Dear CSSW Colleagues,
It is with great pleasure that I share the news that Linara Davidson Greenidge will be joining CSSW as Associate Dean for Communication Strategy, Development, and Alumni Affairs. Linara brings a wealth of expertise from the public, non-profit, and private sectors to CSSW, where her responsibilities will include: engaging alumni and friends who share the School’s vision; promoting the visibility of the School through strategic communications; expanding connections with key stakeholders; managing existing and new fundraising initiatives, with a particular focus on scholarship support; identifying new partners and supporters dedicated to social and racial justice; leading impactful cross-disciplinary teams, initiatives, and projects; and, serving as liaison to the University’s development and alumni relations efforts. Linara will transition to the School on a part-time basis in November and December and join us full-time in January.
Linara comes to CSSW from East Harlem Tutorial Program, Inc. (EHTP), an education non-profit founded in 1958 to support young people from East Harlem. As Chief Development and External Affairs Officer and a member of EHTP’s senior management team, she leads the organization’s fundraising program that includes annual giving, major gifts, and institutional funding. She is responsible for raising operating budget funds and a $60 million capital campaign, developing an alumni program, building relationships with key stakeholders and volunteers, and managing EHTP’s public relations and communications.
Prior to EHTP, Linara was Vice President at Ogilvy Public Relations where she was responsible for developing strategic communications and digital marketing strategies. She has extensive experience in senior positions in government offices and in political campaigns, including: Regional Political Director for Ohio, Virginia, and Pennsylvania for the Hillary for America campaign; Chief of Staff in the Public Engagement Unit and the Office of Criminal Justice in the New York City Mayor’s Office; Manager of Mike Walrond’s 2014 campaign for New York’s 13th Congressional District; Special Assistant to the DA, External and Community Affairs, New York County District Attorney’s Office; Campaign Manager and Northern Manhattan Political Director for Cyrus Vance for Manhattan DA. Earlier in her career, Linara was Community Liaison for Central and West Harlem for the Office of the Manhattan Borough President.
Linara is a graduate of both NYU and Columbia SIPA; she is a trained anti-racist/racial equity facilitator; and she previously served as an adjunct instructor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She also brings experience from her board service and volunteer work at such organizations as Arc of Justice, Eleanor’s Legacy, the National Black Theatre, the Cathedral School of St. John the Divine, The Links, Inc. and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Linara is the wife of Henry Greenidge, and they share three children: Cameron, Ronald and Ryan.
She joins us at a time of great opportunity for our school and for the field of social work. Linara’s experience in communications, development, community engagement, politics, and building relationships with a wide range of constituents – combined with her firm commitment and grasp of our mission – make her ideal to lead our School’s communications, development, and alumni efforts to the next phase of success. I know we will benefit immensely from her joining the CSSW community and I hope you will join me in welcoming her.
I’d like to express my gratitude to the search committee for their excellent work in helping us to identify and recruit such an outstanding colleague. Please join me in thanking Caroline Harting (Senior Public Affairs Officer in the University’s Office of Communications and Public Affairs), Janine Jaquet (Assistant Vice President, University Development), and CSSW colleagues Karma Lowe, Desmond Patton, and Susan Smith all of their contributions to this important recruitment.
I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank the current Development and External Relations team members – John Bohn, Dan Giles, David Licata, Jenn March, Kara Maser, and Janet Young – and Interim Associate Dean David Murray – for their efforts during this period of transition. I am immensely grateful to all of them for their steadfast commitment to CSSW.
In community,
Melissa