The Center for an Urban Future is a NYC-based think tank dedicated to highlighting the critical opportunities and challenges facing New York and other cities, and providing fresh ideas and workable solutions to policymakers. The Center’s primary focus is on growing and diversifying the local economy, expanding economic opportunity and targeting problems facing low-income and working-class neighborhoods. We consistently elevate important, but long overlooked, issues onto the radar of public officials—and we push policymakers to think differently about economic and workforce development.
The Center does this through publishing fact-based research reports that are accessible to a wide audience and holding high-profile policy forums.
Center for an Urban Future’s parent organization is City Futures, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3). EIN: 13-3185114.
Jonathan Bowles | Executive Director | 212.479.3347 | jbowles@nycfuture.org
Jonathan Bowles is the Executive Director of the Center for an Urban Future, a Manhattan-based think tank dedicated to independent research about key policy issues facing New York and other cities. During his 12 years at the Center, he has been the architect of the policy agenda for the Center and is responsible for making it one of New York's most innovative and influential organizations and one in which its policy ideas are well-respected and widely used by policymakers, business leaders, and nonprofit practitioners.
At the Center, Jonathan has authored more than two-dozen reports, including a widely acclaimed 2007 study about the significant impact immigrant entrepreneurs are having on cities' economies, an influential study about New York City's innovation economy and a report about how to retain and grow New York's middle class. His has been asked to be a guest contributor for the New York Times, the Daily News and The Council on Foreign Relations on a range of urban issues including New York City's need to diversify its economy and immigrant entrepreneurs. His research about key economic trends facing New York and its five boroughs, the value of small businesses to cities, and the economic impact of industries ranging from air cargo to biotechnology has been covered in publications ranging from the New York Times and USA Today to The Economist. Jonathan is a frequent moderator and speaker at conferences and panel discussions on urban policy in New York and nationally.
In November 2008, the New York Times' City Room blog featured him in their "Ask the Expert" column, in which he fielded questions from readers for one week about the challenges facing immigrant entrepreneurs. He served on Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer's Small Business Task Force in 2008 to examine the threats facing mom and pop retailers in the borough. In 2006, City Hall News named him one of 35 "Rising Stars Under 40" and in 2005, Time Out New York named him "New York's Finest Troublemaker."
Before joining the Center, he worked as research director for former New York State Senator Franz Leichter and spent time as a freelance journalist.
Ahmad Dowla | Operations Manager | 212.479.3319 | adowla@nycfuture.org
Ahmad Dowla has been with the Center for an Urban Future since 2006 and now serves as its Operations Manager. In this role, he manages the Center's various projects and contributes to the development and implementation of organizational strategies, policies and practices. He is also the developer behind the Center's website and the designer behind Center publications and materials. He attended the Bronx High School of Science and CUNY Hunter. Ahmad currently lives in Queens.
Adam Forman | Research & Communications Associate | 212.479.3352 | aforman@nycfuture.org
Adam Forman is a Research and Communications Associate for the Center for an Urban Future. He has interned at the Public Advocate’s Office and worked in tax and trade consulting and as a freelance writer. His work has been published in the New York Daily News, New York Post and an assortment of internet blogs. He received his BA from Colgate University in economics and an MA in political science from the University of Washington. He specializes in economic development and urban planning. Adam currently lives in Brooklyn.
David Giles | Research Director | 212.479.3353 | dgiles@nycfuture.org
David Giles is the Center for an Urban Future's Research Director. During his four years at the Center, Giles has written extensively on a variety of public policy issues including transportation, technology and the arts. As a part of the Center's continuing research on the need for a more diverse local economy, he has researched New York's health information technology and applied arts sectors and written about the problems many small businesses are having accessing energy efficiency incentives. As the author of a widely covered report on transportation, he has also written about the growing challenges many New York City commuters are having in accessing jobs in the boroughs outside of Manhattan. His reports and op-eds have appeared in local and national media outlets including The New York Times, New York Daily News, National Public Radio and NY1. He has a BA from Boston College and an MA from the University of Chicago. He lives in Queens with his wife and two children.
Christian González-Rivera | Research Associate | 212.479.3341 | cgonzalezrivera@nycfuture.org
Christian González-Rivera is a research associate at the Center for an Urban Future. Before coming to CUF he worked at the Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy at New York University, and spent four years as research manager at the Greenlining Institute in Berkeley, California. He has authored and supported research on housing, philanthropy, diversity in the healthcare workforce, access to financial services, consumer protection, and the green economy. He holds a BA in urban studies from Columbia University and a Masters in Urban Planning from New York University's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. He lives in Manhattan, and together with his partner Aleks he likes to go hiking and camping in America's most beautiful places.
Tom Hilliard | Senior Fellow | thilliard@nycfuture.org
Tom Hilliard is the Center's Senior Fellow in Workforce Development Policy. He has analyzed several critically important aspects of workforce policy for the Center, including the economic value of community college completion, barriers to foster youth success in the workforce, and declining support for English-language instruction. His reports have appeared in local and national media outlets, including the New York Times, CNN, the Wall Street Journal, WNYC, NY1 and the New York Daily News. He previously served as Senior Policy Associate at the Albany-based Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy, where he launched an initiative to expand postsecondary opportunities for low-income adults. Tom has also served as Director of Health Policy to New York City Public Advocate Mark Green and Assistant Director of Medicine at Gouverneur Healthcare Services, a freestanding clinic on the Lower East Side.
Kahliah Laney | Research Associate | 212.479.3351 | klaney@nycfuture.org
Kahliah Laney is a research associate for the Center for an Urban Future. She is currently earning a graduate degree in broadcast journalism with an emphasis in urban affairs at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. She interned with WNYC's The Brian Lehrer Show, Black Enterprise magazine and NY1's The Call. Kahliah has covered technology and small business. Her work has been published in Government Technology magazine and featured on BlackEnterprise.com and 219West, a monthly television news show on CUNY TV. Prior to moving to New York, Kahliah was a freelance writer and assistant to a Fresno City Council member in California. She attended the University of California, Davis where she double majored in English and Sociology. Kahliah currently lives in Harlem.
Gifford Miller, Miller Strategies (Chairman)
Michael Connor, Open Mic (Vice-Chair)
Monisha Nariani, Citigroup (Treasurer)
Blake Foote (Secretary)
Margaret Anadu, Goldman Sachs
Jonathan Bowles, Center for an Urban Future
Gerrard Bushell, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts
Russell Dubner, Edelman Public Relations
Gretchen Dykstra
Lisa Gomez, L+M Development Partners
Jalak Jobanputra
David Lebenstein, SIOR, Colliers ABR
Eric S. Lee, Bennett Midland, LLC
Andrew Reicher, UHAB
John Siegal, Baker & Hostetler LLP
Stephen Sigmund, Global Strategy Group
Thomas Vecchione, Gensler
Robert Zimmerman, Zimmerman/Edelson Inc
The internship cycle is closed for Summer 2013. Application period for Fall 2013 will begin in June. Placements are on a first-come-first-serve basis.
The Center for an Urban Future is a public policy organization dedicated to improving the overall health of New York City and serving its long-term interests by targeting problems facing low-income and working-class neighborhoods in all five boroughs. The Center seeks an intern with experience in journalism or public policy research to assist staff in researching a variety of issues impacting New York City, primarily on studies related to economic development and workforce development. Responsibilities include extensive phone interviews, Web research, attending policy meetings and writing. Other duties include coordinating meetings with government officials and assisting on all reports. Intern must be able to commit to at least 20 hours a week. This is an unpaid internship that can be used for college credit where applicable. Send resume with cover letter to intern@nycfuture.org.
The Center for an Urban Future gratefully acknowledges the support of the following foundations:
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Deputy Director
The Center for an Urban seeks an entrepreneurial and results-driven deputy director to provide high level support to the executive director of a growing New York City-based policy think tank. The deputy director will play a central role in the organization's communications and development strategy. This will include: identifying new opportunities to increase the organization’s visibility, impact and fundraising capacity; writing grant proposals, fundraising letters, press releases and marketing materials; communicating the organization’s successes to stakeholders and potential supporters; overseeing special events programming, including the annual gala, young professionals events and policy conferences; managing relationships with key stakeholders, board members and funders; and managing the organization’s social media strategy. The ideal candidate would be a mission-driven professional with very strong writing skills; a background in marketing or communications; experience with fundraising; a working knowledge of the New York City policy and political landscape; and an interest in urban policy. The Center is a NYC-based think tank that publishes studies and holds forums about critical issues facing New York and other cities, with a focus on growing and diversifying New York’s economy and expanding economic opportunity. The position is full time and the salary is commensurate with experience. Send resume, cover letter and at least one writing sample to jobs+deputy@nycfuture.org.
Communications and Development Associate
The Center for an Urban seeks a Communications and Development Associate to play a key role in the communications and fundraising strategy of a growing NYC-based policy think tank. Responsibilities for the Communications and Development Associate will include: drafting press releases, marketing materials, newsletters, grant proposals, fundraising appeals and external correspondence from the Executive Director; researching new fundraising targets and opportunities to increase the organization’s visibility and impact; coordinating efforts to expand the organization’s relationships with government officials; assisting with special events programming, including our young professionals events and policy conferences; and expanding the organization’s social media strategy. We are looking for someone with exceptional writing skills; a background in marketing or communications; experience with fundraising; and a strong interest in the New York City policy landscape. The Center is a NYC-based think tank that publishes studies and holds forums about critical issues facing New York and other cities, with a focus on growing and diversifying New York’s economy and expanding economic opportunity. The position is full time and the salary is commensurate with experience. Send resume, cover letter and at least one writing sample to jobs+associate@nycfuture.org. No phone calls please.
