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 billion. Ms. Caldwell is an innovative financial leader with expertise across all major asset classes and a strong background in asset management and restructuring of unprofitable businesses. While Managing Director at Amundi Alternative Investments, Ms. Caldwell managed $500 million to $1 billion investment funds. Prior to that, Ms. Caldwell managed diverse financial trading, sales and treasury desks at LaSalle Bank and Chase Bank, respectively.
John McCormick, formerly Director of the Office of Facility Planning and Administration, was appointed Vice President of the Department of Real Estate Services in January 2016. This department oversees NYCHA’s central office, commercial, and non-residential ground floor real estate space portfolios, as well as marketing and lease negotiations with private landlords and commercial tenants. Under Mr. McCormick’s oversight and the NextGeneration NYCHA plan, the department is developing longterm strategies for maximizing revenue and uses of ground floor space throughout NYCHA’s developments. Mr. McCormick joined NYCHA in 2003, having served most recently as Associate Commissioner for Finance and Administration in the NYC Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications. Prior to that, he worked in the private sector as Director of Corporate Property Management at American Express and Assistant Vice President at Lehman Brothers.
David Pristin was appointed Executive Vice President for External Affairs in January 2016, and retains his title as Chief of Staff. Mr. Pristin is charged with developing and shaping the external brand of the agency as it aligns with the NextGeneration NYCHA vision for safe, clean and connected communities. In addition, he manages the day-to-day operations of the Chair’s office, providing direct support to the Chair in the planning and execution of policies and directives, while communicating with NYCHA departments on agency initiatives and serving as a liaison to the Authority’s external partners. Mr. Pristin served in several key positions in the New York City Council. As Director of the City Council’s Policy Division, he worked with Council leadership to develop and execute its policy priorities. Working across a wide range of issues, including housing, health, education, public safety, and economic and workforce development, Mr. Pristin managed the drafting of dozens of Council policy reports and policy speeches. As Special Assistant to the Speaker, Mr. Pristin developed strategic plans with senior staff to move Council priorities forward. And as a Policy Analyst in the Legislation Division, Mr. Pristin researched complex issues, drafted legislation and analyzed the budgets and performance of several major New York City.
Karina Totah joined NYCHA in 2014 as Senior Advisor to the Chair, and was also appointed Vice President for Strategic Initiatives in January 2016. Ms. Totah has driven the planning and production of NextGeneration NYCHA, the Authority’s 10-year strategic plan, and she is responsible for leading its implementation and monitoring. In addition, Ms. Totah oversees the Internal Audit and Assessment group to ensure that work across the Authority is performed in an effective and high-quality manner, and is aligned with the Authority’s mission and goals. Ms. Totah worked to strengthen public-private partnerships across various U.S. cities as a strategy consultant, real estate developer and affordable housing investor. She was Director of Programming for Talking Transition, a pioneering civic engagement initiative; Development Director for 21c Museum Hotels, a 24-hour contemporary art museum and boutique hotel concept that anchored downtown revitalization efforts in several cities across the country; and Senior Analyst with HR&A Advisors, where she helped to seed public-private initiatives in urban real estate, including for the creation of pedestrian plazas along Broadway in Times Square and Herald Square and the redevelopment of South Street Seaport.
