational redesign, labor relations, and agency-wide process improvements. While Deputy Commissioner at SBS, Ms. Jew oversaw the City’s Minority and… MORE

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Congratulations

Ivo Nikolic, formerly Administrator in NYCHA’s Elevator Services and Repair Department, was promoted to Director of Materials Management. In this capacity, Mr. Nikolic is responsible for oversight and operation of the LIC warehouse and the satellite warehouses. In addition to his experience at NYCHA—where he managed NYC Department of Buildings- mandated elevator inspections, elevator contracts… MORE

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Congratulations on the Following Recent Appointments and Promotions

Janet Abrahams recently joined NYCHA as Vice President of Operations overseeing the Optimal Property Management Operating Model (OPMOM) program. The success of this pilot effort to improve basic maintenance and repair service is critical to the management and progress of our NextGeneration NYCHA goals. Ms. Abrams comes to NYCHA from the Newark Housing Authority, where… MORE

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Two New Employee Organizations Join the Mix

In June, we reported on the newest employee oganization— LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning). Since then, two more employee organizations have entered the scene. In fact, there are so many employee organizations that one of the new ones—the Coalition of NYCHA Employee Organizations (CoNEO)—has been formed to provide all of them with a… MORE

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Congratulations on the Following Appointments and Promotions

Nicole Ferreira rejoined NYCHA in February 2015 as a Senior Director in the Development Department. As a leader of the senior team, Ms. Ferreira oversees the development pipeline and ensures the development process is timely and well-organized. She is also responsible for leading the team to execute NextGerneration NYCHA strategic initiatives for both the preservation… MORE

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NYCHA Notables

As the Broadband Initiatives manager in IT’s Infrastructure Department, Anthony Palermo has been working to provide telecommunications and other services for residents since the TIES (telecommunications, internet, entertainment and security) initiative he began in 2001. Since 2006, the 36-year NYCHA veteran has focused on utilizing existing and providing additional infrastructure for broadband. “NYCHA has been… MORE

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Congratulations on the Following Recent Appointments and Promotions

Sibyl Colon, formerly Administrator in the Manhattan Management Department, was promoted to Director of the Optimal Property Management Department (OPMOM). Ms. Colon is responsible for ensuring that the decentralized property management model adheres to all of NYCHA’s standard operating procedures and quality standards while streamlining operations. Robert Knapp, formerly Director of the Manhattan Management Department,… MORE

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