GHREB The Black History Month Edition Networking Event

You are invited to attend an amazing evening of networking and celebration at the Amazing New Venue, The Dean NYC.

Valerie White, Senior Executive Director of LISC NY, leads the statewide capital investment, policy advocacy, and programs designed to address systemic inequities. She elevates LISC's role as a key voice among legislative, government, private sector, philanthropic, and nonprofit/community partner stakeholders across New York State.

Valerie previously served as Executive VP at Empire State Development and Executive Director of the NYS Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development. She was also Vice President at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and spent 17 years at S&P Global Ratings as managing director leading the municipal finance structure securities and housing finance analytics business.

Valerie serves on the NYS Financial Innovation Advisory Board, the New York City 2025 Charter Revision focused on affordable housing, City of New York Mayor’s M/WBE Advisory Council, and boards for Embrace Partners and the Fordham Urban Law Center. She also is a director of the Fordham Law Alumni Association.

Valerie holds a Bachelor of Arts and Law Degree from Fordham University, and a Master of Science and Certificate of Organization Development from The New School.

Tonya Ores, a seasoned leader in affordable housing and community development, is the Chief Executive Officer at Neighborhood Housing Services of New York City (NHSNYC). With over 27 years of experience in the field, Ms. Ores is deeply committed to empowering communities through housing equity and financial empowerment.

Ms. Ores previously served as CEO of Neighborhood Housing Services Brooklyn, Community Development Corporation, Inc. (NHS Brooklyn), where she spearheaded initiatives to create and preserve affordable, safe, and decent housing for Brooklyn residents. During her tenure from 2001 to 2016 as Executive Director of NHS Brooklyn (a former subsidiary of NHSNYC), she played a pivotal role in expanding the organization’s reach and establishing it as a vital resource for low- and moderate-income families. In 2016, after NHS Brooklyn became an independent nonprofit, Ms. Ores continued to lead the organization, strengthening its impact and mission.

As CEO of NHSNYC, Ms. Ores oversees the organization’s strategic direction, operations, and partnerships to advance its mission of creating and preserving affordable housing, fostering financial empowerment, and revitalizing neighborhoods across New York City. She works closely with the Board of Directors, Advisory Board, staff, and community partners to address the city’s housing challenges.

Born and raised in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood, Ms. Ores has a profound connection to the communities she serves. She began her higher education at Medgar Evers College and later earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Phoenix. Throughout her career, Ms. Ores has been recognized for her leadership and dedication to social justice, housing equity, and community revitalization.

Her appointment as CEO has been met with enthusiasm from housing advocates and community leaders. Maria Torres-Springer, New York City Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce, praised Ms. Ores’ deep commitment and extensive experience, emphasizing her alignment with NHSNYC’s mission. Joanie Straussman Brandon, Vice President of the Northeast Region for NeighborWorks America, lauded her skill, vision, and dedication, highlighting the transformative impact she will have on NHSNYC and the communities it serves.

R. Kenyatta Punter, President & Ceo, has been a professional in the real estate industry for the past 28 years. His background includes real investment, development, commercial leasing, and property management. Mr. Punter has negotiated commercial transactions throughout the City of New York, including a 25,000 sqft., land lease in the Bronx, NY to a major laundry cleaning facility; assisted in the structuring of an asset management plan for the 1,300,000 Sqft., Bush Terminal Industrial Complex located in Brooklyn, NY at the Brooklyn Navy Yard; leased over 500,000 Sqft. of office and retail space in Northern Manhattan; and negotiated the acquisition of a 26,000 Sqft assemblage for the development of a Charter School for the Harlem Children's Zone and Promise Academy on 125th Street/Madison Avenue. His firm has developed multi-family housing in tax credit syndicated transactions in conjunction with the City of New York, New York City Housing Partnership, and the Enterprise Foundation. in 2005 Mr. Punter and his partners rescued from foreclosure a mixed-use multi-family portfolio owned by the Black United Fund of New York, a not-for-profit organization, and repositioned the assets, and restored them to profitability. This Native New Yorker, is a past board member of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, Inc. (NAREB), and past president of The Greater Harlem Real Estate Board. He is a member of the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY); Real Estate Executive Committee (REEC); and the International Council of Shopping Center Executives (ICSC). Mr. Punter has lectured at the Learning Annex once teaching one of its most popular seminar series "How to Find Hot Properties in Harlem and the Bronx", and has lectured at New York University's Real Estate Institute. Mr. Punter is a past board member of the Harlem Business Alliance (HBA), 125th Street Business Improvement; Met Life Advisory Board and Dance Theatre of Harlem Junior Council.

Tywan is a Commercial Property Manager at Kimco Realty Corp. At Kimco, he manages over 1 million sqft of retail, office and open-air shopping center assets. Throughout his career Tywan has managed shopping centers in various states across the United States. Kimco Realty Corp is the largest shopping center Reit in the country with a market cap of $15.7 Billion and has ownership of 567 open air centers nationwide.

Always looking at growing community through real estate, Tywan serves as a property management consultant to NHS Brooklyn, a local nonprofit that offers home buyer education, grants, and foreclosure mortgage assistance to the community. Locally, he has served as a member of his community board in Bedford Stuyvesant Brooklyn where he chaired the economic development committee and most recently spearheaded the forming of a new block association in his community.

Tywan currently holds several licenses, memberships, and designations in the real estate and sports industry. He holds a Certified Property Manager Candidate designation from the Institute of Real Estate Management, is a licensed NYS Real Estate broker, host committee member of the Annual Diversity in Commercial Real Estate Conference and a member of the National Society of Black Sports Professionals.

Additionally, Tywan is the Founder & Executive Director of the New York Crusaders. The New York Crusaders is a nonprofit adult football organization focused on creating athletic and economic opportunities for athletes across the city which include college and professional football. Tywan operates all day-to-day functions which include general management, serving as athletic director, staff recruitment and budget oversight. Last year the Crusaders made it to the 2024 Big East Championship game and were able to assist several athletes with their journey towards college football.

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Host or Publisher Greater Harlem Real Estate Board