Brooklyn's Extraordinary Women 2008

M A R C H
Click on photos below to view biographies

SUNDAY	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY
						CYNTHIA VELEZ
LUVENIA SUBER	ROSE MARIE SAVAGE	REV. DR. EMMA J. KNOX	JOCELYN B. MANN	DR. SOUHA NIKOWITZ	ANNE OH	MARSHA ALEJANDRO
CARMELA C.RODRIGUEZ	TIFFANY TUCKER	PAULINE BILUS	DR. BARBARA SHAUNESSY	MAE O'DRISCOLL	EILEEN GREGAN	FIRA STUKELMAN
RICHELLE BRAITHWAITE	HELENA BARBOUR	DR. JUOLLIE CARROLL	JEAN LOUISE DeGENNARO	MARVA J. T. FRANKLIN	MARIA ALICEA	DR. NICOLETTA PALLOTTA
DEL E. TEAGUE	PATRICIA RUIZ	KATHLEEN McDONAGH	ISIS SAPP-GRANT	CARMEN IRENE GONZALEZ	LYDIA DENWORTH	LENA ALHUSSEINI
DR. LISA ENG	FAYE ZAKHEIM

2009 CALENDAR | 2010 CALENDAR | HOME

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		CYNTHIA VELEZ Bushwick Cynthia Velez has been a voice for Bushwick parents since 2001. She was an instrumental force in the creation of Bushwick IMPACT, a community-based family center that connects parents of children younger than eight to early learning opportunities, while also providing family support and promoting parent leadership. Ms. Velez currently serves as Advocacy and Leadership Coordinator for that organization. Her advocacy and organizing talents emerged when, as Chair of the Parent Policy Committee at her daughter’s Head Start Center, she raised $10,000 in her first year alone. One of Ms. Velez’s greatest commitments is helping parents to get special needs services and therapies for their children. She has done much to de-stigmatize services, especially among local Latino families, helping many parents understand the benefits of Early Intervention (EI), Committee for Preschool Special Education (CPSE) and Department of Education Special Education Services. Not only does she share her own experiences, as five of her six children are special needs, but walks parents through the entire process so that they know what to expect and feel prepared to navigate the various City systems when necessary. Ms. Velez’s community work includes: three years as President of the Parent Association of the New York Harbor School, a local New Century high school, and one year as Treasurer. There she helped to increase parent involvement in the school, hire staff, and keep the administration responsive to parent concerns. In 2005-06, she was recruited by Wyckoff Hospital to participate in a national program to improve the delivery of services for chronic care children. She helped train medical students on working more effectively with families of chronically ill children. Currently, Ms. Velez serves as Chair of Adolescent Services Advisory Council.
02
		LUVENIA SUBER Red Hook Luvenia Suber has dedicated herself to health and community services for more than 20 years. Armed with degrees from Manhattan Community College and Excelsior College/Medgar Evers College, Ms. Suber currently serves as the Supervisor for Village Center for Care’s Red Hook Community Service Center, where she is responsible for providing information and referral for chronic care services. She has turned the Center into a true resource for the Red Hook neighborhood, working her way into public housing tenant meetings, PTA meetings, and CBOs in Red Hook to build a linkage to service the community. She hosts monthly workshops for groups of women to educate individuals on the major health issues in this community, including HIV/AIDS prevention, diabetes, hypertension, hepatitis C, cancer, depression, mental health, obesity and HIV testing. Through her campaign, “Come for lunch – stay for answers,” Ms. Suber attracts 200 people a month for individual counseling and referral. She makes sure they have the child care, the clothing, the benefits and the transportation they need (often reaching into her own pocket or appealing to local businesses) to ensure her clients get appropriate care.
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		ROSE MARIE SAVAGE East Flatbush Rose Savage has presented her work on health and wellness at national conferences throughout the country. A staff member at SUNY Downstate Medical Center since 1984, Rose is the Senior Administrator for the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology. She also holds a faculty appointment in the Division of Sports Medicine as an Assistant Clinical Instructor. Rose is the founder and volunteer director of “A Healthy Downstate,” a worksite wellness program. Her expertise is focused around individuals who may have experienced health problems, are obese, older adults or those just starting a fitness program. Her work with the community spans more than 20 years, working with the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health, developing walking programs for the National Black Woman Health Project in Washington, D.C., teaching aerobics for the American Heart Association, lecturing to cancer survivors for the American Cancer Society, and training individuals in race-walking for the New York Walkers Club. She is the Editor-in Chief of the New York Walker; a quarterly Newsletter. In 2003, she partnered with Marty Markowitz’s, “Lighten up Brooklyn,” offering free fitness classes to community members. Her work in health and wellness has been aired on the Fox 5, BCAT, NBC, and ABC networks. She has also been featured twice in *The New York Daily News* (2002 and 2006). Rose is a reviewer and moderator for the Community Health Policy and Planning Committee of the American Public Health Association. She has first authorship on seven abstracts in peer-reviewed publications (1997-2005), and a book chapter Women Facing Loss, Bereavement, Recovery and Emotional Response (1996). Rose is the proud founder of the DIVA, which stands for Developing Inner Vitality and Attitudes, and is a program for women to understand the importance of paying as close attention to their inner beauty (heart, lungs, muscles, joints, mental and spiritual health) as they do their hair, nails, clothes, make-up, and shoes. Rose is a long-distance athlete who completed her first marathon in 2006 and will participate in the NYC Marathon in 2008.
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		REV. DR. EMMA J. KNOX Bedford Stuyvesant / Bushwick Upon graduating from high school, Emma Knox left her home in Virginia and relocated to New York. In 1969, she obtained a position with the United States Postal Service. She remained there for over 30 years, first as a customer service representative and later as a manager, until her retirement in March 2000. In March 1969, she joined the Rugged Cross Baptist Church, where she served as the President of the Missionary Circle, an Ordained Deaconess, Secretary of the Sunday School Department and the Young Adults Sunday School Teacher for many years. In 1996, Reverend Knox was installed as Pastor of the Rugged Cross Baptist Church. Under her leadership, the ministry has seen the blossoming of the Sunday School Ministry; the opening of the Rugged Cross Bible Institute, a fully accredited Bible College; and the Rugged Cross Christian Academy, which has a state approved curriculum for children ages 2-6. Numerous faith-based programs were established, and recently, the church embarked on the development of low-income Rugged Cross Housing, which is due to be completed in the very near future. Rugged Cross has been a stabilizing force in the community under Reverend Knox’s leadership. Reverend Knox has been a pioneer in the Kings County District Attorney’s Youth and Congregation in Partnership Program (YCP) and, more recently, in KCDA’s Girls Re-entry Program (GRASP), helping young people who have come into the criminal justice system get the guidance and support they need from caring adults. Reverend Knox is a shining example of leadership, and her unwavering commitment to her church and to her community serve as an inspiration to all.
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		JOCELYN B. MANN Clinton Hill / Fort Greene In 1994, Jocelyn Mann was asked by Reverend Anthony Trufant of the Emmanuel Baptist Church of Brooklyn, NY to head the Teen Canteen Youth Outreach Program. In addition, she worked alongside her mother, Alice M. Mann, as the Assistant Director of the Emmanuel Baptist Church After-School Program and the Emmanuel Baptist Church Summer Day Camp. In 1996, Jocelyn and her mother started the A.Y.U.D.A.M.E. (Assisting Youth Under the Directorship of Adult Mentors and Educators) Project, a mentoring and tutorial program that provides additional familial support for students who are having trouble in school and/or at home. After the death of her mother in October of 1998, Jocelyn assumed the directorship roles in the after-school and summer programs. In 2000, Jocelyn accepted a part-time position as the Lay Pastor for Youth Ministries of the Emmanuel Baptist Church, which was changed into a full-time position in 2003. She hopes to be able to further serve the youth of the community by enhancing the programs she currently woks with and creating new programs designed to mentor young people.
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		DR. SOUHA FREWAT-NIKOWITZ Bay Ridge Souha Frewat-Nikowitz, Ph.D. is a Lebanese-born clinical psychologist who has been working with the Arab community of Brooklyn on mental health issues since her graduation from The New School’s doctoral program in the year 2000. The aim of her work has been to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health by providing psycho-educational workshops to Arab women and offering services to the Arab community. She was first a psychologist and a domestic violence coordinator at the Arab-American Family Support Center, then helped launch a mental health initiative post 9/11 in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. She has volunteered for many years for Doctors of the World in the assessment and treatment of survivors of torture and other human rights abuses. She is a member of the board of directors of two Arab organizations: the Arab American Association of New York and the New York Chapter of the Arab American Medical Association.
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		ANNE OH Cobble Hill Anne Oh, born in Pusan, South Korea, was an outstanding student and a ping pong champion in her youth. In 1968, she left South Korea for Europe to further her education. Anne pursued Literature at the Sorbonne; Architecture at L’Ecole des Beaux Arts; and Sociology at the Catholic Institute of Paris. It was in Paris that she met her future husband, Joseph. Anne traveled extensively through Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Luxemburg, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Hong Kong and Japan. In 1978, Anne and Joseph left Paris for America, where they eventually settled in Brooklyn. It was Anne’s wish to return to school and an academic career, but the cost of raising their two young children in New York City kept Anne out of the classroom and behind the counter of the dry-cleaning business that she and her husband operated. When you walk into Trusting Drycleaners in Cobble Hill, you will usually find Anne Oh at the counter handing out lollipops to the neighborhood children or getting updates from her customers about their families’ lives. Trusting Drycleaners does not look like a typical place of business because the interior is lined with endless photographs of customers and their children dating back years. Anne has become a landmark in her neighborhood, famous for her warm and giving nature. Her generosity extends to her local church and other charitable organizations. Anne and her husband have raised two wonderful children – Theresa, an attorney, and Stephen, a surgeon.
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		MARSHA ALEJANDRO Crown Heights A woman of strong passion and conviction, Marsha Alejandro was born and raised in Crown Heights. She is the publisher of “WomeNyc”, a newspaper on print that covers issues regarding New York City’s women. Frustrated by the lack of news concerning women in mainstream newsprint media, Marsha started “WomeNyc” in order to provide a platform, voice and a medium that would portray women in a positive light. She used her own resources to make this newspaper a reality, including working at many different jobs in order to gain the funds. Marsha received no outside funding or donations. While most individuals use the weekend to relax and unwind, Marsha is steadily working on her newspaper well into the night, and often into the wee hours of the morning. Because of her hard work and perseverance, you will soon be able to find “WomeNyc” in New York Public Libraries. Marsha has a Bachelors Degree from St. Francis College, and is currently pursuing her Masters in Media and Journalism. She keeps her New York City Public Schools per diem certificate active so that she can continue to have a connection with youth in her community. Though her schedule is full and eventful, Marsha manages to make time to volunteer at the Kingsbrook Medical Jewish Center, where she has served as a volunteer since the age of 12. She cherishes her family and spends quality time with her younger siblings at an art museum, library or church. She also enjoys painting, sewing and crocheting with her mother.

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		CARMELA C. RODRIGUEZ Flatbush Born in Panama, Carmela Rodriguez immigrated to the United States in 1963. A devout Catholic, she has linked her religious beliefs with her work in the community. Indeed, her works and projects cover a wide array of needs and organizations: Casa Betsaida, a healing house for people with AIDS; Children International, a project which adopted a child in the Dominican Republic; and St. Vincent Border Babies are only a few of the projects she supports and is involved in. The elderly and underprivileged are a major focus of her community involvement. Carmela conducts AIDS education workshops, and provides food and clothing for babies in need. She serves as president of the Confraternity of Solid Ground Ministry, an outreach ministry that touches lives, builds hope and empowers the powerless to dream new dreams. She is an active member of the Tri-Block Civic Association. Carmela is the first African American woman to be inducted as a Franciscan Friar in the Immaculate Conception Province, becoming an Affiliate of the Province. She is the former Grand Lady of the Knights of Peter Claver Ladies Auxiliary, an international organization that reaches out to serve the needs of the church and the broader community. Carmela is also the former president of the Day of Independence Committee of Panamanians in New York, and has had the proud honor of organizing New York’s first Panamanian Independence Day parade.
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		TIFFANY TUCKER Canarsie Tiffany A. Tucker is a shining example of young leadership in the Brooklyn community. In her sophomore year at Adelphi University, she founded her own non-profit organization – Redemption, Inc. - to aid disadvantaged youth in the New York City public schools, beginning with Brooklyn. Her desire to start her own organization was triggered by the hardships Tiffany herself had experienced as a student at one of Brooklyn’s public high schools. Redemption functions both as an educational resource as well as a vehicle to bridge the gap between children living in underserved communities and success. Since 2003 Redemption has been committed to improving the quality of life and enhancing educational opportunity through various educational platforms, advocacy and self-empowerment to underserved youth, ages 13 – 19, and their families in Brooklyn. Redemption boosts self-esteem, reduces drop-out rates, and promotes college enrollment, community involvement and self-advocacy. Above all, Redemption strives to prevent dreams from being deferred, and encourages young people to control their destinies. In addition to her work with Redemption, Tiffany has worked for a number of causes, including the Anti-Defamation League, The Global Youth Action Network and GEAR UP at Bronx Community College. She was the recipient of the Ms. NAACP Scholarship Award in 2002, Adelphi’s Presidential Leadership Award for Academic Achievement and Community Involvement in 2004 and, most recently, the 2007 winner of the 1010WINS Tomorrow Newsmakers Award in Public Service.
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		PAULINE BILUS Manhattan Beach Pauline Bilus was born to parents who emigrated from Poland to escape poverty and anti-Semitism and settled in Brooklyn in the 1940’s. A graduate of Abraham Lincoln High School, Pauline received a Bachelors Degree in Education from Brooklyn College and began a teaching career in New York City’s public school system, thereby fulfilling a dream of her immigrant parents. Upon her marriage to her husband, Ira, Pauline began to play what would become a key role in the freedom movement for Soviet Jews. In 1975, Pauline left her teaching position when she founded and directed, for more than 20 years, Project ARI (Action for Russian Immigrants). This program facilitated the resettlement, absorption and acculturation of tens of thousands of Soviet Jews in Brooklyn and beyond by providing an array of services including English-as-a-Second language, job placement, citizenship preparation and voter registration. The Bilus’ strong devotion to Israel is evidenced by their activities in mobilizing community action. During the 1973 Yom Kippur War, they were instrumental in raising more than $100,000 for the Israel Emergency Fund. In the mid-seventies, they organized the community’s first Yom Hashoa commemoration (day of Holocaust Remembrance), which ultimately led to the formation of the Holocaust Memorial Committee in 1985. The Holocaust Memorial Park was dedicated in June 1985 in a program attended by Mayor Koch and Simon Wiesenthal, with several thousand people in attendance. In addition to establishing annual gatherings at the park during the past 23 years, Ira and Pauline, together with the Holocaust Memorial Committee and community legislators, were instrumental in the effort to construct the park’s unique permanent memorial. It is the first public Holocaust Memorial in New York City, where thousands of names, places and events related to the Holocaust have been and continue to be inscribed.
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		DR. BARBARA A. SHAUNESSY Midwood A native of Midwood, Dr. Barbara Shaunessy has worked tirelessly for more than twenty years on behalf of New York City’s children through her efforts within the Department of Education. She earned her BS/MS Degrees in Education from PACE University, and also holds a Ph.D in School/Community Psychology. A school psychologist for many years, Dr. Shaunessy has worked in schools in Park Slope and Cobble Hill, and currently holds the position of school psychologist at P.S. 206 in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn. She has always gone beyond the call of duty with respect to the children in her charge, often providing them with Christmas gifts or planning birthday parties for them. Dr. Shaunessy is always willing to provide help to all those who seek it, and whether it be her friends or co-workers, she is always willing to lend a helping hand. Dr. Shaunessy is ever-humble as she goes about her mission of protecting and advocating on behalf of children.
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		MAE O'DRISCOLL Marine Park Mae O’Driscoll has been active in New York’s Irish American community since her emigration from Ireland. Whether it was organizing a benefit for a worthy cause or walking a picket line in support of Civil Rights, Mae could always be counted among the most actively involved. Mae’s care and concern was manifested early on when, in the 1980’s, thousands of undocumented Irish immigrants flocked to our shores. At that time, Mae was Chairperson of the New York State Branch of the Irish Immigration Reform Movement (IIRM). The IIRM successfully lobbied for comprehensive immigration reform. As a result of their dedicated efforts the “Immigration Act of 1990” was passed into law providing thousands of visas for the Irish through the “Morrison Visa” program. Mae is also a founding member of the Emerald Isle Immigration Center (EIIC), a fully staffed immigrant advice center, with offices in Woodside, Queens and Woodlawn, New York. Mae continues to serve the Irish immigrant community in her work as Director and Trustee of the EIIC). A loyal and dedicated member of the County Cork B.P. & P. Association, Mae has served that association in various capacities for many years. She has the unique distinction of being the first woman to serve as President of the Association. As a delegate from County Cork to the United States Counties Association, Mae has chaired several dinner dances and the Annual Feis of the UCIA. She currently serves on their Board of Directors. Mae has been the recipient of numerous awards in recognition of her outstanding contributions to immigration reform and the immigrant community.
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		EILEEN GREGAN Mill Basin Eileen Gregan joined the New York City Fire Department in September 1982. Her assignments included Engine 250 in Kensington, 35 Battalion in Williamsburg and 33 Battalion in Midwood. She retired from the Fire Department in January 2008. Eileen is a member of the United Women Firefighters and, in addition to holding other positions, has served three terms as president of the organization She is a member of the Fire Department Holy Name Society, the Fire Department Anchor Club, the Fire Department Emerald Society, the Uniformed Firefighters Assoc. and is an honorary member of the Fire Department Honor Legion. Eileen represents the firefighter rank on the Fire Department Honor Emergency Fund. She is active with the Community of Mayors and assists at events with handicapped children throughout the year. She is a member of the Pastoral Planning Committee at her parish, Mary Queen of Heaven. Eileen is a member of the Fire Service Women of New York State and has volunteered as a Youth Counselor at Phoenix Fire Camp. Eileen was honored by the Fire Department Holy Name Society at their Communion Breakfast and has received a Women’s Achievement Award from the YWCA as well as the Irish Heritage Award.
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		FIRA STUKELMAN Coney Island / Brighton Beach Fira Stukelman was born on March 25, 1933 in the city of Vinnitza, Ukraine. Her mother was killed by Nazis in 1941 and her father was killed in military actions in 1941. Fira was an orphan at the age of eight. In 1989, Fira and her family arrived in the United States after ten years of refusal. In 1994, she graduated from Touro College where she got her degree in Business Communication. In 1994, Fira became an active member of the Association of Holocaust Survivors. Fira is very active in local politics, and a tireless volunteer for various political campaigns. She is very well known for her ongoing and vocal support for Israel and her many years in support of United Jewish Appeal (UJA). In 2005, she was named “The best volunteer of UJA.” For her outstanding community work, she has been recognized by the Mayor, the Comptroller, the Borough President of Brooklyn and other elected officials. Fira is known for organizing events within the Russian-speaking community. These events include parades, trips to museums, the September 11^th memorial and memorial meetings for Holocaust survivors.
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		RICHELLE BRAITHWAITE Prospect / Lefferts Garden Richelle Braithwaite likes to think of herself as a helper, or better yet, a catalyst who facilitates accomplishing those things that need to get done. Known toYouth at Risk (YAR) as Riqui, she has held various leadership positions within that organization since 1993. Most important has been her role as a mentor to its youth. She still keeps in touch with Maurine, a young woman whom she counseled fifteen years ago. Riqui stands on the front lines recruiting and registering hundreds of youth and parents in the organization’s programs. Riqui has taken on projects that force her to go beyond her comfort zone. As a first-time fundraiser, she raised more than $20,000 for the organization. When the Woman-to-Woman program expanded into two cohorts, Riqui joined the staff for six months to ensure that the teen moms were taken care of. She welcomes new volunteers monthly to YAR, and coordinates the orientation meetings which are vital to the program’s success. She is permanently on-call to the organization, and regularly attends residential intensives where she works with youth, facilitating their small-group meetings. An active member of her church, Riqui manages its weekly Food and Fellowship event.
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		HELENA BARBOUR East Flatbush A proud mother and grandmother, Ms. Barbour worked for more than 10 years with a non-profit organization providing counseling, helping with AA meetings, and giving seminars on relapse prevention. As an independent certified producer for Brooklyn Community Access Television (BCAT), she used this venue to help others by hosting gospel and fashion shows, spiritual breakfast parties and plays, and sharing information with her community. It was upon losing her hearing three years ago that Ms .Barbour first became aware of the lack of support and limited access available to the Deaf. She experienced it firsthand, and was at first forced to retire due to her deafness. She soon became an outspoken advocate for the Deaf. Ms. Barbour uses her production of MIRACLES on BCAT as a link for deaf people to have greater access to information and to provide a forum for them and their success stories. Today all of her shows are sign language-interpreted. She shares her own story of survival and introduces the audiences to the various equipment and devices used by the Deaf to stay in communication with the hearing world. Ms. Barbour enlightens and informs the viewers on these topics and lets them know that they are not alone. Ms. Barbour’s contributions will be felt for many years by numerous people whose lives she has influenced.
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		DR. JUOLLIE CARROLL Clinton Hill / Fort Greene A highly accomplished educator, Professor Juollie Carroll currently serves as Director of Counseling Services in the Department of Student Affairs/Services and as Director of the Student Study Abroad Program for the International Cross-Cultural Black Women’s Studies Institute at Medgar Evers College, CUNY. These are just two of the many faculty and administrative positions held by Dr. Carroll in her 35 years at the College. She counts among her many professional accomplishments curriculum development and implementation of the freshman year program in 1990, and co-designing the modular counseling curriculum used by SEEK students in the Department of Special Programs. Dr. Carroll has taken delegations of students to Johannesburg, South Africa (1998): Puerto Limon, Costa Rica (1999); Trinidad and Tobago (2000); Japan (2004) and Panama (2006). Students, faculty and community participants have greatly benefited by gaining increased cultural awareness and various international experiences. Dr. Carroll’s community accomplishments include developing career forums; mentoring and facilitating intergenerational programs; and working with her Block Association to preserve housing and beautify the neighborhood. Dr. Carroll engages in fundraising activities for student scholarships and the “Stitch in Time Student Emergency Fund,” co-founded by Dr. Juollie Carroll and a colleague at Medgar Evers College. Dr. Carroll, a quilt-maker, is most proud of her creation, “The Apple Brown Betty Quilt,” which she co-designed in memory of Dr. Betty Shabazz, and which hangs in the Charles Innis Library of Medgar Evers College.
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		JEAN LOUISE DeGENNARO Bay Ridge Jean DeGennaro is the Director and one of the original founders of the Ecumenical Neighborhood Lunch Program (ENLP). The ENLP is a soup kitchen in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, which feeds and provides emotional support for poor and homeless persons of the Sunset Park and Bay Ridge sections of Brooklyn. The program has been inexistence for 20 years. Every Saturday at 11:30 a.m., Jean feeds from 60-90 people. All are fed a hot meal and given two sandwiches “to go.” No hungry person is ever turned away. Jean has been working tirelessly to feed the hungry every Saturday since the program began in 1987. Her dedication is boundless. On Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, Jean plans a special dinner, which she calls “The Banquet.” No person is asked any questions. They are simply invited to come in, share the food and give each other mutual support. Jean selflessly gives her all to this program. Although the program has been threatened with closure due to lack of funds in the past, Jean has always found a way to keep it going. Her determination and generosity of spirit make it easy to see why she is one of Brooklyn’s extraordinary women.
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		MARVA J. T. FRANKLIN Fort Greene Marva J. T. Franklin was born in Barbados, West Indies. She was accepted into the Ministry of Education as a primary school teacher there and continued on in the teaching profession when she immigrated to the United States. It was through her involvement in the Scouting Ministry at Hanson Place Central United Methodist Church that Marva’s interest in service was sparked. Marva put her talents to work on many church committees, including the Administrative Board, Rev. George T. Johnson’s Doctorate Committee and Arts in the Cathedral and Task Force Committees. Marva was the Director of the Mothers and Sons program and the Fundraising Coordinator for Restoration. Recently, she served as Chairperson of the155^th Anniversary Ball. She acted as chaperone at the National Gathering 2000 which hosted youth from around the world. Marva’s community presented many opportunities for ministry in the areas of Women’s Advocate Ministry (WAM), including court support and advocacy for young adults (first offenders) and the children of incarcerated women and young adults. Marva is always looking for opportunities to learn more in order to be of assistance in her community. Prior to 9/11, Marva had completed a course by the Red Cross in Mass Care & Disaster Recovery. As a result, she was able to assist in a Brooklyn shelter in the days following that tragedy. Subsequently Marva was certified as a Chaplain in Disaster Chaplaincy Services. As former President of The Brooklyn Ecumenical Cooperatives (BEC), now Brooklyn Interfaith for Action, Marva and a team of local Pastors and lay persons were able to work with the City of New York in obtaining many units of housing for low income residents in Brooklyn. This organization taught the community how to turn anger into positive action and educate the participants to seek out places to assist them with immigration needs.
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		MARIA ALICEA Cypress Hills Maria Alicea is the Assistant Program Director of the Cypress Hills Senior Center. Ms. Alicea started her career at Cypress Hills Senior Center in 2001 as a kitchen aide. As a result of her dedication and consistent effort going above and beyond in the senior center, she has worked her way to the position of Assistant Program Director. She is recognized by everyone around her as being the best at “helping people” and being a kind and caring individual. Ms. Alicea has always worked in a helping profession, first as a nurse’s aide and then as a teacher’s aide. When Ms. Alicea cannot resolve an issue for her senior clients, she proactively refers them to the District Attorney’s Neighborhood Office and other agencies that may be able to assist with their concerns.
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		DR. NICOLETTA PALLOTTA Bay Ridge / Dyker Heights Dr. Nicoletta Pallotta is a long-time Brooklyn resident who has been an active member of the borough’s healthcare community for over two decades. A graduate of Brooklyn College, Dr. Pallotta received her medical degree from Chieti University in Italy, and a Masters of Arts in Social Work from Hunter College. Dr. Pallotta is committed to offering women and their families the chance to understand and impact their own health and well-being, and has founded many community-based health programs including the Neighborhood Counseling Center and Women Against Violence. Dr. Pallotta has devoted over twenty-five years to creating women and family health centers, crisis intervention programs for abused women, counseling centers and multiple outreach programs. She has received countless community service awards including the New York Post Liberty Medal for Community Service. As founder of WAV and Director of Brooklyn Women’s Services, an affiliate of Maimonides Medical center, Dr. Pallotta often delivers seminars on a wide variety of programs dedicated to assisting women and their families to achieve wellness and improve the quality of their lives.
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		DEL E. TEAGUE Williamsburg Del Teague has devoted her professional career to community service organizations. In 1980, she first joined the board of the People’s Firehouse, Inc., a community-based non-profit organization located in Northside Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She currently serves as Chairperson of their Board of Directors. Ms. Teague received her Bachelors Degree from Queens College, CUNY, and her Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law School. She has also received training for Certification in Modern Psychoanalysis from the Center for Modern Psychoanalytic Studies and Long Island’s Graduate Program in Counseling. She serves as Principal Court Attorney-Referee at Manhattan’s Surrogates Court, where she supervises and trains Court Attorneys to conduct hearings and settlement conferences. Additionally, Ms. Teague has served as a psychiatric nurse/therapist at Hillsdale Psychiatric Hospital and Medical Center, and held similar positions at Flushing Hospital, Odyssey House, Inc., Manhattan VA Medical Center and Gracie Square Hospital. Ms. Teague is an active member of her Community Board, and chairs its budget committee.
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		PATRICIA RUIZ Sunset Park Patricia Ruiz, a native of Sunset Park, Brooklyn, has worked tirelessly on behalf of Brooklyn’s Hispanic communities. Most notably, she has served as President of the Boricua Festival Committee since 2001, but her involvement with that organization dates back many years before. Created to promote social interaction throughout Brooklyn’s Latino communities, the Boricua Festival is a day-long event held every summer in Prospect Park. It is a day filled with culture, education, health, music and pride, attended by over 8,000 people, which fosters the spirit of cultural advancement. The Boricua Festival Committee serves Brooklyn’s economically mixed neighborhoods of Sunset Park, Park Slope, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Bushwick, Williamsburg, and other areas surrounding Prospect Park. The Committee endeavors to highlight the Puerto Rican/Hispanic culture through this yearly festival in partnership with BRIC/Celebrate Brooklyn! and the Prospect Park Alliance. Pat also maintains professional affiliations with many organizations including the Association of Hispanic Healthcare Executives, Women in Health Management, 100 Hispanic Women and the National Association of Hispanic Nurses.
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		KATHLEEN McDONAGH Park Slope A native of Ireland, Kathleen McDonagh attended National School and graduated from Presentation Convent High School, where she played on the school’s field hockey team. She excelled at the gaelic game of Camogie, one of the national field games of Ireland. Introduced in 1904 for the girls and women of Ireland, Camogie players are renowned for skill, speed and the “clash of the ash.” One of the founders of the Brooklyn Irish American Parade in 1975, Kathleen has held many responsibilities for that event over the years, including parade coordinator, band chairperson, parade chairperson, and in 1990, Grand Marshal of the 15^th Annual Parade. Kathleen co-founded New York Young Irelands Camogie Club and has organized many gaelic sports events at various Irish Festivals throughout New York and neighboring states. She was co-founder of the North American Camogie League and the N. A. Camogie Board. In 1994 she founded the NACA “7-A-Side” Annual International Camogie Tournament and in 1998 organized the Annual International “After the 7’s” Camogie Competition (Ireland vs US). She also co-founded the Park Slope Shamrocks Minor Gaelic Football Club. Kathleen oversees the Annual Brooklyn Irish American Events of the “Tara Festival.” Those festivities include traditional Irish music, dance, song and story at The Old Stone House of Brooklyn on the first Sunday in June; The Maryland 400 Commemorations; Our Lady of Knock Celebration; and the Green-Wood Cemetery Commemorations ( in conjunction with The Battle of Brooklyn – 1776). Kathleen met her husband, John, on “Donegal Hill” in Prospect Park, and they are the proud parents of a son, James.
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		ISIS SAPP-GRANT Bedford Stuyvesant Isis Sapp-Grant is not a stranger to the problems of gangs, violence and juvenile delinquency that plague American Cities. As a fifteen-year old, Isis was one of the leaders of a youth gang in New York City. Gang life caused Isis to lose friends to violent deaths, including her boyfriend to a gang-related shooting, to be arrested and to nearly be killed herself. Through hard work and education, Isis turned her life around. She received her Masters of Science in Social Work from New York University, and for over twelve years has provided workshops and training to community and law enforcement organizations to help them understand and work more effectively with troubled youth. Isis has been a guest speaker at schools and juvenile correctional facilities throughout the country, sharing her experience with young people to discourage them from the path of gangs, crime and violence. She has lectured around the world on topics such as racial disparities, poverty and violence, and provides insight to educators about dealing with and teaching at-risk youth. Her dream was to create an organization where she could gather people who, like her, were dedicated to improving the lives of young people by redirecting them away from violence, gang involvement, school drop-out and negative peer pressures. In 1995 she founded the Youth Empowerment Mission Inc. This organization works to provide guidance, resources and learning opportunities to young people burdened by living in poverty- and crime- stricken neighborhoods with limited resources. “It is my vision that all young people will realize that they each have intrinsic value and something unique to offer the world by their presence and talents.”
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		CARMEN IRENE GONZALEZ Bushwick A domestic violence survivor, Carmen Irene Gonzalez found the courage to leave after ten years of abuse. This experience led her to become a voice for other victims. She was able to procure funding for an organization that, to this day, is still serving women through Hope Gardens Multi-Service Center. Carmen worked for Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens Council, where she was hired to organize Block and Tenant Associations. In just one year, she was able to organize twenty-five block associations. In 1985, Carmen created a not-for-profit organization called Hispanic Service Society and served as the Executive Director until its closure due to budgetary cuts in 2005. While there, Carmen was able to bring the following services to her community: after-school programs; intergenerational programs for seniors and youth; assistance with government entitlements to families in need; free tax preparations; substance abuse prevention; and vocational and educational counseling. Carmen Gonzalez has been actively involved in projects to help the quality of life for her beloved community of Bushwick. She both founded and held the Presidency of the Jefferson Street Block Association for 19 years. During that time, she helped with the beautification of the block, held annual block parties, planned family day trips and presided over informative meetings. One of her biggest challenges was declaring war on crime and drugs. This led to the creation of a Block Watchers Program, which allowed the residents to work closely with local Police. Carmen has dedicated her life to public service, and her energy and enthusiasm for her work are unflagging.
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		LYDIA DENWORTH Park Slope Lydia Denworth is a Park Slope wife, mother of three and freelance journalist. Her first book, *Toxic Truth: A Scientist, A. Doctor and the Battle Over Lead,* will be published in March 2009 by Beacon Press. Previously, she was a *Newsweek* reporter and European Bureau Chief for *People. She has also written for the New York Times, Redbook, Health* and other publications. In addition to her professional work, Ms. Denworth has devoted considerable time to civic issues. Her primary focus has been on education and the environment. She is currently a Board Member of the Berkeley Carroll School in Park Slope and the Oliver Program, which helps African-American and Latino children from New York City attend independent schools. For six years, Ms. Denworth served as a trustee of the Park Slope Civic Council, serving as treasurer for three years and then president from 2005 to 2007. Under her leadership, the Civic Council expanded its membership and reinvigorated activities such as the semi-annual Civic Sweep, which now brings some 100 people out to volunteer in the fall and spring. She also added projects such as Clean Walk to School and the Harvest Festival (co-sponsored with Park Slope Parents and the Old Stone House) and brought the Doe Fund’s Street Cleaners to 7^th Avenue. Ms. Denworth also oversaw the Civic Council’s active role in Brooklyn Speaks, a group of organizations working toward substantial changes in the Atlantic Yards Project, and in the Grand Army Plaza Coalition (GAPCo), a group that seeks to improve the accessibility and safety of Grand Army Plaza.
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		LENA ALHUSSEINI Brooklyn Heights Lena Alhusseini joined the Arab-American Family Support Center as Executive Director after spending a number of years at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), where she served as International Outreach Project Manager on issues of child protection, abduction and child trafficking. Prior to joining NCMEC, Ms. Alhusseini worked for the Gateway Battered Women’s Shelter in Denver, Colorado where she developed the Shelter’s children’s program and worked with immigrant populations, including Arab-American women and children, on issues of domestic violence. Ms. Alhusseini has served with a number of international organizations around the world on issues pertaining to child protection and human trafficking, including USAID and UNICEF. Most notably, she established the Jordan River Foundation’s Child Protection Unit under the direction of HM Queen Rania Al Abdullah. That organization was the first to address the issue of child abuse. Born in Jerusalem and raised in Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom, Ms. Alhusseini is of Palestinian origin.
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		DR. LISA ENG Sunset Park A proud immigrant, Dr. Lisa Eng’s passion is community advocacy and she is committed to reducing disparities which exist within the healthcare system. Board-certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. Eng founded New Life Ob/Gyn Group, LLP in 1995 in Manhattan and Brooklyn’s Chinatowns which were quickly followed by offices in Flushing, Queens and Bensonhurst. She is a Board Director of Homecrest Community Services, Inc., a multi-social service community agency in southern Brooklyn serving Chinese-American seniors, immigrants and families. Dr. Eng serves as Secretary and Chair of the Political Action Committee for the Association of Chinese-American Physicians, and Chair of the Brooklyn/Staten Island Section of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She served on the Governor’s Liability Task Force as a representative for the New York State Osteopathic Medical Society, and has testified at a Senate Hearing at Brooklyn Borough Hall on the impact of the malpractice crisis in New York. Dr. Eng is most proud of her parents’ and family’s achievements and contributions. Both parents worked hard to provide a better life for Lisa – her father as head bartender at the Plaza Hotel’s Trader Vic’s for 30 years, and her mother at Con Edison as well as many other jobs.
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		FAYE ZAKHEIM Borough Park The child of Holocaust survivors, Faye Zakheim grew up in Brooklyn, the only girl among five brothers. She attended Brooklyn College and married her husband, Steve, during her senior year there. While raising her five children, Faye taught high school math at a local Brooklyn school. As her children grew older and her family obligations became less demanding, Faye returned to her own studies in order to fulfill her dream, which was to help families. Now a professor at the Ehrenkranz School of Social Work at New York University, Faye is completing her doctorate there in Family Dynamics in the Jewish Community. She has deep empathy for the Jewish community, and her strong and abiding interest in family dynamics stems from her own large, warm and extended family. As President of Revival Home Health Care, Faye feels that she is fulfilling a mission to provide professional, nurturing care to those coming out of the hospital or recovering from illness. Revival was founded to meet the needs of the Jewish community, particularly the Holocaust survivor population. Faye often lectures in hospitals to increase the awareness of the special cultural needs of the Orthodox, and says that it is particularly important for caregivers who come into a patient’s home to be informed about this population. Faye also finds the time to volunteer as an emergency mental health technician for Hatzolah Volunteer Ambulance Corps, which offers critical assistance to the Jewish community.

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