Citizens Committee for New York City Names Dr. Rahsaan Harris as New CEO Amid COVID-19 Crisis
New York, NY — Citizens Committee for New York City (Citizens Committee) has announced the appointment of its new CEO, Dr. Rahsaan Harris, effective March 16. Harris replaces Peter H. Kostmayer, who is retiring after 15 years.
Harris, who has more than 20 years of experience leading nonprofits and international grantmaking, partnering with communities to make local investments, and promoting community organizing, is Citizens Committee’s first black CEO in the organization’s 45-year history. He is a transformative leader and role model who has been a New York City public school teacher, board member of various Harlem-based organizations, devoted Big Brothers Big Sister mentor, and Peace Corps environmental education volunteer in South America.
“Rahsaan is a proven leader and experienced CEO, and is well-positioned to lead our organization into a new era of transformation,” said Chris Ruggeri, chair of the Board of Directors for Citizens Commitee. “We are excited for this new chapter as Citizens Committee helps New Yorkers—especially those in low-income areas—come together and improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods.”
Harris comes to Citizens Committee from the Emma Bowen Foundation—a New York-based organization dedicated to diversifying the media and technology industries by recruiting promising students of color and placing them in paid internships at the nation’s leading companies. As Emma Bowen’s President and CEO, Harris set a new strategic direction that resulted in increased grant revenue and a highly engaged network of students, alumni and influential corporate partners. Harris raised the foundation’s public profile through key speaking and television appearances on outlets such as WABC New York, Fox 5 New York, and Yahoo Finance. Last month, he appeared on CNN to discuss the legacy of Emma L. Bowen, the Harlem community activist who fought to make media inclusive more than 50 years ago.
“I’m honored to be joining Citizens Committee as CEO,” Harris said. “Back in the ’70s, our founders—Sen. Jacob Javits, a Republican, and Newsweek Editor-in-Chief Osborn Elliott, a Democrat—envisioned a better future for all New Yorkers. In the spirit of that bipartisanship—and the beautiful fruits of that labor—we need to remind each other during challenging times that it’s only when we work together that we can achieve real change. And we need each other as never before.”
Harris is no stranger to Javits’s efforts. Emma Bowen worked with Javits in the 1960s and ’70s to end the unwritten policy of preventing black youth from being pages in the U.S. Senate. “Emma Bowen fought so young people of color could have access to the same opportunities as their white counterparts,” Harris said. “As a Harlemite and block association member, I know that positive change happens when New Yorkers work together, not just to improve our neighborhoods and our quality of life—but to create lasting social change.”
Prior to his role at the Emma Bowen Foundation, Harris served as Executive Director of Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy (EPIP), and a program officer at the Atlantic Philanthropies. Harris received his doctorate in Public and Urban Policy from the New School, where his dissertation addressed understanding how socio-economic diversity in the African-American community affects their philanthropic interests. He also holds master’s degrees in Management and High School Science Education from New York University and Columbia, respectively, and a Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University. Harris is a board member of Exponent Philanthropy and is co-class agent for Princeton University Class of 1995 Annual Giving. He resides in Harlem, in a Spanish-speaking household, with his wife Elizabeth and daughter Avery.
Kostmayer, whose tenure ends effective March 27, served seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives in the late ’70s and early ’80s. “Peter has played a critical role in the development and success of Citizens Committee for New York City, and we are grateful for his service,” said Ruggeri. “We will miss his leadership, but we wish him all the best in his retirement and future ventures.”
As the situation surrounding COVID-19 continues to evolve, Citizens Committee, under Harris’ leadership, has developed a survey to better understand its grantees’ challenges and needs during this time of uncertainty. The survey can be found at linktr.ee/citizenscommittee, and Citizens Committee is urging all grantees to respond as soon as possible. The organization plans to analyze the results of the survey and share key insights with elected officials and donors. In addition, Citizens Committee has compiled a list of key COVID-19 resources for New Yorkers.
About Citizens Committee for New York City
Citizens Committee for New York City’s mission is to help New Yorkers – especially those in low-income areas – come together and improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods. Residents are uniquely situated to define and act on the issues affecting their communities. When provided with modest support, neighborhood and school groups can effectively mobilize with the assistance of grants, skills-building workshops, project planning assistance and an equipment share library. In 2019, we provided 596 projects with $2.3 million in grants and services, impacting more than 130,000 residents in 164 different neighborhoods across the five boroughs. Since 1975, we have promoted the spirit of volunteerism, local engagement, and social justice that drives our work.