NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver discussed his personal and professional journey, his current position of  overseeing nearly 30,000 acres of  parkland, and his vision for New York.

Adrian Benepe, Senior Vice President and Director of National Programs for the Trust for Public Land, and former commissioner of the NYC Parks Department, presented on public­ private partnerships as a means to revive parks and communities in cities. Chris Levendos, Vice President of Network Engineering and Operations at Crown Castle, followed with a presentation [...]

For this installment of the ABNY University series, Michael Aaron McKenna Miller, Senior Advisor at Assemble, political consultant, and digital marketing expert, outlined successful campaign strategies as applied to political and grassroots lobbying campaigns.

ABNY hosted a lively discussion between Young Professionals (YPs) who debated the merits and drawbacks of the Amazon HQ2 deal in Long Island City. Group discussions were facilitated by experts Maria Doulis, Citizens Budget Commission; Purnima Kapur, formerly of the Department of City Planning (DCP); Regina Myer, Downtown Brooklyn Partnership; Sarni Nairn, Lyft; and Matthew [...]

The YPs joined Frances Bronet, President of Pratt Institute, at the Manhattan campus where she discussed her career, Pratt's mission and current initiatives, and her insight into civic engagement and leadership.

Jeff Barker, Metro Segment Executive and New York State President for Bank of America, shared his journey to his current role and provided the YPs with insight into life at Bank of America.

YPs were invited to join David Van Zandt, President of the New School, to discuss the university's distinctive vision to use its 100-year legacy of "new" to respond to dramatic shifts in the education landscape.

Director of DCP and Chair of the City Planning Commission Marisa Lago held a candid conversation on her career path and experience as the City Planning Commission Chair.

Real estate developer Harry Macklowe offered ABNY YPs the unique opportunity to view and to discuss his proposal for a new building which would be the tallest in Midtown Manhattan.

Patrick Orecki of the Citizens Budget Commission provided an analysis of the New York State budget process and an update on the fiscal year 2020 budget.

Council Member Powers discussed his path to public service and his legislative vision for New York City and his district compromising the East Side and Midtown Manhattan

In honor of Earth Day, YPs worked with Hudson River Park Friends Green Team to participate in gardening and maintenance projects. Volunteers engaged in a team­ building activity to connect to the park and nearby communities.

YPs gathered to watch the Netflix documentary, Knock Down the House, featuring four women running for Congress in the 2018 elections. Viewers then participated in a lively discussion after the film.

Jessica Yager, former Executive Director of NYU's Furman Center and current Vice President of Policy and Planning at Women In Need, led an informational discussion regarding State rent regulations and proposals to change current laws.

Generation Citizen hosted "Civics Day " where students from public high schools citywide presented their action projects to YPs and other community leaders.

YPs participated in a guided debate on proposals to change the current NYC specialized high schools admissions policy. Small group discussions were facilitated by Micah Lasher, Sidewalk Labs; Jeanette Moy, Public Health Solutions; Gitte Peng, Queens Public Library; and Dennis Walcott, Queens Public Library.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Dfaz Jr. spoke about his path into office, vision for the Bronx, and his plans for making that vision a reality.

YPs participated in the Hudson River Park Games, a day celebrating sports and supporting the park.

State Senator Andrew Gounardes joined YPs to discuss his journey to elected office and the significant legislation he worked to pass in 2019.

Bradley Tusk joined YPs to discuss his career path, approach to political change, and the evolving political landscape in New York City.

Moses Gates, Vice President for Housing and Neighborhood Planning at RPA and Angela Pinsky, Executive Director at ABNY, talked about the recent legislative changes to rent regulations and implications for New Yorkers.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York invited YPs on an exclusive tour to learn more about the bank's roles and responsibilities in the public and private sectors and to catch a glimpse of the world's largest accumulation of gold.

The YPs toured the Brooklyn Grange Rooftop Farm and spoke with Gwen Schantz, Co­ Founder and Chief Creative Officer, about the farm's development and how to promote sustainable living and local ecology through food, education, and events.

Governors Island's Vice President of Public Affairs, Sarah Krautheim, and Director of Operations Planning and Sustainability, Mollie McGinnis, led a tour of the one-time military base. They shared the island's history, from its transformation into one of NYC's top summer destinations to its plan to keep the island open year round.

NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) Commissioner Gregg Bishop discussed his experiences in government, the path to his current position, and some of SBS's ongoing initiatives.

First Deputy Comptroller Alaina Gilligo provided an inside look at the Comptroller's office. She explained how the office safeguards the city's fiscal health, roots out waste, fraud, and abuse in local governments, and ensures that municipal agencies serve the needs of all New Yorkers.

Commissioner of the Administration for Children's Services (ACS), David A. Hansell, outlined the functions of ACS and the efforts to bring the child welfare system into the 21st Century.

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of L&L MAG MaryAnne Gilmartin discussed her career path, her high-profile real estate projects, and her vision for NYC development.