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Development Committee

Take a Leadership Role in One of NYC’s Premiere Green Spaces

The Hudson River Park Friends Development Committee is a group of influential and energetic community members whose work is critical to the success of HRPK Friends’ fundraising strategy. Made up of both Board Members and Non-Board Members, the Development Committee plays a key role in connecting HRPK Friends with new audiences.

Development Committee members are important partners in helping sustain Hudson River Park on a daily basis, providing or securing significant funding to benefit the Park. This growing and evolving committee also spearheads several community-building events and activations that raises funds and awareness, keeping the Park beautiful, safe, green, clean and growing.

Engage Your Unique Skills and Interests

The Development Committee is made up of a series of Specialty Fundraising Groups (“SFGs”), who focus on specific fundraising projects and engaging new donor audiences based on areas of particular interests. This means that as a Committee member, you can harness your unique skillsets and experience and focus your energy on what you’re passionate about in the Park. You can learn more about existing SFGs below, but we’re always growing and interested in hearing your ideas.

Interested in learning more? Please reach out to Toby Pearce, Chief Development Officer at tpearce@hudsonriverpark.org.

Specialty Fundraising Groups

Two volunteer gardeners help at the community gardenBusiness Council
Program Track
The Hudson River Park Friends Business Council connects industries and businesses located along the West Side of Manhattan with engaged local audiences through activations and offerings, creating expanded economic growth and strengthening our community.

 

Four-Legged Friends
Donor Track
The Hudson River Park Four-Legged Friends program enables dogs, their dog people, and businesses to build a “pawsitive” community and ensure our dog-friendly Park stays clean, green and growing (with tails wagging). Our Four-Legged Friends SFG leads this charge, engaging a community of dog-loving Park supporters.

 

Ballet Hispanico performs at the Hudson River Dance Festival at Pier 63Arts & Culture
Donor Track
Hudson River Park is home to a wonderful array of free cultural programs every year, as well as public art installations all across our four+ miles. Our Arts & Culture SFG works to support these offerings, further establish HRPK as a NYC cultural destination and build a community of Park supporters engaged in the arts.

 

The orange team at the HRPK Games wish each other good luckSports & Athletics
Donor Track
Hudson River Park features more ways to get active on land and water than any other park in NYC. Our Sports & Athletics SFG creates opportunities for the Park’s active athletic community to get involved.

 

Environmental Sustainability
Donor Track
Hudson River Park is not only a tree canopy and green space capable of absorbing rainwater and runoff. It’s also a 400-acre Estuarine Sanctuary and an innovator in urban sustainability practices. These efforts have grown to include two Park-wide initiatives focused on composting and plastics reduction. Our Environmental Sustainability SFG creates opportunities for the Park community to enhance sustainability efforts and ecological abundance.

 

Member Benefits

  •         Make a real difference
  •         Develop your own leadership skills by learning from your peers
  •         Establish and grow your network
  •         Boost Your public profile
  •         Participate in select Park volunteer, cultivation, and fundraising events

Development Committee Members

Stefania Bethlen, Development Committee Co-Chair
Head of Corporate Access, Peel Hunt LLP

Greg Wasserman, Development Committee Co-Chair†
Head of Climate Innovation Fund, Wellington Management

Cathy Blaney†
Partnership Development, Bloomberg Philanthropies

Nicholas Casal
Founder & Managing Partner, NFC LLC

Emily Dougherty

Joseph Frederick III
VP Product Manager Communications, J.P. Morgan Chase

Larry Keigwin†
Artistic Director, KEIGWIN + COMPANY

Neil V. King III
Vice Chairman, CBRE’s Advisory and Transaction Services Group (NY)

Jean Kogut
Finance Consultant

Scott M. Lawin†
CEO/COO, Candy Digital
Vice Chair, Hudson River Park Friends Board of Directors

Carolina March
Revenue Operations Analyst, Movable Ink

Sean March
Finance Strategist, Datarails


Vinay Menda
Founder and Managing Partner, Reshape

Krista Nickols
Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker, SERHANT.

David Portnoy
Principal, American Securities

Aima Raza
Founder, Peace Project Inc.

Brian Rowland
Chief Financial Officer, Specialty Lending Company LLC

Justin Sadrian†
Partner and Managing Director, Warburg Pincus, LLC
Vice Chair, Hudson River Park Friends Board of Directors

Jarred Snyder
Co-Founder, Fanthropic

Gregory Starikovsky
Senior Analyst, Balyasny Asset Management L.P.

Martha Stewart†
Founder, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia

Lenore Vassil
Global Head of Enterprise Technology, WeWork

Daniel J. Williams†
Managing Director, Citi Private Bank

Madelyn Wils

Daphne Wood
Director of Events, National Football League

† Member of Hudson River Park Friends Board of Directors