Meet our Staff
Denny Marsh, Executive Director
Denny serves as the chief executive, operating, financial and development officer for Neighbors Together. Denny assumed the role of Executive Director of Neighbors Together in July, 2011 after serving for over three years as the Assistant Director. Denny has a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish & Global Development Studies from Grinnell College, and was an Advocate at Neighbors Together in 2004 through AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps.
After her year as an Advocate she worked for three years as a Case Manager at the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, working with survivors of domestic violence and child abuse. Following her passion for community-based work, Denny returned to Neighbors Together in 2008 and through her role as Assistant Director gained skills and experience in program development, fundraising, financial management and strategic planning. Denny was nominated in 2014 by The Robin Hood Foundation to Participate in Columbia Business School’s Senior Leaders Program for Non-Profit Professionals and nominated in 2018 by the NY Women’s Foundation to participate in the Omega Institute’s Juno Women’s Leadership Collective. In 2021, Denny completed Tara Mohr’s Playing Big Leadership Program.
Nathalie Smythe, MSW, Director of Programs & HR
Nathalie is the Director of Programs and HR and has been at Neighbors Together since May 2009. She holds a bachelor degree in social work from West Chester University and a Master of Social Work degree from New York University. In 2016, Nathalie also completed Columbia University’s Senior Leaders Program for Non-Profit Professionals. Nathalie has previous counseling experience working with chemically dependent women, adolescents aging out of the foster care system, and families of homicide victims.
As the Director of Programs and HR, Nathalie supervises all direct service staff in our Community Café and Empowerment Program, bringing a strong social work perspective to her supervision and training to ensure high quality service delivery. In addition to her supervisory role, Nathalie manages the organization’s finances, coordinates partnerships with other service providers, oversees program evaluation and outcome measurement, and actively participates in program development and planning.
Amy Blumsack, MSW, Director of Organizing & Policy
Prior to joining Neighbors Together in January 2011, Amy organized parents of New York City public schools to fight for more equitable education for their children. She has previous experience working in a transitional housing facility with formerly homeless adults living with mental illness and/or substance abuse. Amy worked at Neighbors Together as a member advocate in 2003 as part of Avodah: The Jewish Service Corps. Amy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Ethnic Studies from the University of California, San Diego, and a Master of Social Work degree from Hunter College.
In her time with Neighbors Together, Amy has successfully expanded the Community Action Program’s reach, and played an instrumental role in the success of the Three-Quarter House Tenant Organizing Project (TOP), helping to pass the first ever three-quarter house bill package in City Council.
Christina Singh, Director of Donor Relations & Communications
Christina Singh serves as the Director of Donor Relations & Communications for Neighbors Together where she oversees all donor relations and marketing for the organization. Christina joined the team in December 2017, and prior to joining Neighbors Together she worked with organizations such as the American Lung Association, the March of Dimes, and Evergreen Health Services where she helped to raise substantial funds, and build donor and volunteer leadership within organizations.
At Neighbors Together, Christina is responsible for the infrastructure and growth of Neighbors Together’s development and marketing efforts. She oversees all aspects of Neighbors Together’s special events, and manages all media platforms for the organization.
She is passionate about social justice work, gender equality, and empowering people to make a difference in their communities.
Sandro Ortega, Café Operations Manager
Sandro Ortega – Started working at NT as a kitchen manager in 2009 cooking meals, washing dishes, and keeping the space clean. He quickly took charge and showed initiative in the workings of NT. Sandro now runs the cafe as the Cafe Operations Manager. He also signs up volunteers and intern to help in serving the community. Sandro has a back ground in restaurant management and customer service. His experience allows him to keep NT up to board of health standards and organize to work in a professional and safe environment. He is a team player and is always willing to go the extra distance to help a member of the NT and staff.
Joel Gil, Housing Services Specialist
Joel joined the Neighbors Together team in June 2022 and currently serves as the Housing Services Specialist.
Joel comes to Neighbors Together with extensive organizing and social services experience, and has worked with organizations such as Community Voices Heard (CVH), New York Communities for Change (NYCC), Partnership for The Homeless (PFTH), and Women In Need (WIN).
Joel understands that while it is important to change housing policy, it is also important to understand intrinsically how the housing/voucher system works. He aims to use all of his expertise to assist our Neighbors Together members in their search for permanent housing. Joel aims to use all of his expertise to assist our Neighbors Together members in their search for permanent housing.
Devante Tate, Community Organizer
Devanté Tate is a native and resident of East New York, Brooklyn. He is the co-founder of a grassroots organization called Afrikans Helping Afrikans which provides security and know your rights training for the communities of East New York, Brownsville, and Harlem.
Devanté started organizing his community back in November of 2014, focusing his organizing around police brutality, mass incarceration, and education. Having a lot of family and friends who are currently in the system, this work is very personal to him.
Seeing how many struggles in his community were connected, Devanté started to fight back against the rise of people being displaced in his community of East New York and started to get more deeply involved in the fight for affordable housing back in 2016.
Outside of the organizing work, Devanté is also a writer, runs a cycling club, and also creates spaces for wellness for the community.
Nailah Abdul-Mubdi, Community Organizer
Nailah is a mother of two, resides in Brooklyn and is a student at John Jay College for Criminal Justice studying Public Administration. She is also a voucher holder and has been advocating to make vouchers work and fighting source of income discrimination with Neighbors Together since 2019. Nailah’s drive to end source of income discrimination stems from her experience looking for a home using a voucher, and sharing her story has played a pivotal role in creating policy change and addressing the causes of homelessness.
Jolie Pont, AVODAH Member Advocate
Jolie is joining Neighbors Together as our AVODAH Member Advocate. This is an annual role in partnership with AVODAH Service Corps, and will be focused on supporting our Empowerment Program.
Before joining the team at Neighbors Together, Jolie studied International Relations and Communications at Eckerd College in St Pete Florida. Jolie is excited to learn more about how housing works and doesn’t work in New York City. She is passionate about social justice policy and the advancement of human rights for all, and plan on making it my life long career to fight for those who need it
Elijah Antiaobong, Head Chef
Elijah is the Head Chef at Neighbors Together. Although his time with the organization has just begun, he has already become a positive asset to the vision and goals of Neighbors Together. He is responsible for menu planning, food preparation, supervising volunteers and interns, and overseeing the meals served in the Community Café. After graduating from the Keystone Job Corps Center, he specialized in the “American Culinary Federation Education Culinary Arts Training Program.” Through this education, Chef Elijah has spent close to a decade honing his craft and love of culinary art. When he’s not at Neighbors Together, Elijah is an avid bodybuilder and loves spending time at the gym. He also believes in lifelong learning and is always ready and willing to learn.
