Introducing Our 2025 Neighborhood Council
The Neighborhood Council is an advisory group convened by Trinity Church to help us understand and address the needs of our Lower Manhattan neighborhood. Members of the council work with Trinity’s Neighborhood Support team and with one another to improve the well-being of children and families in our community.
Today, Trinity Church is thrilled to announce the 2025 class of the Neighborhood Council. Over the next year, these 22 individuals — nonprofit leaders, community organizers, educators, policymakers, residents, and other stakeholders — will be our guides as we care for our neighbors through direct aid, hands-on programming, and targeted investments.
Trinity Chief Community Impact Officer Lorelei A. Vargas launched the council in 2022 with the goal of expanding Trinity’s capacity to listen to those we serve. The council meets quarterly to discuss key issues facing the community, with each member bringing their experience and expertise to the table to help shape the Neighborhood Support team's vision and strategy.
“The Neighborhood Council is a testament to the fact that every community has people who care deeply about their neighbors,” said Vargas. “When we bring these people together, it’s possible to enact change that benefits a broad swath of the community.”
One of the many projects the council will tackle this year is an update to Neighborhood Support’s 2022 needs assessment, a study that Vargas said created a “valuable blueprint” for how Trinity and other organizations, businesses, and political leaders should be investing in Lower Manhattan. The second wave of this study will ensure that Trinity’s approach reflects the community’s most pressing priorities.
Another strength of the council is its ability to help leaders build authentic connections with each other, Vargas said.
“The relationships formed through the council are a real gift,” she said. “It is powerful to witness those relationships unfold, the trust build, and the collaboration start to happen, particularly when you know it's all for the greater good of the community.”
Vargas is confident that the newest class of advisers will deepen Trinity’s ties to those who live, work, learn, and govern in Lower Manhattan.
“We trust the council as representatives of our neighborhood,” said Vargas. “And we trust that their shared values and commitment will ensure a better future for every New Yorker.”
Please join Trinity Church in congratulating our 2025 Neighborhood Council!
2025 Neighborhood Council
Adaeze Okoli
Chief of Staff, Rethink Food
Adaeze Okoli is a mission-driven leader dedicated to building a healthier, more sustainable food system that serves both people and the planet. As chief of staff at Rethink Food, she drives strategic initiatives and partnerships to combat food insecurity, collaborating with government agencies, foundations, and community stakeholders. Her expertise spans the food innovation ecosystem, from alternative proteins to agricultural technology. Okoli began her career at the Urban Institute, evaluating critical policies in financial inclusion and housing security, before working with social enterprises in Africa to scale innovative solutions in climate-resilient agriculture and economic development. She holds a BS in economics from Ohio State University and an MBA/MPP from Harvard. Passionate about equity and sustainability, Okoli is committed to creating lasting change through data-driven solutions. In her spare time, she loves biking around her neighborhood in Brooklyn and practicing her culinary skills.
Alejandro Epifanio
Executive Director, Loisaida, Inc.
Alejandro Epifanio’s extensive expertise as a cultural worker and organizer embodies his deep commitment to civic engagement; the preservation of Puerto Rican culture, arts, and creativity; and social justice, reflecting his work ethic over his more than a decade-long career. He oversees Loisaida, Inc.'s technology and media programs, web development, image and branding, and the annual Loisaida Festival. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Epifanio is a multifaceted artist who graduated from the School of Visual Arts and is a current resident of the Lower East Side.
Aldrin Bonilla
Executive Vice President, Fund for the City of New York
Aldrin Rafael Bonilla is the executive vice president of the Fund for the City of New York, where he leads signature initiatives like the Sloan Public Service Awards, Sloan Awards for Excellence in Teaching Science and Math, and the NYC Community Planning Fellowship Program. Bonilla also serves as commissioner and chair of the NYC Equal Employment Practices Commission, overseeing audits, evaluations, and monitoring of the city’s employment policies to ensure equitable opportunities for minority groups and women in municipal government. His previous roles include Manhattan deputy borough president, trustee of the NYC Employee Retirement Pension Fund, founding executive director of CUNY in the Heights, director of the Upper Manhattan Census 2000, political attaché to the United Nations, and university lecturer. Bonilla holds a doctorate in education from NYU, an MA and an MPA from Binghamton University, and a BA from Colgate University, along with advanced certificates from Harvard University’s Institutes of Higher Education, UPenn’s Wharton School of Business, and the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management.
Ashley Pirovano
Director of Community Science, BioBus
Ashley Pirovano is the director of community science at BioBus, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping K-12 and college students discover, explore, and pursue science. She leads a team of incredible community scientists in the Lower East Side neighborhood who offer mobile science-laboratory programs, in-depth out-of-school programs, and paid high school internships. With eight years of experience in STEM education, Pirovano has developed several community-driven programs, including The Afterschool Science Hour and the Student Town Hall YouTube series. She was awarded the PASEsetter Award for her achievements in out-of-school education in 2022. She is passionate about empowering women and girls of color in STEM.
Barbara DiGangi
Founding Director, Families Thriving, University Settlement
Barbara DiGangi, LMSW, is a leader with 17 years of experience in community-based mental health, committed to social justice, equity, and ending mental health deserts. She has spoken locally and internationally on the issue and is the founding director of University Settlement’s Families Thriving, an innovative home- and community-based program in NYC providing mental health services. Recently, DiGangi expanded this initiative to a groundbreaking districtwide partnership with School District 1 in the Lower East Side. Her work and advocacy focus on democratizing mental health, filling gaps in support within ecosystems at youth development sites, schools, and community places. In response to the pandemic and social unrest, she co-created Connection Circles, a group processing model for healing and community-building. DiGangi is also a practicum instructor for social work students and has served on the District 1 leadership team as well as Deputy Mayor Williams-Isom’s Child and Family Mental Health Taskforce. In 2024, DiGangi was named an Aspen Institute Ascend Fellow. She holds a master's degree in social work with a concentration in advanced social policy from New York University.
Cecilia Scott-Croff
Executive Director, the Early Childhood Center, Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC)
Cecilia Scott-Croff, EdD, SAS, SDA, CPAC, is the Executive Director of the Early Childhood Center and an adjunct faculty member at the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC). She is an experienced leader with a background in early childhood, special education, administration, and advocacy. A published author and Leadership Fellow at BMCC, she is also a member of Reimagining Our Work (ROW), an early-childhood leadership group focused on equity, beloved community, and social justice for young children. She is the President-elect for the New York Association for the Education of Young Children (NYAEYC).
Darren Bloch
Executive Director, Greenwich House
Darren Bloch has had a distinguished career leading organizations and teams across government, nonprofit, media, and corporate sectors. With nearly two decades in the public and private sectors, he has built a career valuing and elevating civic innovation and engagement, consensus building, and entrepreneurial problem-solving to address critical social challenges. Most recently, he was Senior Advisor to Mayor Bill de Blasio and Director of the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Partnerships. He has also served as the Executive Director of The Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, Vice President of Public Affairs for the New York Law School, the Publisher/Executive Director of Capitol Publishing–City & State–and Executive Vice President for Empire State Development Corp. He is a member of the LiveOn Executive Leadership Council and co-chair of the HSC Priority and Strategy Council.
David Garza
President and CEO, Henry Street Settlement
David Garza has been President and CEO of Henry Street Settlement since July 2010. He joined Henry Street’s Workforce Development Center in 2001 and was promoted to chief administrator in 2005. Prior to Henry Street, Garza worked as a retail management executive and an independent producer for film, television, and corporate marketing projects. Garza is a graduate of Harvard College and the Institute for Not-for-Profit Management at Columbia Business School. He serves on the executive committee of the board of directors for the New York City Employment and Training Coalition, on the external advisory board of the Dalio Center for Health Justice of New York-Presbyterian, and on the boards of the Betances Health Center and Citizens Committee for Children. In 2019, he was appointed to the NYC Regional Economic Development Council and was named by City & State New York to the inaugural Nonprofit Power 50 list.
David McCorkle
Social Worker and Congregation Member of St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery
David McCorkle, LCSW, has been in private practice in New York City for 30 years. He has worked extensively in the field of loss and trauma, starting with founding a group for families and friends of people with HIV at the beginning of the AIDS pandemic. He has trained individuals and organizations internationally on the Sanctuary Model of Trauma-Informed Care and is the cofounder of the Center for Trauma Resilient Communities at Crossnore and Children’s Home in western North Carolina. McCorkle is the author of many publications and has taught courses at Fordham University and the Columbia School of Public Health. He is an active member of St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery.
Don Hong
President and CEO, UA3
Don Hong is a born-and-bred New Yorker who loves his city. He is a proud graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School and has a BSc in chemical engineering from the University of Buffalo. He started his career as an Exxon petroleum engineer. Today, he is a successful real estate developer with 25 years of experience. Volunteering is part of Hong's lifeblood. He has been involved in community volunteer activities for more than 45 years, including a 10-year tenure as President of the Chinese American Planning Council, a 15-year tenure as President of Hong Ning Senior Citizen Housing, and serving as the New York City Districting Commissioner in 2003. His current involvement includes his 16 years as President of 384 Grand St. HDFC and the President and CEO of UA3.
Eva Wong
Director, Mayor's Office of Community Mental Health
Eva Wong currently serves as a ParentCorps Unit Supervisor at the Center for Early Childhood Health and Development at NYU Langone Health. Wong leads the clinical direction of programming that reaches more than 450 pre-K programs in partnership with the New York City Department of Education and 70,000 families in New York City alone. Previously, Wong devoted a decade to University Settlement, where she held several leadership roles. As the Director of Programs and Engagement, Wong designed and increased access to strength-based and holistic programs for specialized populations, including older adults and youth with developmental disabilities. Under her strategic leadership as Director of Project Hope in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, Wong helped deliver mental illness prevention and interventions to more than 40,000 New Yorkers.
Gisele Castro
Chief Executive Officer, exalt
“Steadfast advocate,”“visionary,” and “transformational leader” are just a few words most often used to describe Gisele Castro. With over two decades of experience and expertise in the criminal justice system, Castro has served as the Executive Director of exalt since 2016. Through sheer determination and commitment to transformational change, Castro has been laser-focused on improving young people’s lives through education, employment opportunities, and criminal justice reform. She began her journey in the organization with an operating budget of $950,000 and grew it to over $6-million. Always assessing risks and opportunities, she has carefully modeled, tested, and implemented policies and procedures that have the organization from a startup model to a highly functioning, well-established one, with our youth at the center of everything she does.
Kelsey Louie
Chief Executive Officer, The Door
A native New Yorker and the proud son of immigrant parents, Kelsey Louie serves as the Chief Executive Officer for The Door and Broome Street Academy (BSA) Charter High School. He oversees the organizations’ combined $40 million budget, as well as the vision for strategy, operations, fundraising, policy, and programmatic initiatives. Prior to his tenure at The Door and BSA, Kelsey served as CEO of GMHC, the world’s first HIV and AIDS service organization, from 2014 to 2021. His leadership approach combines a rigorous data-driven management style, sophisticated evaluation processes, and commitment to staff development.
Mary Cannon
Resident and Community Volunteer, Jacob Riis Houses
Mary Cannon is a very active mother, grandmother, activist, and first responder to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Jacob Riis water crisis. She is a regular volunteer in her Lower East Side community. Cannon is the first Vice President of the Riis Houses Tenant Association and engages in homeless outreach and other volunteer efforts, including supporting the LES Sports youth basketball summer program. She has lived in the community for more than 21 years and has spent the last three years volunteering in the biweekly community food pantry.
Matthew Fenton
Editor, The Broadsheet
Matthew Fenton has lived in Lower Manhattan since the mid-1990s, and for most of that time he’s written and reported for the local community paper, The Broadsheet. In that capacity, he has chronicled what’s been gained and what’s been lost in consecutive chapters of recent local history, encompassing catastrophe, recovery, transformation, and the struggle to define what the community’s future will look like. His work has brought him into contact with everyone from elected officials to homeless persons and exposed him to wide-ranging perspectives from stakeholders including real estate developers and middle-class residents struggling to avoid displacement by gentrification. On a parallel track, Fenton has also collaborated over several decades of public service with his wife, Justine Cuccia, who has served as a leader on Community Board 1, co-founded multiple nonprofit organizations, and waged several campaigns to benefit the Lower Manhattan community. Fenton hopes to bring his breadth of insights to the Neighborhood Council, because he senses that every problem our nation and the world are grappling with can be found outside our own front doors.
Minerva Diaz
United Nations Representative-New York Metropolitan Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolence
Minerva Diaz, a proud native of Manhattan's Lower East Side, is an internationally shown artist who uses her creative skills to raise awareness, educate, and uplift communities. In 2009, she was designated the United Nations representative for the New York Metropolitan Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolence, a position that continues to influence her art. From 2012 to 2022, Diaz served as the Executive Director of Harlem's Dwyer Cultural Center, preventing its closure, and she orchestrated the Harlem street-naming of Ruby Dee Place and Ossie Davis Way. In 2022, Diaz returned to her childhood neighborhood to care for her autistic brother while advancing her art career with a goal of making a positive impact on the community. Diaz’s portfolio features work signed by President Obama, Misty Copeland, the Tuskegee Airmen, and other notable individuals. Her works have been showcased globally to encourage positive social change, including at the United Nations and the Atomic Bomb Museum in Nagasaki, Japan.
Naomi Peña
Co-founder and Director of Community and Family Engagement, Literacy Academy Collective
Naomi Pena is the co-founder and director of community and family engagement for Literacy Academy Collective. She became involved in educational advocacy work when her oldest child was diagnosed with dyslexia 17 years ago and given an IEP. She had to quickly learn how to navigate the special education bureaucracy in NYC and experienced firsthand the overwhelming complexity of the system. Through support from organizations, Pena learned the special education law and lent herself as a support for other special education parents in her community. In 2015 she joined the Community Education Council for School District 1, serving as president for five of her eight years there. As president of the CEC, and as a proud product of NYCHA, she helped develop and implement NYC’s first districtwide Diversity in Admissions system and the first family resource center in District 1. She has a professional background in law, marketing, operations, and finance.
Nico Victorino
Principal, PS 150
Nico Victorino is an accomplished educator and currently the principal of PS 150 in the Financial District. Besides teaching, Victorino has held various leadership positions in education, including special education coordinator, assistant principal, and middle school director. In 2021, he became the principal of PS 150, and under his leadership it was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School in 2024, a testament to the school's outstanding performance. In recognition of his leadership, Victorino in 2024 received the Terrel H. Bell Award for Outstanding School Leadership, awarded by the U.S. Department of Education; he was one of only nine principals nationwide to receive this honor. Victorino’s dedication to education extends beyond his school. He has been involved with the Educational Arts Team in various roles since 2005, currently serving as vice president on its board of trustees. He holds degrees from St. Peter’s University, Teachers College at Columbia University, and Baruch College, and completed his doctorate at New York University. Outside of his professional commitments, he is a marathoner and an aspiring children’s book author.
Rosa Chang
Co-founder and President, Gotham Park
Rosa Chang is a community advocate who has lived in Downtown Manhattan for 26 years. She is the co-founder and president of Gotham Park, a new public-space initiative to revitalize the area around the Brooklyn Bridge and serve Lower Manhattan's east-side residents and businesses. She is a member of Manhattan's Community Board 1 on the Youth and Education Committee/Waterfront, Parks and Cultural Committee/Land Use, Zoning and Economic Development Committee. She is also a member of the Climate Coalition of Lower Manhattan and the Chinatown Connections Working Group; president of the 20 Pine Street Condominium Board; member of the Spruce Street School SLT; and former member of the 5 World Trade Center Community Advisory Committee. Born in South Korea, raised in Canada, and having lived, studied, or worked in England, France, Italy, Finland, and Japan, Chang by nature embraces the diversity of perspectives, religions, cultures, and lived experiences of her fellow humans and sees empathy as growth. New York City is her chosen home because of its rich, vibrant diversity of human experience and expression.
Samara Karasyk
President and CEO, Hudson Square Business Improvement District (BID)
Samara Karasyk brings her passion for New York City and energy and enthusiasm for policy and planning to her role as President and CEO of the Hudson Square BID. She is excited about streetscapes, a vibrant retail environment, pedestrian safety, and innovative traffic management. Karasyk builds upon the BID’s strong foundation through community engagement, private/public partnerships, and experimentation with new ideas and projects that elevate the neighborhood and showcase how to create dynamic, people-focused urban spaces. Karasyk has more than two decades of experience in private/public partnerships, diverse team management, communications, public affairs, intergovernmental relations, policymaking, and project management.
Sean Coughlin
Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs, Pace University
Sean Coughlin serves as the assistant vice president for public affairs at Pace University. In this role, he leads Pace’s efforts to build and strengthen relationships with external partners in government, business, and the downtown community. Prior to joining Pace in May 2023, Coughlin spent nearly a decade in the New York City Council, first as a scheduler to Council Member Corey Johnson, then as special assistant to the speaker, and finally as chief of staff to Council Member Erik Bottcher. Before joining the Council, Coughlin was an actor, primarily in musical theater productions. He received his bachelor of music from Oklahoma City University and moved to New York in 2009. He lives in a fifth-floor walk-up in Hell’s Kitchen with his wife, Stephanie Jones, and 3 cats, which isn’t quite too many cats but can sometimes feel like it. Coughlin and Jones enjoy playing video games and board games together, as well as falling deeply in love with the first season of reality-TV shows and then never watching them again.
Tareake Dorill
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Dorill Initiative
Tareake Dorill is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Dorill Initiative, a grassroots arts education nonprofit committed to helping at-promise youth tap into their limitless potential and creative power to galvanize communities and ignite social change. With the help of his team, he has successfully launched and managed multiple programs, events, and partnerships that serve over 300 young citizen artists annually in the Lower East Side where he was born and raised. Dorill is also a passionate artist, educator, and artpreneur, with a BFA in dance and choreography from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where he served as the Student Body President and a voting member of the Board of Trustees. He is a proud alumnus of Rosie's Theater Kids and Dancing Classrooms and served as former Chair of Manhattan Community Board 3. His life's purpose is to use his diverse experiences and expertise to create positive social change through arts and education.
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