2025 NYC Summit
Making Lemonade: How to Leverage Environmental Programs and Funding to Keep Your Mission Moving
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In a time when federal grants are scarce, the EPA just awarded $224 million to 207 communities across the country for brownfields revitalization. NYS and NYC have their own programs to support and incentivize brownfield projects–but what are brownfields anyway, and how can your organization get involved? Join us for this free afternoon of hands-on workshops, insightful panels, and networking with experts to see how reimagining and cleaning up vacant sites can further your organization’s goals for sustainability and community impact.
Whether you're with a nonprofit, community-based group, or local development organization, this event is designed for you. We’ll explore how underutilized properties can become parks, affordable housing, arts spaces, and more—with the help of federal, state, and local programs.
Event Highlights:
Date: Tuesday, July 29, 2025
Time: 2:00–5:00 PM EST
Location: Pier 57, Hudson River Greenway, 25 11th Ave, New York, NY 10011
Agenda Highlights:
- Why Brownfields Matter to Communities
- Nonprofits in Action: Panel Discussion
- Navigating Resources: Programs, Partnerships & Technical Assistance
- Interactive Activity
- Reflection and Responses
Meet our panelists:
Sessions: Welcome & Workshop Overview, Reflection and Responses, Closing Remarks
Dawn Bembry Breeden, is the Manager of Brownfield Redevelopment at the New Jersey Institute of Technology's Technical Assistance to Brownfield Communities Program (NJIT TAB). In this role, she provides vital educational forums, resources, and technical assistance to communities across the Eastern U.S. to support the revitalization and redevelopment of brownfield sites.
With over 25 years of experience in environmental science and engineering, Dawn has a proven track record of leadership and expertise in brownfield management. Prior to her work in the nonprofit sector, she was the Principal and owner of an environmental consulting firm, where she led a variety of environmental projects, including Phase I Site Assessments, Phase II Site Investigations, Remediation Oversight, Environmental Permitting, Groundwater Investigations, and Environmental Compliance. Her expertise also extends to NEPA processes and Mergers and Acquisitions, with a strong focus on brownfield redevelopment and environmental risk management.
Dawn holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering, a Master of Science in Engineering Management, and a PhD in Christian Psychology. Her interdisciplinary academic background, coupled with her extensive hands-on experience, allows her to bring a unique, comprehensive approach to each brownfield project, ensuring both technical rigor and community-centered solutions.
Sessions: Opening Presentation: Why Brownfields Matter to Communities, Interactive Activity
Cailyn Bruno is the Director of Environmental Services at New Jersey Institute of Technology Technical Assistance to Brownfield Communities Program (NJIT TAB). Ms. Bruno travels across communities in the Eastern US providing free educational forums, resources, and technical assistance for brownfields redevelopment. Prior to joining the nonprofit world, she served 16 years as a hydrogeologist consultant providing technical oversight of remedial investigations and drinking water resources. Cailyn holds a BS and MS in Geology, and is a New Jersey Licensed Site Remediation Professional and a New York Licensed Professional Geologist.
Session: Panel Discussion: Communities in Action
Reece Brosco graduated from Fordham College Rose Hill, Bronx, NY, earning a Bachelor of the Arts in History and American Studies in 2021. He holds a master’s in History (M.A.) from the Fordham University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, focused on transportation and infrastructure in the United States during the 20th century. He is particularly interested in NYC railroad history.
Mr. Brosco works as the Brownfield Program Manager at Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice, Inc. (YMPJ), a 30-year-old, hyper-local, multi-service, community-based organization serving the Bronx River, Soundview, Longwood, and Cortona East neighborhoods in the South Bronx. As a project manager, community advocate, and organizer, he oversees YMPJ's currently active and ongoing $500k New York State Department of State-funded Southern Boulevard Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) Nomination Study. The Southern Blvd BOA Nomination study covers an approximately 56-acre area on the Bronx River's West and East banks, characterized by some 150-200 brownfield sites in what is a distinctly unique industrial and post-industrial waterfront and environmental justice community. He also supports YMPJ's other interrelated Community Development projects and priorities and will soon manage an additional $500k YMPJ has received in federal funding from the EPA for a Brownfield Multipurpose Assessment and Clean-up (MAC) grant, which will build on the work of the Southern Blvd BOA.
Mr. Brosco has a deep commitment to the community he serves, informed by his over seven years of studying, living, and working in the Bronx and inspired by YMPJ’s purpose and mission to transform both the people and the physical infrastructure of blighted South Bronx neighborhoods and change the systems that negatively impact them.
Session: Panel Discussion: Communities in Action
Dr. Punter is a graduate of Mercy University, Dobbs Ferry, NY earning a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree (1998) in Behavioral Science. He also holds a master's in business administration (MBA) degree (2004) in Management and a Master of Science of Law (Juris Scientiae Magister) degree (2013), from Thomas Jefferson School of Law, in San Diego, CA, specializing in corporate taxation, restructuring, and financial services.
Dr. Punter earned a Doctorate in Education (Ed.D.) degree (2019), specializing in Executive Leadership and Social Justice from St. John Fisher University, Rochester, NY. Dr. Punter has published and collaborated on several peer-reviewed academic and research journal articles in areas of business, education and social sciences.
Dr. Punter leads HCCI, a New York based real estate development corporation and social services provider with operations nationwide. Dr. Punter joined HCCI in 2008. Since, 2016, he has led the HCCI organization as its President and Chief Executive Officer. As CEO, he developed an organization strategy that centered around expanding the business operations of the organization throughout the continental U.S. HCCI currently has multiple real estate projects in development and construction nation-wide.
Dr. Punter has developed alliances with academic and research institutions such as Columbia University, New York University, and CUNY (City University of New York) to enhance HCCI’s abilities to administer social service delivery to its residents and the community at large including procurement of federal NIH grants and clinical research studies.
He currently manages the financial and operational sustainability of the HCCI housing portfolio valued at over $ 500 million dollars, including a commercial leasing portfolio collectively comprised of approximately 2.2 million square feet of real estate in Harlem, in the City of New York.
Dr. Punter is a NYS licensed Real Estate Broker and Real Estate Instructor. He has over 20 years of experience as a real estate manager, construction management, developer, and investor. His experience includes management advisory, wealth-building investments through real estate development, and assisting entrepreneurs in need of targeted investment strategies.
Session: Panel Discussion: Communities in Action
Nebraska Hernandez (he/him/él) is a Puerto Rican environmental justice advocate and cartographer. He is a graduate from the Pennsylvania State University where he obtained both his B.S. and M.S. in Geography. He is passionate about environmental justice, writing two theses on the topic, and served on the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Environmental Justice Advisory Board. At UPROSE, Nebraska leverages GIS and critical cartographic methods to create maps that analyze the disproportionate impacts of environmental pollutants on environmental justice communities, as well as works on air quality mitigation efforts and brownfield remediation. In his free time, he enjoys reading, spending time with friends, listening to music, and making maps.
Session: Navigating Resources: Programs, Partnerships & Technical Assistance
Esmeralda Vargas is a member of the Region 2 Brownfields Team. Before joining the team, she worked with The United States Geological Survey (USGS) where she was a Hydrologist. Esmeralda has a master’s in Earth Systems Science and Environmental Engineer.
Session: Navigating Resources: Programs, Partnerships & Technical Assistance
Michelle Sarro is the General Counsel of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Environmental Remediation, which operates municipal programs that promote the cleanup and redevelopment of vacant and contaminated land in New York City. Her role involves overseeing program compliance, managing grants for nonprofit developers and community-based organizations, and advancing cleanup initiatives. Michelle holds a J.D. and Master of Environmental Law and Policy from Vermont Law School and a B.A. in Environmental Studies from New York University.
Session: Navigating Resources: Programs, Partnerships & Technical Assistance
Kevin Garrett is a Remediation Specialist working for the NYS Department of State focusing on the Brownfield Opportunity Area in New York City. He previously worked as an environmental scientist in NYC in brownfield remediation. He has master’s degrees in Geology and Sustainability Science.
Session: Panel Discussion: Communities in Action
Laura Senkevitch is the Executive Director of the NYC Brownfield Partnership, where she leads efforts to promote excellence in brownfield redevelopment through education, professional development, and recognition programs. Along with the Partnership's tremendously active Board, she oversees initiatives that expand access to the field—such as the Partnership’s scholarship program and annual Big Apple Brownfield Awards—while fostering cross-sector collaboration and celebrating leadership in sustainable land reuse.
In addition to her role at the Partnership, Laura serves as Director of Donor Relations at Human Rights First, where she supports efforts to strengthen democracy and protect human rights through advocacy and innovation. She brings over a decade of experience in nonprofit leadership, fundraising, and coalition-building.