Bob Townley

Executive Director

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Bob's broad experience in nonprofit management is bolstered by a Master's degree in Social Administration from Columbia University. He has worked extensively with families in New York City, including homeless families at the Henry Street Settlement's Urban Family Center. His commitment to helping families secure employment and childcare has been the driving force in his work. Bob's other love is sports and recreation. In the mid-1980s he became Youth Coordinator of Community Board One, and he started Manhattan Youth in 1986 with Lower Manhattan parents. His commitment to social activism helped him organize community meetings and services for residents including successful advocacy efforts for parks, sports leagues and schools. In the aftermath of 9/11 Bob took the lead in organizing services for the downtown community.

Bob ranks as one of the longest-serving members of CB1. He is a member of the Hudson River Park Advisory Board, the Residents Advisory Board of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and he is a founder of the Downtown Soccer and Little Leagues. A native of Coney Island who grew up in Manhattan and Queens, he has lived in Tribeca and has been a Battery Park City resident for over 20 years. Bob enjoys hiking, music about beaches and the ocean, he loves the gym in his building, and he is a die-hard fan of both the New York Giants and New York Jets!

Matthew Behrens

Lawyer and Parent

Matthew Behrens is an attorney with the law firm of Shearman & Sterling LLP.  He lives in Manhattan with his wife and their two children.

Bruce Cronin

Board Chair and Professor

David Gage

Instrument Repair Shop and Parent

Board member David Gage has lived and worked in Tribeca since 1977. He and his wife Judy raised their two children, Mollie and Isaiah, in their Tribeca loft . Their children attended both the neighborhood schools and various Manhattan Youth programs and day camp. For many years David enjoyed coaching both his children and others at Manhattan Youth Basketball leagues. He is the adoring grandfather of Isabella, now three and a half and a frequent visitor to Manhattan Youth open play areas.

Since 1978 David has been President of David Gage String Instruments in Tribeca, a brick and mortar shop specializing in the restoration , sales and rentals of string basses, celli, violins and violas . He is also the designer and manufacturer of a line of transducers for the amplification of instruments in the violin family. David plays the upright and electric basses as well as the guitar and enjoys sharing his love of music and musicians with area children who now rent their instruments through the shop.

Paul Hovitz

Teacher, Activist, and Parent

Ron V. Shenfield

Treasurer

Ron Shenfield, Treasurer MY Board of Directors is an accomplished healthcare consultant and project manager specializing in large-scale healthcare planning, strategy, capital development, administration, and operations. With a diverse career in senior executive, consulting and government roles, having set healthcare policy, directed and run long-term care facilities, and both planned and administered hospital programs, services, and capital developments over the past 25+ years.

Ron’s industry knowledge, contacts, and leadership/consulting expertise span the full breadth of healthcare planning, administration, and operations. His experience provides the ability to advise on and lead all project phases, from defining the vision to executing the plan.

Ron has also lectured and presented before some of the top universities and healthcare associations throughout Canada and the U.S.

Ron holds a Masters Degree in Social Policy & Administration with a minor in Business Administration from Columbia University, Bachelor degrees from the Universities of Calgary and Alberta, and has chaired or contributed to over 20 senior-level planning and action committees in both Canada and the U.S..

Ron was a co-founder of Manhattan Youth in 1986 and continues to serve as a Board member, currently he is the Board Treasurer.

Ron and his wife enjoy travelling, kayaking, sailing and hiking.

Beth Kirschner

Parent and Attorney

Beth Kirschner is a long time resident of downtown Manhattan.  Beth is the Managing Attorney of a Manhattan law firm and the mother of a son who is an active member in the MY after school program as well as the basketball program.

Shonali Gupta

Board of Directors

Shonali Gupta has twenty years of experience at Wall Street banks in New York City. She has worked at Lehman Brothers, Citigroup and Nomura, most recently heading a global team managing the Interest Rates Volatility trading business at the Royal Bank of Canada.

Concurrent with her professional career, Shonali has been an active participant in the Lower Manhattan community through volunteering efforts, involvement in nonprofit boards and through teaching. Shonali and her husband have lived in Battery Park City for the last fourteen years. They have witnessed the neighborhood go through unprecedented times and bounce back stronger and more resilient. Shonali has volunteered with the horticulturists at the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy and continues to tend a plot at the Liberty Community Gardens. She has served as Treasurer as part of the Executive Board of the Battery Park City School Parent Teacher Association. Her two children go to local schools and have been a part of the Manhattan Youth family for close to a decade, participating in afterschool programs, summer camps and the community sports leagues. 

Presently, Shonali teaches Masters students at the NYU Department of Financial Risk and Engineering and teaches courses in Business Management at the Borough of Manhattan Community College. Shonali is also on the Board of the Society of Young Inklings, a nonprofit organization that provides support and mentorship for young writers.

Through these efforts, Shonali has followed her passion to give back and develop strong ties with her community. She highly values the bonds she has built with her neighbors over the years, which motivate her to take initiative and participate in the process that makes this community special. As a Board Member at Manhattan Youth, Shonali is excited to be part of a dedicated team that continues to create joy, success and belonging throughout New York City.