Leslie A. Ramos joined the 82nd Street Partnership in October 2014 as Executive Director. She has extensive experience working with small businesses, City agencies, and the Latino community; bringing a wealth of knowledge in economic and community development practices. She began her career at the Office of Management and Budget, and has also served as Assistant Commissioner for Finance at the Department of Housing Preservation & Development, and executive director of the Mayor’s Office for Industrial & Manufacturing Businesses. At the Partnership, Leslie has successfully advocated for the needs of small and independent businesses, taking on issues such as NYC DOT’s Clear Curbs initiative, which was negatively impacting economic activity. She has also worked to fill the business education gap among immigrant businesses by implementing a robust door-to-door education program and culturally sensitive seminars.

During her spare time, Ms. Ramos serves as a board member at Learning Ladders, an early education center in the Bronx and Aprendes Foundation, which is devoted to amplifying the power, potential, and partnerships of Latinx peoples and communities, as well as broader communities of color. Ramos is a member of the Latina Leadership Forum’s founding committee and a former board member of Latina PAC. She has thought Economic Development as an Adjunct Professor at Brooklyn College’s Puerto Rican & Latino Studies Department.

Leslie received a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Illinois and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs at Syracuse University.

Dahiana Genao began working at TD Bank in 2010 as a part-time Teller. Shortly thereafter, she was promoted to a full-time Teller position and worked as a Customer Service Representative and Store Supervisor in both Manhattan and the Bronx. She is now employed as a Community Mortgage Loan Officer. Her primary focus is to educate low -moderate income borrowers on topics such as: establishing credit, access to subordinate financing [down payment assistance programs] and becoming a first-time homebuyer. She lives in the Bronx and is bilingual in Spanish/English.

Raquel Olivares is the Executive Director of the Woodhaven Business Improvement District (BID), where she oversees the day-to-day functions of the organization and executes programming and services for commercial tenants along a 25-block stretch of Jamaica Avenue that includes 369 ground floor storefronts. Raquel has a passion for social justice and a demonstrated record of strengthening commercial districts.

Raquel previously served as the Program Director for Cypress Hills Business Partners at the Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation. While at Cypress Hills, she conducted a Commercial District Needs Assessment (CDNA) in partnership with the NYC Department of Small Business Services and implemented a multitude of organizing, marketing, and revitalization programming based on needs identified through the CDNA. As part of her work, Raquel organized dozens of local merchants to not only report on their needs but to take leadership of their community by forming a merchant’s association with over 50 active members. She is proud to have implemented several initiatives that have strengthened the local corridor and is excited about many more successes to come. Prior to her role at Cypress Hills, Raquel spent six years providing workforce development services as the Senior Career Advisor at ASA College. She holds an Associate’s Degree in Office Management from ASA and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Management from St. Joseph’s College.

As an immigrant herself, Raquel, understands the challenges of learning a new culture and the many public systems necessary to achieve success. She is grateful for the trust that she has established with local merchants, most of whom are also immigrants, and she is committed to working with many valued stakeholders to keep our community robust.

Larisa Ortiz - Managing Director, Research + Analysis
Larisa brings over 20 years of experience advising public, private, and non-profit sector clients on retail real estate strategy in urban environments.
Prior to joining Streetsense, Larisa founded Larisa Ortiz Associates, leading award-winning projects including The City of Cambridge Massachusetts Retail Strategy, The City of New York’s Commercial District Needs Assessment, and the formation of the first Business Improvement District in Latin America. Larisa is the author of Improving Tenant Mix, published by the International Council of Shopping Centers, and currently serves as a Mayoral Appointee to the NYC Planning Commission. She also serves on the Boards of the International Downtown Association, the Coro New York Leadership Center, the National Advisory Committee of the ICSC P3 Retail Program and is Co-Chair of the City of New York’s OneNYC Plan Advisory Committee.

Gerardo Rodriguez has spent his entire professional career in business development, customer service, strategic planning, due diligence, sales, marketing, acquisitions, and finance. His background and expertise span a wide range of business disciplines: entrepreneurship, small business, and investments. He immigrated to NYC in 2016; the business environment was new to him, so his first goal was to update himself with the business dynamics of NYC and Northeast. Today, he is a Business Advisor/Lending Representative supporting entrepreneurs and business owners starting and developing their businesses. He knows how to utilize business information as an advantage to develop businesses internally and increase revenues.