Schneps Connects

Laura Rothrock, Executive Director of the Long Island City Business Improvement District (LIC BID) is a noted economic development strategist and has advocated for New York City’s diverse neighborhoods and organizations for the majority of her career. 

Their mission is to advocate for economic development that benefits the area’s industrial, commercial, tech, cultural, tourism, and residential sectors. The goal is to attract new businesses to LIC, retain those already here, welcome new residents and visitors, and promote a vibrant and authentic mixed-use community.

Laura talks about the upcoming LIC Summit (Nov 15),the bi-annual event showcasing the many sectors that underpin LIC’s rapid growth about essential industries growing in LIC such as technology and life sciences and the tax benefits associated with growing business in LIC.

Make sure to subscribe to Schneps Connects wherever you get your podcasts or stream us online at podcasts.schnepsmedia.com.

Produced by Jill Carvajal and Josh Schneps

Betsy Smith, President and CEO of the Central Park Conservancy holds one of the most unique leadership positions, shepherding a New York institution unlike any other. Central Park is completely free to the public with no admissions fee, and it’s up to the non-profit Conservancy to raise the majority of the Park’s multi-million dollar operating budget to ensure its long-term sustainability.  With an unprecedented 42 million annual visitors, Central Park requires long-term strategic planning to accommodate this incredible use while staying true to the Park’s founding purpose as a respite from the pace and pressures of City life.  

Betsy talks about her favorite part of Central Park, the mission of the Central Park Conservancy, the billions of dollars in real estate surrounding the Park, and its annual spectacular signature events. Betsy works diligently on managing the park’s popularity, ensuring the park’s financial stability and spotlighting history and building equity.

Support Central Park and the Conservancy at : The Park Needs Us

Make sure to subscribe to Schneps Connects wherever you get your podcasts or stream us online at podcasts.schnepsmedia.com.

Produced by Jill Carvajal and Josh Schneps

José Bayona, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Ethnic and Community Media and Founder of Grassroots Strategies (grassroots.nyc), a consulting firm based in New York City is helping to get the word out about PSLF. City Hall has recently been making a serious effort to promote public service loan forgiveness — which is distinct from President Biden’s plan to grant student debt relief — in advance of an important October 31st deadline. The “PSLF Waiver” from the U.S. Dept of Ed makes as many as 250,000 New Yorkers eligible for student loan forgiveness — rectifying a broken program first introduced in 2007 for which fewer than 1% of applicants were ever successful.  The Waiver expires on Oct 31, 2022.  Anyone eligible for it must apply before then to get credit for past loan payments that previously didn’t count. 

Jose, a Senior Advisor to Eric Adams serving as a member of the Transition and Inauguration Committee, spent most of his journalism years at the New York Daily News, where he started as a community reporter and editor. Later, he was a writer for NY1 Noticias and Metro Editor for El Diario before getting into City government as deputy press secretary for the Department of Transportation and press secretary for the Administration for Children’s Services before joining City Hall. 

Jose shares who is eligible for public service loan forgiveness, also known as PSLF, what should city workers and those in nonprofits who need more info do and how Local Law 83 supports ethnic and community media outlets.

Make sure to subscribe to Schneps Connects wherever you get your podcasts or stream us online at podcasts.schnepsmedia.com.

Produced by Jill Carvajal and Josh Schneps

Tori Piskin, Actor, Stand Up Comedian and Writer talks about the NEW YORK COMEDY FESTIVAL happening on November 7th – 13th, 2022.

The Seven-Day festival features more than 200 comedians to perform in more than 100 shows at prestigious venues such as the Beacon Theatre, Carolines on Broadway, Madison Square Garden and Town Hall and throughout the five boroughs and even more exciting is that NYCF expands east to include UBS Arena at Belmont Park with John Mulaney. The New York Comedy Festival (NYCF) is produced by Carolines on Broadway and created by visionary and innovator in the entertainment industry Caroline Hirsch.

The 2022 headliners include great performers such as Tracy Morgan, Conan O’Brien, Wanda Sykes and many more.

To purchase tickets and for more information, visit https://nycomedyfestival.com #MakeNYLaugh.

Make sure to subscribe to Schneps Connects wherever you get your podcasts or stream us online at podcasts.schnepsmedia.com.

Produced by Jill Carvajal and Josh Schneps

Some of the most important New Yorkers who are responsible for the success and prosperity of the City & its residents work  to help NYC children in need.  Saroya Friedman-Gonzalez, Executive Director of New Yorkers For Children is one of those great people making an impact on improving the well-being of youth and families in the child welfare system with an emphasis on older youth aging out of the system. 

Saroya’s talks about the 18-26 year old children who are in need of homes and the barriers for those who are aging out of foster care.

Find out more at www.newyorkersforchildren.org.

Make sure to subscribe to Schneps Connects wherever you get your podcasts or stream us online at podcasts.schnepsmedia.com.

Produced by Jill Carvajal and Josh Schneps

The Racial and Justice Commission for NYC is supported by Mayor Eric Adams to educate New Yorkers about the three ballot proposals they will see in the general election.

We are a few weeks away from Election Day and NYers will be asked to vote “Yes” or “No” on three proposals regarding racial equity, which no other city in the nation has done. 

Early voting starts on Oct 29th and will lead up to the General Election on Tues, Nov 8th.  

Lurie Daniel Favors, an Activist and Attorney serves as one of the NYC Racial and Justice Commissioners and is Executive Director at the Center for Law and Social Justice at Medgar Evers College.   

Lurie talks about the Commission’s purpose and the three racial justice proposals and what they mean for racial equity in NYC.

You can get more information about the Commission online on racialjustice.cityofnewyork.us

Follow them on instagram at racialjusticenyc and twitter at RacialJusticeNY.

Make sure to subscribe to Schneps Connects wherever you get your podcasts or stream us online at podcasts.schnepsmedia.com.

Produced by Jill Carvajal and Josh Schneps

Citizens Financial Group is one of the nation’s oldest and largest financial institutions founded in 1828 headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island offering a broad range of retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations and institutions with more than 1,200 branches in 14 states including New York, and New Jersey. 

Beth Johnson, Chief Experience Officer and Head of Environmental, Social & Governance of Citizens Financial Group, Inc. leads an organization focused on building the capabilities to deliver excellent experiences for customers  in a rapidly changing banking environment including working to enact sustainable and systemic change leading the company’s ESG efforts. 

Beth talks about why Citizens Bank decided to enter the NYC market, the acquisitions of HSBC branches and Investors Bank and how they are approaching the New York market differently from other cities.

Visit Free:  The Living Portrait of NYC sponsored by Citizens Bank

18 – 27 September 2022

29  W 23rd St NYC

12:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

listeners learn more about The Living Portrait of NYC sponsored by Citizens Bank at

https://livingportrait.nyc/

Make sure to subscribe to Schneps Connects wherever you get your podcasts or stream us online at podcasts.schnepsmedia.com.

Produced by Jill Carvajal and Josh Schneps

Since 1839, Provident Bank has provided strong service and stability for individual and commercial customers from  personal checking to commercial loans with an extensive network of more than 80 branches throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. (Member FDIC)

Vito Giannola, Executive Vice President and Chief Retail Banking Officer at Provident Bank talks about its expansion.

Vito talks about Provident Bank’s new to Manhasset/Roslyn beautiful new branch facility at 1045 Northern Blvd in Roslyn and its Grand Opening Celebration this Saturday, September 17th from 9am-12pm open to local families and visitors to take part in the fun.

It is a Carnival Theme, there will be Food, Prizes,  Raffles form local businesses,  Balloons, Family Fun Activities and a Fire Truck!  Good old fashioned fun.

Make sure to subscribe to Schneps Connects wherever you get your podcasts or stream us online at podcasts.schnepsmedia.com.

Produced by Jill Carvajal and Josh Schneps

New Yorkers who don’t want to travel too far to the countryside can visit the Queens County Farm Museum, which showcases the 300-year history of agriculture as a way of life in New York City.  And, don’t forget to pick up cider donuts!

Jennifer Walden Weprin, the Executive Director of the Queens County Farm Museum talks about New York City’s only farm, a sustainability staple for the City; how Queens County Farm recently celebrated its 325th anniversary and about the highlights of the annual Queens County Fair,  September 9-11, 2022.

Queens County Farm Museum welcomes over 500,000 visitors a year and serves as a vital resource connecting people to agriculture and the environment. For more information, visit queensfarm.org.

Make sure to subscribe to Schneps Connects wherever you get your podcasts or stream us online at podcasts.schnepsmedia.com.

Produced by Jill Carvajal and Josh Schneps

The U.S. Open Tennis Championships, one of the most exciting times in Queens every year is happening right now through Sep 11, 2022 taking place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens.

Schneps Connects’ guest, Udai Tambar serves as the President and Chief Executive Office of New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) through tennis and education to help to develop the character of young people for a lifetime of success on and off the court.  Since 1971, NYJTL has changed lives through tennis, education, healthy living, and character development programs. Today, it is the largest youth tennis and education non-profit in the nation, reaching more than 85,000 K-12 New York City youth.

Hear Udai talk about the work of New York Junior Tennis & Learning the many free afterschool programs (called ACES) in 34 locations assisting low-income populations. and a new pilot program with Hunter College.

Listeners can go to https://www.nyjtl.org/ to learn more about how to get involved.

Make sure to subscribe to Schneps Connects wherever you get your podcasts or stream us online at podcasts.schnepsmedia.com.

Produced by Jill Carvajal and Josh Schneps