Davina Angus, Executive Director

A native Bronxite & first generation Jamaican-American college graduate, Davina Angus has dedicated her career to date, having served 100k children and families in NY and counting! It was in college that Davina learned she wanted to use her career to give back to the people of New York, with emphasis on youth and families. Hence, she obtained her M.Sc. in Nonprofit Management from University of Massachusetts-Boston. She is a Nonprofit Executive Leader with over 15 years of experience collaborating with executive teams for public and private nonprofit agencies, including The Massachusetts’ Eye & Ear Institute, New York Edge, NYC Public Schools, American Camp Association & PENCIL. 

She is the honored recipient of the 2023 Bronx Power List and the 2023 BlueCross/BlueShield & Crain’s Business Whole Health Heroes Award. Now, as Executive Director of the Hunts Point Alliance for Children (HPAC), she is ecstatic to focus on the children & families of her beloved borough; in support of the HPAC mission to expand the hopes and potential of Hunts Point children.

Pety Acebo, Finance and Operations Manager

All runs smoothly at HPAC because of Pety Acebo, who has worked at HPAC since 2010.

Previously, Pety worked as a Crew Leader Assistant at the U.S. Census Bureau. She also worked in the Accounting Department at Stuyvesant Oil Company for almost five years, where she pursued a college degree after immigrating to the U.S. from Ecuador.

Pety graduated from Lehman College with a B.A. in accounting in May 2009 and received her MBA in May 2019.  Pety also is an individual taxpayer preparer and notary public, licensed in August 2013.

Shannon Fasanella, LMSW, Social Worker

Shannon began her education and youth development career in 2015, working with middle school students in North Philadelphia as an AmeriCorps City Year. From 2016-2018, Shannon continued supporting students at Democracy Prep Public Schools and Hunter College before pursuing her Master's degree in social work. As a social work intern, Shannon worked with older adults at the Greenwich House Senior Center. Her internship experience also included coordinating public hearings, creating resource guides, and promoting communication among city agencies at the Department of Youth and Community Development.

In 2020, Shannon supported young people on supervised release, an alternative to the bail program in the Bronx, at The Fortune Society. Before joining HPAC, Shannon managed six case planners to deliver services to 55+ foster care youth at the Jewish Child Care Association.

Shannon was born in Medellin, Colombia, and raised in New Jersey. Shannon likes to read, go to concerts, and learn to play the drums in her spare time. She is passionate about music, books, and skincare and is a big supporter of self-care!

Shannon graduated with her BA in literature from Emory University and obtained her MSW from NYU. Shannon is a New York State licensed social worker.  

Emily Garcia, Arts Programming & Partnership Associate

Emily Garcia, originally from Dallas, Texas has moved to the city to pursue Directing, Casting and Arts Administration. She is a proud Guatemalan storyteller with a calling for more inclusive, innovative, empathetic, and authentic work. She has worked with multiple artistic programs throughout the Austin area. She is most interested in work that focuses on artists' mental health advocacy and programs that will uplift the voices of people of color. Through her work, she hopes to help highlight the emotional complexities of humanity.

Reina Garcia, Senior Manager, Early Childhood Education

Reina is a seasoned early childhood education professional with over 12 years of experience in the field. She graduated from Lehman College with a B.A. in psychology and minor in early childhood education, and a M.S.Ed. in bilingual early childhood education.

Before joining the HPAC team, she was employed by Saint Dominic's Home TORCH (To Reach Children) Therapeutic Preschool, as a special education early childhood lead teacher for ten years. She is passionate about working with HPAC 's youngest children and families and is committed to shrinking the educational achievement gap in low-income communities. In 2019, Reina was awarded the Emily Fenichel Award by the Zero-to-Three Network in recognition of her tireless work to enrich toddlers and empower their families.

Dahiana Lessard, Family Project Case Manager

Dahiana connects families with a variety of social services, including external counseling, health or legal services, food pantries, job centers, youth programs, and public assistance. At HPAC, Dahiana has worked as bookkeeper, administrative assistant, food coordinator, and early childhood assistant. As early childhood assistant, she helped run programs for children such as Play to Learn and Homework Help.

In 2008, Dahiana received vocational training through Year Up, focusing on information technology. She earned an internship at Google, and obtained her CompTIA A+ certification. Prior to that, Dahiana served in the U.S. Army as a human resources/administrative personnel specialist.

Dahiana is attending Bronx Community College pursuing a degree in human services.

Nisha Taveras, Development and Communications Manager

Nisha Taveras is a Hunts Point Native and has been a part of the Hunts Point Alliance for Children since 2008 where she formed part of the first group of scholars to begin the Shakespeare Ensemble. After graduating from Boston College in 2019, Nisha Taveras wanted to take the opportunity to return to the place that helped propel her academic and professional career to help students in her community not only have an equal level playing field in academic and professional spaces but also provide them with the tools to succeed in their fields of interests. She has served as a mentor for HPAC’s high school scholars, as graduate support for the Online Tutoring Program and is now a Student Success Associate. As a Student Success Associate, Nisha Taveras works across various HPAC teams to build high-impact relationships with students and families throughout their high school and college endeavors.

Pamela Martinez de Garcia, Early Childhood Education Teacher Associate

Pamela has eight years of experience working with children with special needs. She also worked with families in crisis at Home For the Homeless (Prospect Family Support Center) for six months. Pamela earned a degree in medicine from her beloved country Dominican Republic in 2016. She also worked for six years as an associate social worker.

Pamela is a wife and proud mother of two boys. She enjoys listening to music, dancing, planning events, decorating, cheering people up and supporting others. Pamela enjoys giving her time to all the people she has the pleasure of knowing.

Britnney Ron, Director, Hunts Point Community Partnership

Britnney was born in Ecuador and raised in the South Bronx. A former HPAC and Posse scholar, she attended Middlebury College and majored in International Politics and Economics with a minor in Mandarin. Britnney is involved in local politics, community volunteer efforts, and leading the Hunts Point Community Partnership team. You'll probably catch her at the Yankee stadium when she’s not taking a stroll in the park or studying for the LSAT.

Eli Thacker Taylor, Senior Manager of Arts Partnerships and Programs

Eli Thacker Taylor, originally from Portland, Ore., moved to the East Coast to pursue arts, education, and the integration of the two. He has taught theater in after-school and residency programs throughout Brooklyn, directed plays for various festivals and venues in New York City, directed summer camps and recess programs, and written original script adaptations of classic literature for children. He is an avid music fan (both playing and listening), rides his bicycle to work from Brooklyn whenever possible, is constantly trying to catch up on podcasts, and is a lifelong Portland Trailblazers apologist.

Riley Van Steward, Storefront Ensemble Writing Teacher

Riley Van Steward is a writer, journalist, and teacher from North Texas. Riley studied business, entrepreneurship, and English at the University of Texas at Austin. He likes dark chocolate, dance music, and dawn and dusk. The writers that spin sweetest and most often on his heart are Camila Sosa Villada, Walt Whitman, Kahlil Gibran, Yosano Akiko, McKenzie Wark, Maya Angelou, Sandra Cisneros, and Cookie Mueller. Riley’s published concerning music, movies, economics, and poetry at big and small houses such as GQ, the Recording Academy, Forbes, and Chiron Review. He’s proudest to teach poetry and essay in the Hunts Point Alliance for Children’s Storefront ensemble for seventh and eighth graders. 

Amina Henry, Mighty Quills Instructor

Amina is an educator and playwright. She was a Resident Teaching Artist for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for three seasons and is currently a teaching artist with the Teachers & Writers Collaborative, as well as HPAC. As an adjunct lecturer, she teaches expository writing and literature courses at Brooklyn College, as well as playwriting at SUNY Purchase. As a playwright, her productions include The Animals, Ducklings,  and Hunter John and Jane at JACK, Bully (SUNY Purchase, Clubbed Thumb WinterWorks, and elsewhere), Cindy and Sleeping Beauty (children's theater commissions by Project Y Theatre) and The Great Novel (New Light Theater). Her work has been produced, presented at, and/or developed by Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Ars Nova, Page 73, The Flea, National Black Theatre, HERO Theater, Project Y Theatre, Dixon Place, and other venues. She is a New Georges Affiliate Artist and 2018-2019 Audrey grant recipient. BA (English/Film Studies), Yale University. MA (Performance Studies), New York University. MFA (Playwriting), Brooklyn College.

Bianca Perez, MSW, Social Worker

Bianca is a proud Bronx native of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent. She received her BA in Psychology and Master of Social Work from Lehman College. She is dedicated to promoting cultural humility and helping the youth of the Bronx overcome life’s greatest challenges.

From 2021 to 2023, Bianca interned at Bronx Academy for Multi-Media, a middle school in the Hunts Point community that maintains a valued partnership with HPAC. She provided services such as individual counseling, group counseling, success mentoring, and peer mediations. This internship fueled her passion for social work and advocating for all students to ensure that they feel secure in school and outside of school.

In her free time, Bianca enjoys spending quality time with family and friends. She loves listening to music, reading books, and, overall, making the best of life!

Griselis Herrera, Hunts Point Community Partnership Administrative Coordinator

Originally from the Dominican Republic. Griss earned her degree in accounting and administration in the Dominican Republic and has extensive experience in immigration matters. She recently worked for the Dominican Embassy in Washington, D.C., and Costa Rica, conducting field investigations for immigrants crossing the border through the Darriel Forest. She was very passionate about this work and enjoyed helping them overcome this tough situation. 

Griss is an administrative coordinator at HPAC and works closely with the Hunts Point Community Partnership team. She is dedicated to helping all families in the community of Hunts Point, providing them with vital resources.

Sammy Marrero, Senior Manager, Academics, College & Career Success

Sammy is a Hunts Point native who first joined HPAC in 2016 as a communications intern. Since then, he has continued to work with HPAC in different capacities including High School Program Manager and now Senior Manager of Academics, College, and Career. A seasoned educator, Sammy specializes in career development and young adult education. He also teaches high school math on Saturdays and digital marketing night classes to adults who want to change careers. Sammy enjoys concerts and watching New York sports teams in his free time. 

Gladys Vasquez, Early Childhood Administrative Assistant

Gladys Vasquez is a Salvadoran-American and Bronx Native. She has over six years of experience working with high-needs families across New York in the foster care system. Gladys has worked with infants and toddlers at New York Foundling and later worked with at-risk teenagers and young adults in Sheltering Arms. In her previous roles, Gladys assisted parents with court order services such as drug treatment, parenting classes, immigration, housing concerns, and mental health services. Gladys enjoys working with people and hopes to make a positive impact in this world regardless of how small it may be. 

Gladys is a graduate of John Jay College of Criminal Justice with a B.A. in Forensic Psychology and her hobbies involve reading, brushing up on geography, traveling, and spending time with her dog Lucky. 

Omar Canales, Information Technology Coordinator

Omar Canales was born and raised in The Bronx, of Honduran-Ecuadorian heritage. With more than 18 years of experience in the Information Technology industry working passionately with all people to meet their technology needs. Omar has over five years of working proudly with the HPAC team providing technical support.

Omar is a graduate of Pace University with a B.S. and M.S. in Information Systems. Other occupations also involve working with local food and hospitality establishments. Also shares a passion for his Bronx community by advocating for small locally owned businesses and promoting culture.

Mozart
Feel Good Manager, Food Inspector

Say hello to Momo, the office pup with a heart of gold! Forget water cooler chats, Momo expects hugs and pets first, treats next. This furry coworker's here to socialize, bringing warmth and smiles to all ages. A total people-pleaser, his infectious excitement and never-ending need for cuddles make him a complete bundle of joy and fun around the workplace. Get ready for wagging tails and happy squeals – Momo's here to brighten your day!