Following college, my vocational aspiration was to become a writer and I wrote journals and poems for a year while taking graduate courses in literature and working in restaurants. Mingling with the desire to write, however, was another toward service, which percolated increasingly — though I was unclear about how to translate that feeling into employment.
Then I found myself with an opportunity for a temporary position as a communications officer for NYC Parks, which evolved into other positions at the agency, and then led to a public relations role at Queens Library.
Over this period, I also became newly interested in government and politics and drawn to be more deeply in contact with communities — and I entered Americorps as an advocate and organizer in Wyoming for adult literacy programs.
After that experience, I returned to NYC determined to engage intensively in community-based service — and I discovered the wealth of the nonprofit sector.
Over the next 15 years, I was fortunate to fill a variety of positions at Brooklyn Community Services, UJA-Federation of NY, the 14th Street Y and Educational Alliance — with focuses on management, strategic planning, advocacy and fundraising, during which time I also gained a grasp on all aspects of nonprofit organizations.
In 2010 I offered myself as a consultant to the sector and I have since been glad to partner with numerous high-performing organizations on an array of vital projects — such as advocacy campaigns on behalf of sexually exploited youth, after-school programs and services preventing high school dropout; capital campaigns contributing to multi-million dollar efforts to improve nonprofit facilities; strategic planning resulting in clarity of purpose, articulation of vision and ambitious plans ahead; and fundraising initiatives focused on Board development, major gifts and sizable foundation grants.
Over these last years, I also re-discovered my energy for writing, and I have integrated that into my practice, both as a service to nonprofits as well as for my personal expression — in the forms of essays and poems.
I live in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, with my wife Jean, an art therapist, and our three daughters, Leah, Naomi and Simone. Outside of family, work and friends, my main interests and avocations are politics, spirituality and sports — especially tennis. My retirement plan (or fantasy?) is to join the Senior Tennis tour!