More than 300 people gathered last Thursday to cheer, celebrate and honor dozens who make a difference in Brooklyn from educators to entrepreneurs, small business leaders to bankers, attorneys to advocates, accountants to arts groups, housing to healthcare and more.
Schneps Media honored them as individuals, and leaders of organizations, on March 19th at El Caribe Country Club Caterers at an event also including Caribbean Impact, Gay City News Impact and entrepreneur recognition in a night to celebrate the best of Brooklyn. The evening also raised money for the Medical Society of the County of the Kings, an organization that provides support and standards for the physician community. The National Anthem was sung by the talented Amy Santoso from the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music
“The group of honorees is as diverse as the borough in terms of background and industries,” said Schneps Media CEO Joshua Schneps. “They have all types of organizations, from small businesses, to diverse nonprofits to education and healthcare. Having them all together in a room is uplifting.”
While there is a saying that it “takes a village” to do many things, in this case it takes a borough, not simply competing, but often cooperating. All roads led to Brooklyn for honorees, some born abroad and some in other parts of the country, as well as Brooklyn.
“They build a great camaraderie, getting to know each other better and their stories,” Schneps said. “A lot of them have overcome a lot of obstacles.”
Schneps Media Sr. Vice President of Events Elizabeth Schneps Aloni described the group as “the ones making this borough what it is,” overcoming problems often to benefit so many others.
Schneps has become a big presence in Brooklyn, serving the borough with The Brooklyn Paper, Brownstoner and Courier Life chain including The Bay News, Mill Basin Marine Park Courier, Park Slope Courier, Bay Ridge Courier, and Brooklyn Graphic.
It also owns Caribbean Life and Gay City News (and the celebration included Caribbean and Gay City News impact awards) as well as KingsCountyPolitics.com, amNewYork Metro and other publications.
The business of Brooklyn
Brooklyn is home to over 70,000 small businesses, according to the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, with some honored at the event.
“I love hearing the stories of people that had hope and a dream. And being part of them getting that dream going and thriving and succeeding and accomplishing what they want to achieve,” said honoree Ana Oliveira, senior vice president and Northeast Regional Manager, Small Business Banking, Valley Bank.
She talked about bankers as being “dream makers,” helping go from wanting to doing, creating careers and companies.
“You always need a trusted advisor,” she said. “Small businesses sometimes do not know where to go for help.”
Finding your path
Honorees talked about finding their path, whether it be a profession or launching a company in numerous sectors.
Some went into the same field as their parents or took over a family business. “It just so happened that I followed in her steps,” Shannon O’Rourke, director of radiology at Optum Medical Care, said of becoming a radiologist as her mother did.
Caribbean Impact Award winner Naomi Hopkins pointed to her grandparents, who came from the British Virgin Islands, as role models.
“They met in New York City and had seven children and 23 grandchildren. Their names are etched into the walls on Ellis Island,” said Hopkins, vice president of government relations for the Northeast Region of First American Financial Corp. “Me receiving this award this evening is such an honor to them and their heritage.”
She pointed to personal progress, as families advance with one generation doing things the other couldn’t imagine.
“We are our grandparents’ wildest dreams,” Hopkins said. “They had small ambitions when they first came here. We have doctors, lawyers, teachers. The list goes on and on. I feel like me sitting here tonight is not just about me. It’s a testament to them and the hard work they put into our family here.”
Lennox DeBarros, senior associate director of New York City Health and Hospitals/Gotham Health, said his family produced many role models. “I come from a long string of nurses,” he said. “My mom, sister, aunt, niece.”
Mentors and moments
Others pointed to mentors who made a difference in their life, such as Linda Ihesiaba, vice president and branch manager at Dime Bank, who grew up in Nigeria. She pointed to a manager who had faith in her.
“She made me who I am today,” Ihesiaba said. “She said to me, ‘Linda, you have the will. You don’t have the skill. I’m going to impart the skill.”
DeBarros talked about a patient he helped who changed his life. “This shaped my career. The first week I worked as a nurse, a patient asked me to walk her down the hallway. She had asked several other nurses. I walked her,” DeBarros said. “Two weeks later, the supervisor read a letter, saying I was the best nurse she ever had.”
He still remembers that and recharges himself with memories like that. “That motivated me. From that day, I wanted to have a greater impact. I became a nurse practitioner in mental health,” he said. “I realized that this is a field that is much needed in the community.”
Gabrielle Napolitano, Director of Partnerships and Communications for the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, said diverse experiences rather than a clear path took her to where she is.
“What career path? There’s no path,” Napolitano said.
She worked as art director for Columbia House’s Record Club, then in retail, concerts and finally at the Brooklyn Chamber. “What were all of those things? Businesses, commerce. That’s my history,” she said. “It really brought me full circle.”
Education
Many honorees in the education sector stressed the importance of education in their life, and for others. Dr. Patricia Ramsey, sixth president of Medgar Evers College, honored for excellence in education, in turn honored her family for instilling a belief in the value of education.
“My dad said he wanted all of his children to get an education, because he didn’t get that opportunity,” she said. “He made sure that all of us did.”
Ramsey said Medgar Evers is working hard to make sure students, who often come from families with limited resources, graduate without debt. “The reason I’m at Medgar Evers is I want to make a difference,” she said.
Medgar Evers also hopes to be able to provide continuing education free to students ages 25 to 55. “We’re not a community college,” she added, “but we do have associates degrees.”
Dale Kelly, executive vice president of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, also spoke of education as essential. “We are education advocates,” he said. “Our mantra is every great school begins with a great leader.”
Healthy Brooklyn
Hospitals provide a crucial service to Brooklyn, including Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, where president and CEO Vali Gache was honored.
“This is an immigrant story. I came here in 2000 a few months before 9/11,” she said of her trip from Romania. “I started my career as an economist overseas. I entered healthcare by accident.”
After working in accounting, she rose through the system and now holds a key role in leading a Brooklyn hospital. “I fell in love with healthcare, the complexity of the healthcare system,” She said. “I started from there.”
Under Gache’s watch, Wyckoff has been investing in infrastructure, such as emergency and cardiology departments to see more patients and reduce wait time.
“We’re continuing to meet the needs of people regardless of insurance or non-insurance,” said attendee Elisa Viesta, director of network development for Wykcoff Heights Medical Center, a safety net hospital. “Our goal is to serve our community.”
Dr. Joanna Mercado, chair of the department of medicine for NYC Health and Hospitals/Woodhull, talked about the mission of medicine.
“I love helping people one patient at a time, but also the population,” she said. “You’re able to have an impact on the population.”
Dr. Fabienne Gaillard Ulysee, nurse leader and assistant vice president of nursing education and research at Maimonides Health, provides community education on cancer.
“I knew I wanted to be a nurse educator. I believe education is the foundation,” she said, noting the hospital has a health fair on June 23.“If people are educated, they are able to make appropriate choices. And they will be healthy.”
Dr. Lisa Eng, a practicing ob-gyn, owner of a freestanding birthing center and trustee for the Medical Society of the County of Kings, put things simply. “My patients have become my friends,” said Dr. Eng, who speaks five languages. “The women are fabulous. I like starting families, caring for my women. I like community work.”
She likes practicing on her own, rather than as part of a healthcare system, bumping into her patients at Foodtown and knowing her community.
“I’m not beholden to a system telling me how to practice,” she said. “If a patient needs a half an hour of my time, I sit with my patient for a half hour.”
Doing the right thing
Various people talked about the importance of standing up for rights, although those ranged from freedom to housing to healthcare. HousingPlus CEO Karen Ford said she believes “housing is a right from birth.” And many talked about healthcare as not just a service, but essential.
Thekra El-Rowmeim, a community leader and advocate, won the Trailblazer Award, using Zoom to connect, communicate, educate and empower women in the Muslim community.
“We believe that empowering women is empowering the whole community,” she said. “We started educating women, raising awareness through zoom. Most women in our community are very conservative. They have a lot of duties like taking care of the kids.”
Brooklyn Pride Chair Mickey Heller said his group is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, as the second oldest Pride organization in New York, following New York City Pride. Their big event is the second Saturday in June, including a run, street festival and more. “We do events throughout the year, but the focus is the pride week,” Heller said.
They lately are finding themselves fighting old battles, including a concern that there could be efforts to overturn the right to gay marriage.
“The old saying is everything old is new again. History seems to repeat itself,” Heller said. “We have made so many strides in civil rights. Now we’re in a time where these rights are slowly being eroded again.”
Technology’s time
Some talked about how they use technology, including AI, in their business or nonprofit. But others are focusing on improving technology for others.
Alexander Paykin, managing director of Paykin Law and chair of the New York State Bar Association’s technology committee, is working to get the courts to embrace more technology.
“I’m trying to improve lawyers’ and judges’ use of and understanding of technology to streamline legal practice,” he said. “Be it adequately grasping AI and its limitations, to understanding the advanced features of Microsoft Word.”
He is working on a pilot program for technology education at law schools, as well as a proposal for the New York State Bar Exam to have a technological component, or require technological competence certification.
“Should you still even consider hiring a lawyer who hasn’t mastered AI?” Paykin asked. “Does your lawyer know his tools?”
Paykin said technology can both help lawyers and clients, but believes it needs to be better integrated into law school education and practice. Paykin has been meeting with officials, seeking to find ways to make technology a bigger part of the practice and education for his profession.
Learn more about all the honorees at BrooklyPowerList.com. The following are the 2026 Brooklyn Power Listers:
Brooklyn Power List Honorees:
Alyssa C. Abernathy, CEO/Founder, Life Equip Group Inc.; Brown Girls Learn
Scholarship Fund
ICON Leonard Achan, President & CEO, LiveOnNY
Lishawn Alexander, CEO, Lishawn Cupcakes LLC, DBA Lishawns Consulting
Ahmed Alshami, The Alliance of Yemeni Americans (AYA)
Mohamed Azez, Vice President, The Alliance of Yemeni Americans (AYA)
ICON Donald R. Boomgaarden, Ph.D., President, St. Joseph’s University, New York
Distinction in Business Award NineDot Energy
Teri Coaxum, Founder & CEO, Certified M/WBE, Coaxum Connects
Lennox DeBarros, Senior Associate Director, NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health
Trailblazer Award/ICON Thekra El-Rowmeim, Community Leader & Advocate
Caribbean Impact Award Wayne Ellis, Founder & CEO, Caribe Bliss Cigar Company
Dr. Lisa Eng, Trustee, Medical Society of the County of Kings
Karen Ford, Chief Executive Officer, HousingPlus
Vali Gache, President and CEO, Wyckoff Hospital
Dr. Fabienne Gaillard Ulysse, Nurse Leader and Assistant Vice President of Nursing Education and Research, Maimonides Health
TD Bank Outstanding Entrepreneur Award Evelyn Luciano Giangarra, Owner, Lady Bird Bakery
Ken Gibbs, President, Maimonides Health
Vanguard Award/ICON Louis C. Grassi, CPA, CFE, CEO, Founder, and Managing
Partner, Grassi
Caribbean Impact Award Nicole Greaves, Founder/Principal, The Rooted Neighbor Consulting and Community Solutions
Dr. Claire Green-Forde, LCSW, Founder & CEO, Dr. Claire SPEAKS!™
LGBTQ+ Award Mickey Heller (He/Him), Chair, Brooklyn Pride
Caribbean Impact Award Naomi N. Hopkins, Vice President of Government Relations, Northeast Region, First American Financial Corporation
Linda Ihesiaba, Vice President and Branch Manager, Dime Bank
ICON Hon. Letitia James, Attorney General, State of New York
Dale Kelly, Executive Vice President, Council of School Supervisors and Administrators
(CSA)
Caribbean Impact Award Dr. Paulett Kenwood, Reading Action Program Chair, Lions
Club International, Brooklyn Crown Heights Lions Club
Kapil Longani, Senior Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs and General Counsel, State
University of New York
Debbie Louis, Assistant Secretary Intergovernmental Affairs- Executive Chamber, Le
Roi Capital
Jonna O. Mercado, MD, MPH, FACP, Chair of the Department of Medicine, NYC
Health + Hospitals/Woodhull
Gabrielle Napolitano, Director of Partnerships and Communications, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Brooklyn Made Stores
Shannon O’Rourke, Director of Radiology, Optum Medical Care
Ana Oliveira, SVP, Northeast Regional Manager, Small Business Banking, Valley Bank
Alexander Paykin, Esq., Managing Director, Paykin Law
Excellence in Education/ICON Dr. Patricia Ramsey, President, Medgar Evers College
Maggie Ross, Senior Managing Director of Sales, Brown Harris Stevens Brooklyn, LLC
Christopher Taylor, Chairman, Li-Lac Chocolates
Small Business of the Year Award Jennifer Thomas, Owner and Director, Just A’s
Daycare
Jim Zhen, Vice President, Store Manager, TD Bank
