Archives: Board of directors

Dr. Porter has dedicated her career to empowering Bronx communities. As a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Center for Education Innovation (CEI), she’s leading CEI Bronx to drive transformative education reforms. Previously, she was the inaugural President & CEO of The Bronx Community Foundation and made history as the first Black woman Chancellor of NYC’s Department of Education, overseeing 1.1 million students.  

Nishat (Bella) Tabassum, a native New Yorker, currently serves as an Executive Agency Counsel at the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB). With an unwavering commitment to accountability and justice, Bella focuses on prosecuting egregious misconduct within the NYPD. Prior to her role at CCRB, she held positions as a cross-designated Assistant Corporation Counsel and Assistant District Attorney, specializing in juvenile delinquency matters at the New York City Law Department in the Bronx. Bella’s passion for addressing inequity and expanding access extends beyond her legal career. In her leadership roles as the Youth Chair and Vice President of the Bronx Young Democrats, she spearheaded the development of financial literacy and mentorship programs for Bronx youth. Additionally, Bella actively contributes to esteemed legal associations including the New York Bar Association City Affairs Committee, Women in the Law Committee, South Asian Bar Association, and Muslim American Bar Association of New York. She holds a B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Gender Studies from Hunter College, a Juris Doctorate from CUNY School of Law, and a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Management & Innovation from Columbia University. She is also part of the esteemed 2023 fellows at the Council of Urban Professionals.

John Valladares joined Slate in 2018 and serves as a Managing Director of Development and Affordable at Slate Property Group. John oversees Slate’s affordable, supportive, and transitional housing initiatives. He also manages many of the company’s projects involving land use actions and in particular, rezoning. Prior to Slate, John was at BFC Partners and was responsible for the rezoning of the Bedford Union Armory in Crown Heights and oversaw the successful submission to NYCHA’s next Generation Ingersoll RFP. John spent 10 years in the commercial real estate banking industry with Bank of America and TD Bank in multiple roles including Underwriter, Loan Workout Officer, and Relationship Management. He began his career at Columbia University as the Assistant Director of Campus Planning during their Manhattanville expansion. John received a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies and a Master of Real Estate Development from Columbia University.⁠