Adam Liebowitz joined North Star Fund in 2013. Adam directs Community Food Funders (CFF), a philanthropic organizing project for funders in the tri-state area to invest in the transition to an equitable, ecologically sound, and sustainable regional food system that emphasizes local growing, processing, and distribution. Adam administered and coordinated North Star Fund’s Greening Western Queens Fund and Community Fund for Sandy Recovery. In 2019, Adam led the process of the creation, design, and implementation of the Seeding Power Fellowship for food justice leaders, CFF’s newest initiative.

Adam has a rich history in the nonprofit sector and extensive experience in community outreach and development, urban farming, program design and management, youth development, and environmental justice. “My time as Education Director at a Boys and Girls Club in the Bronx provided a foundation to understand the strengths and struggles of underserved populations in New York City,” Adam says. “At The Point CDC, I worked with amazing people dedicated to undoing some of the systemic injustices in our city and culture, and learned the importance of community-based planning and grassroots activism to realize social change.”

Focusing on environmental justice and food access, Adam trained Hunts Point youth through The Point’s ACTION program as community organizers able to establish their own projects and campaigns. He created an urban agriculture and food justice program that included cooking and nutrition classes, public health outreach, the establishment of a local CSA, and vegetable gardens across multiple sites. Adam designed and organized the 2009 South Bronx Food & Film Expo, and served on the steering committee in 2011 for the first Bronx Food Summit.

Prior to joining North Star Fund, Adam worked as an independent consultant to nonprofit organizations and private firms specializing in food systems planning and food access projects in New York. He received a B.A. from Wesleyan University in 2002 and an M.S. in Urban Policy Analysis and Management from The New School in 2011.

Aiden K. Feltkamp (they/he) began their artistic life at the age of 5 playing a quarter-size cello and now they wrangle arts administrators and composers as the first-ever Director of Emerging Composers and Diversity with the American Composers Orchestra. In their artistic practice, they write in varying genre and they perform as an opera singer.

As an equity and inclusion specialist for the past 8 years, they have consulted for performing arts organizations, funders, universities, and businesses. They have worked with Johnson & Johnson, Yelp, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, OPERA America, the League of American Orchestras, and the LA Phil. In their time with the American Composers Orchestra, they have sustained and created programs that provide orchestral opportunities to composers from diverse backgrounds. Utilizing data analysis and innovative recruitment, they have increased diverse candidates by 9% each year for the past 3 years, and they have increased the diversity of early career composers granted opportunities through ACO’s flagship program, EarShot, by 37% across the board.

Mx Feltkamp’s written work spans the serious and the ridiculous, the real and the surreal. Some of their favorite projects include: an opera about Emily Dickinson’s queerness (The Homestead with Dana Kaufman), an interactive fiction experience about alien communication coded in Javascript (“Hello, Aria”), new English translations of Jewish lesbian erotic poet Marie-Madeleine’s work (The Priestess of Morphine with Rosśa Crean), and a four-part series decoupling gender and voice types. Most recently, their work has been commissioned by Cantus, Amherst College, and the International Museum of Surgical Sciences, and has been published in Crêpe & Penn, Bait/Switch, and NewMusicBox.

Before pursuing their medical transition, Mx Feltkamp performed opera professionally, specializing in Baroque opera and new music. Their most fulfilling roles include Hansel, Prince Orlofsky, Cherubino, Ottavia in L’incoronazione di Poppea (especially in a Baroque gesture production with director Drew Minter), and Elizabeth in the World and NY premieres of Griffin Candey’s Sweets by Kate. They continue to train their new voice and have recently performed as Figaro in ChamberQUEER’s abridged Le Nozze di Figaro.

Mx Feltkamp is a Turn the Spotlight fellow (20/21 cohort) and a New York Community Trust Leadership Fellow (Fall 21 cohort). In 2019, they received the “Top 30 Professionals of the Year” award from Musical America. They graduated from Bard College Conservatory’s Graduate Vocal Arts Program (under the direction of Dawn Upshaw) with a Masters of Music, and received their B.S. in Vocal Performance from Hofstra University. They hold certifications in DEI and Data Science. They currently live in Jersey City with their partner, cat, parrots, and robot dog.

Over a decade ago, Amanda Nathan made a career change to workforce development and recognizes that as one of the best decisions she’s ever made. The transition allowed her to bring her people-centered approach to support practitioners and organizations in their strategy and service delivery methods to enhance the economic stability of their program participants.

Born and raised in Westchester County, NY, Amanda is an alum of SUNY Purchase College. Her work at local nonprofits and the City of New York has shaped her professional identity. Amanda has managed small teams; provided technical assistance and coaching to national program sites; and led special projects. Throughout it all, she prioritizes relationships with people as a driver for success.

Currently, Amanda is a Senior Manager, National Coaching Practice at STRIVE based in East Harlem

Ambrosia Kaui is the Assistant Director for Operations & Evaluation at Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation (NMIC), a settlement house that serves as a catalyst for positive change in the lives of NYC residents, with a particular focus on communities in upper Manhattan and the south and west Bronx. In this role she is responsible for agency-wide operations and systems development, including contracting process management, coordination between fiscal and other departments, and developing systems for new programs and initiatives. Prior to joining NMIC, she held roles in the Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Trinity Wall Street, and Iris House: A Center for Women, and served as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer in Zambia.

Born on the island of Kaua’i and raised in the town of Anahola, Hawai’i, Ambrosia is part Filipina (Ilocano/Visayan) and Kanaka ‘Oiwi (Native Hawaiian). She is deeply passionate about indigenous rights, particularly as they relate to ancestral lands and self-governance, and environmental justice.  Ambrosia is a first-generation college graduate and holds a Master of Public Administration from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and a Bachelor of Science from Boston University’s College of Communication.

Amma Woods is Managing Director of Elementary Programs at LEAP, a NYC non profit that brings arts programming to NYC schools underserved in the arts. Her role includes overseeing seven school partnerships in Brooklyn and Washington Heights, strategic planning, financial management, grants management and compliance. Throughout the past 18 years, Amma’s commitment to youth development and a holistic approach to working with young people and families, continue to grow on a daily basis.

Brianne Kilpatrick is currently the Director of Major and Planned Gifts at Goddard Riverside with more than 10 years of experience in fundraising. Brianne’s work at Goddard consists of raising money, engaging potential planned givers, building a junior board, and creating volunteer opportunities for corporate volunteers. She holds a Masters in Nonprofit Administration from North Park University in Chicago and is currently a member of the Program Committee at PPGGNY.

Brianne is passionate about fundraising for marginalized communities and youth. In her free time, Brianne likes to travel, take photos, and practice judo.

Originally from Long Beach, California, and raised in Tegucigalpa, Honduras/Queens, New York. Derick Mendoza is a Program Manager at Voces Latinas Corp., a Non-profit organization in Queens, New York. For over 7 years, have been managing healthcare programs and affairs with government institutions, foreign consulates, community organizations, among other. Participates in local, state, and national networks, coalitions that address the National Hispanic/ Latinx Health policy agenda. Concentrates on developing campaigns and programs on HIV/AIDS, COVID-19, community mobilization, immigration, and social determinants of health. Leads advocacy efforts in Washington D.C. by developing initiatives in partnership with diverse communities and governmental agencies to improve access to healthcare, human rights, immigration policies, and education reforms that impact immigrant communities. Likes to travel to different countries, interact with people and their cultures. Holds a MA degree in Political Science/International Relations from Long Island University and BA degree in Political Science from York College of City University of New York. Is currently working on addressing Sustainable Development Programs and become a leader of the community to impact social change.

Eve Wolff joined the renowned arts education organization, Dancing Classrooms, as the new Deputy Director in February 2020. Weeks later, as schools were shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she helped spearhead the complete overhaul of Dancing Classrooms’ programs to be delivered virtually. As the head of the Programming team she has overseen the safe re-entry to teaching in-person again, the expansion of programs, and the integration of culturally responsive and sustaining education practices into Dancing Classrooms rich curriculum.

Prior to joining Dancing Classrooms, Eve worked with Advance NYC, a nonprofit consulting firm, as a Senior Project Director for 7 years. There she supported clients such as ArtsConnection, Harmony Program, Hellen Keller International, Hi-Arts, the Louis Armstrong House Museum, Stella Adler Studio of Acting, and Pilobolus. Prior to joining Advance NYC Eve spent years in the NYC performing arts and arts education sectors, including serving as the Director of Programming at Young Audiences New York. Eve currently sits on the Board of Directors of the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable, and on various committees of the PS 300Q PTA. In addition, Eve previously served as a member of the School Leadership Team at early childhood school PS 242 in Queens, and on the National Guild for Community Arts Education’s members council. Eve holds a BFA in Drama from the Playwrights Horizons Theater School at Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. She was a proud NYU Martin Luther King Jr. Scholar, and spent years bringing her stage management, performance, and educator skills to volunteer community and arts programs around the globe, including in Brazil, Ghana, Ireland, and across the US. Having grown up mostly in NYC, where she was an avid young dancer and performer, Eve is passionate about bringing the joy and freedom that can be found in the arts to each young person’s educational experience.

Ife is an experienced leader with 16 years of demonstrated success working within, and in partnership with community based organizations, public schools and cultural institutions. Ife has served as an educator and administrator for a number of organizations including the Studio Museum in Harlem, International Center of Photography, Intrepid Sea Air and Space Museum and the New York City Department of Education. Ife is a champion for the ability of rigorous, socially relevant, multi-disciplinary programming to inspire and engender success, with a passion for serving traditionally underserved communities. Ife holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, and a Masters of Teaching and Learning in K-12 Art Education from the Rhode Island School of Design. Ife is a current Board Member on the Educational Leadership Council of Doodles Academy.

Ingrid Sotelo joined Union Settlement in January 2020 and she serves as Director of Outreach and Operations. She was born and raised in East Harlem. There attended the Young Women’s Leadership School of East Harlem and was the first member of her family to enroll in college, graduating from Marymount College and pursuing her Master’s in Public Administration from Marxe School of Public and International Affairs, Baruch College. She brings 11 years of experience in government and community relations. Her keen interest in government led her to serve in public service for State Senator Jose M. Serrano, Manhattan Borough President’s office, NYC Comptroller’s Office and NYC Census 2020.

Jena Yarley is an arts administrator who is currently Development Manager at The Playwrights Realm, a non-profit theatre company aimed at making playwriting a sustainable and equitable career path through holistic artist support services. She previously held positions at Theatre for a New Audience, Roundabout Theatre Company, The Santa Fe Opera, New Harmony Project, and Nashville Children’s Theatre. She also freelance produces and stage manages when she finds a project she really loves. She has a Bachelor’s in Theatre Management from the University of Evansville. She hails from Nashville, Tennessee and is a current resident of Staten Island.

Jessie Boye-Doe, LCSW, is the Director of JCCA’s Center for Healing, which provides evidence-based, clinical services to residents of JCCA’s Westchester Campus who have suffered child sexual abuse and/or exploitation. In addition, the Center for Healing also provides trainings to service providers who work with this unique population.

A clinical expert and leader in the field of child sexual abuse treatment and prevention, Ms. Boye-Doe has supervised and trained hundreds of clinicians who, in turn, have gone on to provide care for children NYC who are victims of sexual abuse or trafficking.

In addition to her therapy and advocacy on behalf of young victims, Ms. Boye-Doe is responsible for making JCCA a child sexual trauma informed agency, across all 37 programs serving more than 17,000 children and families every year. She has developed a cutting-edge clinical approach to working with victims of trafficking, translating her comprehensive clinical expertise into modalities that address the underlying issues that make young people vulnerable to commercial exploitation. At JCCA, she has created a training series for providers to prevent, identify, and treat child sexual abuse and exploitation. Ms. Boye-Doe has also created workshops and support groups for young people, to help them identify the warning signs of sexual abuse and to address the issues that make them vulnerable to trafficking.

Before JCCA, Ms. Boye-Doe was the Director of the Child Sexual Abuse Response Team at the Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut; which is a nationally accredited child advocacy center. She was also a Victim Advocate at the Office of Victim Services in Stamford, CT and provided crisis and long-term counseling at the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, where she developed, launched and ran the African Immigrant Victims of Violence Program. Ms. Boye-Doe earned her BA from Baruch College and her MSW from the Columbia School of Social Work.

Karen Ford directs a staff of more than 1,000 people and a $140 million budget to provide homeless services as Chief Operating Officer of HELP USA. Her work impacts the lives of tens of thousands of unhoused single adults, families, domestic violence survivors, and veterans. With more than 30 homeless shelter and prevention programs under her leadership, Ms. Ford is one of the nation’s foremost voices on homeless services.

As Deputy Commissioner of Family Services for the NYC Department of Homeless Services, Karen managed a portfolio of more than 38,000 families. She engaged in policy making and its implementation. Ms. Ford has led the development and continuous improvement of a wide variety of programs. She has managed the Prevention Assistance and Temporary Housing (PATH) Family Intake Center, where she oversaw a portfolio of 116 contracted family shelters and a $900+ million budget. Karen managed a team of 500 and a $100+ million overseeing emergency and transitional housing units as Assistant Vice President and Acting Vice-President of Real Estate and Housing at Samaritan Daytop Village, Inc. She has held various influential positions within city and state government including the NYC Housing Authority and NYS AIDS Institute.

Ms. Ford’s background begins in social work. She holds a B.S. in Social Welfare (Adelphi) and her Masters in Social Work (Fordham). Across Karen’s 31-year career she has led teams of social workers and other community care providers. She is the recipient of the National Association of Social Workers’ 2016 Mid-Career Leadership Award. Ms. Ford’s work has ranged across numerous social paradigms, including housing, health care, addiction, and welfare reform. Her work In homeless services goes back to 1990, when she started her career with the NYC Department of Homeless Services Street Outreach Team.

Karen’s work has been honored by elected officials and awarded by national and community associations. She is a US HUD Community Builder Fellow, and served as Secretary and Community Co-chair of the NYC Department of Housing Community Planning Committee.

Her work has improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of people who have experienced homelessness, poverty, addiction, and illness.

Matt Wildey is the Operations Manager at New Economy Project, a NYC-based non-profit that works with community groups to build a new economy that works for all, based on principles of racial and social justice, cooperation, neighborhood equity, and ecological sustainability. His role includes strategic planning, audit and financial management, HR, fundraising and grants management, and compliance.

Before joining New Economy Project, Matt organized with community and food justice groups in his home state of Washington. He graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle with a B.A. in Community, Environment, and Planning and a B.A. in Geography. You can find him exploring NYC parks and neighborhoods on his bike or working with neighbors at his local community garden.

Priscilla is the Programs & Communications Manager at the Asian American Arts Alliance (A4), a Brooklyn-based nonprofit dedicated to greater representation for Asian American artists. She manages A4’s artist service programs and new initiatives to support the Asian American creative community. Previously, Priscilla was a Program Officer at the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) managing fiscally sponsored arts projects and organizations through financial oversight, grants stewardship, and fundraising development. She studied philosophy and art history at the University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA) and currently enjoys taking art and storytelling classes at various NYC institutions in her spare time.

Rainah Berlowitz serves as Education Through Music’s (ETM’s) Director of Finance and Business Operations in New York and lead coordinator of oversight and supporting services related to ETM’s affiliate organizations in other parts of the United States. He received an A.B. in English from Princeton University and came to ETM in 1997 through the Princeton AlumniCorps’ Project 55 Fellowship Program. In 2005, Mr. Berlowitz was appointed a member of the National Board of Directors and President of the New York Executive Committee of Giving Opportunities To Others, Inc. (GOTO), a volunteer-managed 501(c)(3) not-for-profit. In 2009, he was elected to serve as Chairman of GOTO’s Board. In Fall 2011, he completed executive leadership training as a participant in the New York Arts & Business Council’s Arts Leadership Institute. In Fall 2012, he was one of twelve nonprofit professionals from the U.S. and overseas selected to participate in the American Express Foundation/Aspen Institute Fellowship for Emerging Nonprofit Leaders. Rainah also plays guitar.

Shanelle Cummings has held her position as Director of the COMPASS after-school program in Public School 354 for over 8 years for Sheltering Arms Children and Family Services. She holds a Bachelors degree in Education and has studied Dance Education for decades at Frank Sinatra school of the performing Arts, Henry Street Settlement on the low east side and Hofstra University. As a child growing up in the non-profit world and now a Director of her program Ms. Cummings is called upon to manage, implement, train and recruit staff and students for the programs.

Ms. Shanelle is credited for increasing her programs funding from 110 in 2014 to 300+ participants in 2021 during summer programming, while maintaining an consist staff pattern to provide safety, engagement, social emotional building and educational learning. Now every year when applications come around over 700 families stand in line to wrap around 3+ city blocks to apply for the free program that only grants entrance to 200 use Ms. Cummings organization and processing skills with her team, ensures parents have an equal access to opportunity to apply for the program. With her Leadership and programmatic Focus Ms. Cummings has led her team of 30+ staff year after year receiving above standard readings in program visits and program practice.

Having a consistent and super program enable city Council officials to award Ms. Cummings program with funding for 44 additional slots which she has maintained for 3+ years and most recently department of youth and community development award Ms. Cummings program for additional 30 slots in addition PS 354 was awarded the Empire State grant to further enhance after school program for additional 50 slots. Ms. Cummings outstanding structure attention to detail and passion for excellence is what allows her to lead and grow a program of 300+ students. She has developed sharpened existing procedures and protocols to ensure staff and participants are safe as well as allows for smooth programmatic flow throughout the day to make sure that every student and staff is seen and heard.

Ms. Cummings communications affectively with the key holders such as the PS 354 principal, parent coordinator, PTA president, community board, parents, students and staff. She ensures all parties are aware of upcoming program events and partners with them, for Community Breast Cancer Walk with participants, which is now an annual community event. Weekly Community pantries for 200+ families, in partnership with the Fight for hunger NYC, Family fun days, back to school jams, Winterfest and end of the year showcases. Ms. Cummings passion and family engagement skills come on full display when coordinating events for the school as well as the community of Jamaica Queens.

In continuing, in this out reach of community leadership within the non-per profit world Ms. Cummings is now pursuing her master’s degree in human resources administration for non-for profit at Mercy College. As well as being accepted into The New York City Community Trust Leadership Fellows for the Fall. Ms. Shanelle Cummings character, leadership and integrity we can follow her anywhere goes.

Suvasini Patel is the Senior Director of Communications at NYIC. In this role, she oversees the communications team and works to optimize processes and opportunities to ensure that organizational issues and concerns remain in the public eye. Previously, she led communications efforts at a poverty research center at New York University and at WITNESS, the international human rights group. She also served as the Deputy Director of Special Projects at journalist Bill Moyers’ Public Affairs Television and as the High Impact TV Director at the PBS series, P.O.V., where she developed dozens of online and community-based campaigns with scores of national and local partners and public television stations in support of some of the most pressing social causes of our times.

Born and raised in Taiwan, Tina Huang Abrams is a performing arts administrator currently based in New York City. She is the General Manager at Dorrance Dance and previously worked at the Isadora Duncan Dance Foundation, Asian American Arts Alliance, and NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. Additionally, she served on the Junior Committee of Dance/NYC and as a Project Leader at Sing for Hope. Ms. Abrams holds a B.A. in dance and government from Wesleyan University and a M.A. in performance studies from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

A Bronx native, graduate of the Bronx High School of Science and NYU Stern School of Business (BS ’92). Troy is a 20 year+ wall street veteran with extensive buy & Sell side trading experience at premier US & International firms and near 5 years as an angel investor in Vietnam.

Noting the persistent lack of diversity in the front offices of wall street and the abundance of hungry and available urban talent, he has had the idea for Wall Street Bound for over 15 years.

Troy has spent significant time abroad having lived and worked in 5 countries, speaks 4 languages and brings the full breadth of his experience home with him in his mission to connect typically overlooked urban talent with the capital markets and investment opportunity.

Min. Yolanda Richard is a talented non-profit leader, sought-after preacher, and advocate for economic justice and racial equity in New York City. Min. Richard currently serves as Director of Membership and Strategic Partnerships at FPWA where she manages all facets of FPWA relationship management and engagement with member agencies and priority strategic partners that include human service organizations, houses of worship and faith institutions, policy and advocacy organizations and other networks of influence. She currently leads and manages the design and implementation of the Roll Up Your Sleeves New York statewide vaccine education campaign to increase vaccine uptake in Black communities across the state. Through her leadership, FPWA has produced critical community resources such as the COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkit for Black Communities, corresponding digital messaging and marketing materials, and a statewide field organizing campaign targeting Black New Yorkers.

Prior to this role Min. Richard has served as FPWA’s Community Outreach Manager where she led the successful design and implementation of the Interfaith Census 2020 Count Coalition. FPWA’s census campaign was credited by the City of New York as a central factor in increasing self-response rates in historically hard to count communities of color across the city. In her tenure she had also focused efforts on expanding FPWA’s capacity for political advocacy, community mobilization, engagement with for NYC’s diverse faith-based landscape. Min. Richard has had the privilege of serving in professional roles at institutions such as the Yale University, Columbia University, New York Presbyterian Hospital, and The Embassy of the Republic of Haiti in Washington, DC.

Min. Yolanda Richard received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Miami where she completed double majors in Political Science and Africana Studies, receiving departmental honors for her research. She then went on to receive her Master of Divinity from Yale University focusing her studies on the politics of Black religion in the African Diaspora. When she is not teaching, preaching, and leading you can find Yolanda backpacking, camping, and day hiking in the beautiful outdoor spaces New York has to offer.