Alexa Smith is the Chief of Staff in the Office of the President at Manhattan School of Music. After receiving her from Master’s Degree from MSM in Voice, she pursued a career in opera before becoming the Marketing Director at New York City Opera. There she led marketing efforts and planned special events with partners including The Mexican Cultural Institute, The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center, Rosa Mexicano, The Ucross Foundation, and Passport Magazine. As Chief of Staff she oversees special projects for the Office of The President.
As JTS’s vice chancellor for communications and external affairs, Elise Dowell guides the institution’s strategic communications, oversees external relations, and serves as an ambassador for JTS to the public. Elise, who joined JTS in 2002, was named chief communications officer in 2008. She has implemented a major rebranding initiative, enhanced JTS’s digital presence, and upgraded the recruitment marketing program. The work of the communications department has been recognized as the recipient of two Emmy Awards (Eternal Light: A Historical Retrospective and And the Gates Opened: Women in the Rabbinate). Prior to her role at JTS, Elise held positions in both the nonprofit and corporate sectors, including the Environmental Defense Fund and APL Digital, an Interpublic Group agency. She holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BBA from Emory University.
Rev. Daniel O’Reilly is pastor of Corpus Christi parish and also the Catholic chaplain at Columbia University. Fr. O’Reilly was born in Manhattan and raised in the Bronx. He attended Regis High School in New York City and majored in philosophy at Princeton University before entering the seminary for the Archdiocese of New York. After earning Master’s degrees in theology and divinity from St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, he was ordained a priest in 2003 and appointed parochial vicar at Resurrection Church in Rye, New York. He has served as Director of Campus Ministry for the Archdiocese of New York, Spiritual Director for the St. John Neumann Seminary College in Yonkers, and Catholic Campus Minister at SUNY Maritime College in the Bronx.
The Office for Diversity and Inclusion—together with hospital leadership from Mount Sinai Beth Israel, The Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai Morningside, and Mount Sinai West—hosted a ceremony on Monday, June 29, to celebrate the six young professionals, who were hailed as “amazing,” “creative,” and “insightful.” The goal of the two-year administrative development program is to recruit, develop, and ultimately promote underrepresented minority talent into leadership roles within the Mount Sinai Health System. Rogers will join her cohort in 
Lawrence M. Palfini is the Vice President Facilities and Site Operations of International House. In this role, he is responsible for the strategic planning and execution of the capital improvement plan and facilities management requirements for International House’s non-profit educational residential community of over 700 students, scholars and interns from over 100 countries around the globe. The Morningside Heights campus consists of over 350,000 square feet of both dormitory and apartments as well as a full service cafeteria, auditorium, gymnasium, fitness center, various study centers, meeting entertainment, parking garage, and administrative office support spaces. Lawrence leads and guides a team of approximately 50 maintenance and housekeeping professionals which support the mission of International House. Prior to joining International House, he worked for the iconic jewelry brand Tiffany and Company for 25 years as a Vice President of Global Real Estate and Facilities Management responsible for design, construction and property management.
Loftin Flowers is the Associate Vice President for Government Relations and leads the University’s engagement and advocacy efforts with federal, state and city government. Loftin holds a B.A. in History from Haverford College and an M.P.A. from Columbia University. Prior to his role at Columbia, Loftin worked in Washington, DC at the national offices of the Children’s Defense Fund, the Democratic National Committee, and John Kerry’s 2004 campaign for President.
Matthew Camp is a government relations expert with 15 years of experience in politics, public policy, and advocacy and is currently the Director of Government Relations for Teachers College, Columbia University, where he cultivates relationships with government officials, develops innovative education programs, and secures funding for the College. He is also completing a Ph.D. in Politics & Education at Columbia University. In the past, Camp has taught political science at Columbia University, political advocacy at Teachers College, and SAT, ESL, GED/TASC courses though organizations including New York Cares, the New York Public Library, and Columbia Community Impact. He holds a Masters of Public Policy from Rutgers University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware with a double major in political science and psychology. Camp currently serves on boards of Community District 9 in Manhattan and Good Shepherd Services Springboard, and he volunteers with Broadway Community Church and Team Rubicon.
Nicole is an experienced professional with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry. She has served as Assistant Dean and Registrar at UTS. Prior to working at UTS, she held administrative positions at University of Loyola MD. Ms. Mirando’s skills span Nonprofit Organizations, Customer Satisfaction, Data Reporting, and Management.
Paula Mayo is the President and Executive Director of The Interchurch Center, a position she has held since 2008. Ms. Mayo has over thirty years’ experience in the non-profit sector as a senior executive professional. Ms. Mayo has held prominent positions at United Way of New York City and South Street Seaport Museum, where she served as Executive Director for the last five years of her seventeen-year tenure. She has also held positions at Lincoln Center and the 92nd Street YM-YWHA. She holds degrees from Hunter College, and certifications in fundraising and real estate and property management from New York University. Ms. Mayo is a board member of The New York Women’s Agenda and National Executive Service Core Advisory Council. She is also a member of the Advisory Council of the Salvation Army, East Harlem Citadel Corps.
A proud Harlem native, Phoebe-Sade Arnold is Director of Community Affairs for Columbia University. Phoebe’s responsibilities include project tracking, constituency outreach, and oversight of special projects and programs that relate to matters of urban planning, land use, and community affairs. Working in conjunction with the Associate Vice President of Planning and Community Affairs, Phoebe attends Community Board meetings, public and private forums, and other community oriented events on behalf of the University. Phoebe’s portfolio also includes managing the University’s portion of the West Harlem Development Corporation in-kind space process. Phoebe received her Bachelors in Political Science from the State University of New York College at Old Westbury, and her Master’s in Public Administration from Baruch College.
The Rev. Michael Livingston is the Executive Minister at the Riverside Church in Manhattan. He is the former Interfaith Worker Justice National Policy Director and served as the Director of IWJ’s Washington, D.C. office from 2012 until 2014. He served as IWJ’s voice in the halls of Congress and with coalitions advocating for national policies that advance the rights of working families. Prior to IWJ, the Rev. Livingston spent years in executive leadership in the context of deep ecumenical and interfaith engagement with the International Council of Community Churches (ICCC) and the National Council of Churches (NCC). His leadership with the National Council of Churches took him around the world on missions of peacemaking, reconciliation, interfaith dialog and prophetic engagement. The Rev. Livingston is a graduate of theological education at Princeton Theological Seminary. He began his ministry in service to two congregations, first in Los Angeles, then in New York City.
Appointed in 1993, Virginia Connor is the longest serving female head of an ongoing school in New York City through her role as Head of School at St. Hilda’s & St. Hugh’s. Virginia has taught every elementary grade and has been a director of lower school, a director of middle school, an admission officer, and a director of curriculum development. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Childhood Education from Wheelock College and her Master’s from Teachers College, Columbia University. Currently, she serves on the Board of Trustees of The Brearley School, the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS), and the Independent School Admission Association of Greater New York (ISAAGNY).
Virginia Ryan has worked in the Barnard College’s Office of the General Counsel since June 2014. Prior to that, she practiced at Fordham Law School for 6 years doing Public Finance transactions. She switched her focus to Higher Education Law and worked at Fordham University Office of the General Counsel and then at Columbia University in an administrative role. She works closely with the offices of the Dean of the College, Dean of Studies, Residential Life, Disability Services, and also on faculty matters. Virginia has lived in NYC’s Upper West Side for 24 years and has maintained a longstanding personal connection to the Morningside Heights neighborhood. Two of her children attended the Riverside Church Weekday School and one attended the Barnard College Toddler Program, and Ryan herself attended Barnard College before going on to Fordam Law School. She very much enjoys the Morningside Heights community and looks forward to the opportunity to work with the Morningside Area Alliance.