Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City
Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in New York City whose mission is to help children reach their potential through professionally supported, one-to-one relationships with mentors that try to have a measurable impact on youth. Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC is one of the oldest and largest youth mentoring organizations in the United States, and mentor over 2,500 children annually. History. In 1904, a young New York City court clerk named Ernest Kent Coulter was seeing many boys come through his courtroom . He recognized that caring adults could help many of these boys stay out of trouble, so in 1904, he set out to find volunteers and made his famous plea:"There is only one possible way to save that youngster, and that is to have some earnest, true man volunteer to be his big brother. To look after him, to help him do right, to make the little chap feel that there is at least one human being in this great city who takes a personal interest in him, who cares whether he lives or dies. I call for a volunteer."That  marked the beginning of Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City and the Big Brothers movement. When the first gentleman stood to volunteer, Big Brothers of New York City (the founding member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America) began. Coulter's audience, a New York City men's club of business and community leaders, immediately saw the strength of this brave new idea. By the end of the day, 39 men had volunteered, and thus 39 futures were salvaged. By 1916, Big Brothers had spread to 96 cities across the country. Recent leadership. Alicia Guevara (2019-present). Alicia  Guevara began serving on June 10, 2019 and is the nonprofit’s first female CEO. Previously, she had more than 25 years of experience leading nonprofit organizations, including as executive director of Part of the Solution, a neighborhood-based comprehensive human services agency. She is a native New Yorker, and is a graduate of Columbia University, and holds an executive education certificate for senior leaders in nonprofit management from Columbia Business School. Hector Batista (2010-2018). In October 2010, Hector Batista was appointed as the new executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City. Jon May (2010–2010 ). Jon May is CFO and partner at The CarbonNeutral Company Holdings, Inc., one of the world's leading carbon offset and carbon management businesses. May joined The CarbonNeutral Company from carbon management business, GreenLife in 2008. Before GreenLife, May was the co-founder and managing director of Catalytic Capital LLC, venture capital and private equity firm. Previously he had been senior vice president of corporate development for Triarc Companies, Inc., where he was responsible for merger identification and execution, corporate finance and planning. While at Triarc, he held the position of chief executive officer of Arby's, Inc. from 1999  to 2001, and remained chairman of Arby's from 2001-04. While CEO of Arby's he had the opportunity to present charitable gifts at Big Brothers Big Sisters sites across the country. May has been a board member of BBBS of NYC since 1999 and was the acting executive director during 2010. Michael A. Corriero (2008–2010). In July 2008, The Honorable Michael Corriero took over as executive director. Corriero served the people of New York for three decades, beginning as an assistant district attorney for New York County in 1969. He was appointed to New York State Supreme Court  (1989–90) and also served as a judge of the Criminal Court of the City of New York (1980–89). He lectured on criminal justice as an adjunct professor at Pace University (1976–94) and was an assistant district attorney for New York County (1969–73). He subsequently specialized as a private practitioner in all phases of criminal law (1973–80). Judge Corriero was also assistant general counsel to the Society of European Songwriters, Authors and Composers; a legislative assistant; and an associate at Schiffmacher, Rochford & Cullen, a firm that specialized in municipal law. Allan Luks (1990–2008). For more than two decades, Luks led major  nonprofit institutions, receiving significant national and international recognition. He worked with the Alcoholism Council of New York, followed by The Institute for the Advancement of Health—focusing on how the mind affects the body, including the benefits experienced by helping others. In 1990, Luks became the executive director for Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City, the oldest and largest mentoring organization, a post he held for 18 years. Currently, Luks is a senior advisor for BBBS of NYC and is a member of several boards of trustees for nonprofit organizations. He has published "Healing Power of doing Good ," with Peggy Payne, on the "helper's high" obtained by helping others.