
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.
