Angélica (she/her/ella) is the Director of Community Engagement at Planned Parenthood of Greater NY (PPGNY). As part of her role, she oversees PPGNY’s sexual and reproductive health education programs for adults across New York City and Nassau County. A certified health educator specialist with over 15 years of experience, Angélica is passionate about disease prevention and health promotion among marginalized populations, especially Latine immigrants.

Throughout her career, Angélica has planned and implemented public health initiatives and programs to provide culturally relevant and medically accurate information and resources. She enjoys developing close partnerships with community members, and CBO’s. She has participated in reproductive rights and breast cancer advocacy efforts at the State and National levels with various organizations.

Angélica was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia and moved to the U.S. when she was 16 years old. She graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Stony Brook University, received a master’s degree in health education from Columbia University’s Teachers College, and a master’s in public health from Adelphi University. Angélica’s hard work and commitment has been recognized throughout the community. She has received various awards including the Town of North Hempstead Women’s Roll of Honor Award, Long Island Business News Health Care Heroes Award for Community Outreach and Coors Light Líderes Latino Leader of the Year national finalist. Angélica is grateful for her family, her partner, their two furry babies, her friends, her team and the work they get to do every day. She is a huge soccer fan, loves all animals, and enjoys cooking vegan dishes that may or may not turn out edible.

Carolyn O’Neil believes in the power of civic engagement to create a nation of united citizens. This passion brought her to Generation Citizen, where she serves as Senior Program Director, overseeing school partnerships and programming in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Carolyn brings more than fifteen years of experience in the nonprofit and public sectors, having focused her career on strengthening and sustaining democracy. Prior to her current role, she worked with the New York City Department of Education’s Office of Community Schools, where she managed partnerships with community-based organizations to offer wraparound services to students and families. She previously worked with Open Society Foundations, the Center for Constitutional Rights, and spent two years teaching English abroad in the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program.

In her free time, Carolyn is a children’s novelist, a volunteer citizenship exam tutor, and enjoys reading, hiking, gardening, and exploring ways to build a more equal society.

After graduating from the School of Library and Information Studies at McGill University, Canada, Cathy Chen joined Queens Public Library in 2004. After working in various branches for a few years, in 2015 Cathy was promoted to Assistant Director of Programming and Operations for the New Americans Program.

As an immigrant herself, Cathy has focused much of her professional work on community involvement and outreach, delivering key programs and services to new Americans. Since she joined New Americans Program, Cathy started computer classes in Spanish and Bengali, strengthened partnerships with various foreign consulates, and has been coordinating and expanding free citizenship and immigration legal services for immigrant customers in Queens. Cathy is an active member of NYLA, PLA, ALA and CALA. She has presented at ALA Annual Conferences, Joint Council of Librarians of Color and the REFORMA Mini Joint Conference. Cathy currently serves on the IFLA Section on Library Services to Multicultural Populations Standing Committee.

Colleen Kane joined the Port Chester Carver Center as the Chief Advancement Officer in January 2019. In her role, she oversees fundraising, marketing, strategic partnerships, and impact measurement. At Carver, Colleen has successfully diversified fundraising programs and built a reputation of excellence for the organization.

Prior to her role at Carver Center, Colleen held fundraising and communications positions with START Treatment & Recovery Centers, Hope for Depression Research Foundation, National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and OutRight International.

Colleen became involved with nonprofits at age 13 and served on her first board as a teen. She leverages this lifelong passion for social justice to inform her work. She received a B.S. degree in Diplomacy and International Relations from Seton Hall University and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

Colleen lives in Westchester County, NY, with her husband and two young sons.

Corrine Civil (she/her) is a youth worker and facilitator from East Harlem. She currently serves as Assistant Director of Programs at Sadie Nash Leadership Project, an award-winning nonprofit organization that provides liberatory educational programs to young women and gender expansive youth in NYC and Newark. Corrine holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Columbia University, and her interests include Black diaspora studies and literature.

Danielle Czajkowski is an LMSW who graduated from the University of South Florida with her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and her Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work.

Currently, Danielle is the Program Director of Green House (Hard to Place+) Foster Care Residential Group Home and works as a psychotherapist seeing patients virtually at a private practice. Danielle has 10 years of experience working as a Social Worker in New York City’s 5 boroughs. Danielle has extensive experience in child welfare, psychotherapy, foster care, residential settings, clinical evaluations, program openings and closures, leadership, advocacy, LGBTQIA+ rights, case planning, and coaching.

Danielle is currently accruing hours for her clinical licensure and continues to seek opportunities to grow her knowledge of underserved populations and clinical interventions.

Drew Gabriel has had the opportunity to work amongst talented individuals and become a vital part of helping New Yorkers access unprecedented opportunities.

His career in public service began relatively early, because of an interest in civic engagement. Civic engagement has a direct correlation to civil service and young people of color are disengaged and underrepresented. As a result, he currently serves as a mentor teaching high school and college age students the importance of their voice to affect the change they want to see. It is his personal belief that people of all ages and backgrounds should join the conversation that will help shape their future.

Throughout his career, spanning nearly a decade, Drew has worked in city and state legislative affairs to identify and mitigate the everyday challenges faced by New Yorkers. As a result, he has helped connect local stakeholders to critical programs and services that will/has spur growth, ensuring every community had the necessary resources to thrive. Currently, Drew is the Vice President of Intergovernmental Affairs for CAMBA.

Gabi is the Early Childhood Mental Health Manager at the Day Care Council of New York. As a dedicated mental health clinician specializing in behavioral health, she brings a wealth of experience and a passion for helping children thrive. Gabi earned her undergraduate degree from Stony Brook University and completed her graduate studies at Alfred University.

Throughout her career in the non-profit sector, Gabi has had the privilege of working alongside esteemed professionals, notably including the CEO of Elmhurst Hospital, whose guidance she says has been instrumental in her professional development. One of her impactful achievements includes spearheading the creation of an asthma guide in partnership with the chief of pediatrics at Urban Health Plan. This initiative was tailored for the benefit of the staff and families at the Dr. Richard Izquierdo Health and Science Charter School, a project that holds a special place in her heart as it aligns with her mother’s dedication as a co-founder of the school. Gabi’s commitment to our young community members drives her to create a brighter future for the next generation.

Outside of work,  Gabi is a devoted mother to a precious four-year-old boy and proudly stepmother to two adolescent boys. Her love and dedication to my three boys serve as her motivation, shaping her work and ensuring a better world for them to thrive in.

Gineyda Diaz,Director of Strategy and Impact, joined LEAP in June 2023. In her role, Gineyda plays a pivotal role in overseeing data collection and impact measurement across all programs. She is a passionate and creative leader with over 20 years of experience dedicated to fostering meaningful relationships and building nonprofits. Trained as a fashion and graphic designer, Gineyda seamlessly combines her creative flair with the precision of data analytics and operational expertise, crafting a holistic approach to organizational development. Her unique ability to merge her artistry with data visualization sets her apart, creating compelling narratives that make organizations stand out.

Her journey as an artist began in 8th grade, when an afterschool teacher helped her realize that art could be more than a passion – it could be a fulfilling career. Since then the arts have helped shape her perspective and fuel her passion for creativity. LEAP’s mission resonates deeply with Gineyda, as it aligns with her passion for teaching the arts and uplifting children. She is excited to be part of a program that brings arts to schools, helping young NYC children realize their dreams, just as she did.

Gineyda’s career started as an intern and later as a staff member at The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous (JFR), where they supported non-Jews who saved Jews during the Holocaust. Here, she learned the power of compassionate leadership and standing up for what is right—a guiding principle that continues to drive her today. She joined The JFR after graduating college full-time and then moved to serve as the Operations Director of Bottomless Closet. This was a very transformative experience, where she witnessed the uplifting impact of supporting underserved women entering the workforce. Over her nearly 12-year tenure, she honed her skills in nonprofit operations, database management, and marketing.

Gineyda’s leadership experience extends to various past roles, including Executive Director for My Money Workshop, Program Director for Custom Collaborative, and President of the board of the Alliance of Career Development Nonprofits (ACDN). In 2024, she transitioned to an advisory role at ACDN, continuing her commitment to fostering the growth of grassroots organizations that offer career coaching, professional clothing, and styling tips to job seekers nationwide.

Gineyda holds a Bachelor of Science in Fashion Design from Syracuse University, is a graduate of the High School of Fashion Industries, and holds several continuing education certificates, including a certificate in Marketing for Nonprofits from the School of Professional & Continuing Studies of the University of Richmond.