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The 2025 50 Over 50
Age Disruptors that have been driving change for decades.
City & State presents the 2025 50 Over 50. Guerin Blask
Turning 50 used to be something to dread. You were over the hill, your best days behind you, your future possibilities dwindling.
But not anymore.
Not only are Americans living longer, but they’re staying in the workforce longer, continuing to contribute to a thriving economy. For many, becoming a quinquagenarian coincides with reaching one’s peak professionally, in terms of skill, salary and a sagacity gained by experience. Even in professions traditionally dominated by the young, from acting to athletics, aging stars are staying on top of the game far longer. And for those older adults who have retired, there are expanding opportunities – including even the option of going back to work.
Every year, City & State celebrates 50 distinguished leaders who are over the age of 50. This list, presented in partnership with AARP New York, profiles 50 older adults in New York, with insights into their motivations and accomplishments. Among them are four Icon honorees – health care executive Michael Dowling, top lobbyist Suri Kasirer, nonprofit leader Jo-Ann Yoo and a state judicial chief, Joseph Zayas – as well this year’s lifetime achievement honoree, leading real estate developer Larry Silverstein.
We’re pleased to present the 2025 50 Over 50.
Larry Silverstein, LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
Larry Silverstein doesn’t mince words as he recounts the 20-year odyssey to rebuild the World Trade Center site – which began when he signed a 99-year lease just weeks before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
“I had no idea, nor in truth could I have imagined, that for the next two decades I would be caught up in an arduous and all too often frustrating process, a series of head-to-head battles field by politics, power and money – with nothing less than the future of New York as the economic capital of the world at stake,” Silverstein writes in his new book, “The Rising.”
Silverstein contended with arcane insurance regulations, former Gov. George Pataki’s presidential hopes and Port Authority bureaucracy.
Going back further, Silverstein notes several serendipitous developments. If not for former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis advocating against a new tower in Columbus Circle in the 1980s, Silverstein may never have landed a tenant for 7 World Trade Center. A friendly Port Authority board member also helped Silverstein buy time to get a check for the World Trade Center lease to Port Authority officials in the summer of 2001 by initiating a multihour discussion about airport maintenance contracts.
While Silverstein considers the World Trade Center rebuilding a major feat, he also highlights his family: his wife, Klara, who is just as business savvy as her husband, and his children, Lisa (who now runs Silverstein Properties), Roger and Sharon.
“It is this family that is my indelible legacy,” Silverstein writes. “This is my true accomplishment.”
Michael Dowling, ICON
As the CEO of Northwell Health, New York state’s largest health care provider and private employer, Michael Dowling says he hires roughly 250 people a week – and meets each new employee personally, often over breakfast.
It’s an indicator that as successful as Dowling is, he takes nothing for granted. The eldest of five children – a sixth died early – he grew up in abject poverty in Ireland, the son of a deaf mother and a father with arthritis. After a teenage stint in London factories, Dowling moved to New York City for a job on the docks, sending money home while working his way through college.
“There was no opportunity in Ireland at the time,” explains Dowling, who earned a social work degree. He was a social policy professor at Fordham University when then-Gov. Mario Cuomo recruited him to join the state Department of Social Services. Calling his mentor “a phenomenal person,” Dowling now models his own leadership after Cuomo’s philosophy “that people will succeed if motivated the right way.”
It was certainly true for Dowling, who, after a dozen years in government, landed at North Shore University Hospital – and, as chief operating officer, steered the merger with Long Island Jewish Medical Center that evolved into Northwell.
Now the man who grew up without running water runs a $23 billion operation. “My story, along with so many others, demonstrates that immigration is important to the essence of the United States,” Dowling says. “I don’t ever see limits. To me, everything is possible.”
Suri Kasirer, ICON
Suri Kasirer comes from a family of teachers – and though she found her calling in lobbying, she brings an educator’s mission to her top-ranked New York City firm.
“I understand the importance of how you narrate a story, and what the message is,” Kasirer says. Her eponymous public affairs company routinely translates those stories into funding and major projects for both corporate and nonprofit clients.
Kasirer’s instinct for narrative was powerfully shaped by her Queens upbringing as the daughter of a Holocaust survivor father who became an Orthodox rabbi. In 1997, she launched her firm out of a Manhattan studio apartment and has since collaborated with four mayors. The nonprofit sector has always been a passion: Kasirer represents 40 diverse cultural and service organizations and she is a prolific philanthropist, volunteering with Citymeals on Wheels, the New York League of Conservation Voters and others.
Her impact is particularly visible in the land use projects that have reshaped all five city boroughs – from securing a Columbus Circle site for the Museum of Arts and Design to redeveloping the iconic Plaza Hotel and the Greenpoint Landing waterfront to championing Cornell University’s $100 million bid for a Roosevelt Island campus.
And she’s hardly slowing down: Kasirer gets up at 4:30 a.m. to exercise for 90 minutes, raises three teenagers and rewards herself with good wine. Looking to the future, her internship program draws nearly 400 annual applications for 20 slots. “Building relationships, seeing others grow and achieve success – that is wonderful,” she says.
Jo-Ann Yoo, ICON
You might say that Jo-Ann Yoo’s advocacy career on behalf of her fellow immigrants started during her Colorado childhood, when, as an English-speaking Korean immigrant, she “was the language broker for my community,” Yoo recalls. “I still play that role when I go home now. When you see the debt stacked against immigrants, people of color, women, low-income people, it fuels a certain sense of obligation.”
That mission has propelled a career in advocacy – most recently, as the longtime executive director of New York City’s Asian American Federation, from which she recently stepped down (but is staying on as a senior adviser). Yoo previously led Asian Americans for Equality for a decade and, prior to that, directed the New York Immigrant Coalition.
A committed New York transplant, Yoo has persistently nudged top city and state officials on issues of concern for her community. She urged then-New York City schools Chancellor Richard Carranza to balance diversity with sensitivity to Asian concerns during the 2018 debate over the Specialized High School Admissions Test; lobbied then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo for Asian American vaccine outreach during the COVID-19 pandemic; and has pushed a succession of New York City mayors to prioritize culturally specific outreach. Most recently, she told Mayor Eric Adams to put the city’s response to rising Asian American violence “at the top of everyone’s agenda.”
“What I’m most proud of,” says Yoo, whose current priority is mental health, “is that I never got anything at the expense of other underserved and marginalized communities.”
Joseph Zayas, ICON
Joseph Zayas never dreamed he’d end up as New York state’s chief administrative judge. Happily ensconced in a downstate appellate division, “I always told my wife that would be my end game,” Zayas says.
But state Chief Judge Rowan Wilson convinced him otherwise – and that’s how Zayas, who grew up in Manhattan’s Frederick Douglass housing project, made history as the first Latino in the role, overseeing a $3.3 billion budget and 300 courthouses statewide.
Wilson “was a hard guy to say ‘no’ to,” Zayas says. Besides, presiding over the state court system meant elevating the mission – “access to justice, public confidence in the judiciary” – that had driven Zayas since his beginnings as a Legal Aid Society public defender.
That seed was planted in high school, when Zayas’ English teacher saw him goofing off and advised him, “The way to quickly catch up is to read The New York Times every day,’" he recalls. Zayas became absorbed by the newspaper’s coverage of social justice issues and embarked on a legal career.
He still reads the Times daily, and he’s still married to his high school sweetheart, Catherine. Looking back on his career, Zayas is proud of his work promoting diversity and modernizing the state’s Family Court system. Mindful of his career launching opportunity – as a new Columbia Law graduate, he was plucked by then-Chief Judge Judith Kaye to argue a case before the state Court of Appeals – he always tells younger attorneys: “Treat everyone with dignity and respect. You never know who’s watching.”
Rosa Agosto
Rosa Agosto has had an exemplary career, not just providing services but developing and improving programs. She launched a national center for community schools at Children’s Aid, oversaw programs at the Educational Alliance and advises the CUNY School of Medicine. She also co-founded a charter school and drafted its first application at Urban Health Plan, a federally qualified health center system founded a half century ago that serves the Bronx, Queens and Harlem. “Supporting and helping others in their journey,” she says, is not just what motivates her – “it is just who I am and what I was taught.”
Denise Arboleda
Denise Arboleda is highly experienced in solving complex challenges at the intersection of information technology and the public sector. Arboleda has spent over three decades at the New York-based cloud computing, hardware and software firm Compulink Technologies, helping it adapt to continually evolving technological innovations. “Denise’s unwavering dedication to government agencies,” wrote one person who nominated Arboleda, “is reflected in her unmatched sales success and her role as a mentor and trusted adviser to MWBE businesses and public sector officials.”
Roger Arrieux Jr.
At Deloitte, Roger Arrieux Jr. serves as the East region market leader as well as the New York managing partner, overseeing the firm’s U.S. headquarters and its largest office. Under his leadership, the East region has achieved record growth, meeting ambitious targets while cultivating a culture of inclusivity and innovation. “I focus on building opportunities for all, fostering collective success in our organization and the New York City community,” Arrieux says. “I prioritize academic acceleration for underresourced youth, recognizing its life-changing potential.”
Michelle Barnes-Anderson
To honor her only child, a college student who was murdered in 2017, Michelle Barnes-Anderson founded the Melquain Jatelle Anderson Foundation, providing programs and advocacy for violence victims and their families. She also co-authored Mel’s Law, a state measure that awards posthumous degrees to scholars who lost their lives to gun violence, and authored the children’s book, “The Sky Has Caring Eyes,” about coping with grief. “Grief has motivated me to create a better world for my granddaughter and community,” she says. “I want to ensure she grows up confident, even in her father's absence.”
Ruthanne Becker
Over 35 years in human services, Ruthanne Becker has been inspired by the resiliency and determination of her clients. The bulk of her career has been with Greater Mental Health of New York, where Becker oversees residential and other adult services as chief program officer, and at the organization’s predecessor, the Mental Health Association of Westchester. “Beyond raising my two children, my proudest professional accomplishment is the design of an innovative program called INSET that empowers individuals and encourages recovery by increasing personal agency, self-determination, and shared decision-making,” she says.
Rinku Bhattacharya
Rinku Bhattacharya knows that wise financial stewardship is a key component in allowing nonprofits to carry out a charitable mission effectively. Bhattacharya, who joined the Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle last year, brings a wealth of experience to her current role, having served in similar financial and auditing roles at Lutheran Social Services of New York, JASA and Birch Family Services. “The work that someone like Rinku does is often behind the scenes, but critical to ensure that finances are managed in a critical and efficient manner,” reads one nomination for Bhattacharya.
Barbara Blair
A lot has changed in Manhattan’s Garment District in the decades since Barbara Blair first took the reins of the local business improvement district – but Blair herself has remained one of the few constants. Over the years, she has been a driver in the neighborhood’s evolution, transforming it from a manufacturing hub to a trendy cultural and culinary destination. In recent years, she has also been an outspoken advocate for safer streets and policies that tackle homelessness and drug use.
Neil Breslin
Neil Breslin served over a quarter century as a state senator before completing his final term last year. The former Insurance Committee chair represented parts of Albany, Schenectady and Montgomery counties and witnessed many changes within the Senate during his tenure – including his fellow Democrats taking power in the upper chamber. “It’s been very rewarding,” he told City & State late last year. “And it is difficult to leave, but it’s time. The last time I didn’t have a job was right before my first paper route. I’m getting at that age where I’d like to enjoy a few years doing other things.”
Malcolm Brown
Malcolm Brown keeps a note from an investor’s daughter as a reminder of why he practices law. He had helped her father recover losses after financial holdings disappeared without notice – a case typical in his work representing institutions and individuals in complex litigation involving both securities and consumer class actions. Over three decades, Brown has recovered billions, held major corporations responsible and mentored younger colleagues. “I am motivated to help young people recognize their agency because others helped me as a young man,” he says. “I absolutely believe in paying it forward.”
Greg Caito
From Oracle to Accenture to Google Cloud, Greg Caito drives New York’s public sector into the digital future. In his current role, Caito has boosted regional revenue and made Google the lead cloud provider for New York state government. He previously helped modernize such New York institutions as the state Departments of Labor and state Department of Motor Vehicles, the New York City Department of Education and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. “I get up everyday to get something done,” he says. “My father said I wasn’t born on third base and thought I’d hit a triple. I’m fighting for my customer every day.”
Charles Capetanakis
Like many Davidoff Hutcher & Citron attorneys, Charles Capetanakis straddles the public and private sectors. He specializes in real estate, commercial litigation and economic development, working on land use and funding matters for the Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk, St. Francis College and The HOPE Program. The former state Senate candidate was appointed to various governmental commissions and agencies under New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg and Gov. George Pataki. “Born, raised and still living in the borough of Brooklyn, Charles has been involved in many areas of the borough’s legal, political and business scene,” notes one nomination for this list.
Michael Caridi
At the financial firm VG Enterprises, Michael Caridi oversees trust funds in real estate, business management and capital placement. But what he’s most proud of is his involvement with the Vincent Gruppuso Foundation, Northwell Health and the Staten Island Economic Development Corp. Caridi started out in 1983 at Kozy Shack Enterprises, steering its merger with Freshway Distributors and later developing its engineering department, overseeing plant expansions and the creation of a strategic alliance with Land O’Lakes. “My proudest accomplishment is giving back to the community through board participation and philanthropy,” he says.
Elizabeth Clyne
Featherstonhaugh, Clyne & McCardle made some big changes recently, adding a new named partner and updating the name of the law firm, which was formerly Featherstonhaugh, Wiley & Clyne. But one constant has been Elizabeth Clyne, the Albany firm’s managing partner since 1995 and a governmental relations veteran. “For 30 years, Beth has led one of the oldest, most successful lobbying firms in Albany, while raising two children and never failing to make an effort to help improve the world,” states one nomination for Clyne. “Her steady presence in the halls of the Capitol helped pave the way for countless young women who have followed in her footsteps.”
Steve Cohen
There are many notable Steve Cohens in New York – a Mets owner, a former top gubernatorial aide, a Columbia University environmental expert – but Pollock Cohen LLP attorney Steve Cohen is not to be overlooked among this cohort. Recently, he represented 250,000 municipal retirees opposed to New York City Hall’s efforts to shift them to a Medicare Advantage plan. “Steve Cohen is not only over 50, but an inspiration for anybody over 50,” one nominator writes. “After a successful career as a publisher and author, Steve went to law school at age 58” – and was sworn in as New York’s oldest new lawyer in 2013.
Crystal Collins
Change is underway in Westchester County: Former County Executive George Latimer went to Washington, D.C., Ken Jenkins was promoted to replace Latimer temporarily and a special election is set for February. Crystal Collins, a key county government appointee, plans to stay in her current job and not run for any office. Collins, who opted against a run for county clerk this year, said she plans to “continue serving as a bridge-builder engaging with the community and uplifting and empowering” local residents. As one nominator described it, Collins has “demonstrated exceptional dedication and resilience as a community leader” and, in her government role, has connected “over 700 faith-based institutions to essential resources.”
Michelle Cruz
East Harlem’s burgeoning economic and community scene owes a debt to Michelle Cruz, the chief community engagement and economic affairs officer at Union Settlement. Cruz founded the East Harlem Café, a catalyst for community-driven initiatives, and helped channel $700,000 into local businesses with the Buy Local East Harlem Initiative. She also won an Emmy for “On the Map,” a video series highlighting local entrepreneurs. “This recognition celebrates our community and ensures lasting visibility for these businesses,” she says, “amplifying their impact and strengthening East Harlem’s cultural and economic vitality.”
R. Darby Curtis
Darby Curtis founded Curtis + Ginsberg Architects in 1990 to create buildings that are catalysts for positive change. Curtis collaborates with nonprofits, institutions and public agencies, including the New York Public Library, CUNY, the Wildlife Conservation Society and Children’s Aid, with a career-spanning commitment to housing, public spaces and reentry centers – which elevate the lives of diverse underserved populations. “As a young architect working on transitional housing, I volunteered in activities with mothers and their children, learning firsthand the needs of reuniting families,” she recalls. “This insight continues to guide my work.”
Ruben Diaz Jr.
Former Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. had long been seen as a formidable candidate for mayor of New York City. Instead, Diaz pivoted to the health care sector, helping the academic health care system Montefiore Einstein carry out its mission to support groundbreaking research and train the next generation of medical professionals. “I’ll just say that no matter what opportunities are presented to you ... in the future and no matter how successful you become, it’s even more special to give back to the community where you came from and began your journey,” he told students last year at Lehman College, his alma mater.
Ann-Marie Foster
Ann-Marie Foster credits her children with inspiring her – and her colleagues for bolstering her success at Phoenix House. Foster, who joined the substance use treatment institution in 2017, has crusaded for health access and now manages a $37 million budget and an array of residential, outpatient and mental health programs. “What motivates me is the fact that representation matters,” she says. “I have been given so much and my motivation is to leave this world just a little better than I found it by empowering others to be the best versions of themselves.”
Leslie Gordon
Leslie Gordon has tackled hunger in New York for decades – most recently at Food Bank for New York City, where she arrived in 2020 and doubled food distribution to 150 million pounds in 18 months during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gordon also launched a major gifts program and enhanced operations with a new transportation department and in-house truck fleet. “Fighting hunger is in my DNA – I’m the third generation in my family to serve others through food,” Gordon says. “Watching my mother and grandfather weave service into their daily lives inspires me to lead by their example every day.”
Tom Harris
Tom Harris’ legacy is a more vibrant Times Square – and a revitalized midtown Manhattan. As the longtime president of the Times Square Alliance, a business improvement district, he fosters the creative energy that has made the area a worldwide byword for urban culture. Under his leadership, the alliance partnered with local social services nonprofits to slash street homelessness in Times Square by two-thirds. Harris is driven to find “a way to ‘yes’ and to doing what others said couldn’t be done,” he says. “I enjoy working collaboratively with others to solve complex problems that have stalled.”
Jitendra Hirani
Hirani Engineering is a player in New York’s civil infrastructure sector. The Long Island-based firm has worked on bridges, highways and building renovations, partnering with federal, state and local governments to do so. The company is led by veteran engineering executive Jitendra Hirani. “Beyond the positive impact he and the business have had on the built environment we all live in and enjoy is his commitment to people,” reads one nomination. “There are a number of individuals and families who have counted on Hirani Engineering for the last 30 years, many of them staying with Mr. Hirani for more than 20 years.”
Douglas J. Hovey
In 1987, Douglas J. Hovey founded Independent Living Inc., which serves individuals with disabilities. Hovey, an advocate for New Yorkers with disabilities, built up the organization from a staff of three to more than 100 today. Hovey, who became disabled a decade before the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act was passed, remembers how much more challenging life used to be. “We’ve made tremendous strides since that time, there’s no doubt about that,” Hovey said at a bill signing in 2022, “both environmentally and in terms of the attitudes that recognize people with disabilities as valuable and valued, skilled and contributing members to society.”
Molly John
Molly John is a co-leader of the Americas telecommunications sector at the international information technology services and consulting firm EY, formerly known as Ernst & Young. A two-decade veteran of EY, John also is an audit partner and works on major multinational projects. “I have achieved professional success through a combination of hard work, passion for my field and the unwavering support of the incredible people around me,” she says. Apart from her professional work, she also supports educational and civic efforts through her positions serving on the boards of the USTA Foundation, Black Theatre United and TakeRoot Justice.
John Keitt
In 2020, media executive John Keitt took on a new role as chief operating officer of the Breeders’ Cup, which administers major thoroughbred horse racing competitions. Keitt, who’s also an executive vice president with the Breeders’ Cup, had previously ran the industry news publication BloodHorse and was senior vice president of global business and general counsel for The Associated Press. When he took on the role at the Breeders’ Cup, he said he was looking forward to developing “new initiatives, innovations, and opportunities that will continue to establish the brand as one of the best in the business.”
Sharon Levy
Sharon Levy cultivates community across multiple spheres. At the YMCA of Greater New York, Levy helped launch new Bronx locations and is facilitating the expansion of services for preschoolers, new Americans and others. Her proudest achievement was keeping the organization’s community centers going through the COVID-19 pandemic and arranging vaccination sites. The Teens Take the City program is also an inspiration. “Every May, about 150 teens take over (the) council chamber and debate their bills – that night keeps me motivated year-round,” she says. “Knowing that the work we do provides that opportunity keeps us going on tough days.”
Jennifer March
This month, Jennifer March took on a new challenge as chief advancement officer for The New York Foundling. March previously led the Citizens’ Committee for Children for 17 years, guiding the research, advocacy and engagement organization through the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic while spearheading notable policy changes. In her new role, she’ll drive fundraising strategy and operations. “Nearly two decades of leadership have been leveraged to draw attention to the pressing issues children and families face and advance policy, budgets and laws that improve their well-being,” a nomination for March notes.
John Marshall
Dr. John Marshall was trained in emergency medicine, joined the U.S. Air Force and was deployed to Afghanistan before he joined Maimonides in 2003. He’s now the health care system’s chief medical officer, a role in which he oversees 1,300 physicians. “My proudest accomplishments have been related to the development and expansion of cutting-edge health care services in Brooklyn,” Marshall says. “In particular, the establishment of Brooklyn’s first and only pediatric trauma center at Maimonides has brought high-quality, age-appropriate care to the 625,000 children of Brooklyn.”
Regina Martinez-Estela
Regina Martinez-Estela’s Independence Care System home care program stands out for its focus on serving people with physical disabilities. Martinez-Estela, a health care leader for over three decades, has partnered with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and NYC Health + Hospitals on ways to improve Medicaid and increase access to care for people with disabilities. “People with disabilities face significant health disparities and are more likely than their nondisabled peers to face poor health outcomes, unnecessary hospitalizations and experience premature death,” she says. “We can and must change this.”
Tom McCarroll
The Healthy Alliance teams up with an array of partners – doctors and mental health providers as well as insurers, food pantries and transportation providers – to improve care for New Yorkers. The organization is one of the state’s designated Performing Provider Systems as part of the New York’s Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment Program. A key figure at the Healthy Alliance is Tom McCarroll, who previously worked at St. Peter’s Health Partners and Verizon. According to his bio, McCarroll is a “is a big believer in innovative and constructive problem-solving.”
Mary McCormack
For four decades, Mary McCormack has led social projects for the Junior League of Central Westchester, where she’s a longtime board member. She chaired the organization’s Westchester County Diaper Bank in collaboration with the county Department of Social Services and local food pantries. McCormack, who’s also a business development adviser for Long Point Capital, has also brought a community-focused approach to her professional career. “During my career in investment banking and private equity, I worked to help companies obtain funding to allow them to grow and prosper and sat on corporate boards,” she says.
Vivienne O’Neill
Vivienne O’Neill’s impact can be seen in the numbers from just last year: 18,000 people volunteering 25,000 hours with Citymeals on Wheels. For her elderly, often homebound New York clientele, O’Neill launched a weekly phone call check-in program and, during the COVID-19 pandemic, mobilized volunteers through 48,000 hours of packing and delivering meals. Corporate volunteerism is also up – and 80,000 handmade cards go out annually to seniors, reducing isolation and cultivating community. “I’ve seen firsthand how our volunteers deliver meals, companionship and hope to those who are most vulnerable,” she says.
Derek Perkinson
Before taking his current position at Bluejacket Strategies, Derek Perkinson had been a key figure at two high-profile organizations that advocate for Black people in New York and beyond: The Black Institute and the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network. Now at the strategic communications and media relations firm Bluejacket Strategies, Perkinson continues to work on game-changing campaigns. “Derek is a community leader with a growing presence in New York City politics,” wrote one person who nominated Perkinson. “Elected officials, candidates, and advocacy groups frequently call on Derek for perspective and advice.”
Angela Perry-Carroll
Angela Perry-Carroll has spent over a decade at United Neighborhood Houses, deepening connections with members of the advocacy group. Perry-Carroll brings a wealth of nonprofit experience, with past stops at the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York and FPWA. “She co-leads UNH’s efforts to promote racial equity and to encourage more inclusive workplaces, both at settlement houses and at UNH,” one nominator notes. “Angela inspires others to strive and work for positive change both at a macro and micro level, fostering an environment where people are confident in who they are and what they are capable of.”
Denise Rosario
Inspired by an East Harlem community organizer, Denise Rosario knew by age 15 that she wanted to be a social worker. By 1990, she became the founding executive director of Coalition for Hispanic Family Services in Bushwick, expanding a community-based foster care program into a social services organization serving 9,000 children and families. “My proudest accomplishment is the recruitment, hiring and coaching of talented people of color in the helping professions who have committed to the mission of CHFS and have brought quality services to communities in need,” she says.
Jonathan Rubin
Jonathan Rubin is guided by the adage that “your word must be your bond,” and that commitment has been evident in his support for the education profession. At New York State United Teachers, Rubin steered the 600,000-strong statewide labor union through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing on crisis skills he’d honed managing the fallout of Superstorm Sandy. The Long Island native, who joined the union 25 years ago as a labor relations specialist, is also president of his Schenectady synagogue. “The secret to success,” he says, “is tenacity, integrity, and ‘owning the work.’”
Frank Sciame Jr.
Frank Sciame Jr. founded Sciame Construction in 1975 and has grown the company into one of the tristate area’s leading construction management outfits, with current projects valued at over $3 billion. An architect by training, Sciame has brought his design vision and building savvy to such notable city projects as The Morgan Library & Museum, Central Synagogue, The Shed and The Frick Collection. “From being awarded my very first job to repair a simple $75 gate to growing to be one of New York’s leading construction managers, it has been my humble honor to watch my company take flight,” he says.
Ronnie Silverman
For over three decades, Ronnie Silverman has helped HELP USA develop from a homeless shelter in Brooklyn into a nonprofit tackling homelessness nationally. Silverman’s fundraising and program development have made HELP USA one of the largest homeless and housing service providers in New York City. “Countless clients at HELP USA transitional and permanent housing sites have benefitted from Ronnie’s work,” reads one nomination. “Ronnie is deeply respected and well-liked among HELP staff and external partners. She exemplifies the ‘behind the scenes’ effectiveness that is required to ensure that sites and programs are executed as designed.”
Stephen Steinlight
After the 2020 presidential election, Stephen Steinlight dealt with the reverberations while representing Newsmax Media in a defamation lawsuit. The case displayed the litigation and advocacy skills that Steinlight has honed over two decades of trial and appellate cases in federal and state courts. “Knowing that my clients appreciate the results I achieve for them reinvigorates and energizes me for the next case,” says Steinlight, a go-to attorney for financial services clients in New York. “I take pride in fighting the fights they cannot, whether due to unfamiliarity with the legal landscape or the complexity of the issues.”
Veronica Tsang
Before she joined Cathay Bank two decades ago, Veronica Tsang improved outreach to New York City’s Chinatown neighborhood through her work at JPMorgan Chase & Co. Now at Cathay Bank, an institution founded by Chinese Americans, Tsang continues to engage with her community, including as chair of the Chinese-American Planning Council and as a member of other boards. “Providing help to those in need is one of my passions,” says Tsang, who emigrated from Hong Kong as a teenager. “I use my skills and knowledge to positively influence people at work.”
Bill Ulfelder
Bill Ulfelder is dedicated to a more livable climate, healthier communities and thriving natural environments. At The Nature Conservancy, he has held various roles around the globe, including in South America, the Caribbean and the American West. Ulfelder notched a win with the recent passage of the Suffolk Clean Water Act, which allots $6 billion for clean water, open space and wildlife habitat conservation. “The purpose-driven mission of The Nature Conservancy is so powerful, and it’s about all life on Earth,” he says. “It is a joy and passion to be able to work on something that is so personally and professionally meaningful.”
Helene Weinstein
When Helene Weinstein was first elected to the state Legislature, there were far fewer women serving in elected office in New York. More than four decades later, women have seen their ranks increase while some have ascended to influential roles – including Weinstein, who chaired the Assembly Ways and Means Committee before her recent retirement from public service. “I think that’s really important that people see my role in these positions and know that that’s something that, regardless of your gender, is achievable,” she told City & State recently.
Paul Woldar
The American Cancer Society is on a mission “to end cancer as we know it, for everyone” – and the organization is working toward that on multiple fronts, from research and education to supporting patients to mounting advocacy campaigns. A key player on the campaign side for the Atlanta, Georgia-based organization is Paul Woldar. A former finance executive based in the New York City area, Woldar joined the American Cancer Society in 2019 as a campaign manager, driving efforts like a “Men Wear Pink of New York City/Long Island” fundraiser.
Karina Yazdanbakhsh
Karina Yazdanbakhsh is developing therapeutic treatments and diagnostic tools for people with sickle cell disease with a focus on reducing risks involved in lifesaving red blood cell transfusions. Yazdanbakhsh, who has been at the New York Blood Center since 1996, is conducting research funded by the National Institutes of Health. “I am intrigued by the way our immune system defends us against infections yet can become harmful if it isn’t carefully regulated,” she says. “My curiosity about the immune system’s functions has guided my research toward identifying therapies to reverse immune dysregulation that contributes to disease complications in sickle cell disease.”
Judy Zangwill
Judy Zangwill has touched the lives of thousands through Sunnyside Community Services. She has expanded the Queens organization’s reach sixfold, going from 2,300 clients in 1990 to nearly 16,000 today. Zangwill recently secured city and private funding for a 70-unit affordable senior housing complex. “I’m motivated by seeing our services make a difference, by the passion exhibited from staff, by seeing wrong and making a concerted effort to right it,” she says. “I’m motivated to create a safe environment for those who feel unsafe; assisting with navigating complex systems which the savviest of us find challenging.”
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