Directors and Officers

Friends of Elizabeth Street Garden

On Aug. 20, 2014, Friends of Elizabeth Street Garden Inc. filed its nonprofit Certificate of Incorporation with New York State and on Oct. 24, 2014, received federal tax-exempt 501(c)(3) determination from the IRS.

Read Friends of Elizabeth Street Garden Inc. bylaws.

Directors

The board of directors comprises five voting members and one nonvoting ex officio member from Manhattan’s Community Board 2:

Kent Barwick, Chairman

  • President emeritus of The Municipal Art Society of New York, having served as president from 1984 to 1995 and 1999 to 2009, and as executive director from 1969 to 1976.
  • Former president of the New York State Historical Association from 1995 to 1997 and vice chairman from 1993 to 1995.
  • Former chairman of New York City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission from 1978 to 1983.
  • Former executive director of New York State Council on the Arts.
  • Served on the boards of Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, Governor’s Island Conservancy, South Street Seaport Museum, The Park Avenue Armory, Saint-Gaudens Memorial (National Park), Parks & Trails New York , the Waterfront Alliance and the Erie Canal National Heritage Fund.
  • Long-time resident of Little Italy.

Aaron Booher

  • Principal at Future Green Studio and member of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
  • Landscape designer of the national award-winning Brooklyn Botanic Garden Visitor Center, New York Times Building Lobby Garden and numerous residential and commercial developments.
  • NYC Parks super steward.
  • Member-at-Large of Sixth Street and Avenue B Community Garden.
  • Initial organizer of efforts to preserve Elizabeth Street Garden.
  • Resident of Elizabeth Street for 19 years.

Emily Hellstrom

  • Fundraising, volunteer organizing and educational programming leads for Elizabeth Street Garden since 2013.
  • Vice President, SoHo Broadway Initiative.
  • Elected member of Community Education Council for District 2.
  • Executive board member and co-president of PTA for P.S. 343, Peck Slip School.
  • Former professional fundraiser and deputy finance director for John Kerry for President  N.J. Office; finance chair for Jon Corzine for Governor; and development director for Shine Global, a nonprofit dedicated to transforming children’s lives through film.
  • Producer, creator and performer from 1999 – 2005 with Project 400’s The Donkey Show: A Midsummer Night’s Disco, an Off-Broadway theatrical adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
  • Resident of downtown Manhattan for 21 years.

Jeannine Kiely

  • Member of Manhattan’s Community Board 2 and its executive committee, serving as chair of Schools and Education Committee and member of Parks and Waterfront Committee.
  • Founding board member of Green Below 14, which improves parks, playgrounds and open spaces in Manhattan below 14th Street.
  • Former director in the Health Care and Higher Education Group at Citigroup.
  • Initial organizer of efforts to preserve Elizabeth Street Garden.
  • Resident of downtown Manhattan for 22 years.

Eunice Lee

  • Designer and founder of UNIS New York, a contemporary menswear company founded in 2000 with first retail store on Elizabeth Street and second retail location in Los Angeles.
  • 2010 Nominee for the GQ/CFDA Men’s Fashion Designer of the Year award – the first woman to have been recognized for the honor.
  • Co-Founder of Elizabeth Street Block Association.
  • Member of the NY Creative Collective, a group of New York City women in creative industries that value teamwork, peer support and philanthropy.
  • Initial organizer of efforts to preserve Elizabeth Street Garden.
  • Native New Yorker, long-time resident of Elizabeth Street and resident of Little Italy for 20 years.

Terri Cude, Member of Manhattan’s Community Board 2, Ex Officio

  • Chair, Manhattan’s Community Board 2.
  • District leader, 66th Assembly District, Part B.
  • Long-time volunteer advocate for local community and parks and organizer of many free park and neighborhood events.
  • Volunteer at Elizabeth Street Garden since 2013.
  • Former PR coordinator for a nationwide nonprofit organization.

Officers

President | Jeannine Kiely

Secretary | Aaron Booher

Treasurer | John Benscoter