Dr. Jeremiah Barondess, who helped establish the New York Academy of Medicine as an acclaimed center of urban health policy, has announced plans to retire. During his 15-year tenure as the Academy’s president, Barondess launched a host of innovative research and education initiatives, including the Center for Urban Epidemiological Studies, the Academy’s Division of Public Health and the Doctors Against Handgun Injury Coalition. Barondess will remain at the Academy until October 2006, or until a new president is appointed, after which he will continue consulting for the Academy.
Michael Bosnick has joined the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) after nearly a decade with the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). As assistant commissioner of HPD’s Division of Anti-Abandonment, Bosnick helped coordinate the city’s efforts to launch a landmark anti-predatory lending program earlier this fall. According to HPD, he also strengthened the agency’s enforcement capabilities by helping to develop a building-wide inspection policy. In his new capacity as ACS’ deputy commissioner of policy and planning, Bosnick will oversee the agency’s research arm as well as the Office of Child and Family Health. He replaces Jennifer Jones Austin, who is now deputy commissioner for ACS communications and government affairs.
In early November, Micaela Birmingham became director of planning at New Yorkers for Parks (NY4P), an organization that promotes and protects the city’s parkland. Birmingham, a recipient of the American Planning Association’s distinguished award for innovative leadership, will analyze new, proposed, and existing developments and their implications for open space throughout the five boroughs. Prior to joining NY4P as the first director of planning, Birmingham led several initiatives during her four-year tenure as director of the Municipal Art Society’s Planning Center. These projects include the creation of the Community Information Technology Initiative, a web-based resource that provides data and maps on the city’s land use. Eve Baron is currently serving as acting director of the Planning Center.
In October, Vivienne Brown-O’Neil was named director of volunteer programs for Citymeals-On-Wheels, a nonprofit organization that last year provided 2.3 million meals to 17,000 homebound elderly residents. The organization relies on a network of over 1,000 volunteers to deliver meals and offer emotional support to frail New Yorkers. Brown-O’Neil brings a decade of experience to the position, most recently as recruitment coordinator at God’s Love We Deliver, a local nonprofit that provides meals to persons living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other illnesses. Brown-O’Neil replaces Leora Jontef, who left after four years with Citymeals-on-Wheels to pursue work in affordable housing.
The Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies (FPWA), a coalition of over 300 agencies and churches that collectively serve two million New Yorkers each year, has promoted Cynthia Jay to the newly formed position of managing director. Jay will be responsible for outreach and marketing strategies, as well as developing new initiatives to address the needs of the Federation’s diverse membership. Jay first joined FPWA in 2003 as director of communications and marketing and a member of the executive management team.
The City Comptroller’s Office of Policy Management welcomed the arrival of Glenn von Nostitz as its new director last month. Von Nostitz will be responsible for overseeing the office’s key functions, which include research and analysis on issues including health, housing, education and the environment, as well as the formulation of policy options for the comptroller. A lawyer by training, von Nostitz has 25 years of experience in public policy, notably as deputy public advocate for research and investigations under Mark Greene from 1994 until 2001, and as counsel to State Senator Franz Leichter. Most recently, von Nostitz served as senior policy advisor to the New York State Trial Lawyers Association. He replaces Sarah Key, who left for the private sector following five years in the comptroller’s office.
