Year-long program prepares senior business executives for civic leadership
Today the Partnership for New York City announced the 2023 class of David Rockefeller Fellows, an immersive one-year program in which business executives learn how decisions are made, services delivered, and power is exercised in the nation’s largest and most complex city. The program was established as a tribute to the late David Rockefeller, the founder of the Partnership who inspired generations of business leaders to become engaged in civic life.
This class includes thirty senior executives from diverse industries. Since the program was established in 1988, nearly 500 executives have participated, many of whom have gone on to public and nonprofit service in the city, as well as C-suite positions in global corporations. The program features candid conversations with elected officials, commissioners of government agencies, heads of nonprofit institutions, and public policy experts.
“The goal of this program is to give New York’s business leaders a deeper understanding of what makes our city run, such as the MTA, Con Edison, the City Council and mayoral agencies,” said Kathryn Wylde, President and CEO of the Partnership for New York City. “Fellows who complete this program go on to be more engaged New Yorkers and a great source of civic knowledge for their industries.”
“The David Rockefeller Fellows program was truly one of the highlights of my professional career. Partnerships between the public and private sector have never been more important, and to have the opportunity to learn more about the issues facing our government, as well as to meet other corporate executives across the city, was an invaluable experience. I’d like to congratulate the incoming class of fellows as they embark on an incredible year of learning more about what it takes to manage the greatest city in the world,” said Yolanda Lyle, Vice President, Executive Operations and Chief of Staff to the CEO, Pfizer, and member of the Class of 2022.
The 2023 class includes:
David Beller, Partner, Latham & Watkins LLP
Lisa Bevacqua, Executive Vice President, Head of Asset Management, Silverstein Properties
Janice Brunner, Group General Counsel & Head of Civic Engagement, The Travelers Companies, Inc.
Kerrie Cohen, Head of Communications and Marketing, Warburg Pincus LLC
Seth Drucker, Partner, PwC
Kris Ferranti, Partner, Shearman & Sterling, LLP
Eric Gyasi, Vice President, Engagement Management, Aon plc
David Heller, Senior Managing Director, Capital Markets Group, Savills Inc.
Ripan Kadakia, Partner, ZMC
Evan Kaufman, Director, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.
EB Kelly, Senior Managing Director, Head of Rockefeller Center, Tishman Speyer
Evan Layne, Vice Chairman and Co-Head of New York Capital Markets, Newmark
Eric Lee, General Partner, Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe
Abena Mainoo, Partner, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
Eli Nagler, Senior Managing Director, Blackstone
Michele O’Connell, Senior Vice President, Customer Operations, Con Edison
Drew O’Connor, Senior Managing Director, Cushman & Wakefield, Inc.
James Ossman, Vice President, Etsy, Inc.
Laura Peterson, New York Metro Office Managing Director; Northeast Lead: Communications, Media, & Technology, Accenture
Kate Pilcher Ciafone, Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of Investment Banking, Moelis & Company
Marie Rodland-Allen, Senior Vice President, Deputy Chief People Officer, First Republic Bank
Jessica Scaperotti, Chief Communications Officer, Fairstead
Spencer Schrage, Global Consulting Partner and Growth Officer, Ogilvy
Harrison Sitomer, Chief Investment Officer, SL Green Realty Corp.
Thalia Smith, Audit & Assurance Partner, Deloitte
Yolanda Stancil, Region President Wireline Network Operations-New York Metro, Verizon Communications, Inc.
Chad Wallace, Executive Vice President, Commercial Solutions, Mastercard
Seth Wolfe, Principal & New York Office Leader, Arup
Jesse Yeo, Senior Deputy General Counsel & Executive Vice President, Advance
