Meet the Coaching and Mentoring Leadership Academy Participants

In January 2023, NYCHA launched its first-ever Coaching and Mentoring Leadership Academy (CMLA). Participants in the 16-week program received training and coaching in areas such as strategic communications and crisis management, and they had the opportunity to enhance their leadership and management skills through mentorship.        

Read on to learn more about a few of the mentors and mentees participating in the Leadership Academy.   

Property Manager Jaritza Vazquez and Senior Director for Community Partnerships Erin Giventer 

Jaritza Vazquez’s NYCHA career started 22 years ago as a Secretary. She has since moved up the ranks to her current position as Property Manager at Red Hook East Houses. Ms. Vazquez holds a bachelor’s degree in human services management. She is a NYCHA Change Ambassador as well as a member of the Employee Engagement Committee.  

Ms. Vazquez joined the CMLA because she wanted an opportunity to grow as a professional.  

“I joined the CMLA to gain additional guidance on how to become an effective leader,” said Ms. Vazquez. “As a Housing Manager, I want to be able to respond to challenges with intelligence, strategy, and proficiency. Additionally, it is important for me to lead by example, to be a manager who cultivates engagement and teamwork; doing so, staff will have a sense of direction and purpose. The CMLA program provided me with the guidance I was searching for and more! I am extremely grateful for my mentor, Ms. Erin Giventer, and the entire CMLA team. The experience was gratifying!” 

Erin Giventer’s NYCHA career started in 2019 as a Project Manager in the Office of the Senior Vice President of Support Services. She later became a Senior Advisor in the same office before moving on to serve as Director of Business Client Services in the IT Service Management office. She is currently Senior Director of Community Partnerships, Resident Services, Partnerships, and Initiatives.  

Ms. Giventer joined the CMLA because she wanted to pay forward the mentorship she has received throughout her career from “fantastic mentors.”  

“What is particularly enriching about a program like the CMLA is the cross-experiential integration of staff from the fields and offices, all grouped together to discuss the everyday issues they face,” said Ms. Giventer. “Mentees learn from the mentors, but mentors learn much from their mentees in turn – what does it look like to use de-escalation skills face-to-face with residents at the development each day? How can management staff better affirm and support their staff in ways that foster personal and professional growth? These are the types of important, two-way conversations that the CMLA fosters. Moreover, the program highlights the resourcefulness, insight, and focus of NYCHA’s up-and-coming leaders, the mentees of CMLA who choose to broaden their networks and exposure through participation. Jaritza highlights this vividly, asking questions about whom to connect with, how to navigate multi-stakeholder escalations in her development, and how to think about guiding her staff with empathy. By including creative and dedicated staff like Jaritza in the CMLA, NYCHA builds a pipeline of skilled, strategic field leadership for itself while investing in its most valuable resource: its staff.”