Year-long program prepares senior business executives for civic leadership
Today the Partnership for New York City announced the 2024 class of David Rockefeller Fellows, an immersive one-year program in which business executives learn how decisions are made, services are 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-six senior executives from diverse industries. Since the program was established in 1989, nearly 600 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.
“New York has always attracted the best and brightest minds, and there’s no better example than the 2024 class of David Rockefeller Fellows,” said Kathryn Wylde, President and CEO of the Partnership for New York City. “These thirty-six engaged and civic-minded business leaders will use the skills and connections they acquire as a David Rockefeller Fellow to create a positive impact on our city. I look forward to seeing what they achieve in the years to come.”
“The David Rockefeller Fellows has reinforced the notion that active civic engagement is not just a choice but a responsibility,” said Evan Kaufman, Director at KKR and 2023 Fellow. “My participation has shown me the importance of staying informed and actively participating alongside our elected and appointed officials to bring about positive change in the communities we call home.”
“The David Rockefeller Fellows was an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience that helped me, and my fellow leaders understand the challenges New York City faces and the various perspectives needed to solve them,” said Michele O’Connell, Senior Vice President of Customer Operations for Con Edison and 2023 Fellow.
The 2024 class includes:
- Ravi Agarwal, Partner, Kirkland & Ellis LLP
- Nadeen Ayala, Chief Culture & Communications Officer, ABM Industries Inc.
- Kara Barnett, Managing Director, Head of General Atlantic Foundation, General Atlantic LLC
- Kristen Bitterly, Head of Investments, Citi Global Wealth, Citi
- Japhet Boutin, Senior Vice President, Head of ZNA Technical Claims, Zurich Insurance Group Ltd
- Anne Brennan, Chief Risk Officer, Neuberger Berman
- Gabrielle Brussel, Chief Development Officer, Cities, JCDecaux North America
- Aaron Choo, Vice President Gas Field Operations, National Grid
- Sarah Davidoff, Partner, Ropes & Gray LLP
- Christina DeLay, Head of Small Business Banking & Corporate Social Responsibility, Santander US
- Sarah DeWitt, Head of Investor Relations, Corporate Financial Planning & Analysis, Marsh McLennan
- Priscilla Fasoro, Partner, Covington & Burling LLP
- Marisa Gadlin, Senior Vice President, Asset Management, Core Holdings, Rockefeller Group International, Inc.
- Jason R. Goldman, Attorney, The Law Offices of Jason Goldman
- Abbe Goldstein, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations, The Travelers Companies, Inc.
- Claire James, Partner, Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
- Xiao Linda Liu, Partner, McKinsey & Company, Inc.
- Jennifer Lopez, Vice President of Product Management, Venture Partner, Capital One
- Lisa Luk, Chief of Staff to CEO, Equitable
- Jennifer Manchester, Chief Human Resources Officer, Fiserv
- Candice Meth, Partner, Eisner Advisory Group LLC
- Amy Miller, Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel & Secretary, New York Life Insurance Company
- Gregory Nehro, General Counsel, Americas, BNY Mellon
- Andrew Rosen, Chief Operating Officer of Hudson Yards and Executive Vice President, The Related Companies, L.P.
- Melissa Rothchild, Head of Marketing, Group Benefits, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America
- Yesenia Scheker, New York Office Managing Partner, KPMG LLP
- Michael Schnitt, Executive Vice President, Vornado Realty Trust
- David Sokoler, Portfolio Manager, Standard Investments, Standard Industries Inc.
- Alysia Steinmann, Metro New York Office Managing Partner, EY
- Bianca Stoica, Director, Silver Lake
- Fara Tabatabai, Partner, Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP
- Anthony Thompson, Market President, NY, Yuvo Health
- Conor Tochilin, Senior Managing Director, Centerbridge Partners
- Craig Waldman, Partner, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
- Angela Wasunna, Vice President and Chief Counsel Corporate Affairs, Policy and Privacy, Pfizer Inc.
- Jessie Zhu, Head of Investments and Wealth Solutions, HSBC Bank USA
About the Partnership for New York City
The Partnership for New York City represents the city’s business leaders and largest employers. We work with government, labor, and the nonprofit sector to promote economic growth and maintain the city’s prominence as a global center of economic opportunity, upward mobility, and innovation. The Partnership Fund for New York City contributes directly to projects that create jobs, improve economically distressed communities, and stimulate new business creation. Visit pfnyc.org to learn more.