Ideas for Creating a Stronger and More Equitable Brooklyn: A Center for an Urban Future and Brooklyn Org Policy Symposium

At Brooklyn Org, we’re proud to partner with community members to guide our grantmaking across the borough. One standout example of this is the Brooklyn Org Spark Prize Committee, and we’re excited to introduce you to the 2025-2026 cohort.
This year’s committee brings together 40 brilliant Brooklynites — artists, advocates, educators, lawyers, entrepreneurs, and community leaders — each with deep ties to our borough and a shared commitment to racial justice.
Committee members review hundreds of applications, interview finalists, and ultimately help select the five organizations that will receive our $100,000 Brooklyn Org Spark Prize.
Meet our partners helping to shape the future of the Brooklyn Org Spark Prize, and stay tuned as we share more about them on our social media in the coming months.
Martin Bell
Partner at Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett
Brooke Safford Cohen
Founder, BES Dwellings
Lisa C. Cohen
Founding Partner, Schindler Cohen & Hochman LLP
Isabel Cristo
Writer and Journalist
Bethany D’Meza
Fashion Stylist, Investor and Fundraiser
Kenneth Ebie
Founder and Principal, Ebie Strategies
Adina Erwin
EVP, Operations, Barclays Center
Sophie Ferrer
Independent Advisor
Amy Freesun
Interpretation Specialist
Lillian Goldenthal
Community Member
David Golub
Founder, Agentic Foundry
Helen Hadzismajlovic
Small Business Owner and Hairdresser, Bee + Malu Salon
Erica Hamilton
CEO & Founder
Meredith Hostetter
Clinical Psychologist
Melissa Jamal
Lawyer and Educator
Lauretta Joseph
Advocate
Deitra Mara
Strategy and Operations Consultant
Alison Maschmeyer
Community Activist/Philanthropist
Tamika Matheson
Educator
Gregorio Mayers
Professor
Lindsay McCann
Nonprofit Consultant
Salvador Muñoz
Artist
Robyne Walker Murphy
Arts and Culture Strategist
Amanda Sue Nichols
Attorney and Philanthropist
Angela Outlaw-Matheny
Sr. Executive Manager, Research and Investments; Pivotal Advisors
Lindsay Pizzi
Community Member
Melissa J. Prober
Attorney
Jenna Shapiro
Partner, Women’s Brain Trust
Harry Schiffman
LMSW
Esmeralda Simmons
Esq.
Anne Sperling
Vice President, Government and Community Relationships, NewYork-Presbyterian
Karen St. Hilaire
Chief of Staff at NYC DSS
Laurie Tamis
Non-Profit Advisor
Seble Tareke-Williams
Principal, Marchtree Group
Adrian Techeira
Community Member
Marc Wancer
Principal, School Investments at Equitable Facilities Fund
Jackie Wilson
Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, BSE
Jessica Yager
Senior Director, Housing Justice Initiatives at the Center for Justice Innovation
Selin Zalma
Senior Partner and Managing Director at BCG