United Way of New York City Announces New Appointments to Board of Directors

United Way of New York City Announces New Appointments to Board of Directors

Nov 7, 2024| Blog, Blog Featured Articles, News

New York City - November 7, 2024 - United Way of New York City (UWNYC)announced today the appointment of four new members to its board of directors. These new members will join UWNYC's board to support the organization's mission of mobilizing their communities to break down barriers and build opportunities that improve the lives of low-income New Yorkers for the benefit of all.

Joining the board is ESPN Radio Host & New York Giants Alumni Chris Canty, Fried Frank Partner Laurinda Martins, Kingsley Gate Senior Partner Christine Sobhani, and IBM Ecosystem General Manager Kate Woolley.

"The work of UWNYC requires passion and dedication from leaders with an unwavering commitment to equity," said Grace Bonilla, President and CEO of United Way of New York City. "For that reason, I am excited to bring these powerful new voices onto our board to help drive our mission forward."

"UWNYC's board of directors plays a critical role in ensuring this organization remains equipped to drive health, educational and economic equity for all New Yorkers," said Samir Gandhi, Board Co-Chair. "I look forward to working with these new board members as we head into 2025."

"It is an honor to continue my support of such a great organization in this role-I have seen firsthand the impact of UWNYC's work," said Chris Canty, ESPN Radio Host & New York Giants Alumni. "I am excited to help advance their mission and empower New Yorkers in any way that I can."

"The work of UWNYC is synonymous with excellence and empowerment," said Laurinda Martins, Partner at Fried Frank. "I am grateful to be given an opportunity to join such a great and diverse board and I'm looking forward to getting to work on behalf of New Yorkers."

"I am delighted for the opportunity to serve on UWNYC's Board of Directors because I believe in their work supporting our most vulnerable New Yorkers throughout the city," said Christine Sobhani, Senior Partner at Kingsley Gate. "I am energized to step in and support those efforts."

"We have a great opportunity to continue moving New York City forward in a way that aligns with UWNYC's mission and vision," said Kate Woolley,IBM Ecosystem General Manager. "It is an honor to be able to join my fellow board members in supporting the programs and policies needed to execute on that mission."

These appointments represent an unwavering commitment by UWNYC to ensure strong leadership and effective governance while it empowers New Yorkers with the tools and resources needed to thrive. A full list of all UWNYC board members can be found here.

Please find abbreviated biographies below:

Chris Canty - ESPN Radio Host & New York Giants Alumni

Chris Canty is the co-host of ESPN Radio's signature morning show. Prior to that, he hosted the Afternoon Drive Window beginning in 2021. He spent 11 years in the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens (2013-15), New York Giants (2009-12) and Dallas Cowboys (2005-08). A former NFL defensive tackle, he was a member of the Giants' Super Bowl XLVI Championship team. Canty is the founder of The Chris Canty Foundation. Operating in New York City, the foundation is dedicated to enhancing the total development of youth in our communities by utilizing the platform of sports to affect positive change in the lives of children through mentoring and educational programs. Canty graduated from the University of Virginia in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in African American Studies.

Laurinda Martins - Partner - Fried Frank

Laurinda Martins is Deputy Co-Chair of Fried Frank's Real Estate Department and a member of the firm's Governance Committee. Laurinda is consistently recognized by Legal 500 in the Real Estate category. She is featured in Politics NY and amNY Metro's 2024 Power Players in Real Estate list and is recognized by New York Real Estate Journal's 2023 Ones to Watch, along with Connect Commercial Real Estate's 2021 Lawyers in Real Estate Awards for the New York region, which recognize individuals who have made an impact both through their practice in real estate-related matters and the contributions they have made as members of the industry and the community. Laurinda was also named to Globe St. Real Estate Forum's 2021 Woman of Influence list in the CRE legal counsel category, which recognizes women who drive the commercial real estate industry forward. Laurinda received her JD, magna cum laude, from the University of Miami in 2004 and her BA, cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2001. She is admitted to practice in New York and the District of Columbia.

Christine Sobhani - Senior Partner - Kingsley Gate

Christine Sobhani brings over 20 years of recruitment experience to Kingsley Gate. She is a leader in the talent acquisition and talent management space with a focus in HR and leadership roles across industries. Before her last role as Partner at August Leadership, Christine served as a Managing Director in Allegis Partners' New York office, where she focused on identifying talented executives to lead organizations' HR teams and leadership functions. She previously served as the Vice President of Global Client Solutions at Korn Ferry, where she was responsible for the client management and service delivery leadership of global recruitment accounts, as well as the management of a team of seven global account managers. Prior to this, Christine was Financial Services Practice Director with Pontoon Solutions, a division of Adecco, where she led the growth and management of the Financial Services Practice and oversaw a staff of more than 80 recruiting professionals and a multimillion-dollar budget. She lives in New York City with her husband and two young children. Active in her local community, she sits on the boards of a New York public school and of Haven Kids Rock. Christine has a B.A. in Political Science from San Francisco State University and is fluent in Farsi.

Kate Woolley - General Manager - IBM Ecosystem

Kate Woolley is General Manager of the IBM Ecosystem where she leads all global sales and programs that support tens of thousands of IBM partners, as well as managing IBM's strategic partnerships and alliances. Kate's team is responsible for all partners who sell IBM technology, embed or run on our IBM technology, and/or provide services for IBM technology. Before leading the IBM Ecosystem, Kate was Chief of Staff to IBM's CEO, Arvind Krishna. In that role, she played a pivotal part in amplifying the strategic priorities and impact of the CEO across the organization. Prior to joining IBM, Kate was a Partner in the New York office of Bain & Company. Kate was a leader in Bain's Technology practice where she co-led Bain's Cloud Computing practice globally. Kate held a number of leadership positions at Bain, including leading the Women@Bain program in New York. Kate holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Science (Operations Research major) from The University of Melbourne. She and her husband moved to New York from Australia in 2010 and have two children.

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About United Way of New York City

For over 85 years, United Way of New York City has been at the forefront in the fight to drive equity and ensure dignity for all New Yorkers, no matter their zip code. We unite by mobilizing the best ideas, relevant data, internal and external experts, and resources. United Way of New York City maximizes impact by coordinating and aligning service providers, companies, local government, and New Yorkers to help families eliminate barriers and gain the agency to improve their lives for the better. To learn more, visit unitedwaynyc.org.