Our team
Board of directors
Marlene Pantin
Executive Director
Marlene founded Red Hook Conservancy (RHC) in 2011 to support the Red Hook Recreation Center, and a few years later partnered with others to expand the organization’s work to include local parks. In 2018, she co-founded Brooklyn Parks and Open Spaces Coalition, a borough-wide parks organization advocating for greater investment in Brooklyn’s green spaces. Marlene brings many years of experience in behavioral health and applied research to the conservation effort and utilizes her public speaking skills to share strategies and insights on volunteer recruitment and management, capacity building, and partnership engagement. She has received several awards for leadership and parks stewardship.
Stephen Balinskas
Finance
As RHC’s treasurer, Stephen has more than 20 years of financial experience, having served and managed a number of financial concerns in a variety of roles. He maintains his FINRA Series 7, 24, 63, 86, and 87 licenses. Stephen obtained a joint MBA/MA from the University of Connecticut and the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Lyon (France). He has been a member of RHC’s team since its beginning.
Ahmad Martin
Director at Large
Ahmad is a finance professional with a diverse background in media, retail, and consumer products. He has held roles with L’Oréal, Macy's, and is currently an FP&A Manager with ABC News. Ahmad has been an active volunteer with organizations like New York Cares, contributing to projects focused on food distribution, supporting English Language Learners (ELL), and assisting with youth sports. He holds a BBA in Finance from The George Washington University.
Dan Quitério
Marketing, Volunteer Coordination
Originally from Western Massachusetts, Dan has called Brooklyn home since 2008. With 18+ years of professional marketing experience, he manages marketing and communications efforts for RHC, while also serving as its secretary. As a Team Leader with New York Cares, he coordinates volunteers for RHC’s various service projects. He holds an MA in Advertising from The University of Texas at Austin.
Gary Silber
Legal
Gary joined RHC in 2015. He was initially drawn to the organization as a way of volunteering with his kids in the neighborhood. Gary brings a passion for the environment and commitment to giving back to local communities, as well as his legal expertise to the team. Currently, he works as a corporate attorney with Global Atlantic Financial Group in New York, and previously held the same role at Goldman, Sachs and Co. Inc. Gary holds a BA (with distinction) from the University of Michigan and a JD (magna cum laude) from New York University School of Law.
Contributing members
Caroline Bastian
Jaemoon Park
Directors emeriti
Larry Armstrong
Minnetta Brown
Nathalie Delpeche*
* - in memoriam, deeply valued and always with us in memory
