Personnel Announcements

Dear Colleagues,  

We are pleased to announce the following new appointments to NYCHA’s executive team: 

Ester Tomicic-Hines was appointed Vice President of the Public Housing Tenancy Administration on October 18. In this role, Ester will focus on developing and implementing key initiatives to improve service delivery, streamline workflows, and create a more efficient administration process. Ester has 17 years of managerial experience at NYCHA, most recently as Director of Vendor Integrity and Supplier Diversity, and previously as Chief Hearing Officer of the Office of Impartial Hearings.  

Earlier this month, John Imhof joined NYCHA as Vice President of Operations Support Services. Bringing more than 30 years of combined experience in construction and architecture, John has worked on over 1,600 architectural projects throughout his career. He most recently served as supervisor of the Planning and Engineering, Budget, and Procurement departments for the NYPD, where he was involved in more than 250 projects. A licensed architect and licensed home inspector in the State of New York, John has owned and operated his own architecture firm for nearly 17 years.      

With more than 14 years of service at NYCHA in various capacities, Yadhira Espinal was recently appointed as Special Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer. Yadhira will act as a liaison between the COO and senior management team, helping to identify challenges and develop solutions, as well as aid in strategic planning, guidance, oversight, and tracking for various operations initiatives. Most recently, she served as NYCHA’s Director of Procurement, where she led a large team of procurement professionals responsible for the procurement of all goods and services required by the Authority.  

James Secreto, who helped maintain safety at NYCHA developments for several years as Chief of the NYPD’s Housing Bureau, has been tapped as the Authority’s new Vice President for Public Safety. He is responsible for planning, organizing, and directing all of NYCHA’s public safety services and activities. Raised at NYCHA’s Albany Houses in Brooklyn, James is returning to NYCHA after retiring from a 40-year career in public service in December 2019. He began his NYPD career in November 1979 at the 25th Precinct in East Harlem, and in 2014 he rose to the rank of Chief of the Housing Bureau, whose 2,100 officers patrol NYCHA developments. 

We are excited about the appointments of Ester, John, Yadhira, and James. Please join us in congratulating them on their new positions at NYCHA. We will continue to provide you with updates as we make organizational updates to strengthen the Authority in service to residents. 

Thank you, 

Greg Russ, Chair & Chief Executive Officer 

Vito Mustaciuolo, Chief Operating Officer