Incoming
Executive Director
Michael G. Johnson will join Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation as Executive Director on February 2, 2026, bringing more than 25 years of leadership experience across community development, corporate philanthropy, public administration, and human services. He succeeds longtime Executive Director Michelle Neugebauer, whose more than 40 years of leadership shaped CHLDC into one of New York City’s most impactful community-based organizations.
Most recently, Michael served as President & CEO of Harlem Educational Activities Fund (HEAF), where he set organizational vision and led the execution of programs supporting college access and career pathways for students from underserved communities across New York City. Under his leadership, HEAF successfully navigated the post-pandemic landscape, strengthening partnerships, sustaining funding, and expanding services to support more than 600 students annually. He guided the organization through a period of significant transition, preserving its cornerstone after-school curriculum while expanding direct college and career counseling services to partner high schools across Brooklyn, Harlem, and the Bronx.
Throughout his career, Michael has built and led high-impact initiatives that advance economic opportunity, educational equity, and neighborhood stability. Prior to HEAF, he served as Director of Community Life at The Community Builders, where he oversaw a place-based community development model focused on affordable housing, resident engagement, and neighborhood partnerships as platforms for long-term success.
Michael also served as Vice President of Global Philanthropy at JPMorgan Chase & Co., where he led the Community Development portfolio for the New York Metropolitan area and contributed to a national portfolio supporting data-driven, place-based investment strategies through PRO Neighborhoods. Through the JPMorgan Chase Foundation, he supported nonprofit partners across more than 40 countries, helping to deploy over $220 million annually in philanthropic resources.
Earlier in his career, Michael held senior leadership roles in public service, including Chief of Staff to the General Manager and Director of Customer Operations at the New York City Housing Authority. He has worked across four city administrations in New York and New Jersey, bringing deep experience navigating local government systems while advancing initiatives that improve quality of life, expand economic opportunity, and strengthen outcomes for children and families.
Michael’s leadership is grounded in humility, collaboration, and a steadfast belief in community-led change. His lifelong commitment to advancing equity has earned him national recognition, including the prestigious MIT Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award for exceptional service to communities of color.
“I am honored to be joining Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation and to build on its deep roots in East New York,” said Michael G. Johnson. “CHLDC’s commitment to residents, families, and community-driven solutions is inspiring, and I look forward to listening, learning, and working alongside the community to continue advancing opportunity, stability, and equity.”
Michael holds a Master in City Planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a Master of Arts in Political Science from the CUNY Graduate Center, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia. A lifelong Brooklynite, he resides in Bedford-Stuyvesant with his wife and three children.
Read the full press release to learn more about this leadership transition. [Read More]