Tenants Association Announces Election Results

At the Stuyvesant Town–Peter Cooper Village Tenants Association’s Annual Meeting, held May 14, 2016, Al Doyle, Chair of the Nominating Committee, announced the election of six directors to the TA’s board. Kirstin Aadahl, Soni Holman Fink, and Steven Newmark, all incumbents, were reelected, and new candidates Matt Arden, Gary Ireland, and Keith Powers will join the board. “We congratulate the newly elected board members, incumbents and newcomers alike,” said Al Doyle. “Their energy, commitment, and skills will help the Tenants Association keep serving the community.”

Kirstin Aadahl, Secretary of the TA, serves on the TA’s Communications and Quality of Life/Maintenance Committees and responds to tenants who reach out to the TA electronically. In May 2014, when CWCapital issued midlease rent increases to Roberts tenants, Kirstin coordinated demonstrations against the increases. She was a featured speaker at the rally at City Hall in June 2014 against a predatory lender purchasing STPCV, and consistently participates in demonstrations to strengthen rent laws. An eight-year Stuyvesant Town resident with her husband and daughter, Kirstin was a special-education teacher for 14 years, recently completed a two-year term as PTA co-president at P.S. 40, and now works at the Third Street Music School Settlement.

Matt Arden has been a resident of Stuyvesant Town since 2011. Prior to moving to New York City, he lived in Atlanta, where he held many civic posts, including president of the Kirkwood Neighbors Organization representing over 11,000 residents to the City Council. A board member for People TV, Matt served as executive director of Shoot Film Not Guns, a nonprofit providing media training to at-risk youth. He currently holds a board position with the Virginia Tech Pamplin School of Business and is employed as the senior vice president and executive creative officer at Screenvision Media, an advertising company headquartered in New York.

Soni Holman Fink has been active in Tenants Association communications since 2000, joining the board in 2001. During her tenure as chair of the Communications Committee, Soni issued scores of flyers, bulletins, informational advisories, and notices. A Peter Cooper Village resident since 1961, she was a reporter, feature writer, columnist, and editor for several magazines and Women's Wear Daily. After time out for child-rearing, she worked in public relations for Macmillan, Inc. As a freelance, she created and wrote newsletters for Volkswagen of America and other clients.

Gary Ireland has lived in Stuytown for 23 years with his wife, Nancy, and children, Bryan and Sydney. Gary is an employment attorney representing both workers and his entrepreneurial clients. His long history of activism includes working with the NAACP and with NOW to eliminate institutional gender bias in the workplace, and volunteering with the Jan Hus Church Homeless Outreach Program. Active in scouting, Gary is a leader with Troop 414 at Immaculate Conception Church, where son Bryan earned the Eagle rank, and with Scouts Canada, where daughter Sydney recently earned the Chief Scout’s Award. Gary is eager to work with our community to support positive change.

Steve Newmark has dedicated himself to the Tenants Association since first moving to Stuyvesant Town 10 years ago. He immediately engaged with the TA, spearheading organizing around both the Roberts (J-51) lawsuit and the Tishman default. He has served on the board’s Communications and Nominating Committees and presently chairs the Legal Committee. Steve provides valuable insights from his prior work as an attorney representing tenants and also as a tenant with two young children who hopes for a long, bright future in the community for his family. He looks forward to continuing his service to the TA as it enters a new phase with a new owner.

Keith Powers is a third-generation resident of ST/PCV, his family having resided in the neighborhood since 1947. Active in the community, Keith serves or has served in various capacities and organizations, such as Community Board 6, Democratic District Leader, board member of Kips Bay Neighborhood Association, and member of the Eleanor Roosevelt and Tilden Democratic Clubs. Currently a vice president at Constantinople & Vallone Consulting, he previously worked for Assembly Member Jonathan Bing and State Senator Liz Krueger. During the 2006 sale of ST/PCV, he assisted with the TA’s effort to organize tenants to put in a bid on the property.