Staff

Executive Director, Paulette Geanacopoulos, LMSW

Paulette Geanacopoulos, LMSW, is a social work administrator, practitioner and educator who has developed and managed multi-disciplinary services, community organization programs and social policy advocacy initiatives in the fields of aging, domestic violence, housing and homelessness, economic security and crime prevention.

Prior to joining WCC, she was Executive Director of the New York Citizens’ Committee on Aging where she organized a region-wide conference on The Economic Challenges of Women as They Age; Director of Social Work Services for the National Philoptochos of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America where she obtained the organization’s first government grant and established a national domestic violence program for women unable to access mainstream services due to cultural and language barriers; Assistant Executive Director of Lenox Hill Neighborhood Association, where she developed a continuum of services for mentally ill, homeless adults, and a prototype coalition crime prevention program comprising six agencies and institutions; and Assistant Director of Bronx Field Operations for the New York City Department for the Aging where she organized a grass-roots council that successfully expanded the use of half-fare transportation for older New Yorkers.

Currently an Adjunct Instructor in Social Policy and Planning at Hunter College’s Graduate Department of Urban Affairs and Planning, she has held adjunct positions at NYU School of Social Work, and Holy Cross Theological Seminary, Brookline, MA. Her training experience includes the Center for Community Change, Washington, DC, JPAC’s Institute for Senior Action, NYC, and the Employee Assistance Professionals Association.

Licensed by the States of New York and New Jersey, Paulette Geanacopoulos holds an MSW from Hunter College School of Social Work, a BA in Political Science from the City College of New York, and a certificate from the Institute for Mediation and Conflict Resolution. Her field work internships include Essex County Youth House, Newark New Jersey, Urban League of Westchester County, Yonkers, NY, East Harlem Committee on Aging, New York City and as a recipient of an NIMH grant, Puerto Rico Learning Center in Ponce, PR. She serves on local and national Boards of Directors and from 2001 – 2005 was a member of the Parent Council of Boston College.

Membership & Development Coordinator, Jorge Ruiz

Jorge joined the WCC staff in June 2007. Jorge has previously held the position of Executive Assistant at Housing Works, and of Assistant Program Coordinator at Council of Senior Centers and Services. His duties included direct administrative support, volunteer coordination, intern supervision, and office management.

His passion for the public realm was ignited by volunteer experiences with HIV/AIDS and anti-eviction organizations. Jorge also served on his local Parish Council for 2 years, becoming the youngest person (17) elected to serve as an officer in the capacity of Council Secretary.

Jorge has a deep interest in the political arena, with a particular affection for the U.S. Senate as an institution. He often can spend hours watching Senate proceedings on C-span.

Program Coordinator, Rachelle Suissa

Rachelle Suissa graduated from Pace University in downtown New York City with two Bachelors’ degrees, one in history and another in women’s and gender studies. She plans to pursue a Master’s Degree at Brooklyn College in Political Science, with a specific concentration in Public Policy. While at Pace University, Rachelle participated in its Model U.N., representing China on the issues of climate change, food conservation and energy independence, issues that are important to her both in a global and domestic context. Rachelle serves as Vice-President of the Brooklyn-Queens Chapter of the National Organization for Women, a position she has held for about a year, is active with NARAL and Planned Parenthood, and recently completed an internship with the Third Wave Foundation where she facilitated the awarding of financial assistance to low-income women needing abortions. Rachelle has advocated on behalf of low-income families, senior citizens, school children and caretakers, and has lobbied and organized letter writing campaigns to New York State legislators on behalf of legislation in support of these marginalized groups. In her spare time, Rachelle enjoys musicals, singing, reading, shopping and spending time with family and friends.

Bookkeeper, Kurt Richwerger

Kurt Richwerger joined the WCC staff in September of 2007. He has over 20 years of experience in finance and bookkeeping in both the public and private sectors. After graduating with a Master’s in Urban Affairs from the New School for Social Research, he took a job as an analyst with the NYC Office of Management and Budget where he worked for five years in the Revenue Unit. Attracted by a new spirit of democracy, Kurt moved to the Finance Division of the New York City Council, where he worked for 12 years to help the City’s legislative body take on its newly mandated charter powers (providing a real check and balance to the City’s Executive Branch). Kurt left government for the private sector, working for the nonprofit Citizens Budget Commission and then the nonprofit Association for Union Democracy (AUD), a civil liberties organization that promotes rank and file democracy and free speech inside the labor movement. At the AUD, where he is still employed, Kurt set up and maintains the current bookkeeping system and membership database. Over the past six years, Kurt also gained valuable financial and bookkeeping experience working as a Research Assistant for Kokkinis and Associates, a NYC-based company that specializes in employee ownership. Kurt’s volunteer efforts include serving as the chief bookkeeper for the 4th Street Food Co-op in Manhattan.

Executive Director
Paulette Geanacopoulos, LMSW