Staff

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Mike Endreny

Donations Manager

mike@bignyc.org
718-777-0132 x22

Born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island, Mike is the second full time hire on our Deconstruction team. After receiving a degree in English Literature from Colby College in Maine in 2002, Mike taught English and traveled in South America for a year. Since his return, Mike has gained extensive experience in general carpentry and working with plaster, ultimately leading him here. Some of his work experiences include: property asset management with Stop Wasting Abandoned Properties (SWAP) in Providence which converts abandoned warehouses into affordable housing; constructing residential interiors in Providence, and then spent two years a product manager for Bettencourt’s Eco-Supply Center here in New York City. Most recently Mike spent two years as a BIG!NYC Deconstructionist, and has been promoted to Donations Manager. In his spare time, Mike drives Harvey crazy by cheering for his Boston Bruins hockey team, who recently beat Vancouver in the Stanley Cup finals.

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Jaclyn Jablkowski

Communications Manager

Jack joined Build It Green!NYC in June 2011 after working for our sister non-profit, Solar One. Over the past year she has been volunteering, interning and working for Solar One's Energy Connections program, and before that she was marketing big rockstars over at Columbia Records. Nowadays you'll find Jack scanning the warehouse for new goodies to post on the website, tweet or share on Facebook, along with handling media relations, store events, advertising and so much more. With her awesome staff of eco-interns, you will be hearing a lot more from Jack. You can also find her working in the warehouse on Saturdays. When she's not at the reuse center, she's either playing softball in the park, exploring the city, or searching for a nice body of water to cool off in during the summer heat.

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Ellis Isenberg

Reuse Center Manager, Astoria

ellis@bignyc.org
718-777-0132 x27

Ellis is the Reuse Center Manager at Build It Green!NYC in Astoria. He also held the position of Assistant Manager and Adaptable Resource Technician, and specializes in well, everything! Born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Ellis graduated from Bard College with a hybrid degree in Creative Writing and Literature. While in college Ellis also studied Architecture, spending six months in Paris and six months at Columbia University through Columbia's Department of Architecture. Ellis has extensive knowledge of and experience with reclaimed lumber, deconstruction, and manages BIG!NYC's work training programs. On his days away from Build It Green!NYC's warehouse, Ellis can be found at Tri-Lox, a "design + build practice that transforms reclaimed materials into handcrafted furniture, architectural elements, and fine art."

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atom cianfarani

Sustainable Design Manager

atom@bignyc.org
718-725-8925 x2

atom is the Sustainable Design Manager for the Gowanus location of Build It Green!NYC. She has been a patron of BIG!NYC since its opening and is thrilled to join the team. atom has been a leader in sustainable design for the last decade, and it comes from her love of garbage. Her fashion company Gaelyn and Cianfarani introduced sustainable fashion, as the first design team to walk an eco-fashion collection in Bryant Park in 2003; most of their garments were made from upcycled bicycle inner tubes. Working in the burgeoning green roof industry for the last 5 years, Cianfarani brings extensive knowledge of green roof systems and materials, as well as a breadth of experience managing work sites and crews. She has co-authored a do-it-yourself guide to green roofing and regularly lectures on the subject. Atom hails from Toronto, Canada.

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Harvey Jaswal

Assistant Reuse Center Manager, Gowanus + Vocational Counselor

harvey@bignyc.org
718-725-8925

Harvey is our Vocational Counselor, handling affairs in our ongoing partnership with the Consortium for Worker Education (CWE), among other things. Hailing from Vancouver, British Columbia, Harvey has an undergraduate degree in Biology, specializing in Ecology, and Master's in Sociology from the University of British Columbia. While he's worked in public service management for both the North Vancouver School District and in Eco-Restoration (reforestation) in Northern Canadian clear-cuts, it's his Master's thesis on Professional Wrestling which has proven most relevant. Harvey's claim to fame is that he played basketball against Steve Nash in high school on Vancouver Island, once, which provided him with street cred amongst his co-workers for about 5 minutes.

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Vinnie Cannon

Gowanus Reuse Center Associate

vinnie@bignyc.org
718-725-8925

Vinnie has by far the most warehousing experience of anyone at Build It Green. From the paint room to windows, nobody knows the warehouse like Vinnie. As our first successful hire from a work training program (Fatherhood Re-entry Program), Vinnie has extensive experience with truck driving, warehousing and construction. When he’s not busy shaping the hearts and minds of his 6 children (that’s right, 6 children), Vinnie enjoys weight training, running and bicycling. If you ask me though, Vinnie’s real passion is inspirational public speaking, so much so that he’s been asked to guest lecture at the Fatherhood Program several times since his successful job placement here at BIG. Next time you stop by, say hi to Vinnie, you won’t regret it.

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Yona Prochnik

Gowanus Reuse Center Associate

yona@bignyc.org
718-725-8925

Yona interned this summer at Build It Green, and we liked him so much we hired ‘em! Born in Israel, raised in Brooklyn, Yona recently completed a Political Science and Philosophy degree from McGill University in Montreal. This is his first autumn out of school since he was 4 years old. Wow. Some of his previous work experiences include: trail building in New Mexico with the Southwest Conservation Corps; organic farming in the French Pyrenese, and general maintenance and leisure at a hiking lodge upstate. In his spare time, Yona likes to rock out in a band called Brother Reverand, and he’s currently really into Russian Literature. He also claims he can eat more than anyone on staff. Bold statement, Yona, bold statement.

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Steve Haskins

Shift Manager, Astoria Reuse Center

steve@bignyc.org
718-777-0132 x21

Born and raised in the Bronx, NY, Steve landed at Build It Green through Bard College’s BPI Program. While at Bard (like everyone else around here!), he received an Associate Liberal Arts degree, specializing in history. Some of his previous work experiences include landscaping, woodworking, and custodial work, although some of his best work lies ahead. Steve is currently working on a novel AND a clothing line if you can believe that! Steve LOVES snowmobiling, and basically all other motorized winter sports. What does this guy NOT do?!

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Robert Rodriguez

Astoria Reuse Center Associate

robert@bignyc.org

718-777-0132 x21

Robert was born in the Bronx, New York and raised in Sunrise, Florida. He attended Full Sail University for Recording Arts to pursue his passion for Hiphop and art. After some time there he decided college wasn't for him. He then moved back to New York to be with family and to find work. Through the YAIP internship program in Bronx Community College he discovered BIGNYC and immediately was drawn to the mission.

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Craig Mitchell

Training Coordinator & Astoria Reuse Center Associate

bio coming soon!

 

 

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Daniel Luscombe

Inventory & Sales Coordinator

daniel@bignyc.org
718-777-0132 x2

If Daniel had to list his top three interests they'd be:
1. Diverting waste from landfills
2. Reclaimed wood products
3. Providing excellent customer service
No wonder he likes working at BIG!NYC. Daniel was born and raised in the Paris of the Midwest - Detroit, Michigan. He attended Michigan State University and studied Urban and Regional Planning. He has previous experience in reclaimed wood and architectural salvage, and his crowded apartment will attest to his lifelong habit of collecting old things and throwing nothing away. When he's not in Astoria, you'll find him reading books on the subway or jerry-rigging his precarious fleet of bicycles

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Cate Giordano

Acquisitions

cate@bignyc.org
718-777-0132 x22

Cate is the driving force behind Build It Green. Originally from Pensacola, Florida, she recently graduated from the Massachusetts College for Art in Boston, specializing in Sculpture and Filmmaking. Cate’s very prolific. In her mere 23 years, she’s taught English in Korea, built rock trails in the Rockies of Colorado, constructed theatre sets in NYC, and even played Rush Limbaugh tapes on a conservative talk show in the “car city” district of Pensacola. Who does that?! She’s also an extremely talented singer/songwriter, filmmaker and sculptor. Cate really likes Bison. So much so that she’s dedicating her first New York exhibit entirely to that regal beast. Check it!

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Jordi Wheeler

Acquisitions

jordi@bignyc.org
718-777-0132 x22

Jordi rotates rocking with his band and rolling in the BIG!NYC pick-up truck. Jordi’s name is Jordi because he is a half Spaniard. He enjoys learning to play new instruments. Back in the old days before the BIG juggernaut got rolling, Jordi used to pick up donations in his van.

 

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Fred Maass

Acquisitions

fred@bignyc.org
718-777-0132 x21

Returned from New Orleans, this natural-born hoarder is eager to wring every last drop of "usable" from would-be discarded materials. He once biked 100 miles in 100 degrees with no brakes and one pedal, and has crossed state lines with a hamster, a toad and a box turtle.

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Chris Fox

Deconstructionist

fox@bignyc.org

full bio coming soon!

 

 

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Nate Meng

Deconstructionist

natemeng@bignyc.org
718-725-8925 x4

Nate Meng has joined the BIG!NYC decon team as a fulltime Deconstructionist. Nate has spent the last 5 years jumping from one green venture to the next, mostly by accident.  He got his start in the industry managing a green building supply warehouse, a job he got by answering an ad on Myspace (really), then worked installing solar panels before landing at Build it Green.  Prior to that (and concurrently) he has worked in various trades renovating apartments and restaurants throughout the city.  Born and raised in the woods of Wisconsin, he enjoys writing country songs, exploring the city, and drinking beer.  Sometimes all at once.

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Meg Keys

Fiscal Services & Education Coordinator

meg@bignyc.org

Meg joined our staff in a desperate attempt to help us get organized. Growing up in Dekalb, Illinois, she discovered her love of repurposing materials from her dad, who restores homes. She went to Illinois State University for Literary Publishing, a degree she promptly ignored in favor of running her own custom piñata company (Llaves Designs). She has a background in arts, administration, and finance, and her dirty little secret is that she worked in corporate financial marketing in Chicago.

 

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Louise Bruce

Project Manager NYC Compost Project, Western Queens Compost Initiative

louise@bignyc.org
718-777-0132 x104

Our latest multitasking master-composter to join the BIG!NYC ranks is Louise Bruce. Back in 2010, Louise founded Compost for Brooklyn while also a member of NYC's Department of Parks and Recreation's Green Apple Corps, where she became a certified master composter. Before that, Louise received her BA in China and Asia Pacific Studies with a focus on environmental issues from Cornell University. And if that wasn't enough, she is now completing her Masters of Urban Planning at NYU's Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service, where she wrote her thesis on waste management and water provisions in Ghana. Yeah, I think we could say she's pretty much fascinated with trash! Oh, and she has adorable pooch named Olive!.

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Chris Bivens

Project Coordinator NYC Compost Project, Western Queens Compost Initiative

chris@bignyc.org
718-777-0132 x104

Chris was born on the West coast of the United States, but has managed to spend most of his life living in the South East. After studying Painting and Sculpture, Chris made his way up North to New York City where he currently resides in Queens.

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Cuyler Remick

Field Assistant, NYC Compost Project, Western Queens Compost Initiative

Cuyler is originally from Ithaca, NY. He completed a Master Composter program in 2012. He continues to enjoy learning about composting and sharing that knowledge with friends, family and the greater NYC community.

 

 

 

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Charles Lynch

Field Assistant, NYC Compost Project, Western Queens Compost Initiative

bio coming soon!

 

 

 

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Gina Baldwin

Program Coordinator, Development and Public Engagement for BIG!Compost

gina@bignyc.org
718-777-0132 x101

And the latest addition to BIG!Compost is Gina Baldwin: Gina is our new program coordinator for BIG!Compost, heading up development and public engagement. This Master Composter and Citizen Pruner originally hails from Idaho, where the looming mountains and endlessly rolling hills gave her an enduring appreciation of nature. Gina earned her degree in Political Science and French from the University of Idaho. Her previous work experiences includes: Queens Botanical Garden, managed compost outreach and education with the NYC Compost Project in Queens, MillionTreesNYC Stewardship Coordinator, Library Assistant, and worked for several years at Moscow Food Co-op. When she's not composting you can find her vermicomposting (of course!), baking, printmaking, or knitting.

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Erik Martig

Program Coordinator for Compost Operations Development at BIG!Compost

erik@bignyc.org
718-777-0132 x102

Erik Martig joins Build it Green!Compost as Program Coordinator for Compost Operations Development. He holds a bachelor's of science in Landscape Architecture from The Ohio State University and has worked for several leading landscape design firms in New York City. Following his agricultural roots Erik left landscape design to launch a compost project at the Gowanus Canal Conservancy. Erik managed GrowNYC’s food-scrap diversion program where he oversaw the diversion over 1.1 million pounds of food-scraps from landfill -all while assisting the development of a local network of community supported composting sites. Compost is frequently the only topic of discussion with Erik, though he also enjoys cycling, skiing and snowboarding, gardening and photography.