NYCIDA is governed by a Board of Directors. Its membership is prescribed by statute and includes a public official and mayoral appointees. Five of the mayoral appointees are appointed by the Mayor after nominations by the City’s five Borough Presidents.
HeeWon Brindle-Khym
Ms. Brindle-Khym is Director of Research and Global Strategies for the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU-UFCW). She oversees all corporate research and international affairs functions for the union. Formerly with the Fair Labor Association, UNITE HERE!, and the Worker Rights Consortium, Ms. Brindle-Khym has a broad-set of international and domestic experience in advocating and campaigning for workers’ rights and corporate accountability. Brindle-Khym holds a Bachelor of Science from Boston College and a Master’s in Public Affairs from Columbia University School of International Policy and Affairs. Brindle-Khym also sits on various committees and boards for the global union federations, UNI Global Union and the IUF, and the New York City pan-Asian community-based organization, CAAAV.
Khary Cuffe
Mr. Cuffe is Chief Operating Officer of Heritage Link Brands. He oversees all fiscal control functions. Formerly with Prudential Financial and UBS Investment Bank, Cuffe has a decade of experience in public and corporate finance, with transactional experience in mortgage-backed securities, mergers and acquisitions, debt, equity, and initial public offerings. Having also served as director of marketing for L'Oreal USA and, prior to that, as a marketing executive with the Proctor & Gamble Company, Cuffe brings extensive general management experience to the organization. Cuffe is a graduate of Wesleyan University and holds Master's degrees from Harvard Business School and the John F. Kennedy School of Government. He also serves as a board member for LISNR, communication protocol that sends data over audio.
Albert V. De Leon
Mr. De Leon is an attorney/consultant in the financial services industry. He was previously General Counsel and Head of Compliance & Regulatory Affairs for: the US operations of the French-Belgian Dexia Bank, the Swedish Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken, and Head of Compliance Advisory & Regulatory matters for the Zurich Insurance Group-North America. He has extensive experience in the financial services industry, including providing volunteer services for the Financial Services Volunteer Corps and lectures part-time at the Pace University Center for Global Governance, Reporting & Regulation. He is a FINRA arbitrator, and sits on the Board of Trustees of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, (he was previously on the board of Newark Public Radio, Inc.- WBGO 88.3 Jazz). Mr. De Leon earned his law degree from the University of San Diego School of Law, and a BA in political science and philosophy from The City College of New York.
Anthony Del Vecchio
Anthony Del Vecchio is an entrepreneur, investor, and businessman who has worked with or advised global bulge bracket financial institutions and large corporate entities, as well as middle-market and start-up ventures in both developed and emerging markets. Mr. Del Vecchio is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Fortrium Strategic Partners, a strategic and venture investment advisory firm that focuses on assisting early stage and emerging growth companies as well as corporations, family offices, and other institutional investors. Prior to his work with Fortrium, Mr. Del Vecchio was senior counsel to the Global Prime Finance Group at Citigroup where he was lead counsel to the repurchase and securities lending divisions, while also structuring and negotiating other derivatives, credit facilities, and structured finance transactions; and advised senior management on collateral use and liquidity issues in significant structured credit and asset-backed financing transactions, as well as bankruptcy issues related to failed domestic and international financial institutions. Prior to Citigroup, Mr. Del Vecchio worked in a variety of leadership functions at a corporate law firm, venture capital firm and event-driven hedge fund that he co-founded, and Japanese fund of funds. Mr. Del Vecchio has also advised boards for organizations such as Columbia Business School and Yale School of Medicine; and, in addition to continuing to advise start-up ventures within Columbia’s Startup Lab and other company boards, he is also a mentor for Columbia's Center for Entrepreneurship and a member of the Board of Trustees for the athletic department at Binghamton University. Mr. Del Vecchio has an MBA from Columbia Business School, a JD from Hofstra Law School, and a BA in Economics from Binghamton University.
Dan Garodnick
Dan Garodnick, appointed by Mayor Eric L. Adams, began serving as Director of the New York City Department of City Planning and Chair of the City Planning Commission in February 2022. Dan served in the New York City Council for 12 years, representing the East Side of Manhattan, and was known as one of New York's most independent voices and effective legislators. Dan chaired the City Council’s Planning and Economic Development Committees and served as a member of the Land Use Committee. Garodnick, a lawyer who has also served as a not-for-profit executive, is best known for his skill in negotiating complicated land use matters, such as the rezoning of 80 blocks of East Midtown and the Vanderbilt Corridor. This rezoning – approved unanimously by the City Council – not only has already spurred energy and new growth in a key commercial district, but is expected to deliver nearly a billion dollars in improvements to subways and public spaces in Midtown over the next 20 years. Garodnick also negotiated the largest affordable housing preservation deal in New York City’s history – 5,000 middle-class housing units in Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village. He wrote a book on that subject, Saving Stuyvesant Town, which Amazon called one of the best nonfiction books of 2021. During his time in the City Council, Garodnick authored and passed 60 bills, which included relief for small businesses from the Commercial Rent Tax, a right for tenants to sue a landlord for harassment, a biotech tax credit, transparency in the use of economic development incentives, the City’s first “green” energy code, and various good government reforms. Immediately before he took the helm at the City Planning Commission and the Department of City Planning, Garodnick was President and CEO of the Riverside Park Conservancy, a not-for-profit organization advocating for a six mile park on Manhattan's West Side. Prior to his public service, Garodnick was a litigator at the New York law firm of Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison LLP. He has a B.A. from Dartmouth College, and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where he served as the Editor-in-Chief of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review. He lives with his wife and two sons in Manhattan.
Sylvia Hinds-Radix
Justice Sylvia Hinds-Radix was appointed as the 81st Corporation Counsel of the City of New York on February 25, 2022. In this role, she is the attorney for the City of New York, the Mayor, the City Council and all City agencies - both Mayoral and non-Mayoral. Prior to her appointment as Corporation Counsel, Justice Hinds-Radix served as an Associate Justice of the NYS Appellate Division, Second Department from 2012. In December of 2020, Governor Andrew Cuomo designated Justice Hinds-Radix as a member of the NYS Constitutional Bench. Before joining the Appellate Division, she served as Administrative Judge for Civil Matters in the Second Judicial District for three and a half years. In her capacity as Administrative Judge, Justice Hinds-Radix oversaw both the New York State Supreme Court, Civil Term and the New York City Civil Court, which also encompasses the Housing Court of the City of New York. Justice Hinds-Radix was elected to the Supreme Court, Kings County in November of 2004 and served as a New York City Civil Court Judge from 2002 through 2004, spending her first year in the Criminal Court of Kings County. In 1985, soon after graduating from Howard University School of Law, Justice Hinds-Radix joined the legal staff of District Council 37 Municipal Employees Legal Services, where she remained until her Civil Court election in 2001. While at DC 37, she practiced in the areas of Civil Practice, Bankruptcy, Landlord/Tenant and was General Counsel of the immigration program, a program which she founded. Justice Hinds-Radix earned her Bachelors of Science Degree from the University of Massachusetts, her Master’s Degree in Political Science from Long Island University and her Jurist Doctorate Degree from Howard University School of Law. Justice Hinds-Radix also received an Honorary Doctorate from Metropolitan College of New York (MCNY). Justice Hinds-Radix is married to Dr. Joseph Radix and they are the proud parents of three wonderful daughters.
Andrew Kimball
Andrew Kimball is President & CEO of New York City Economic Development Corporation, where he leads NYCEDC’s work growing an innovative and inclusive economy for all New Yorkers. Prior to his appointment in 2022, Andrew served as the CEO of Industry City, where he directed the transformation of the long-underutilized industrial facility in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Under his leadership, Industry City invested over $450 million in infrastructure and place-making initiatives, and grew thousands of jobs and hundreds of businesses, ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies. Andrew previously served as President and CEO of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation, overseeing the transformation of the 300-acre former Naval ship-building facility into a national model for the creation of innovation-economy jobs, sustainability, and community partnerships. Prior to his time at the Navy Yard, Andrew served as director of operations for NYC2012, the privately funded bid to bring the 2012 Olympic Games to New York City, and as vice president of the New York Public Library.
Up until his appointment to NYCEDC, Andrew sat on numerous boards, including the Coro New York Leadership Center, where he served as chair; Prospect Park Alliance; Gowanus Canal Conservancy; Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce; Citizens Budget Commission; and the NYS Regional Economic Development Council. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Hamilton College and is a graduate of the Coro Public Affairs Fellowship program. A life-long New Yorker, Andrew lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn with his wife, Sarah Williams, and two children.
Brad Lander
New York City Comptroller Brad Lander was elected to serve as the city’s budget watchdog and chief accountability officer on November 2nd, 2021. Lander’s background in community organizing and urban planning informs his work to make government work better for all New Yorkers. First elected to the City Council in 2009, Lander co-founded the Council’s Progressive Caucus and has a strong track record of partnering with community advocates to win transformative change for a more just and equitable city. Prior to holding public office, Lander spent 15 years in the nonprofit sector as the director of the Fifth Avenue Committee and the Pratt Center for Community Development. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Meg Barnette, President and CEO of NonProfit New York, and their children, Marek and Rosa.
Janet Mejia-Peguero
Janet is an EOP Alumna of SUNY Binghamton, holding a BA in Latin American and Caribbean area of Studies (LACAS) and Sociology with honors, she is a proud product of NYC’s public-school education, and a 2019 fellow of the Council for Urban Professionals. Janet started her public career in the nonprofit sector with the Vance Center for International Justice, a division within the New York City Bar Association. There she organized a network of private law firms and encouraged the promotion and expansion of clearing houses aimed at bridging access to free legal services for civil society and non-profit organizations in Latin America and Africa. At the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS), Janet served the communities that raised her as the Senior Rezoning Manager on citywide land use projects with a focus on the Bronx and Upper Manhattan. Closely working with City Hall, local elected officials, community boards, and community partners. Janet’s tenure at SBS began in the Division of Business Services managing pro bono services and leading the first-of-its-kind Commercial Lease Assistance program, offering free legal representation to commercial tenants. During the height of the pandemic, Janet served as a community organizer working with Bronx-based mutual aid groups and local small businesses to increase access to food and PPE. Janet also serves as the Bronx Borough Director for Amplify Her, an organization that works to increase the number of women in elected office. Janet was an Associate at Constantinople & Vallone, a government relations firm, heavily focusing on and advocating for local nonprofits and affordable housing. Janet is currently serving as the Bronx Deputy Borough President for Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson.
Jacques-Philippe Piverger
Jacques-Philippe Piverger is an entrepreneur who has harnessed his business and philanthropic acumen to affect change where it is needed most in the globe. He is co-Founder and President of Metripol Corporation, a company that will disrupt the brokerage side of the real estate market using a tech-enabled platform. He is co-founder and former CEO of MPOWERD, Inc., a solar product company he led from inception to global distribution into more than seventy countries. He is Executive Chairman of RegenOrganics, a commercial-scale, smart technology food dehydration system with its base in the Central Plateau of Haiti. He honed his business acumen as a Director at PineBridge Investments, helping direct over $10 billion of private equity, hedge and real estate transactions globally. Jacques-Philippe also worked at AIG Investments, Friedman Billings Ramsey, and Barclays Capital. He founded The Soleil Group, a strategy firm with a diverse portfolio of clients such as Western Union, Universal Music, New York Public Library, Glaceau Vitamin Water, BMG, and Motorola. He is co-founder and board member of The Council of Urban Professionals, a nonprofit which is focused on empowering women and minorities with a presence in New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. with support from over one hundred corporate partners. He's a Young Global Leader as designated by the World Economic Forum. He was a Term Member at The Council on Foreign Relations and an Advisory Board Member of George Clooney’s Hope for Haiti Now Fund. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. He also has executive certificates from Yale University and the Harvard Kennedy School.
James Prendamano
James Prendamano is the CEO for Casandra Properties, Staten Island’s premier real estate firm. For over 20 years, James has shepherded the completion of transformative projects, including major initiatives reshaping Staten Island’s commercial real estate landscape. Currently James serves as a consultant and Broker responsible for bringing NYC’s first and only outlet mall to the St. George district of Staten Island. This has resulted in bringing thousands of much needed construction and permanent jobs to the community. He also developed an exclusive Real Estate Portfolio Optimization program helping non-profits unlock capital through their real estate to help fund their mission. James also serves on the board of Staten Island Chamber of Commerce; as a cabinet member for the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation, and is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers and various Real Estate Associations. He also serves on the board of directors CFLC (Central Family Life Center).
Shanel Thomas
Shanel Thomas recently joined the LaGuardia Airport Team as the Community Outreach Manager for the LaGuardia Redevelopment Program. In this role, Ms. Thomas serves as the public information liaison on the redevelopment program by developing and maintaining working relationships with elected officials, businesses, and community leaders. Her responsibilities include keeping the public informed on the progress of the program, informing the public of available opportunities during and after redevelopment (e.g. employment and contract opportunities), and monitoring consumer activities to improve customer experiences, as well as support the communities surrounding the airport. Ms. Thomas brings over fifteen years of experience in community development, capacity building, sales, business development, event production, program execution, and media relations. A life-long resident of East Elmhurst Corona, Ms. Thomas has served on several local boards, including the Kiwanis Club of LaGuardia Airport, Elmcor Youth & Adult Activities, Inc., Neighborhood Housing Services of Queens CDC, Neighborhood Housing Services of New York City, 115th Precinct Council, and Community Board 3. Ms. Thomas has a BA in International Business with a concentration in marketing and holds her Masters in Public Administration from Howard University. Ms. Thomas has also studied abroad at the Sorbonne in Paris, France, and the Cultural Institute in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Maria Torres-Springer
Maria Torres-Springer is the NYC Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development, charged with spearheading the administration’s efforts to strengthen and diversify its economy, invest in emerging industries, bolster small business, connect New Yorkers to family-sustaining jobs, and expand access to arts and culture. She previously was Vice President of US Programs at the Ford Foundation where she oversaw the foundation’s domestic grant making and made historic investments to support racial equity, workers’ rights, voting rights, and arts and culture across the country. As commissioner of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, Maria focused on the production of housing for the city’s most vulnerable communities, while also launching several new programs to protect tenants’ rights. She led the implementation of Housing New York, a five-borough, 12-year plan to create or preserve 300,000 affordable homes; and she steered the financing of approximately 60,000 affordable homes. Earlier, as president and CEO of New York City Economic Development Corporation, Maria led the implementation of the new citywide ferry service and made major investments in key sectors of the city’s economy. She also spearheaded several neighborhood revitalization plans. Prior to that, as commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services, Maria prioritized efforts to raise wages and support women and immigrant-owned businesses and worked to prepare New Yorkers for 21st-century jobs. Maria earned her bachelor's degree in ethics, politics, and economics from Yale University and a master’s in public policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two daughters.
