Unlocking the Power of CSR: Building Meaningful Business-Nonprofit Partnerships

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Save the dateMarch 19, 202511:00 AM - 1:00 PM (EDT) Add to Calendar

Venue Location

Hyatt Regency JFK Airport at Resorts World New York

110-00 Rockaway Boulevard
Queens, New York

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Organizer

Organizer: Queens Chamber of Commerce

Phone: +1 7188988500

Email: jpersad@queenschamber.org

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Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is more than just a buzzword—it's a powerful way for businesses to build stronger brands, engage their employees, and make a lasting impact in their communities. This event will bring together business and nonprofit leaders to discuss how meaningful partnerships can drive both social good and business success.

What to Expect:

Insights from business and nonprofit leaders on successful CSR strategies
Real-world examples of impactful partnerships
Practical steps for businesses and nonprofits to work together
A Q&A session with panelists
Networking and lunch

Speakers

Natalie Greaves (Greaves Communication Strategies)

Natalie Greaves

Greaves Communication Strategies

Shimonah Israel

VP, Community Relations Northeast at Citi Bank

Shimonah Israel

VP, Community Relations Northeast at Citi Bank

Shimonah Israel currently serves as a Vice President within Citi’s Community Investing and Development team. She manages a portfolio of nonprofit partners within designated Northeast markets; specifically Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. She was recently listed in City & State New York Magazine as Brooklyn Power 100. Prior to Citi, she served as a Senior Program Officer at Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC) National Office, and now serves on the LISC NY Local Advisory Committee. Before joining LISC, Shimonah accredits her passion for Community Development to her role as a Director at Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation.

Shimonah taught as an Adjunct Professor of Case Management and Gerontology at Touro University for nine years. She currently serves on the Board of Directors at Bridge Street Development Corporation and BloomAgainBrooklyn. She notably sits on Advisory Committees for the New York Women’s Chamber of Commerce, Queens Chamber of Commerce, and RECOUP NY. Shimonah received her MBA Degree from Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus and completed a Developing Leaders Program at Columbia University. She also attended the American Express Converge Academy, a one-year program for twenty-six social justice advocates selected nationally. Shimonah's philosophy and credo assert that all people can achieve greatness. She is committed to uplifting those who are disenfranchised. She firmly believes that supporting people in underserved communities is not a job - it’s a calling.

Rachel Kellner

Owner & President at Aigner Chocolates

Eileen Minogue

Executive Director of The Book Fairies, Inc

Eileen Minogue

Executive Director of The Book Fairies, Inc

Eileen Minogue currently serves as the Executive Director of Book Fairies. Since assuming this role in 2019, she has spearheaded a period of significant growth and transformation. Building on Book Fairies’ established mission, Eileen has systematically strengthened the organization’s infrastructure and guided it beyond its grassroots origins. Through strategic relationship building, collaborative partnerships, and diversification of funding sources, she has increased both in-kind and direct support—resulting in an impressive surge in assets of over 600% from March 2019 to 2025. During this time, she also expanded the team, growing staff from 2 to 7 dedicated professionals, and secured the organization’s first fully funded vehicle, significantly enhancing Book Fairies operational capacity.
Prior to joining Book Fairies, Eileen co-founded and served as the Executive Director of Patient AirLift Services (PALS), a Long Island–based organization that she built from its humble beginnings in her basement to serving individuals locally and nationally. This experience is a testament to her exceptional ability to nurture and develop nonprofit organizations from the ground up.
Eileen’s innovative leadership, unwavering commitment to community engagement, and passion for empowering individuals through education continue to drive Book Fairies’ mission of promoting literacy and transforming lives. Under her guidance, the organization has established a sustainable and scalable model for future growth, ensuring that the joy and power of books reach those who need them most.

Wendy Phaff Gennaro

Director Of Development of Queens Center for Progress

Wendy Phaff Gennaro

Director Of Development of Queens Center for Progress

https://www.queenscp.org

Wendy Phaff Gennaro is the Director of Development at Queens Center for Progress (QCP), a not-for-profit agency in Jamaica, New York that provides services to people with developmental disabilities. Ms. Gennaro joined QCP in 2010 and is responsible for implementing development strategies for the human services agency. Through her strategic efforts, QCP significantly increased its annual fundraising through its Footsteps for Progress Walk, the creation of Team QCP, which participates in endurance events, and through the agency’s largest fundraiser – its golf outing – which has grown to a million dollars over the years.

Prior to joining QCP, Ms. Gennaro was a consultant at Be the Example, where she created and implemented social media marketing, enhanced the organization’s online presence and donor database. Community-minded, she has served in many organizations, including: President/Co-Founder of the Make a Difference Club in Garden City from 2007 to 2009; a member of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program from 2005- 2010; Outreach Associate for the Long Island Volunteer Center in Hempstead from 2009 to 2010; and currently sits on the board of the Queens Distance Runners, a vibrant community of Queens runners, and was appointed by the Queens Borough President as a Board Member to Community Board 8, Queens in 2018.

In 2016, Ms. Gennaro created the Queens Chapter of Achilles International, an organization whose mission is to enable people with disabilities to participate in mainstream athletic events to promote personal achievement, enhance self-esteem, and lower barriers to living a fulfilled life. Since its inception, Queens’ Achilles athletes have crossed the finish line in dozens of marathons in New York City and as far away as Paris.

Continually reimagining herself to grow professionally and personally, Ms. Gennaro got her start in her professional life in the beauty and cosmetics industry working for such prestigious companies as Vidal Sassoon, Aveda Products and Sebastian International. From beauty she segued into the music business with a twenty-five-year career that began with band management and wrapped up with managing a wholesale import/export record company which she was instrumental in growing into a multi-million dollar business.

After her success in the music business, Ms. Gennaro decided to give back and shift her career to the not-for-profit sector. Always generous in giving of her personal time for worthy causes and sharing her talents with others for the betterment of the community, she started running and raising money for charitable causes in 2005. At first she hated the running, but loved the fundraising. She now enjoys both and continues to run and fundraise to this day.

Michelle Stoddart

VP of Community Development at Resorts World Casino New York City

Michelle Stoddart

VP of Community Development at Resorts World Casino New York City

https://www.jcal.org

Michelle Stoddart is the VP of Community Development for Resorts World Casino New York City (RWNY). She was a member of the executive team that handled record-breaking attendance during the Casino’s debut weekend in October 2011.

In her role, Ms. Stoddart manages public relations, community partnerships and she’s responsible for coordinating charitable support to 110 nonprofit organizations. Ms. Stoddart also serves on the boards of the Boys and Girls of Metro Queens, Greater Jamaica Development Corporation, Louis Armstrong Museum, Queens Chamber of Commerce, the Queens Botanical Gardens, Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning, Queens Council on the Arts, the Jamaica YMCA and York College. She holds the position of Board Chair for the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning. She is also a member of the Links Incorporated, Greater Queens Chapter.

As Resorts World Casino New York City begins the challenge of expanding its footprint in Queens, Ms. Stoddart will be responsible for keeping the community updated and being responsive to their feedback. By working directly with community leaders, her role showcases the casino’s mission to be a good neighbor in Queens, and the City of New York.

Prior to her position with RWNY, Ms. Stoddart was the Director of Marketing & Tourism for the Queens Economic Development Corporation (QEDC) where she was charged with the research, development, and execution of projects that promoted business and new neighborhood revitalization in Queens County. During her tenure, Ms. Stoddart initiated and enhanced several significant projects that directly contributed to QEDC’s growth and prominence throughout the borough and beyond.

She made Queens’ tourism digitally relevant by spearheading the renovation of DiscoverQueens.info, the first NYC county-based tourism website, which has logged over two million visitors since going live in 2003. She also experienced success with Queens Restaurant Week - a two-week event intended to promote dining establishments in the borough - increasing restaurant participation from 30 to 120 and making it a major fundraiser.

Ms. Stoddart’s most significant achievement while at QEDC was the evolution of the organization’s flagship fundraiser, “Queens--A Taste of the World.” Through stellar marketing plans and strategic partnerships with companies such as CitiField, USTA, Delta Airlines, NYC & Company and Expedia, Ms. Stoddart helped to build the annual food festival from a 300-person event to more than 1,200 attendees over a six-year span. In 2009, the “Queens Taste” became the first non-sporting event to be held at CitiField, the new home of the New York Mets; in that same year the event attracted the then Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

For over five years, Ms. Stoddart worked with SBA Women’s Business Center, the Women’s Venture Fund, where she served as a special events manager and client services associate. Prior to joining the WVF, Ms. Stoddart was the Chief Executive Officer of ElleDeuce Communications, a privately held marketing and event production company specializing in marketing for start-ups to mid-size businesses and non-profit organizations.

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