Manhattan Youth Leadership
Manhattan Youth, serving downtown families for over 30 years was founded by Bob Townley, Executive Director. Mr. Townley serves with his executive team that together, oversee After-school programs in elementary and middle schools throughout Manhattan, The Downtown Community Center, and our summer program, Downtown Day Camp.
Bob Townley
Executive Director
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!
×Russ Schulman, PhD
Associate Executive Director
As Manhattan Youth’s Associated Executive Director, Dr. Schulman helped start our first after-school and summer programs in the 1990s, and also serves as Staff Development Director. He created our first professional development and evaluation systems, supporting Manhattan Youth’s team of directors and hundreds of staff members. Dr. Schulman’s other professional experience includes: former NYC public elementary school teacher in East Flatbush, Brooklyn; current Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Single Parent Resource Center; and current Adjunct Assistant Professor at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Education, where for the past 10 years he has instructed courses for emerging school teachers on the integration of theory and practice, assessment guiding instruction, interdisciplinary curriculum integration, cross-cultural competence, and educational psychology.
×Kelly Washburn
Chief Operations Officer
Kelly Washburn
Chief Operations Officer
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Brittany Mejia
Director of Middle School After-School Programs
Brittany has been involved in youth development in the Downtown Manhattan community in many different capacities since she was fifteen years old. She grew up in Brooklyn and moved to Battery Park City during middle school. She obtained her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Biomedical Engineering. Upon graduating, she began working at Manhattan Youth as a teaching assistant in 2015. Brittany has also been Assistant Director and Program Director before becoming an Education Director. As the Program Director for City Knoll Middle School, her proudest accomplishment was taking her Lego Robotics team to compete at the University of Arkansas against 72 other teams, nine of which were from different countries. Brittany loves to learn new things and would be a full-time student if she could. She recently got married and enjoys traveling, cooking and dancing in her spare time.
×Camille Diamond
Director of the Downtown Community Center
Camille Diamond is a communicator, community builder, and customer service expert with over 20 years experience in the Community Center non-profit world. As the Director of the Manhattan Youth Downtown Community Center, Camille manages and supervises senior community center staff including operations, aquatics, membership, Preschool Prep team, educational staff and front desk/service desk team leaders. During her time at the 14th Street Y, a JCC located in the East Village, she supervised senior adult programs, membership, community engagement, fundraising events, fitness programming, communications and marketing. She also has a background in performing arts. Camille is originally from Kansas City and holds a BA from Kansas State University and an MFA from the University of Connecticut. She is also a graduate of One Spirit Interfaith Seminary, serving on their Board of Directors from 2015 -2021.
×Sarah Atkinson-Kahan
Director of Aquatics
Sarah Atkinson-Kahan was the founding Aquatics Director of the Downtown Community Center when we first opened our doors in 2008. Over the next decade Sarah would go on to develop every aspect of the program – from introducing our Infant, Toddler, and Pre-K classes, to expanding our school-aged curriculum, being the founding administrator of our Tritons Swim Team, and adding many additional Member programs along the way.
Along with her years of experience in the Aquatics field and numerous certifications, Sarah holds a degree in Kinesiology and Sport and Recreation Management. She is passionate about swim education and, as the mom of two school-aged children, has a true understanding of the current needs of families in our community.
×Matthew McGlennen
Budget Director- Middle School Programs
Matthew McGlennen is the Middle School Programs Budget Director for Manhattan Youth. Before joining Manhattan Youth, Matthew was a kindergarten teacher, a documentary filmmaker, and safari tour guide. In his free time, Matthew enjoys photography, traveling and exploring new neighborhoods throughout the city. He lives in Washington Heights with his wife and their books.
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