Senior Leadership & Staff

Rachael Gazdick is the chief executive officer of New York Edge, the metropolitan region’s largest provider of afterschool programs. With more than twenty years’ experience in education advocacy, Rachael has dedicated her career to building equity in education.

Prior to joining New York Edge in May 2019, Rachael served as president and chief executive officer of Colorado’s “I Have A Dream” Foundation (CIHAD), a nonprofit organization focused on empowering children from low-income communities to succeed in school, college, and career. Over the course of her more than six years at the helm of CIHAD, Rachael grew the organization’s single-class model to a school-wide program, significantly expanding the nonprofit’s reach across the city.

Before her time at CIHAD, Rachael served as the executive director of Say Yes to Education Syracuse, a nonprofit community-wide partnership focused on supporting public school children attain, afford, and complete a college or other postsecondary education. In her four years at the organization, she expanded the program to 31 schools and 22,000 students. While in Syracuse, Rachael also served numerous roles at Syracuse University. From 1999 to 2012, she was an assistant professor for the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies and an adjunct faculty member in the School of Social Work. From 2001 to 2008, Rachael was associate director and then director of Syracuse University’s Office of Community Engagement and Integrative Learning, where she ran an array of community-focused programs and social justice initiatives.

From 1999 to 2001, Rachael served as the executive director of Near East Side Community Development Organization of Syracuse (NESCO), focusing on job placement, training, mentoring and youth programs. She began her career with Teach for America, serving as a special needs teacher in South West Louisiana for two years.

Rachael has a master’s degree in education policy from Harvard University, a master’s degree in social work from Boston College, where she focused on needs assessments, grant writing, nonprofit management, and community mobilization, and a bachelor’s degree in speech communication from Syracuse University.

Interested in having Rachael speak at an engagement? Contact us at info@newyorkedge.org

C.J. Wise serves as Chief Operating Officer at New York Edge, where she translates organizational strategy into execution as a connective leader across programs, operations, human resources, compliance, and finance, ensuring that systems, people, and processes are aligned to support mission delivery. Her career has been rooted in New York City’s educational nonprofit sector and extends to international development, management consulting, and the arts.

Before joining New York Edge, C.J. served as Senior Vice President of Finance and Strategy at the New York Center for Child Development, where she led financial operations, strategic planning, and systems modernization across a complex nonprofit and for profit enterprise. Prior to that, she served as Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Yamba Malawi, where she led a transformation of both organizational infrastructure and program design. Her earlier career includes management consulting at Bain & Company, a fellowship with TechnoServe in Uganda, and roles at Christie’s in marketing and auction operations.

C.J. is deeply committed to New York City’s social sector. She serves as Vice President of the board of Henry Street Settlement and co chairs its Finance Committee. She is also a trustee of the Edith and Herbert Lehman Foundation, which supports education, social services, and the arts.

C.J. earned her MBA from Harvard Business School, where she co chaired the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School Social Enterprise Conference, named by Forbes as one of the top executive gatherings of its time. She holds a Bachelor of Arts with honors in Art History from McGill University.

She lives in New York City with her husband and their two children.

Nancy Guida is Chief Advancement and Communications Officer at New York Edge (NYE), the largest provider of afterschool and summer camp programs in New York City schools.

Nancy brings extensive strategic communications and development experience and has held senior roles in organizations including The New York Women’s Foundation, New York Law School, and Learning Leaders. In her most recent role at the Women’s Foundation, Nancy developed strategic communications plans to position the organization as a thought leader and convener on the most pressing issues facing underinvested women and families. She increased The Foundation’s capacity to use its platforms to uplift the stories of its grantee partners and donors and to provide resources and information on women and families in New York City.

Before joining the foundation, she was a Vice President at New York Law School, where she transformed the Office of Publications into the Office of Communications, Marketing & Events. There, she worked with key internal partners to increase the School’s presence, achieve its fundraising and enrollment goals, and support the work of its professors and academic centers. She was Vice President of Development and Communications at Learning Leaders, which was New York City’s largest volunteer organization working in public schools.

Nancy holds a Bachelors of Arts from New York University.

Marisol De La Rosa is the Chief Program Officer of New York Edge’s premier school-based Champions Club programs.  Mrs. De La Rosa is responsible for the extensive delivery and operation of programs in approximately 105 schools, as well as 110 summer camps in New York City and Mt. Vernon. Prior to her current role, Mrs. De La Rosa held numerous positions including Summer Camp Director, Senior Program Manager and Borough Supervisor. In 2005, she was appointed Director of Champions Clubs. In 2014, she was promoted to her current position as CPO.

Mrs. De La Rosa was previously employed at Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility where she worked as a TASC Site Director at P.S. 24 in Sunset Park, Brooklyn for over 6 years. Mrs. De La Rosa also provided mentorship and guidance to new and returning program directors as a TASC Peer Conference Facilitator. She also served as a panelist for a TASC Conference on Program Evaluation and Assessment.

Mrs. De La Rosa attended Brooklyn College where she received a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Management and Finance. She also participated in Fordham University’s “The Fordham Center for Non-Profit Leaders, Executive Education Program” as well as a Community Resource Exchange – Leadership Caucus. Mrs. De La Rosa is currently pursuing her Executive MBA from Baruch College.

Raised by her mother, Mrs. De La Rosa is the second youngest of 5 children and was raised in Brooklyn.

Dorene Lewis has been appointed as our Chief Human Resources Officer. Dorene is a seasoned Human Resources professional with more than 15 years of comprehensive experience in Benefits, Employee Relations, Recruitment, HR Compliance, Payroll, HRIS System etc.

Over the course of her career, Dorene has served in several leadership positions. Most recently, she held the position of Director of Human Resources at Morris Heights Health Center and prior to Morris Height, the Deputy Director of Human Resources at  New York City Health + Hospitals Corporation, King County Hospital Center.

In her positions she works closely with senior leadership and other internal and external partners to give HR a more cohesive strategic approach.

Dorene holds an MA from Queens College and a Bachelor from Medgar Evers College. She has a Certification in Diversity Equity and Inclusion from University of Florida.

One of Dorene‘s Moto is – the only way to do a great job is to love what you do!

Carrie is a born and raised New Yorker with over 19 years of nonprofit finance experience. She received her BA in English Literature from New York University and her MBA with concentration in Accounting from Baruch College. Despite avoiding business courses in her undergraduate studies, it was in her 20’s at a startup company that she discovered that numbers, too, told a powerful story.

It was through her work as an auditor of nonprofits that Carrie was introduced to the many meaningful missions of NYC’s nonprofit organizations and discovered a passion for researching accounting guidance and grant compliance. It led her to pursue a career in the nonprofit industry, particularly in the education space, and gave her the opportunity to lead teams from both the accounting and finance functions.

Carrie enjoys fostering a mission aligned, dynamic team environment where every team member experiences growth and support.  She enjoys leveraging her accounting technical expertise and knowledge of government grants and fiscal compliance to come together with program teams to design budgets that express both a fiduciary responsibility and create meaningful impact to the communities that they serve.

Stephanie Costner serves as the of vice president of curriculum design & instructional technology at New York Edge. She joined the organization in 2021 to provide strategic leadership in the areas of educational equity, curriculum design, learner outcomes, and social-emotional supports. A former professor, Costner has dedicated her entire career to ensuring that students receive the education they deserve. She believes that college degrees are essential and necessary for expanding careers and ending generational poverty.

Before joining New York Edge, Costner consulted with Columbia University on its “Hip Hop Heals” portal development project. She was responsible for curriculum standards alignment, reviewing and editing curriculum, multimedia and multisensory learning, as well as equity and inclusion practices. Costner has also consulted for numerous companies and nonprofit organizations on graphic and multimedia design projects.

Prior to consulting, Costner worked as interim president/CEO and vice president for Programs, Assessments and Evaluations for the Colorado I Have A Dream Foundation (CIHADF). During her tenure with CIHADF, Costner led a team of educators and clinicians who delivered academic and extended day programming, as well as wrap-around and clinical supports to Dreamers in elementary school through college. She also managed grants, program data and evaluations to support funding and growth initiatives for the organization.

Earlier in her career, served as director of the Say Yes Collegiate Preparatory Academy (SYCPA) at Syracuse University. Prior to Say Yes, she served a 10-year appointment at the University at Buffalo, Educational Opportunity Center as an associate professor and new media and curriculum developer. In that role, Costner was responsible for developing and implementing academic courses, programs and projects which integrated new and emerging technologies cross-disciplines. She also oversaw the development of distance learning teaching models and web-based technology training seminars for the academic and professional staff at The University at Buffalo Educational Opportunity Center.

Costner graduated from Medaille College, with a Bachelor of Science degree in government services and a Master of Arts degree in higher education administration from Louisiana State University.

Peter Quiñones serves as Chief Compliance Officer at New York Edge, where he leads compliance, licensing, and risk management across the largest network of after-school programs in New York City and Long Island.

With more than 25 years of leadership experience, Peter brings expertise in programming, regulatory compliance, government contracting, and operational oversight. He oversees alignment with requirements across NYC, State, and federal government agencies while supporting the organization’s continued growth across hundreds of school-based sites. In this role, he strengthens systems that promote accountability, safety, and program quality by building scalable infrastructure, enhancing onboarding and compliance protocols, and partnering across departments to ensure programs are well-supported and positioned for success.

Prior to joining New York Edge, Peter held leadership roles in program operations and human resources at organizations including NYC Mission Society and the New York Urban League. He also held positions within the New York State Senate, Assembly, and New York City Council, bringing valuable insight into the intersection of policy and service delivery.

Beyond his executive role, Peter is an active leader in governance and advisory spaces. He contributes to citywide discussions on policies that impact the nonprofit sector as a member of the NYC Mayor’s Advisory Board for Nonprofit Services, serves as Vice Chair of the AECI Charter School Network Board of Trustees, and is a founding member of the Yonkers Hispanic Cultural Foundation.

Marissa A. Montanez, Esq. serves as Corporate Counsel for New York Edge, working closely with executive leadership to advance strategic priorities and fulfill the organization’s mission of supporting youth development across New York City.

In her role, Ms. Montanez provides comprehensive legal and strategic guidance to executives and the Board of Directors on matters including regulatory compliance, employment law, risk mitigation, and contractual obligations. She oversees the organization’s Licensing Department, ensuring that more than 100 afterschool programs remain compliant with New York State School-Aged Child Care regulations. Her work also includes drafting and negotiating agreements with funders, partners, and service providers, as well as developing and implementing organizational policies that align with applicable laws and funding requirements. Additionally, she leads staff training initiatives and manages outside counsel in connection with litigation and agency proceedings.

Ms. Montanez earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland School of Law, where she was recognized as a Maryland Law Leadership Scholar. She received her Bachelor of Science in Sociology and Anthropology, cum laude, from Towson University, where she was also a member of a Division I Collegiate National Championship dance team.

Admitted to practice law in both New York and Maryland, Ms. Montanez brings a thoughtful, strategic, and mission-driven approach to her legal work, with a demonstrated commitment to supporting organizations that serve diverse communities.

James Vacca started out as a high school student activist and Peace Corps volunteer until he got active in grassroots community organizing in the Bronx. He served as District Manager of Bronx Community Board 10 for 26 years and also Chair of a Senior Center Board of Directors during that same period. In 2005 he was elected as a member of the NYC Council where he served for 12 years. Vacca chaired the Transportation and Technology Committee among others and was a member of the Council leadership team and budget negotiation team until the end of his term in January 2018. He now serves as a Distinguished Lecturer of Urban Studies at Queens College, teaching both graduate and undergraduate students and just completed service on the NYC Charter Revision Commission.