With a deep connection to the community, Michael's journey with Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation (CHLDC) began in 1994 when he became a youth program participant. From there, he became a staff member and later in 2007, a board member. Since then, he has dedicated over 15 years to serving as a valued board member, contributing his expertise and commitment to CHLDC's mission of community development. Currently, as a Project Director at Equus Workforce Solutions, Michael has been driving successful initiatives and delivering impactful results for some of the city’s most vulnerable residents.

Harold is a longtime resident of Cypress Hills. He is retired from a career in education and social services, and his most recent position was as a special education teacher for the NYC Department of Education. He has a bachelor’s degree from Queens College and a master’s degree from New York University. Harold joined the board in 1999.

Marisol is a Cypress Hills resident and a special education teacher at PS 202. She joined the board in 2004 and serves as the Vice President.

Sylvia is a longtime Cypress Hills resident, and she joined the board in 1995. She is retired from a career in education, most recently as a District Administrator for the New York City Department of Education.

Florence grew up in East New York, and she joined the CHLDC board in 2011. She is a senior tax accountant at Mitchell & Titus, LLP, where she works on multi-billion dollar hedge funds in ensuring compliance with Federal Law, tax planning, and researching tax consequences for possible investments around the world.

Melodye is a Cypress Hills resident. She is an audit and compliance coordinator at City University of New York, and she joined the board in 2012.

Sarita Daftary was a board member of United Community Centers from 2015 - 2024, and the former director of the East New York Farms! project (from 2007-2013). She has been a resident of Community Board 5 since 2017. Sarita now works in organizing, as the Co-Director of Freedom Agenda, a project of the Urban Justice Center focused on member-led advocacy for transformation of the criminal justice system. In recent years, Sarita has supported the organizing efforts of the Coalition for Community Advancement and the East New York Community Land Trust.

R.D. is an architect with his own firm, Framework Architecture.  He has experience in the design and construction of small and large-scale building projects and has taught architectural studio at Columbia University.  He joined the Board in 2014.

Kelleen Kiely is a Portfolio Manager at Douglas C. Lane & Associates and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. Kelleen has served as Treasurer for United Community Centers since 2019. Following our merger UCC, Kelleen joined the CHLDC board in 2024. 

Michael Golan joined UCC as a youth member many years ago and has been a member of the UCC Board for more than 10 years. Michael was previously a board member in charge of Camp Hurly, an overnight camp once owned by the United Community Centers, and was the director of Puppet Theater, part of a program that brought children's entertainment to Public Schools on weekends in East New York. As a board member, Michael has made annual contributions to the United Community Centers above Cypress Hills required amount and has additionally obtained approved excess supplies and loaned equipment from Brooklyn College  and Teachers College. His College Degree is from Herbert H. Lehman College CUNY in Urban Studies. Graduate Studies at Columbia University in Urban Planning. In the past, Michael lived in Community Board 5 in Starrett City and Fairfield Towers but at present does not.

Aidan Lanigan was born in Ireland and graduated from University College Dublin with a Bachelor of Business and Legal Studies and a Masters in Financial Services. Mr. Lanigan has worked in the Financial Services industry since 1999. Mr. Lanigan moved to New York in 2001 with Allied Irish Banks, plc and worked in their Energy and Real Estate Groups. Mr. Lanigan moved to Santander Bank, N.A, in August 2011, where he has held various roles in their Commercial Banking Energy Group, Work-Out Department, and he is currently responsible for their Structured Finance Risk Management within Santander’s Corporate & Investment Banking division, which includes credit risk management responsibility for Santander’s North America Renewables business (wind and solar development). Mr. Lanigan is married and has lived in the East River Housing Co-ops in the Lower East Side since 2006.

Crystal Lopez joined the board in March 2025, bringing expertise in digital asset management (DAM) and knowledge strategy. With a background in visual media and information management, she has optimized digital ecosystems for major agencies and global brands. Crystal holds a Bachelor's Degree in Photography from the Art Institute of Philadelphia and a Master of Science in Library and Information Science from St. John's University. Her career began at the Brooklyn Museum, where she developed a passion for digital preservation and metadata management. She has since implemented enterprise DAM solutions for companies like Walgreens, Conagra Brands, Philips, and UPS, working with agencies such as VML, Hogarth Worldwide, and Ogilvy. Currently, as Knowledge Manager at MediaLink, Crystal leads the development of "InfoLink," the company’s central knowledge repository, enhancing content accessibility and AI-driven knowledge management. Her expertise in digital strategy and process optimization makes her a valuable asset to the board.

Mirian was an investment banker at JPMorgan Chase for several years, and she became Vice President of Credit Risk Management. She is now a full time stay-at-home mom. A long-time Cypress Hills resident, she joined the board in 2010.

Nick Russo is a long-time real estate finance professional who works in J.P. Morgan’s Corporate Client Banking and Specialized Industries Real Estate Group. Nick is a 15 year resident of New York City who joined the board in 2018.

Alexis is a former Cypress Hills resident. She is an Assistant Vice President for Member Services at Healthfirst. She joined the board in 2011.

Amory is a former long-time resident of Cypress Hills, whose parents and daughter still live in the neighborhood. He is the Senior Director at Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits, and, along with his wife, Alexis, he joined the board in 2011.

George Torres is an award-winning bilingual social media strategist and consultant whose portfolio includes Sofrito Media Group, Radio Capicu, and Capicu Poetry and Cultural Showcase. Most recently, he is part of the co-founding team for Capicu School of Poetic Arts which brings low-cost arts education to underserved communities. He lives in Brooklyn and joined the CHLDC Board in 2016.

Nnamdi is a Treasury Management Officers at J.P Morgan, with a focus on Real Estate companies, and he has been in the banking industry for 13 years. He is a resident of Queens and enjoys serving his community in different ways. He was first exposed to Cypress Hills in 2016 through the College Success Program, and he kept up with the organization since then. Nnamdi joined the board in 2024.