Board of Trustees

Linda E. Rappaport

SHEARMAN AND STERLING, LLP

Linda Rappaport is Of Counsel at Shearman & Sterling LLP in New York City. She is a former practice group leader of the Compensation, Governance & ERISA/Private Client Group as well as a founding member of the firm’s Corporate Governance Advisory Group. Her practice focuses on all aspects of executive compensation and benefits, including corporate, securities, and tax laws and related corporate governance and regulatory matters. She has broad experience in the design and implementation of executive incentive programs and in the negotiation and preparation of executive employment contracts and severance arrangements, with an emphasis on the financial services and entertainment industries. Her practice also encompasses all compensation, benefits, and related governance issues associated with corporate acquisitions, divestitures, public offerings, restructurings, and bankruptcies.

Ms. Rappaport has a special focus on the representation of global, U.S., and non-U.S. companies and their boards of directors and compensation committees in corporate governance matters, including CEO succession, public disclosure, and executive compensation. She also represents individual executives of public companies and private enterprises.

Active in lecturing, Ms. Rappaport is the author of numerous articles on a variety of corporate governance and executive compensation issues. She has been ranked Band 1 for Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation: New York in Chambers USA since 2007.

Ms. Rappaport became a partner of Shearman & Sterling in 1985. She has served three terms as an elected member of the firm’s Policy Committee through 2014 and has been a member of the firm’s Executive Group. She is also a founding member and advisor of the firm’s Women’s Initiative For Success, Excellence and Retention (WISER) and a member of its Diversity Committee and the firm’s Hiring Partner. Before joining the firm in 1979, she served as a law clerk to Chief Judge James S. Holden, U.S. District Court of the District of Vermont, from 1978 to 1979.

Craig A. Bernecker

Craig Bernecker is the director of and an associate professor in the School of Constructed Environments' MFA Lighting Design program at Parsons School of Design. Dr. Bernecker is also founder of The Lighting Education Institute (LEI), an educational initiative focusing on lighting education for professionals in the lighting and buildings industry. He has taught in the Graduate Architecture program at the University of Pennsylvania and played a major role in the creation of a “Lighting Diploma” at the Ibero-American University in Mexico City.

From 1981 through 1999, he directed the lighting education program in the Department of Architectural Engineering at Penn State University. While at Penn State, Dr. Bernecker also developed a number of continuing and distance education lighting programs and served on the major policy-advising body for the university’s online campus, Penn State World Campus. He has published more than 50 articles on research and education in lighting design and illumination engineering and is known for his work on the psychological aspects of lighting. In addition to his educational and research activities, he has maintained an active consulting practice, providing lighting design services and acting as an expert consultant on many projects and as an expert witness in many legal cases. He regularly serves as a peer reviewer for lighting research proposals and projects sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Dr. Bernecker has also served the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) in multiple capacities, including president for 2004–2005. His contributions to lighting education led IESNA to name him a fellow in 1991, and he received the Distinguished Service Award in 2017 for his service to the organization. Dr. Bernecker holds a PhD in Psychology and a Master of Science in Architectural Engineering from Penn State.

Asmita Bhatia

Arun Bhatia Development Organization

Asmita Bhatia is a former Senior Executive at Citigroup with a specialization in Corporate Real Estate Strategy. Alongside her professional accomplishments, Asmita is deeply passionate about philanthropy, particularly towards causes centered around education and supporting those less fortunate in her birthplace of India. As a Co-Trustee of The Arun I. and Asmita Bhatia Family Foundation, she actively supports non-profit organizations such as SAYA! (South Asian Youth Action), the American India Foundation, and the Association of Indians in America.

Originally from Mumbai, India, Asmita has lived in New York City for over 40 years with her family. She holds a Masters in Architecture from Columbia University.

Franci J. Blassberg

Ms. Blassberg recently retired as a partner after a 35-year career with Debevoise & Plimpton, where she is currently of counsel. She spent much of her legal career advising private equity clients. Since her retirement, she has been teaching courses in private equity and corporate governance at Cornell Law School and Berkeley Law School. 

A skilled negotiator of complex transactions, Ms. Blassberg was named by the National Law Journal one of the 50 Most Influential Women Lawyers in America (2007) and one of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America (2006). Ms. Blassberg has also been recognized by Private Equity International as one of the 30 most influential lawyers in global private equity. She is a trustee of the New-York Historical Society and a trustee emerita at Cornell University and served as a board member of the New York City Ballet. She is on the boards of The Lazard Funds, Inc., and other funds managed by Lazard Asset Management and its affiliates.

Steven H. Bloom

Mr. Bloom, CFA, has more than 30 years of experience in the alternative asset management business. He is currently managing his family investment office and is engaged in an advisory capacity with several hedge funds. In 1983, he was one of five founding partners of Susquehanna International Group, a global proprietary trading firm, and in 1999, he founded and managed Sagamore Hill Capital Management, a multi-billion-dollar multistrategy hedge fund. He worked as an environmental scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council for several years before entering the investment field.

Mr. Bloom is chairman of the Binghamton University Foundation and is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Board at the University of the Michigan School of Public Health where he is active with social entrepreneurship initiatives. Mr. Bloom was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the State University of New York.

Dominique Bluhdorn

Ms. Bluhdorn established the Altos de Chavón Cultural Center Foundation in the Dominican Republic, with the mission of creating and supporting a multifaceted arts community that encompasses the visual and performing arts, craft workshops, an artist-in-residence program that also serves as the Caribbean site for the Davidoff Arts Initiative, an archaeological museum, and teaching programs in design and visual arts.

At the center of the Cultural Center Foundation is the Altos de Chavón School of Design, with campuses in La Romana and Santo Domingo. Since its establishment in 1983 the school has been affiliated with Parsons. This two-year, university-level school has graduated nearly 3,000 students, many of whom now hold distinguished creative positions in fashion, graphic design, digital design, fine arts, and illustration around the world.

Ms. Bluhdorn is a member of the Davidoff Art Initiative Advisory Council. She has served on the boards of the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, DC, and the New York Academy of Art.

Christopher J. Castano

Chris Castano is a Partner and Head of Distribution at Sextant Capital Solutions where he shares responsibility for business development and investor relationship management. 

Prior to joining Sextant, Mr. Castano was a senior member of the team at GCM Grosvenor where he was involved in business development, client service, and consultant relations. Before GCM Grosvenor, he was head of business development at Sonar Capital Management, a long/short equity fund. 

Previously, Mr. Castano held a number of roles at Merrill Lynch, including head of high net worth sales for alternative investments, head of the product platform for the private banking group, and head of private equity origination for the private client group. While there, he was a member of the Board of Directors for Merrill Lynch Alternative Investments and served on the Alternative Investments Product Management and Investment Committee. Prior to Merrill Lynch, Mr. Castano was an attorney at Waters, McPherson, McNeill, P.C., which specializes in environmental litigation and urban redevelopment. He also clerked for the New Jersey Superior Court, in the Appellate Division. 

Mr. Castano received his Bachelor of Arts from Villanova University and his Juris Doctor from Seton Hall University. He currently serves on the Advisory Board for the Dominican Sisters of Caldwell, as a member of the Board of Trustees of The New School, and is Chairman of the Board of Governors for the Schools of Public Engagement at The New School. 

Jane DeFlorio

After a successful 16-year career providing financial advice to the world’s most notable apparel and retail companies, Ms. DeFlorio retired in December 2013 as a managing director at Deutsche Bank in New York. At Deutsche Bank, Ms. DeFlorio headed coverage of the U.S. retail industry sector. Her clients included The TJX Companies, Home Depot, and Nike. Ms. DeFlorio joined Deutsche Bank in April 2007 from UBS Investment Bank, where she worked on consumer sector transactions.

Ms. DeFlorio’s current focus is serving on public company boards, private investing, and philanthropy. She is a director of DDR Corp (NYSE:DDR), an $11 billion real estate investment trust that owns and manages value-oriented open-air retail shopping centers, or “power centers,” on the U.S. mainland and in Puerto Rico. She is currently the lead independent director at Perry Ellis International (NASDAQ:PERY), a $350 million apparel wholesaler and retailer, where she serves on the Audit, Nominating and Investment Committees. In addition to serving on The New School’s Board of Trustees, Ms. DeFlorio serves on the Parsons Board of Governors.

Douglas D. Durst

Mr. Durst is the chairman of the Durst Organization, one of Manhattan’s top real estate development companies and a leader in developing environmentally friendly buildings. Mr. Durst is also a noted philanthropist and serves on the boards of several New York City organizations, including the Trust for Public Land and the Roundabout Theater Company. He is a director of the Real Estate Board of New York and a trustee of The Old York Foundation, which is committed to helping people understand the history of and issues facing New York City. Mr. Durst carries on his family’s long tradition of involvement with The New School—his grandmother Rose Friedwald Durst was an art student at The New School, and his grandfather Joseph and father, Seymour, were both contributors and volunteers.

Susan L. Foote

Ted Goldthorpe

Ted Goldthorpe is a partner and the head of Credit at BC Partners, a firm he joined in 2017. He is also a member of the Private Equity Investment Committee.

Mr. Goldthorpe earlier served as the president of Apollo Investment Corporation, chief investment officer at Apollo Investment Management, and senior portfolio manager at U.S. Opportunistic Credit. After joining Apollo in  2012, he oversaw the Opportunistic Credit platform, aggregating more than $20 billion in assets under management during his tenure. His most recent focus was the direct origination business. Mr. Goldthorpe was named to the firm’s Senior Management Committee in 2014.

Previously Mr. Goldthorpe was employed by Goldman Sachs & Co., beginning in 1999. He first worked in the high yield distressed business, the Merchant Banking Division, and the Investment Banking Division. Mr. Goldthorpe next served as managing director of the Special Situations Group, running both the middle market private equity business and the Canadian business (CSSG). He then ran the Bank Loan and Distressed Investing Desk.

Mr. Goldthorpe has served on the boards of SPARTA Insurance Holdings, Inc., Flatiron Re, JHT Holdings, Baxa Healthcare, Shelter Bay, Fairway Energy, and other firms and was a board observer for First Solar and other companies. He currently serves on the board of Crescent Point Energy, BC Partners Lending Corporation, Mount Logan Capital, and Portman Ridge Corporation.

Mr. Goldthorpe received a BA in Commerce from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. He is a frequent guest lecturer at leading universities including Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania (Wharton), the University of Virginia, New York University, Queen's University, and Stanford University. He serves on the Global Advisory Board of the Smith School of Business at Queen's University and on the boards of the Canadian Olympic Foundation, HerJustice, and Capitalize for Kids.

Nancye Green

Nancye Green is a designer, with a storied career addressing the strategies and complex communication challenges of large enterprises, startup companies and non-profit organizations. Nancye founded the design firm Donovan/Green with Michael Donovan. They designed and produced in multiple media for clients as diverse as Hoffman-La Roche, 3M, GM, P&G, Exxon, President Ronald Reagan, American Express, Sony and American Girl. After selling their firm, she served as CEO of Waterworks and on the Boards of Directors of several companies including Hallmark and Waterworks. She is currently Chief Design Officer of The Medicines Company. She is a past President of both the American Institute of Graphic Arts, receiving its Gold Medal with Donovan, and the International Design Conference in Aspen, and is currently Vice Chairman of the Board of EcoHealth Alliance. She holds degrees from Tulane University in Political Science and Parsons School of Design in Environmental Design, graduating as valedictorian, and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from The Corcoran School of Art.

Joseph R. Gromek

Joseph R. Gromek, a leading professional in the fashion industry for more than a quarter century, was President and Chief Executive Officer of Warnaco Inc., a post he held from April 2003 until his retirement on February 1, 2012. At the same time, he also resigned from Warnaco's Board of Directors.

From 1999 to 2002, Mr. Gromek was President and Chief Executive Officer of Brooks Brothers, Inc. Over the course of a long and distinguished career, he held senior management positions with Saks Fifth Avenue, Limited Brands, Inc. and Ann Taylor Stores Corporation.

Mr. Gromek was former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tumi, Inc., former member of the Board of Directors of Wolverine World Wide, The Children's Place Retail Stores, Inc., and Guess?, Inc., and on the Board of Hudson Executive Capital..

Among his philanthropic and civic associations, He was former Chairman of Volunteers of America-Greater New York, former Chair of The New School, and former Chair of Parson's Board of Governors. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Ronald McDonald House of New York, Trustee of The New School, a member of The Parson's Board of Governors, a Trustee of St Peter's University, on the advisory Board of The World Retail Congress, a member of the Advisory Board at Jay Baker Retail Initiative at The Wharton School University of Pennsylvania, and former Trustee of The Trevor Day School.

Mr. Gromek was the recipient of the "National Human Relations Award" by the American Jewish Committee, The "Good Scout Award" by The Boy Scouts of America, Distinguished Service Award recognizing his service to The New School, was recognized as "Man of the Year'' by the UJA Federation, the recipient of the "Spirit of the Founders Award" for leading the way in community involvement by the Volunteers of America and was honored by St. Peter's College with 'The Distinguished Alumni Award".

Jeffrey Gural

Mr. Gural is chairman of Newmark Family Properties, a commercial real estate firm currently managing 41 buildings in the metropolitan area, in which he maintains an ownership interest. He is also the owner of Tioga Downs Casino and Vernon Downs Casino, the president of American Racing and Entertainment, and the operator of the New Meadowlands Racetrack. He has received numerous awards for his philanthropic work in New York City and serves on the boards of several charitable organizations, including the Museum at Eldridge Street, the March of Dimes, the Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York, the Jewish Community Center of Manhattan, Outward Bound New York City, and the Settlement Housing Fund. He is the president of the Starlight Children’s Foundation in New York, the chairman of the I Have A Dream Foundation - NY, and a trustee of Cooper Union. He is also a director of the Real Estate Board of New York. Mr. Gural was introduced to The New School by life trustee Eugene Lang.

William E. Havemeyer

Mr. Havemeyer is president of Havemeyer Management Services, Inc., a consulting firm that specializes in urban planning and downtown revitalization as well as nonprofit organizational management and governance. He currently serves as the part-time COO of the Skyscraper Museum in New York City and also chairs the board of the New York City Cultural Institutions Retirement System, a $1.63 billion pension fund. He recently completed 20 years as a trustee of Union Theological Seminary in New York City and was also a long-standing member of the board of the Brooklyn Museum. Mr. Havemeyer received The New School’s Distinguished Service Award in 1994 and served as interim director of the Parsons Paris program in 1995–1996.

Mr. Havemeyer’s long involvement with historic real estate restoration helped him lead The New School’s Buildings and Grounds Committee’s work on the Greenwich Village campus for many years. Mr. Havemeyer appreciates the university’s focus on urban and progressive issues.

Sheila C. Johnson

Ms. Johnson oversees a growing portfolio of luxury properties as founder and CEO of Salamander Hotels and Resorts. The equestrian-inspired and luxurious Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg, Virginia, had its much-anticipated opening in August 2013, which was recognized by USA Today as among the world’s top eight hotel openings of 2013.

Vice chairman of Monumental Sports & Entertainment and president and managing partner of the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, Ms. Johnson also serves on the Executive Committee of the United States Golf Association. She is a partner in ProJet Aviation, an aircraft management and charter company, and in Mistral, the makers of fine bath, body, and home products. In November 2012, Ms. Johnson launched her own collection of luxury scarves, inspired by travels around the world and manufactured in Italy.

Ms. Johnson was a founding partner of Black Entertainment Television and is a producer of documentary and feature films. She supports the arts and education as a board member of Parsons School of Design, serves on the board of the ANNIKA Foundation, and is also a member of the Leadership Council at Harvard Kennedy School’s Center for Public Leadership.

Bevis Longstreth

In 1993, Mr. Longstreth retired as a senior partner of the New York City law firm Debevoise & Plimpton to pursue other interests, including writing. Mr. Longstreth has always been attracted to teaching and values its role in democracies. Upon retiring, he served as a full-time adjunct professor at Columbia Law School, where he had taught a seminar for six years. He has published three historical novels. During his professional career, he has often spoken and written on finance, corporate behavior, and the law. Mr. Longstreth has served on many boards of directors, including those of TIAA/CREF, Invesco, GMO, and the Center for Public Integrity. Currently he is a member of the finance committee of the Rockefeller Family Fund and an adviser to MDRC and the Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System.

Anthony Mannarino BA '81, MA '83

Mr. Mannarino is executive vice president of Extell Development Company, where he oversees the firm’s extensive real estate portfolio of residential, office, hotel, and mixed-use projects. Extell is one of New York City’s most active developers and has owned and developed a portfolio of more than 20 million square feet. Before joining the Extell team, Mr. Mannarino served as managing director at Tishman Speyer, where he was responsible for development and new business initiatives in the New York region. Previously he was managing partner of Sony Center, a 1.3 million-square-foot mixed-use development in Berlin, Germany. Before joining Tishman Speyer, he served as the acting president of the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the city’s primary agency for economic development, business growth, and retention. He also served as the executive director of the New York City Industrial Development Authority. 

In addition to his involvement at The New School, Mr. Mannarino is a Trustee of the Citizens Budget Commission and a member of its Executive Committee. He also serves on the boards of the New York Building Congress, the NYU Furman Center, and the ACE Mentor Program. Mr. Mannarino is a member of REBNY and its Economic Development Committee. He has taught at the NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation.

Madina Masimova

Madina Masimova (she/her) is a spatial designer, creating at the intersection of technology, art, and science. Fascinated by the ubiquity of space, she is committed to its full exploration, from bio-design to outer space and mixed realities. In her practice, she investigates interior and lighting design as spatial catalysts for change, employing the lens of social and climate justice and cultural heritage preservation.

During her studies, Ms. Masimova has taken leadership as a co-chair of the New School Policy and Design for Outer Space, an MFA double and dual-degree representative at the School of Constructed Environments, and a co-host of the After Studio podcast. She has also served as a teaching assistant for a mixed realities course launched by the School of Constructed Environments.

Ms. Masimov has pursued independent study of the effect of light on human health with Craig Bernecker, director of the MFA Lighting Design program. In collaboration with Michele Gorman, director of the MFA Interior Design program, she has researched the metaverse and curated an interiors collection, Embracing Kinship: Interconnected Interiors of the Metaverse, for INSideinsIDE, creating spaces of connection through dialogues on emerging topics related to the metaverse and belonging.

Daniel T. Motulsky

Mr. Motulsky is a managing director at Moelis & Company, a leading global independent investment bank. Previously, Mr. Motulsky was a managing director and global head of Consumer & Retail at Lazard, a global investment bank providing financial advisory and asset management services, from 2000 to June 2014, having joined the firm in 1998. Before his service with Lazard, Mr. Motulsky was a partner at Tanner & Co., Inc., a merchant banking and mergers and acquisition advisory firm. Before that, he served as an investment banker at Salomon Brothers Inc.

Mr. Motulsky serves on the Board of Directors of The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc., a publicly listed retailer with sales of $3 billion, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He formerly served on the Board of Directors of Mega Brands Inc.

Robert H. Mundheim

Mr. Mundheim is of counsel at the global law firm Shearman & Sterling LLP, where he advises on corporate governance and professional responsibility issues. He is also a professor of corporate law and finance at the University of Arizona Law School. He has been University Professor of Law and Finance at the University of Pennsylvania and dean of its law school. Mr. Mundheim has been the general counsel of the U.S. Treasury, executive vice president and general counsel of Salomon Inc., president of the American Academy in Berlin, president of the Appleseed Foundation, and chair of the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility. He is also a trustee of the Curtis Institute of Music, a director of the Salzburg Global Seminar, a founding trustee of the American College of Governance Counsel, and a council member (emeritus) of the American Law Institute.

Charles R. Perrin

FORMER CHAIRMAN AND CEO, AVON PRODUCTS, INC. AND DURACELL

Mr. Perrin is the former non-executive chairman of the board of The Warnaco Group, former chairman and CEO of Avon Products, and former chairman and CEO of Duracell International, Inc. He is currently a member of the boards of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. and the Campbell Soup Co.

Mr. Perrin formerly served as chair of Save the Children International and is currently a trustee of Save the Children U.S. He is the co-founder and a trustee of the Perrin Family Foundation. He is also the former chairman and vice chairman of Ability Beyond Disability and a former trustee of Trinity College

Mr. Perrin was introduced to The New School by former board chair Joseph Gromek.

Timothy L. Porter

Mr. Porter was formerly senior counsel and later chief client relationship counsel at Proskauer Rose, a global law firm. Before joining Proskauer, Mr. Porter worked at AT&T, where he was vice president – law and chief counsel for Labor, Employment and Environmental Matters. He served as a director of the AT&T Investment Management Company, the company’s pension and retirement benefits asset investment arm, and is currently a director of the Life Insurance Company of Boston and New York, a subsidiary of Boston Mutual Life Insurance Company. Mr. Porter is a trustee of Newark Public Radio (WGBO) and is chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem. He is a former board director of the YMCA of Greater New York and a former trustee of Holy Cross College, his alma mater. Mr. Porter first came to The New School as a student at the Guitar Study Center at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music (now the School of Jazz), where he took courses and participated in the school’s music ensembles.

David R. Poma, MA Economics ’02

Private Investor

David Poma, MA Economics ’02 (NSSR), is a private investor. In addition to his degree from The New School, Mr. Poma holds a BA from Villanova University. He joined the NSSR Board of Governors in 2018. Mr. Poma taught economics at St. Francis College and previously worked at the Union Bank of Switzerland and Crédit Lyonnais. He has also worked with McKinsey & Company as an independent editor on business consulting projects.

Josh Sapan

PRESIDENT AND CEO, AMC NETWORKS INC.

One of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and visionary executives, Josh Sapan is the president and CEO of AMC Networks, which includes the entertainment brands AMC, BBC America, IFC, SundanceTV, WE tv, and IFC Films; the streaming services Sundance Now, Shudder, Acorn TV, and Urban Movie Channel (UMC); AMC Studios; and AMC Networks International. He was named CEO in 1995.

Under Mr. Sapan’s leadership, AMC Networks has become known for its groundbreaking programming. The company is responsible for award-winning, culturally significant hits including Killing Eve, Better Call Saul, The Walking Dead, Portlandia, Rectify, Top of the Lake, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, and many more.

Mr. Sapan has been a pioneer in bringing independent film to wide audiences through the award-winning film distribution labels IFC Films, Sundance Selects, and IFC Midnight, which have distributed hundreds of films, including the Oscar- and Golden Globe Award–winning Boyhood, the critically acclaimed The Death of Stalin, and the Oscar-nominated 45 Years, to name just a few. In 2005, Mr. Sapan opened the IFC Center in New York City’s Greenwich Village, home to DOC NYC, the largest documentary film festival in the United States.

Mr. Sapan currently serves on the boards of the American Film Institute, the Paley Center for Media, the Museum of the Moving Image, and NCTA – The Internet & Television Association. He is also a member of the Executive Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) and of New York Public Radio.

Dr. Donna E. Shalala

INTERIM PRESIDENT, THE NEW SCHOOL

Dr. Donna E. Shalala became The New School’s Interim President on August 15, 2023. Dr. Shalala is a nationally recognized scholar and leader in higher education and government. She served as President of the University of Miami, Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and President of Hunter College of the City University of New York (CUNY). A dedicated scholar and teacher, she has held tenured professorships at Columbia University, CUNY, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of Miami. Her leadership in U.S. government began as one of the country’s first Peace Corps Volunteers. For eight years she served in President Bill Clinton’s Cabinet as Secretary of Health and Human Services.” Most recently, she was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Florida’s 27th Congressional District.

Stanley P. Silverstein

PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND GLOBAL LICENSING, PERRY ELLIS INTERNATIONAL INC.

Mr. Silverstein is the president of International Development and Global Licensing at Perry Ellis International. He leads an international executive team in expanding the global footprint of the company’s dynamic brand portfolio. During his 29-year tenure with Warnaco, he was responsible for successfully directing the company’s international expansion.

In addition to serving on the Board of Trustees of The New School, Mr. Silverstein also serves on the Board of Directors of Sovereign Health System.

Mr. Silverstein was introduced to The New School by board chair Joseph Gromek.

Elliot Stein

MANAGING DIRECTOR, COMMONWEALTH CAPITAL PARTNERS, L.P.


Mr. Stein is Chairman of Acertas LLC and Senturion Forecasting LLC and a Managing Director of Commonwealth Capital Partners. He is a member of the boards of directors of several public companies and is also a trustee of Claremont Graduate University. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Mr. Stein’s personal and professional interests in politics, communications, the arts, and education have served him well as a New School trustee.

Kay Unger, Fashion Design '68

CEO, KAY UNGER FAMILY FOUNDATION


Fashion designer, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Ms. Unger began her multifaceted career in 1968 as design assistant to Geoffrey Beene. Two years later, she founded her own dress firm, Kay Unger — the first of several successful global fashion concerns she founded and managed, including The Gillian Group, Kay Unger New York, Kay J’s Pajamas, and Phoebe Couture. In 2012, she formed Kay Unger Design as a means of focusing her boundless energy on unique design projects that benefit from her creative and leadership skills.

A committed philanthropist, Kay is CEO of the Kay Unger Family Foundation (KUFF), with its mission of “venture philanthropy.” KUFF supports existing foundations for cancer care and research and also provides funding for scholarships to underserved youths who are talented in the arts.

Born and raised in Chicago, Kay has lived in New York throughout her career; she currently lives in SoHo. She has two sons and five grandchildren.

Lilian Shiao-Yen Wu

William D. Zabel

Mr. Zabel is a founding partner of Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP and head of the Individual Client Services Group. He practices in the areas of estate planning, wills, trusts, charitable foundations, income and gift tax planning, estate administration, and family law. He serves as chair of Human Rights First and Immigration Justice Corps and on the boards of Lincoln Center Theater and The Academy of American Poets, among other civic memberships. Mr. Zabel is keenly interested in the forces driving the worldwide movement toward democracy, an issue reflecting core values of The New School.

Raiha Zainab

Raiha Zainab is a senior liberal arts student at The New School studying a self-designed degree in journalism, international affairs, and social innovation design. As a transfer student from Indiana University, Ms. Zainab was intrigued by The New School’s multidisciplinary curriculum and was excited at the prospect of combining all her interests, engaging in deep study into the art of change-making. Her research focuses on human trafficking in the South Asian garment industry, and she is interested in investigative international human rights journalism. From courses like Visions of a Post-Neoliberal Future to Politics & Environment of South Asia, she studies how to meaningfully transform our systems into ones that are kinder and most equitable for all.

In NYC, Ms. Zainab can often be found writing poems for strangers. She works as a typewriter poet and account manager with Ars Poetica, a poetic agency that books poets to write people custom poems at events. She also performs as a spoken word poet and runs creative community events in the city.

She came to The New School after taking a gap year, during which she spent 4 months solo traveling across Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia. She can often be found roaming the streets of random cities and writing in various found coffee shops.

Beth Rudin DeWoody BA '75

Beth Rudin DeWoody is chairman of the Rudin Family Foundations and executive vice president of Rudin Management Company. She has also curated shows for art galleries in New York City, New Orleans, London, and Vermont. Ms. DeWoody completed her studies at The New School for Social Research in New York City, where she received her BA in Liberal Arts.

Ms. DeWoody’s board affiliations include the Whitney Museum of American Art, Creative Time, The New School, Design Museum Holon Israel, Empowers Africa, Save A Child India, Inc., and The New York City Police Foundation. Ms. DeWoody is also on the Advisory Board of The Glass House in New Canaan and the Board of Overseers of the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles and is an honorary trustee of the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM). Ms. DeWoody serves on the Advisory Board for New Yorkers for Children, Inc.

Ms. DeWoody serves on the Parsons Board of Governors, is a member of the Committee for the University Art Collection, and is on the Photography Steering Committee at the Norton Museum in West Palm Beach, Florida. Her professional affiliations include charter membership of New York Women Executives in Real Estate.

Ms. DeWoody is chairman of the Arts and Culture Committee of the Association for a Better New York (ABNY) and is on the Council of Conservators of the New York Public Library, the National Leadership Council at United States Artists, and the Library Association of MoMA.

Susan U. Halpern MA '76

Ms. Halpern is the president of the Sirus Fund, a foundation that supports programs for needy children and their families. She is also an attorney specializing in legal issues associated with adoption and foster parenting.

Philip Scaturro

Prior to his retirement, Mr. Scaturro had a long career at the investment bank Allen and Company. Until recently he served as vice chair of the Wolfsonian Museum at Florida International University. He is also a trustee emeritus at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. A Chair Emeritus of The New School, Mr. Scaturro also served as chancellor of The New School from 1999 to 2002.

Bernard L. Schwartz

The chairman and CEO of BLS Investments, LLC, a private investment firm, Mr. Schwartz also manages the investments of the Bernard and Irene Schwartz Foundation. The foundation invests in think tanks, universities, and advocacy organizations, targeting programs that promote U.S. economic policy initiatives. It also supports medical research and New York City–based cultural organizations. Before establishing BLS Investments in 2006, Mr. Schwartz served for 34 years as chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Loral Space & Communications and its predecessor company, Loral Corporation. Mr. Schwartz is the proud father of a New School for Social Research alumna.

Tomio Taki

Mr. Taki is a managing partner of Takihyo LLC, formed in 1999 after the sale of Anne Klein & Co. He was a founder of and partner in Donna Karan Co., which went public in 1996.

Mr. Taki is an advisor to Takihyo Co., Ltd., a company created by his family 250 years ago in Nagoya, Japan. Today publicly traded, TCL has 24 subsidiaries in various industries including food processing, real estate, and chemical products.