Meet our cohort of urban leaders who will survey the world to take a big swing at New York City’s housing crisis.
With leaders in policy, design, organizing, public health, development, law, philanthropy and journalism, our inaugural class of Fellows is already shaping the future of New York City. Fellows are reforming regulations to allow more office conversions; negotiating policies like Good Cause Eviction, tax incentives, and Local Law 97’s emissions mandates; promoting transparency in NYCHA capital improvements; organizing for tenant rights to counter displacement and much more.
Over the next nine months, they will build bridges between New York City and its peer cities, uncover cutting-edge projects and demand courageous public policy to address New York City’s housing crisis.
The cohort will visit Berlin in September for a 3-day study trip. Throughout the fellowship, Urban Design Forum will complement the work of the cohort with a speaker series of experts from global cities. Stay tuned for more!
Big Swings Fellows
Zayba Abdulla
Polina Bakhteiarov
Heather Beck
Maia Berlow
Laura Capucilli
Julie Chou
Julian St. Patrick Clayton
Allan Co
Jacob Dugopolski
Koray Duman
Erik Forman
Rachel Goodfriend
Palak Kaushal
John Kimble
Teddy Kofman
Joel Kolkmann
Allison Lane
Kenny Lee
Emily Lehman
Rebecca Macklis
Samantha Maldonado
Hallie Martin
Maulin Mehta
Alexa Mendel
Sylvia Morse
Nasra Nimaga
Delma Palma
Marcelle Pena
Franz Prinsloo
Sadia Rahman
Neil Reilly
Doug Rose
Amy Schaap
Wendi Shafran
Ellen Shakespear
Kavya Shankar
Ashley Smith
Sarah Solon
Adán Soltren
Lauren Stander
Jennifer Tausig
Eli Tedesco
Catherine Vaughan
Silvia Vercher Pons
Nicole Vlado Torres
Laura Sara Wainer
Trax Wang
Pablo Zevallos
About Big Swings
Our 2024 Global Exchange initiative, Big Swings seeks to build solidarity between leaders in New York and other cities taking “big swings” at their housing crises. By exploring the cultures and politics behind housing shifts around the world, we will equip decision-makers to better advocate for reform and support a new generation of leaders to house every New Yorker.
Support Our Work
Global Exchange is made possible through support of our Global Circle. We thank sponsors Apple Bank, Camba Housing Ventures, Charney, Cozen O’Connor, Fogarty Finger, HKS, Jamie von Klemperer, KPF, One Architecture, Perkins Eastman, Skylight, Turner Construction, Upside Collab and Zillow.
Global Exchange is made possible with additional support from our Board of Directors, Director’s Circle, and company and individual members. Our programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
To learn more about supporting Global Exchange, please contact Miranda Bellizia, miranda@urbandesignform.org.
Thank you to our Founding Circle members.
