Community Outreach & Engagement

Community Advisory & Stakeholder Board (CASB)

The Community Advisory and Stakeholder Board (CASB) is co-facilitated by the Center and the Center’s lead community partner, WE ACT for Environmental Justice. The CASB is comprised of active non-profit groups in Northern Manhattan, the South Bronx, and New York City. Our bi-directional community-academic partnership is developed through regular board meetings and communications about community outreach and translation initiatives. 

Agency  Name & Title Email
 WE ACT for Environmental Justice Peggy Shephard, Executive Director peggy@weact.org 
A.I.R. Harlem Shoshanah Brown, MS, MBA, Executive Director sbrown@air-nyc.org
Association to Benefit Children Echo Park Annie Hartenstein, MA,Financial Department ahartenstein@a-b-c.org 
Autism Science Foundation Alycia Halladay, PhD, Director of Environmental Research ahalladay@autismsciencefoundation.org 
BioBus Francesca Anselmi, Ph.D., Chief Scientist francesca@biobus.org
Bio-Bus Christine Marizzi, Scientist christine@biobus.org 
Bronx Borough President's Office Melissa Cebollero, Director of Health and Human Services  
Cardinal McCloskey Community Services- Early Childhood Education Division Alexander Martinez, Community Outreach & Recruitment Manager; Early Head Start Prgs;Gilda Morales, EHS ERSEA Manager alexandermartinez@cmcs.org gmoralesaleman@cmcs.org 
Civic Engagement Commission, CEC, New York City

Anthony Carrion,  Community Engagemement Specialist

 ancarrion@civicengagement.nyc.gov 

Children's aid Society Salome Urena Campus (MS 322) Lidia Aguasanta, Parent & Famly Coordinator lidiaA@childrensaidnyc.org 
Teen Enfranchisement Now / Author Alfred (Al) H. Kurland

akurland.280@outlook.com 

CU College of Dental Medicine Gricelidys (Lily) Santos, Director, Clinical Operations gs2399@cumc.columbia.edu
CU School of Nursing Heidi B. Hahn-Schroeder, DNP, RN,Director MDE Program, Director MS in Advanced Clinical Management & Leadership, Assistant Professor of Nursing at CUMC hh196@cumc.columbia.edu
CUMC Govt & Community Affairs Community Affairs Associate je2564@cumc.columbia.edu
Dominican Women's Development Center (DWDC) Victoria Martinez, Program Director, Healthy Families Washington Heights vmartinez@dwdc.org
Dominican Women's Development Center (DWDC) Rosita Romero, Executive Director, Dominican Women's Development Center rromero@dwdc.org 
El NIDO XXXX, Parent Coordinator Program @nidodeesperanzanyc.org
Fresh Youth Initiative Susan González, MA. ATR. MS Ed, Deputy Director of Institutional Growth sgonzalez@freshyouth.org
Futures Ignite Genesis Abreu, Youth Environmental Leadership Program Manager g.abreu@wheelsnyc.org 
Gregorio Luperon High School Marcia Tejada, Family Coordinator MTejada16@schools.nyc.gov
Heckscher Scholars Program Giselle Robledo, Associate Director grobledo@heckscherfoundation.org 
Hispanic Federation Luisa, Espinales, Health Programs Coordinator mestevez@hispanicfederation.org
Hispanic Federation Bethsy Morales-Reid, Senior Director for Health Initiatives bmorales@hispanicfederation.org
Horace Mann Natalie Sanchez, Associate Director, Center for Community Values and Action natalie_sanchez@horacemann.org
Inwood Academy for Leadership (5-12 Public Charter School) President of the Parent Council pichardocristina@hotmail.com
Irving Institute for Clinical & Translational Research Alejandra Aguirre, Program Coordinator Columbia Community Partnerships for Health   ana2104@cumc.columbia.edu
IS 143 NYC Public Schools Cecilia Anglero, Parent Coordinator IS 143 canglero@schools.nyc.gov
Leave It Better Briana Black, Director briana@leaveitbetter.com 
Mailman School of Public Health Ana Jimenez-Bautista, Director of Field Practice, Mailman School of Public Health aj2168@cumc.columbia.edu
Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Center for Children's Environmental Health Anabel Cole, MS, MPH, Officer of Research / COTC Youth Council Coordinator ac3580@cumc.columbia.edu
Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Center for Children's Environmental Health Diurka Diaz, MA, Sr. Officer of Research, Mothers and Newborns Study dd355@cumc.columbia.edu 
Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Center for Children's Environmental Health Rachel Gil, CCCEH Youth Council  Instagram Handle: @ehj_advocates 
Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Center for Children's Environmental Health Julie Herbstman, PhD,Director, Columbia University Center for Children's Environmental Health jh2678@cumc.columbia.edu 
Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Center for Children's Environmental Health Diana Hernández, Ph.D.CCCEH COTC Director, Assistant Professor of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health dh2494@cumc.columbia.edu
Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Center for Children's Environmental Health Maricela Ureño, MPH, CCCEH COTC Coordinator mu3@cumc.columbia.edu
Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Center for Children's Environmental Health Quincy Wise, CCCEH Youth Council Intern Instagram Handle: @ehj_advocates 
Moms Clean Air Force Almeta E. Cooper, National Manager for Health Equity 

acooper@momscleanairforce.org 

New York -Presbyterian Hospital WIC Program Nalini Charles, MPH, CLC, Director nac9026@nyp.org
New York Presbyterian WIC Program   Claudia Batista, Breast Feeding Program Coordinator-New York Presbyterian WIC Program clb9029@nyp.org
New York Public Library Ramon (Ray), DaSilva, Librarian  
New York Public Library Tim Forbes, Librarian timothyforbes@nypl.org 
New York Public Library Danita Nichols, Library Manager danitanichols@nypl.org
New York Public Library Isaiah Pittman, Librarian isaiahpittman@nypl.org 
Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation Maria Lizardo, Executive Director marializardo@nmic.org 
Nos Quedamos Jessica Clemente, Chief Executive Officer  
NYC DOHMH Carolyn (Cari) Olson, MPH, Assistant Commissioner, Bureau of Environmental Surveillance & Policy, NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene colson@health.nyc.gov
     
NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene Cheyenne Morillo. MPH| Covid-19 Community Engagement & Planning Advisor, Center for Equity and Community Wellness, East Harlem Neighborhood Action Center

cmorillo@health.nyc.gov 

NYP Lang Youth  Isabelle Elton, Program Manager ise9007@nyp.org
Police Athletic League, PAL, Armory Washington HTS Ramon Spence, Director rspence@palnyc.org
Senior Consultant Strategic Planning, NYSTEC Teodora Evtimova, MBA evtimovateo1@gmail.com
Roy & Diana Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons Asylum Clinic, Columbia Human Rights Initiative Sana Alas, M.D. Candidate 2023, Director sa3787@cumc.columbia.edu
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2 Christine Ash, Environmental Justice Coordinator  
Uptown HUB Richard Lopez, Program Manager ril9050@nyp.org
Urban Health Plan, Inc. Joan Casado, JD, Chief Compliance Officer  
US Environmental Protection Agency Region 2 Rebecca Ofrane, Children's Environmental Health and Science Coordinator  
WE ACT Chris Dobens, Director of Communications chris@weact.org
Yeshiva University College EDge Jeremy Purow,  College EDge Board, Co-President jipurow@mail.yu.edu 

Partnering Agencies and Friends of the Center​

Partnering Agencies

The Friends of CCCEH

The Members of the Friends of CCCEH represent affiliated interests in scientific, environmental, and health advocacy. These individuals will provide substantive guidance and support to the Center for Children’s Environmental Health in a number of ways:

  • Highlighting the importance of continuing epidemiologic environmental research in identifying and preventing respiratory disease, neurological impairment, and developmental delays in children.

  • Reinforcing the work of the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health and its impact on the lives of children and families.

  • Establishing a program of support for the work of the Center.

  • Inspiring additional members to join the efforts of the Friends of CCCEH.

The Friends of CCCEH will meet at least once a year. In addition, each member will be asked to either volunteer personally or arrange through their contacts one or more of the following:

  • Providing strategic, political, and communications advice. This advice may include helping the Center reach community groups, the public at large, public interest groups, and policymakers with research results that can inform both individual behaviors and legislative action to improve environmental health in families’ homes and the larger community.

  • Assisting to organize events that will bring the Center’s research and critical health data to communities throughout New York City, and increasing awareness of environmental health risks to new audiences.

  • Advocating for the Center by making introductions to new friends, as well as new sources of funding.