Blaise Backer serves as the principal of Community Steward Solutions, assisting neighborhood-based organizations, parks and public space groups, and mission-driven technology and data companies in forging sustainable solutions for decentralized, locally governed place management. As former Deputy Commissioner of Neighborhood Development at NYC Department of Small Business Services, he oversaw the nation's largest network of Business Improvement Districts while transforming how the city supports commercial corridors through innovative grant programs, data collection tools, and capacity-building initiatives. Blaise holds a Masters in Urban Planning from NYU Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service and a B.S. in Commerce from the University of Virginia.