2013 NYS CDFI Coalition Conference Recap

Aisha Benson, Managing Director for TruFund Financial Services, a national non-profit Community Development Financial Institution, manages the organization’s lending and economic development activities in the New York market. She is responsible for directing, managing and integrating multi-disciplined team functions related to the delivery of lending services and TA programs in New York City, Westchester, Long Island and Northern New Jersey. She is a seasoned banker and manager with substantial background in business lending, strategic operations and compliance. Previously, Ms. Benson served as Vice President of Business Lending at Carver Federal Savings Bank, and as the Vice President of Commercial Lending at JP Morgan Chase Community Development Group. She has 19 years of experience in lending, including loan sourcing underwriting, and relationship management for small businesses, middle-market companies, and not-for-profit organizations.

Ms. Benson is on the Board of the New Vision Community Economic Development Corporation. She is also an active volunteer with the Make A Wish Foundation and Habitat for Humanity. Ms. Benson received her BA, Cum Laude from Columbia University.

Seth Bornstein was named Executive Director of the Queens Economic Development Corporation (QEDC) in 2009. The QEDC, is a non-profit organization that helps to create and retain jobs through neighborhood development, entrepreneurial assistance and business and tourism attraction initiatives. He supervises all programs including Neighborhood Development, Women’s Business Center, Entreprenurial Assistance Program, Queens Tourism Council, Entrepreneur Space InInclusiv/Networkator for Food & Business, and Home Improvement Contractor Training.

Seth began his career in 1979 with the QEDC where he initiated the first commercial revitalization programs that led to the creation of many merchants groups, business improvement districts and small developments such as the Hollis Center Mall. He was a site selection consultant from 1990 - 1996 prior to being appointed Director of Economic Development in 1997 for the Office of the Queens Borough President where he was active in development programs throughout the Borough and the construction of the Joseph P. Addabbo Health Center in Rockaway. From 2007 - 2009 he was Assistant Dean for Economic Development at LaGuardia Community College where he created the Centers for Economic Development encompassing the NYDesigns InInclusiv/Networkator, Center for Corporate Education, Small Business Development Center and Procurement Centers.

Seth is a native New Yorker who graduated from Parsons School of Design/New School.

Mary Beth Bunge joined Alternatives Federal Credit Union and its 501(c)3 affiliate, Alternatives Impact, in 2011 to raise funds supporting Alternatives’ community programs and initiatives to build wealth and create economic opportunity for underserved people and communities. Mary Beth previously served as Development Director at a professional regional theatre in Ithaca, New York and taught “Fundraising in the Performing Arts” at Ithaca College from 2007-2012. A self-proclaimed "reluctant fundraiser," she spent twenty years as a professional in public relations, grants management and administration for non-profit cultural organizations and higher education institutions, including Cornell University, Ohio State University and Kenyon College. In addition to her fundraising session at the 6th Annual NY Coalition of CDFIs Statewide Conference, she will be presenting at the 2013 Opportunity Finance Network Annual Conference (with Al Cantor); she offers fundraising workshops and for the Human Services Coalition of Tompkins County.

Mary Beth lives in Ithaca, New York with three pets and one husband; she is the proud mother of a junior at Colgate University with whom she shares a love of the textile world.

Click here to download Mary Beth's presentation (in MS PowerPoint).

Nancy Carin is well known in New York City as an innovator in small business programs. She was instrumental in developing a new model for community-based economic development and created a multi-cultural, multi-community coalition to support local entrepreneurs in seven diverse New York City neighborhoods and Newark, New Jersey. In all, Ms. Carin boasts over seventeen years of financial and microenterprise development experience and has worked extensively with immigrant and minority groups, women-owned businesses, along with industrial and environmental businesses. She piloted the Business Outreach Center (BOC) Network model in 1990, leading to its development as an independent 501 C3 in 1996. Ms Carin continues in the role of Executive Director today, supervising a staff of over twenty.

In 1995 she spearheaded a joint venture with Women’s World Banking, joining eight organizations world-wide to develop women’s business networks. In 2001, she successfully launched BOC Capital Corp., a micro-loan fund certified as a Community Development Financial Institution in 2002 that provides financial assistance to low income and underrepresented communities throughout New York City.  Ms. Carin successfully grew BOC Capital Corp.’s capitalization through grants and loans from U.S. Department of the Treasury CDFI Fund, U.S. Economic Development Administration, U.S. Small Business Administration, Empire State Development Corporation and major banking institutions.

In addition to her work developing the BOC Network, she originated a U.S. Department of Labor demonstration project which trained NYC employment programs in the application of customized workplace literacy methodologies from 1992-1994, and later utilized this methodology to design a high-tech training program which began in 1997, and customized child care business development program in 2002. Until 1990, she worked in the not-for-profit sector, providing leadership strategies in program development, housing development and community needs assessment. Ms. Carin is a Certified Economic Development Finance Professional, a licensed Real Estate Broker, and graduated from Barnard College.

Click here to download Nancy's presentation (in MS PowerPoint).

Click here to download Tristram's presentation (in MS PowerPoint).

Monica Copeland is a Senior Program Officer for Financial Services and Asset Building at the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs’ Office of Financial Empowerment (DCA/OFE) where she manages initiatives focused on increasing access to safe and affordable financial products and creating opportunities to build wealth for low-income New Yorkers. Prior to working at DCA/OFE, Monica worked at the Baltimore CASH Campaign, IDA and Asset Building Collaborative of North Carolina, Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project, and Self-Help. She received undergraduate degrees from Duke University and a master’s degree from Columbia University.

Click here to download Monica's presentation (in Adobe PDF).

Jennifer Cunningham-Ryan always wanted to work for an organization that not only supported its staff as a holistic community, but also gave back to the local community in far-reaching and countless ways. Alternatives Federal Credit Union has always exemplified that purpose. Jennifer (or Jenni) first came to Alternatives as a member service representative over a decade ago and left to pursue a higher education. Upon receiving a master’s degree, she applied to the Business CENTS Department at Alternatives, working in education and outreach for local small and micro-businesses. The position has proven to be a perfect fit – Jenni is not only a teacher by trade, but has routinely worked in her family business for the last 13 years. Outside of Alternatives, Jenni is the inspired wife of an entrepreneur; devoted mom to daughter Lily, Charlie (the cat) and Lola (the dog); a passionate yoga practitioner and instructor; and lover and supporter of our local economy.

Click here to download Jennifer's presentation (in MS PowerPoint).

Marilyn Dare has worked at NYSERDA for over 15 years promoting energy efficiency in the commercial and industrial sectors. As a Project Manager, Marilyn advises NYSERDA program managers on lighting technologies while managing and developing Market Development programs including the Commercial Lighting Business Partner Program. Marilyn helped develop and manages the Small Commercial Energy Efficiency Financing Program, working with lenders to offer low-interest rate financing to small businesses and not-for-profits. She is a Certified Energy Manager, and is Lighting Certified through the National Council on Qualifications for the Lighting Professions (NCQLP) and served as an NCQLP Board Member. Marilyn is a member of the Association of Energy Engineers and the Illuminating Engineering Society and sits on the Commercial Lighting Committees for the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) and the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnership (NEEP). She is also on the Design Lights Consortium technical committee which sets LED fixture categories and performance requirements for the Design Lights Consortium Solid State Lighting Qualified Products list. Prior to NYSERDA, Marilyn worked for General Electric and Westinghouse where she oversaw the procurement and construction of equipment for the Naval Nuclear Program.

Marilyn received her MBA from Union College in Schenectady, NY and her BA from Hartwick College in Oneonta, NY.

Click here to download Marilyn's presentation (in Adobe PDF).

Deyanira Del Río, New Economy Project's co-director, joined New Economy Project in 2000.  She leads the NYC Immigrant Financial Justice Network, a coalition that promotes immigrants' economic rights and financial inclusion, and she recently designed and launched the NYC DREAMer Loan Fund.  Dey has testified at legislative hearings, trained community groups and financial institutions throughout the country, and led campaigns to eliminate discriminatory barriers that immigrants face in the financial services system.

Dey serves as board chair of the Lower East Side People's Federal Credit Union, board vice-chair of the Inclusiv, and a board member of New Immigrant Community Empowerment.   She is a Closing the Racial Wealth Gap Thought Leader with the Insight Center for Community Economic Development, and a past fellow with the Revson Fellows Program on the Future of the City of New York and the Coro Immigrant Civic Leadership Program.  In 2009, she received the Mujeres Destacadas (Outstanding Women) award from El Diario/La Prensa.

Governor Cuomo appointed Seth Diamond State Director for Storm Recovery in May of this year. In that capacity Mr. Diamond is overseeing the planning, coordination and implementation efforts associated with funding the state has received for recovery, rebuilding and resiliency work associated with Hurricanes Sandy, Irene and Lee. This work includes direct assistance to affected home owners and small businesses, efforts to improve the resiliency of local communities and statewide planning to improve resiliency. Immediately before assuming his current position Mr. Diamond served for three years as New York City's Commissioner for the Department of Homeless Services. In that capacity he led the city's efforts to assist those with no housing alternative  by providing temporary shelter and helping ensure those in shelter received the employment and rehabilitative services they needed to return to the community.  Mr. Diamond also spent 15 years working at the city's Human Resources Administration directing the employment, public assistance and food stamp programs. He  directed the city's welfare reform efforts which led to a significant reduction in the number of people receiving public assistance and record increases in those obtaining employment. He also increased access to food stamps particularly for low income working New Yorkers.

Mr. Diamond attended Brown University and NYU School of Law.

Joy Feigenbaum is Executive Deputy Superintendent at the New York State Department of Financial Services (“DFS”), responsible for the Financial Frauds & Consumer Protection Division. In that position, Ms. Feigenbaum oversees a Civil Investigations Unit (including a staff of attorneys investigating civil financial fraud and misconduct involving violations of the consumer, banking, insurance and financial services laws; a unit conducting investigations of licensed insurance producers; and a disciplinary unit of attorneys pursuing administrative enforcement proceedings against licensed producers and consulting on enforcement actions involving licensed insurers), a Criminal Investigation Unit (comprised of the bureaus handling Banking Criminal Investigations and Insurance Frauds), a Consumer Assistance Unit (“CAU”) (handling consumer complaints, prompt pay complaints, external appeals of health insurance denials and outreach), a Consumer Examinations Unit (conducting Fair Lending, Consumer Compliance and Community Reinvestment Act examinations, and overseeing the Banking Development District Program), a Producer Licensing Unit, a Student Protection Unit and the Holocaust Claims Processing Organization. Ms. Feigenbaum also worked on the legislation - the Financial Services Law - which formed DFS by merging the former Insurance and Banking Departments.

Before joining the Department, Ms. Feigenbaum spent more than fourteen years at the New York Attorney General's Office with the Bureau of Consumer Frauds & Protection. She served as Bureau Chief from 2007 through July 2010, when she was appointed Special Deputy Attorney General for Consumer Frauds & Protection. At the Attorney General's Office, Ms. Feigenbaum led major consumer frauds, deceptive practices and false advertising investigations, including the Attorney General's groundbreaking investigation of the student loan industry, as well as many broad industry investigations involving life, health, disability and worker's compensation insurance, mortgage fraud, foreclosure rescue scams, credit and debit card practices, consumer financing, debt settlement, and online and direct mail post-transaction marketing of membership clubs. Her consumer advocacy at the Attorney General's Office also included work on the states' litigation against the tobacco industry culminating in the Master Settlement Agreement and subsequent tobacco enforcement investigations and cases. Ms. Feigenbaum also has been a frequent presenter at conferences on consumer financial services, advertising law and consumer protection issues.

Prior to her service at the Attorney General's Office, Ms. Feigenbaum worked in private litigation practice at LeBoeuf Lamb Leiby & MacRae, Kelley Drye & Warren and Szold & Brandwen, PC (now Norris McLaughlin & Marcus, PA). Her practice focused on general commercial, insurance, reinsurance, product liability, banking, antitrust and health care litigation and advisory work.

Ms. Feigenbaum is a member of the bars of the State of New York, the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, and the U.S. Supreme Court. She earned a B.A. in History and proficiency degree in French from Rutgers College where she graduated with highest honors, and her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Click here to download Joy's presentation (in MS PowerPoint).

Full bio coming soon.

Click here to download Tammy's presentation (in MS PowerPoint).

Leslie Hoffman has a passion for helping individuals, organizations and communities thrive. She loves helping teams harness the power of an effective business model to support sustainable growth. Leslie began her professional career as a print journalist. Her journalism career included time spent as a newswoman for The Associated Press and as a reporter for The Albuquerque Tribune, and her work garnered regional and national accolades.

Her career in community development began during her service as a municipal development volunteer in the Peace Corps in rural El Salvador. Leslie went on to work in domestic micro finance, hired by Accion New Mexico to coordinate public relations and marketing activities for the nonprofit small business lender. She played a number of management and senior-level roles during her Accion career, including vice president positions overseeing lending, portfolio quality, client service and strategic partnership development. Leslie helped the organization expand its footprint into Arizona and Colorado and grow to become the nation’s fourth largest micro lender.

She went on to launch a national consulting practice that focuses on community development, specializing in nonprofit and small business capacity building. Her current work includes business model evaluation, program improvement and staff development for community development organizations from coast to coast. Leslie’s operational experience includes strategic planning and facilitation, program management and process improvement, business development and market expansion, board support, fundraising, community organizing and outreach, credit education and entrepreneurial training, micro lending, portfolio management, and sales team development.

Leslie is a third-generation University of New Mexico Lobo and two-time graduate, having earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and political science as well as a master’s degree in business administration. She returned to her alma mater in 2012 as a part-time lecturer at the Anderson School of Management, teaching an undergraduate course in entrepreneurship. Leslie’s community work includes service on the board of directors for the Albuquerque Public Schools Education Foundation and the Anderson School of Management Alumni Council. She is also an advisory board member for Kitchen Table Advisors, a California nonprofit organization that helps local family farms improve business performance and increase sustainability. Leslie has helped establish several scholarship programs, including the Perseverance Award for UNM EMBA students, the Hank Trewhitt Daily Lobo Alumni Award for UNM student journalists, and the Barbara Kerr Page Endowment for journalism students at New Mexico State University.

Click here to download Leslie's presentation (in MS PowerPoint).

Alex Horowitz is the research officer for the Safe Small-Dollar Loans Research Project, an initiative that studies the needs, experiences, and motivations of borrowers of payday loan, auto-title loan, and other small-credit products. Horowitz manages a series of surveys, experiments, and analyses that are designed to identify and illuminate the benefits and dangers of small-credit products and to examine the impacts of market practices and potential regulations.

Prior to joining Pew, Horowitz worked at a polling firm, Hart Research, conducting strategic opinion research for clients in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. His previous work was in media relations, baseball information, and communications for the Florida Marlins and Cincinnati Reds. Horowitz holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Harvard University.

Click here to download Alex's presentation (in MS PowerPoint).

Kim Jacobs has served as Executive Director of Community Capital New York, a Community Development Financial Institution, since its creation in 1989.  Under her leadership, the organization has realized important goals in affordable housing and small business development throughout the communities served in the lower Hudson Valley.

Prior to her work in Westchester, Kim served as the Deputy Director of Rochester Downtown Development Corporation in Rochester, NY and also worked as a Senior Planner for the City of Sioux Falls, SD and other planning positions in Iowa, Texas and California.  She has a MS in Urban Planning from the University of Iowa and an MBA in Finance from Pace University.  Ms. Jacobs serves on a variety of community Advisory Boards.  In 2000, she was selected as a Fannie Mae fellow to the Kennedy School of Government Senior Executives Program at Harvard University.

Click here to download Kim's presentation (in MS Excel).

Coming soon

Click here to access Seth's presentation (weblink, opens in new tab/window).

Coming soon

Linda Levy, CEO, Lower East Side People’s FCU (LESPFCU), has been involved in the credit union movement, and specifically the Lower East Side People’s FCU since 1986.  Ms. Levy held the position of Manager from the inception of the credit union through 1991.  She then worked as the Organizing Specialist for the Inclusiv for several years while continuing to serve on the Board of Directors of LESPFCU.  In September 2005 she agreed to fill the position of CEO following the purchase and assumption of Homesteaders FCU.

Coming soon

Dan joined PCDC in 2008 and oversees PCDC's public affairs and government relations. He has more than 20 years of experience leading successful health policy, communications, and development initiatives for organizations in the healthcare, nonprofit, and political sectors. Prior to PCDC, Dan was a senior advisor at Global Health Strategies and worked with a range of global health organizations, including amfAR, The Gates Foundation, and the World Health Organization. Previously, he held leadership positions with NYS Assembly Health Committee Chair Richard Gottfried, Former NYS State Senator Catherine Abate (now CEO of Community Healthcare Network), and NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service. Dan received an MBA from New York University, Stern School of Business.

Click here to download Dan's presentation (in MS PowerPoint).

Sarah Ludwig is founder and co-director of New Economy Project (formerly known as NEDAP). Since launching the organization in 1995, she has worked with hundreds of grassroots groups to organize and advocate for neighborhood equity and financial justice, and has spoken frequently at community forums and public hearings on a wide range of economic justice matters. In 2000, Sarah co-founded the coalition, New Yorkers for Responsible Lending, which has secured major state-level policy changes and now includes more than 160 organizational members.

Sarah received the 2000 Rockefeller Foundation's Next Generation Leadership fellowship; the 2002 Union Square Award; the Ford Foundation's 2004 Leadership for a Changing World award; New York Lawyers for the Public Interest's 2008 Felix A. Fishman Award; and Chhaya CDC's 2011 Architect of Change award. She served on the Federal Reserve Board's Consumer Advisory Council from 2006-2008, and serves on the boards of directors of the Center for Responsible Lending, Consumer Inclusiv of America, and North Star Fund. Sarah received degrees in law and urban planning from NYU, and since 2003 has taught a course on community equity in NYU's urban planning program.

Coming soon

Micah Martorell was born in Reading, PA. Grew up in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico then Reading, PA. He now lives in Ithaca, NY. Micah started as a Member Service Representative for Alternatives Federal Credit Union a local Community Development Credit Union based in Ithaca, NY. He quickly moved up and was promoted to the Business Lending Department. He is a proven charismatic closer and leader. He is passionate about volunteer activities and helping his community. He has a strong background developing sales and marketing strategies. He has closed million dollar proposals and was rewarded by being sent to Puerto Rico to meet and hear Colin Powell speak about his Youth Mentoring Program right after he was elected to become US Secretary of State in 2001.

After moving to Ithaca, NY, Micah met Tristram Coffin, the CEO of Alternatives Federal Credit Union who introduced him to the local Latino community and inspired him to get involved. Micah became active in the Latino Civic Association of Tompkins County and currently is the President of the organization. Micah is no stranger to challenges and is constantly thinking outside the box. He has a solid entrepreneurial spirit.

One of Micah’s favorite quotes from a Forbes article written about Steve Jobs, “The entrepreneurial spirit isn’t just about money. It’s about building wealth through resources that only great relationships can bring. It’s about connecting the dots: those connection points of intelligence, wisdom, desire and ability that are innate to people. It’s about having the intuition not only to know that they exist but also to know what to do with them to continuously cultivate innovation and initiative.”

Click here to download Micah's presentation (in MS PowerPoint).

As a seasoned financial services sales executive, Carl Morris is responsible for all sales related aspects of FlexWage's North American operations. He brings over 19 years of experience in channel development, relationship management, training and sales administration in his roles with CheckFree and Western Union. Carl is an active member of the American Payroll Association and their Government Affairs Task Force on Paycards. He has regularly communicated with legislative bodies, regulatory agencies and consumer advocates on payroll cards as well as an active blogger on predatory lending reform. Carl graduated from University of Nebraska at Omaha, with a degree in Business Administration and currently resides in New York with his wife Sally.

Click here to download Carl's presentation (in MS PowerPoint).

Matthew L. Nelson is President of HCR's Office of Community Renewal where he oversees community revitalization and economic development programs including the Community Development Block Grant program, New York Main Street program, and locally administered programs.

Mr. Nelson has a long and distinguished history of public service. Since 1999, Matthew has held a variety of positions in both State and Federal government, most recently serving as a member of the Senior Staff to Governor Cuomo in the Executive Chamber. Prior to that, he had served in the Chamber under Governor Paterson, handling a range of high-level responsibilities, including intergovernmental affairs and planning. He has also held senior positions in Offices of U.S. Senators, as well as in the Clinton White House.

Mr. Nelson is a graduate of University of Maryland.

Click here to download Matthew's presentation (in MS PowerPoint).

Anthony Ng is the Green and Equitable Economies Strategist. Anthony monitors the implementation of the Green Jobs-Green NY program, and develops policy proposals that can expand the green economy and create good jobs. Prior to joining the Center, Anthony worked for eight years at United Neighborhood Houses (UNH), where he served most recently as the Director of Policy & Advocacy. At UNH, he influenced State and City budget decisions to restore and increase funding for community-based programs meeting the needs of and promoting economic opportunity for children, youth, seniors, and immigrants. He has also worked at Asian Americans for Equality and the Mount Hope Housing Company, focusing on affordable housing and community development. In September 2009, City Hall News named Anthony one of their “40 Under 40 Rising Stars.” Anthony is a graduate of Bates College and has a Masters degree in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Click here to download Anthony's presentation (in MS PowerPoint).

Jeffrey H. Pearlman focuses his practice on government law and litigation.

Prior to joining the firm, Jeffrey served in the New York State Executive Chamber as Assistant Counsel to former New York State Governor David A. Paterson. As Assistant Counsel, he advised on legal and policy matters in several areas, including arts, education, judiciary, elections, ethics, Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) and Open Meetings Law. He also oversaw and managed litigation in these areas.

Jeffrey has also operated as counsel to New York State Lieutenant Governor David A. Paterson. In that capacity, he functioned as the Lieutenant Governor’s Chief Legal Officer and advised on the development and implementation of new policies and procedures.

Tyler Phillips is Program Manager of the Employer Solution, the first major social venture at Neighborhood Trust Financial Partners. Tyler is committed to making a broader impact on financial empowerment of low-income individuals in New York City and throughout the country. Drawing on his vast experience from working on the front lines, Tyler employs his first-hand knowledge to support core elements of the Employer Solution service design. Personally serving over one thousand individuals ranging from refugees to the formerly incarcerated to the working poor, Tyler has dedicated his career to serve marginalized populations. Tyler is currently pursuing a Certificate in Financial Planning from NYU and will begin an Executive MBA program at Binghamton University in the fall.

Jeff Pitkin serves as the Treasurer and has held this position since his appointment on January 19, 2001. In this position, Jeff oversees the areas of accounting and financial reporting, budgeting, contract management, and information technology and information security, and bond financing. He is also the Board-appointed Internal Control Officer. Prior to being appointed Treasurer, he served as the Authority’s Controller and Assistant Treasurer from 1991-2001. Prior to joining NYSERDA, Jeff was Controller for Trans World Music Corporation and was a Senior Accountant for Ernst & Young. He is a certified public accountant and received a BBA in Accounting from Siena College.

Isaac Roldan has been in the Small Business lending field for over ten years. With a back round in finance, Isaac began his small business assistance career with Accion, the largest nonprofit microfinance organization in the U.S. His initial role as Manager of Asset Recovery became very pivotal in 2008 when the recession hit and much of Accion’s loan portfolio was in jeopardy. The recession affected small businesses tremendously and many were not certain they would survive. Isaac created a Hardship program which alleviated some of the financial stress on these small businesses allowing them to free up some much needed capital. The Hardship Program assisted over 70 small businesses in the NYC area totaling over 3 million dollars. In 2009, Isaac moved to the lending team serving under banked small businesses who otherwise were unable to secure bank financing due to poor credit, lack of financial formality, poor business planning etc. Meeting the needs of small businesses through education and financing became Isaac’s new passion. “ One in five households in the United States are under banked and are unable to access the affordable lending necessary to be successful entrepreneurs”. After two years of providing financial support to small businesses, Isaac managed Business Development with Accion in order to establish key relationships that would extend Accion’s reach and benefit small businesses that struggle with accessing much needed funding. He was able to connect with major banks in the NYC area and educate them on available options to clients they were unable to finance. This lead to a significant increase in the amount of small businesses that Isaac and his team were able to assist with start up costs, expansion and other challenges faced by small businesses.

Now an expert in all facets of small business lending and education, having significant experience working with entrepreneurs in financial hardship, under banked entrepreneurs looking for financing and establishing key relationships which can be leveraged to support small business owners, Isaac has accepted a position with CAMBA EDC as Director of Small Business Services. Isaac was born and raised in Flatbush Brooklyn and coming back to his roots is especially significant for Isaac. ” I am so excited about the changes in Brooklyn and the opportunities that are consistently being presented to small business owners in the area. Providing financial education and assisting to formalize small businesses will help to ensure that these businesses are able to continue operating and are up to date with technology, managing their own finances and becoming educated business owners that can have access to affordable lending”.

Click here to download Isaac's presentation (in MS Excel).

Marion Samuels is the Director of Community Development Programs and provides oversight to non-profit community based organizations that support micro lending services to communities that are financially underserviced and/or have no access to traditional financial services. Ms. Samuels has been with ESD since 1990 and manages 5 micro lending related programs of over $10 Million (consisting of 60 projects) within the Small Business Division of ESD. Prior to working with the State, Ms. Samuels was employed by the once Manufacturers Hanover Trust Bank for over 10 years, where her responsibilities included promoting banking products and managing teller operations and day-to-day cash flow controls. Ms. Samuels has a master’s degree in Urban Affairs and is committed to the enhancement, stability and growth of all communities throughout NYS.

Christina Sauve is Assistant Treasurer at Cooperative Federal, Syracuse's community development credit union. Since joining the credit union in 2005, Christina has helped Cooperative Federal achieve major gains in program capacity and operating efficiency, and steered the creation or expansion of two community branches. She works on financial management, strategic planning, and coordinates product and service implementation. She also supervises accounting, community development staff, and the Member Services Manager. Before taking on the role of Assistant Treasurer, Christina was the Community Development Coordinator for 5 years. She graduated from the CDCU Institute (Inclusiv), completed MBA coursework in Financial Management (SUNY Oswego), and earned a BA in Cultural and Social Psychology from Stanford University.

Nicole Smith is Director of Strategic Partnerships at Neighborhood Trust Financial Partners (NTFP). Nicole joined NTFP in February 2013 and is responsible for managing key relationships with NTFP’s more than 40 nonprofit, government and business partners. Prior to joining NTFP, Nicole spent her career working in consulting and finance. Most recently, she was a Senior Vice President at Citigroup. She also spent two years in the Peace Corps, serving as a Small Business Development Volunteer in Burkina Faso, West Africa. Nicole holds an M.B.A. from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a B.S. from the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University.

Click here to download Nicole's presentation (in MS Powerpoint).

Joanna Smith-Ramani is the Director of Scale Strategies for D2D Fund, working on the expansion of successful innovation pilots. Prior to joining the D2D, Joanna was the Director of the Baltimore CASH (Creating Assets, Savings and Hope) Campaign, an asset building, tax preparation, and EITC coalition in Baltimore, MD. Joanna has over 12 years working in community development, community development finance, and personal finance/asset development. She has worked for Self Help Credit Union, ShoreBank, several Habitat for Humanity affiliates and the Policy Development and Research Division of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. She serves on the Advisory Board for the Maryland and Baltimore CASH Campaigns. Joanna holds a master's in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Click here to download Joanna's presentation (in MS PowerPoint).

Michael Swack is a professor at the University of New Hampshire where he has appointments at the Carsey Institute and at the Whittemore School of Business and Economics. He is the faculty director of the Center for Social Innovation and Finance, a joint center of the Carsey Institute and the Whittemore School of Business. He has over 30 years of experience in the fields of economic development, finance and development banking. Dr. Swack has published in the areas of economic development, development finance, community investment and mission related investment. He recently completed, with Jack Northrup, a comprehensive industry analysis of the Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) industry for the CDFI Fund. His recent book, co-written with Charles Tansey is entitled Capital Markets, CDFIs and Organizational Credit Risk.

Dr. Swack was the founder and former Dean of the School of Community Economic Development (CED) at Southern New Hampshire University. Dr. Swack has been involved in the design, implementation and management of a number community development lending and investment institutions both inside and outside the United States. He was the first Chairman and served for 17 years as a board member of the New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority (CDFA), a state-chartered equity fund for community economic development ventures and projects. He is the founding president and a current board member of the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund. He was a founding board member of the National Association of Community Development Loan Funds (now the Opportunity Finance Network), a trade association of Community Development Finance Institutions. In 2000 he founded, and continues to direct, the Financial Innovations Roundtable, a program that promotes new approaches and policies designed to build the field of community development finance and increase access to capital for community development intermediaries. Internationally he has been involved in development finance and microfinance work in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Dr. Swack received his doctorate from Columbia University, his master’s degree from Harvard University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Bishop Mitchell G. Taylor is Founder and President of the East River Development Alliance (ERDA). He has lived in and around Queensbridge Houses for more than 40 years. In 1991, he was installed as Senior Pastor of the Center of Hope International (COHI), a non-denominational church adjacent to the Queensbridge Houses. For over a decade, COHI has provided a safe place for hundreds of children in its after-school program and has fed thousands of families each year through its Bread of Life food pantry. In 2004, convinced that a single church would not be able to mitigate the mammoth issues facing public housing residents, Bishop Taylor founded the East River Development Alliance (ERDA). In founding ERDA, Bishop Taylor has created a true alliance of local religious leaders, government officials, educators, business owners, and residents all working together to affect neighborhood improvement and expand economic opportunity for the 30,000 residents living in Queensbridge, Ravenswood, Astoria, and Woodside public housing developments.

ERDA’s key programs include workforce development, college preparation, financial education, counseling and community revitalization. In April 2010, ERDA opened the ERDA Federal Credit Union (FCU) – the first new credit union in NYC in 10 years, the first in Queens in 30 years, and the first chartered nationally in the Obama administration. Bishop Taylor has been profiled by the New York Times, CNN, National Public Radio, and other leading media outlets for his leadership around public housing, and has received prestigious awards including the New York City Public Library’s Brooke Astor Award, NYC Neighborhood Achievement Leadership Award, and the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York Martin Luther King Award. He was also a participant in the United Way Executive Fellows Program, and was chosen to participate in the highly competitive Achieving Excellence in Community Development program led by Neighborworks and Harvard University Kennedy School of Government.

Bishop Taylor is the author of Unbroken Promises, published by Whitaker House (2003). He currently serves as a Commissioner on the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board.

Dr. Thompson is a business and financial consultant with over 33 years of experience in both public and private sectors. Technical skills include statistical analysis, commercial lending, strategic planning, ALM modeling, budgeting, staff recruiting, managing at organizational- and department-level, marketing, and public relations.

Dr. Thompson worked for 10 years as a Vice-President and lead lender for two regional banks from 1977 to 1987. During his tenure as a lender he specialized in commercial lending. His loan portfolios included loans to companies in manufacturing, mining, hotels and casinos, agriculture, non-profits (including churches, schools and civic organizations ) and industrial properties. He also produced SBA loans for both banks. Since 1987 he has provided commercial lending training and support to credit unions in five states. He has also delivered lending training through the Credit Union leagues in Utah, and Idaho.

Dr. Thompson is the President/CEO of Thompson Consulting & Training, Inc. TCT provides companies with services in Asset/Liability Management (including pricing of loans and deposits) strategic planning, budgeting, marketing, and Training. For over 35 years Dr. Thompson has served clients in financial, manufacturing, health care, fund-raising, telecommunications and transportation industries.

Click here to download Randy's presentation (in MS PowerPoint).

Yanki Tshering founded the Business Center for New Americans as a department of NYANA in 1997 and her leadership was key as BCNA transitioned, from 2009 through 2010, into a new and independent entity.

She has over twelve years of experience in developing and implementing economic development programs in New York City. Her responsibilities center around supporting the long-term sustainability of the organization and include setting the vision and strategic direction, fundraising, fiscal oversight, fiscal management, and working closely with the Board of Directors to assist  in board development.

Her passion for economic development stems from her belief that with the appropriate support, new comers to this country like refugees can start new lives and contribute to the mainstream economy.

Ms. Tshering who lived for many years in Tibetan refugee communities in India and Nepal, came to the US in 1986. She has a Master's in International Affairs from Columbia University with a functional specialization in Economic Development and a regional specialization in South Asian Studies. She is also a board member of Credit Builders Alliance (CBA), a national  organization which develops innovation ways for low to moderate income individuals to build credit and get financial access in order to build personal assets; and Piper Theatre in Brooklyn.

Click here for Yanki's presentation (in MS PowerPoint).

Meagan Weatherby is the Program Sustainability & Outreach Coordinator for Cooperative Federal, a $19.8 million CDFI Credit Union in Syracuse, NY. She is responsible for grants management, resource development, program administration & reporting, and a range of marketing and outreach functions. Among other duties, this includes coordinating the credit union’s HUD-approved Housing Counseling program; leading their Better Directions site; and serving on the Work Group for UP Start Syracuse, a new microbusiness training and inInclusiv/Networkation program that was recently launched by a consortium of Syracuse non-profits.

Meagan is a graduate of Inclusiv’s Community Development Credit Union (CDCU) Institute. Meagan has been a member of Coop Fed’s team since 2005, completing two terms of service through AmeriCorps*VISTA before joining the staff in 2007. She moved to Syracuse from her hometown of New Britain, CT to attend Syracuse University, where she earned a dual BA in English & Textual Studies and Women’s & Gender Studies (2005) summa cum laude. During college, she worked as an editor for the Campbell Public Affairs Institute at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School and interned at the Fair Housing Council of Central New York. In addition to economic justice and community development, Meagan is passionate about cooperatives and permaculture. She is on the business planning committee for Eat to Live Food Cooperative, a new co-op that is about to open its doors in a low-income Food Desert neighborhood, and sat on the planning committee for the 2013 New York Cooperative Summit. Meagan lives in Syracuse’s “Westcott Nation” with her husband, her cat, and their human and feline housemates.

Click here to download Meagan's presentation (in MS PowerPoint).

Adam Zimmerman serves as Executive Vice President for Craft3 (www.craft3.org). Created in 1995, Craft3 is a certified nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) with over $166 million under management. Craft3 offers an array of capital products throughout Oregon and Washington states, including business, real estate, community development loans, and consumer loans. In 2009 Adam launched Craft3’s energy efficiency lending program. In conjunction with the Cities of Portland and Seattle, this program has financed over 2,500 home upgrades, and provided over $30 million in financing using on-bill repayment to service most loans. The program has been widely touted as a model for energy efficiency finance, and has been promoted both domestically and internationally as a promising method for promoting energy independence and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Adam has been a featured speaker for C-40 Cities, the National Governor’s Association, Net Impact, Opportunity Finance Network, Climate and Energy Funders Group, Oregon BEST, and the California Public Utilities Commission. In 2012 he was appointed by the Governor of Oregon to serve on the Oregon Growth Board. He is also past President of Oregon Tilth, one of the largest organic product certifiers in the United States. Adam earned his Master of Community and Regional Planning from the University of Oregon in 2002. Adam currently services as executive management for Craft3, guiding organizational growth, new program design and brand development activities. He lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife and two young children.

Click here to download Adam's presentation (in MS PowerPoint).