The Team
President
Patrick Kennell
Patrick Kennell is a founder of the Financial District Neighborhood Association, dedicated to making our neighborhood an even better place to live, work and play. He is a lawyer and a partner in a litigation firm located in the Financial District. Patrick and his family have lived in the Financial District for over a decade, and he's been active in a number of issues over the years, including school overcrowding, construction coordination, storm resiliency and various quality of life concerns. A member of Community Board 1, Patrick serves as Co-Chair of CB1's Planning Committee and a member of CB1's Financial District Committee.
Secretary
Luis Vasquez
Luis is a nine year resident of the Financial District, along with his husband Michael and their 6 year old Tibetan Terrier, Fiesta. A real estate agent by profession, he also founded and operates FiDi Fan Page on Facebook, is Vice President of Downtown Dog (an advocacy group for FiDi residents who own dogs) and is a Public Member of the Financial District Committee of Community Board 1.
Treasurer
Jonathan O'Donnell
Jonathan O’Donnell has been a downtown resident for the past twenty years and the Financial District has been home to his family for the past seven years. Jonathan loves everything about the our great historic Financial District and looks forward to working with the FDNA to make our residential neighborhood even better. Outside local civic pursuits, Jonathan can be found dabbling in music, art, researching his family tree (of which some family lines have deep Financial District roots), and spending time with his family!
Board Member
Denise Courter
Denise Courter is the founder of a popular local website that shares information on activities for kids and family-friendly events. Her company also produces events and provides consulting services for small businesses. She and her husband are raising their two children in FiDi and she sits on a variety of non-profit boards in Lower Manhattan. With her extensive background as an HR executive and her former role as a group benefits broker, she hopes to help cultivate a strong neighborhood organization in the Financial District.
Board Member
Paul J Proulx
Paul J. Proulx is a Partner in the Environmental Practice Group at Carter Ledyard & Milburn, a land use lawyer and urban planner with almost two decades experience addressing urban development issues in New York City. Paul has lived in the District since 2007 and is the father of three children who attend the Spruce Street School.
Board Member
Sarah Elbatanouny
Sarah Elbatanouny is a long time Financial District resident who moved in the mid 2000s from San Francisco to Lower Manhattan. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Science in pharmacy but pursued her passion in helping people and has been working over 10 years in the creative and advertising recruiter and hiring strategy field. Sarah has two young children and was formally the Co-PTA President at Spruce Street School.
Board Member
Saida Barker
Saida Barker has been a resident of the financial district since 2004 and is in charge of building and maintaining the FiDi New York website. Saida has a past as an economist specializing in foreign policy and health care management, and is using her experience from the private and NGO sectors to be more active in the local Fidi community. Her focus is now on advocacy for special education in public schools while being a full time mom to her three kids. Needless to say, Saida is committed to the neighborhood's safety, cleanliness and strong community ties. She thinks this neighborhood has a unique and advantageous location in the city that is always worth protecting and improving.
Board Member
Catherine McVay
Catherine McVay Hughes has lived in FiDi for over 30 years with her husband and raised her family here. She served 20 years on Manhattan Community Board One (CB1), half that time as Chair or Vice-Chair and chaired its WTC Redevelopment Committee for seven years. She helped rebuild the neighborhood after 9/11 and again after Superstorm Sandy. After Sandy, she was appointed Co-Chair of New York Rising Community Reconstruction Program for Southern Manhattan. She serves on The Earth Institute at Columbia University Advisory Board, CERES Presidents Council, Battery Park City Authority, Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, The Trust for Governors Island, WTC Scientific Technical Advisory Committee, NY/NJ Metropolitan Storm Surge Barrier Working Group, South Street Seaport Museum and Waterfront Alliance Resiliency Task Force.
