Dan Garodnick is the President and CEO of the Riverside Park Conservancy, a not-for profit organization advocating for a six mile park on Manhattan's West Side. As a 12-year Member of the New York City Council Dan Garodnick was known as one of New York's most independent voices and effective legislators. The City Council unanimously passed his bill that will relieve more than 2,700 small businesses in Manhattan from paying the onerous commercial rent tax. He was also the lead negotiator in crafting a plan that will deliver nearly a billion dollars to improve subways and public spaces in Midtown over the next 20 years, through the East Midtown and Vanderbilt Corridor rezonings. Dan is a fierce tenant advocate and, in 2015, negotiated the largest affordable housing preservation deal in New York City’s history -- 5,000 middle class housing units in Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village.

Meredith Kane is Co-Chair of the Real Estate Department for the law firm Paul Weiss and two-term member of the firm’s Management Committee. Ms. Kane is a member of the Board of Governors of the Real Estate Board of New York. She served as a commissioner of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission from 1995 to 2004. She was a member of the World Trade Center Memorial Center Advisory Committee. She was a lead official from 1985-87 of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development in charge of the development of 8,000 new housing units, and a City Planning official for the City of New Haven from 1977-79 in charge of mixed-use retail and commercial districts. Ms. Kane represented the Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village Tenants Association in the ownership and debt restructuring of the 11,000-unit residential complex.

James Patchett is the President and CEO of New York City Economic Development Corporation. He has spent his career building stronger cities through investments in affordable housing, innovation, and 21st century infrastructure. In his current role overseeing job growth and economic development for the City of New York, James taps into his deep experience in real estate, finance, government, and urban planning. During his tenure, he has overseen some of the city’s most ambitious projects, including launching a citywide ferry system, developing Mayor de Blasio’s 100,000 jobs plan, and optimizing NYCEDC’s 60 million square feet of real estate. James currently serves on the board of the Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit organization responsible for running and maintaining one of Brooklyn’s most beloved greenspaces.

Donovan Richards Jr., a lifelong resident of Southeast Queens, was elected as Queens Borough President in November of 2020. As a fighter for affordable housing, he was proud to serve as the Chair of the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises during his first New York City Council term. He used this position to help negotiate a stronger, more inclusive affordable housing plan and made history when the Council passed the most aggressive affordable housing policy in the nation. He also served as Chair of the Committee on Environmental Protection following Super Storm Sandy. Through his position he was able to help secure funding for flood protection to protect Rockaway communities.