Leadership & Board

Project Hospitality is guided by a dedicated leadership team committed to strengthening services and expanding support for Staten Island residents.

Executive Leadership

  • A woman with long blonde dreadlocks, wearing a black blazer, gold hoop earrings, and a necklace, smiling at the camera.

    Reverend Dr. Darlene Williams, Ph.D., D.R.E.

    President & Chief Executive Officer

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  • A woman with curly brown hair wearing glasses and a blue floral dress, standing against a plain background.

    Gale Alwill, LCSW

    Deputy Chief Program Officer, Housing & Supportive Services Division

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  • Mathylde Frontus, Ph.D., LMSW

    Chief Program Officer

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  • A woman with long red hair, light skin, and blue eyes smiling at the camera, wearing earrings, a necklace, and a navy blue top, standing in front of a plain gray background.

    Michelle Gassama, MPH

    Chief Operating Officer

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  • A man wearing a navy blue suit, white shirt, red patterned tie, and glasses, with a short haircut, smiling against a plain light gray background.

    Ayo Odevwale, LMSW

    Deputy Chief Program Officer, Homeless Services Division

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  • A portrait of a young woman with straight, light brown hair, fair skin, and blue eyes, smiling softly, wearing a cream-colored blazer over a blue and white patterned top, standing against a plain gray background.

    Reverend Karen Pershing, M.Div.

    Community Impact Officer

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  • A man dressed in a black suit with a white shirt and a yellow striped tie, wearing gray glasses, posing against a plain gray background.

    Luis Pico, MBA

    Chief Financial Officer

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  • A young man with glasses, short dark hair, and facial hair, wearing a blue collared shirt under a black sweater, posing against a plain dark gray background.

    Birat Shrestha, MBA

    Chief of Staff & Strategic Advisor to the CEO

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  • Vacant

    Chief Advancement Officer 

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Board Officers

  • Rev. Janet H. Jones

    Board Chair

  • Timothy Harrison, Esq.

    First Vice Chair

  • John Vincent Scalia, Sr.

    Second Vice Chair

  • Peter Tesoriero, CPA

    Board Treasurer

  • Dr. Aurelia Curtis, Ed.D

    Board Secretary

View Full Board of Directors

Senior Leadership

  • Alex Hughes

    Sr. Director of Hunger Prevention and Advocacy

  • Ana Naseer

    Area Director, Housing and Support Services

  • Anthony Georges

    Area Director, Youth Services

  • Christina Penna

    Area Director, Care Management Services

  • Dana Flores, LMHC

    Clinical Director, Wellness and Recovery

  • Ebenezer Ayiku

    Sr. Program Director, Castleton and Housing and Urban Development

  • Gary Siegel, LCSW-R

    Area Director, Wellness and Recovery Services

  • Janelle Hammond

    Sr. Program Director, O’Callaghan House and Supportive Apartment Program

  • Jasmine Williams

    Sr. Program Director, Hospitality House and Family Supported Housing

  • Jennifer Swinton

    Area Director, Housing and Support Services

  • Lillian Simmons

    Sr. Program Director, Drop-In, Special Cares and Respite Bed

  • Lori Howe

    Area Director, Residential Services

  • Margaly (Mia) Lande

    Area Director, Homeless Services Singles

  • Mohammad Ekram

    Sr. Program Director

  • Rasheed Ford

    Area Director, Housing Operations

  • Zulma Cruz

    Area Director, Community Initiatives

Smiling woman handling produce in a grocery store.

The Faces of Project Hospitality

Behind every program is a dedicated network of staff members, volunteers, and community partners who make Project Hospitality’s work possible.

From preparing meals in soup kitchens to helping families secure stable housing and access to healthcare services, the people of Project Hospitality share a commitment to compassion, dignity, and community care.

A young woman with dark hair in a braid and a young girl with dark hair in pigtails, both smiling, outdoors in a park. The woman is carrying the girl on her back, and they are both wearing blue shirts. The background has autumn-colored trees and other people, slightly blurred.

See Our Impact

Project Hospitality supports tens of thousands of Staten Island residents each year through food access, housing services, healthcare coordination, and community support.

Explore Our Impact

Interested in building a career that makes a direct impact in Staten Island communities? Explore opportunities with Project Hospitality.

See Open Positions