Welcome to our new Advisory Council!
This Fall 2024, Bricks and Mortals' Board of Directors, elected by Bricks and Mortals membership, is launching an Advisory Council to advise the Executive Committee, Executive Director and Board of Directors.
Thank you for joining Bricks and Mortals to support our mission to to ensure that faith-based organizations have the knowledge, connections, access to resources, and advocacy they need to thrive.
Read more about the members below.
Matthew Clarke
Executive Director at Design Trust
Matthew Clarke joined the Design Trust in May 2020 as Executive Director, where he advocates for the power of public space to build vibrant, equitable communities. As an architect, planner, and writer, he has advanced complex architectural and urban design projects; developed public-space policies; and developed national partnerships and initiatives. Prior to leading the Design Trust, Matthew was the National Director of Creative Placemaking at The Trust for Public Land, where he authored The Field Guide for Creative Placemaking and Parks.
Ginger Choy
Assistant Vice President at CCS Fundraising
Ginger Choy, Assistant Vice President at CCS Fundraising, brings over two decades of experience in nonprofit fundraising and development. With 18 years as an in-house development professional and 3 years as a CCS consultant, Ginger has a diverse background in individual and major gift philanthropy, corporate and foundation relations, and event planning. Her expertise spans organizations in Minneapolis, MN, and New York City, including Books For Africa, Twin Cities PBS, New York Hall of Science, and The New York Botanical Garden. Ginger holds a B.S. in Business Marketing and Management from St. Catherine University, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Zambia, Africa, and is a U.S.-Japan Foundation Leadership Fellow.
Beatriz de la Torre
Chief Philanthropy Officer at Trinity Church Wall Street
Beatriz de la Torre is the Chief Philanthropy Officer at Trinity Church Wall Street and leads Trinity’s Philanthropies team and mission grant-making function, which includes its efforts to address housing and homelessness, racial justice, mission real estate development, and leadership development. Beatriz joined Trinity in 2019 as Managing Director of Housing & Homelessness and was responsible for grants, Program Related Investments, and Mission Investing designed to address housing insecurity. She has a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s in urban planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Rev. Dr. Patrick Garnet Duggan
Executive Director of CB&LF
The Reverend Doctor Patrick Garnet Duggan is an ordained clergyperson in the United Church of Christ (UCC). He holds the Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University, the Master of Divinity and the Doctor of Ministry degrees, both from New York Theological Seminary. Dr. Duggan is the Senior Pastor of the Congregational Church of South Hempstead UCC where he has led sustained membership growth and missional vitality for over 25 years. Since 2012 Dr. Duggan has also served as Executive Director of the UCC Church Building and Loan Fund (CB&LF).
Gianfranco Grande
Executive Vice President at Partners for Sacred Places
Gianfranco Grande brings over 25 years of experience in management of nonprofit organizations and capital campaign fundraising to his role as Executive Vice President of Partners for Sacred Places. Educated at the Vatican Seminary, Gianfranco has worked with more than 1,000 community-serving urban congregations and built strategic relationships with local faith leaders, lay leaders, community leaders, universities, seminaries, public officials, and foundations. In 2014, Gianfranco was inducted into the Board of Sponsors of Martin Luther King, Jr. College of Ministers and Laity of Morehouse College. He has served as Board Chairman of the CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center and on the Board of Directors for Brick and Mortals. He currently serves as the Alternate to the President of the Council of Religious Leaders for Metropolitan Chicago and on the Board of the Let Freedom Ring Foundation.
Marc Greenberg
Director at Interfaith Assembly on Housing and Homelessness
Marc Greenberg is the Executive Director and co-founder of the Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and housing. He previously served on Bricks and Mortals Board of Directors. Since the Assembly’s establishment in 1985, Marc has been addressing homelessness through advocating public policy solutions and other strategies in partnership with an ever broadening network of faith communities, other advocates, housing and service providers, elected officials and those who have experienced homelessness.
Rabbi Joseph Potasnik
Executive Vice President at The New York Board of Rabbis
Rabbi Joseph Potasnik is the Executive Vice President of The New York Board of Rabbis, the largest interdenominational rabbinic body in the world. He was the spiritual and educational leader of Congregation Mount Sinai in Brooklyn Heights, New York for over 50 years. He has served as Chaplain of the New York City Fire Department since 1999. Rabbi Potasnik maintained a high profile, helping many families cope with the disaster of September 11th, 2001.He formerly served on the Bricks and Mortals Board of Directors.
Joseph Rosenberg
Executive Director at Catholic Community Relations Council of New York
Joseph Rosenberg is the Executive Director at Catholic Community Relations Council of New York. He represents the Archdiocese of New York, the Diocese of Brooklyn and their respective Catholic Charities on political, policy and legislative issues before the Office of the Mayor, New York City Agencies, the New York City Council and New York City Community Boards. He has also served as Deputy Commissioner of Intergovernmental Relations at the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, as well as Chair of the New York City Housing Court Advisory Council.
Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper
Interim Minister - United Congregational Church of Little Compton, Rhode Island
The Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper, formerly of Judson Memorial Church and before that Coral Gables Congregational Church in Miami, currently serves as interim minister in little Compton, Rhode Island. She was the Senior Minister for Judson Memorial Church on the corner of Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village, New York City from 2005 until May 2021. She is an author of 38 books, most recently Remove The Pews. She founded Bricks and Mortals as a project at Judson Memorial Church, and previously served on the Bricks and Mortals Board of Directors.
Egbert Stolk
Manager, Capital Projects at Carnegie Hall
Egbert Stolk is currently the Manager for Capital Projects at Carnegie Hall. He formerly served on the Bricks and Mortals Board of Directors, and as Director of Diocesan Property Services at The Episcopal Diocese of New York. In this role he advised and assisted all congregations of the Episcopal Diocese of New York (EDNY) regarding the management and capital improvement of their real properties.
Rev. Mieke Vandersall
Founder, Principal Consultant at Vandersall Collective, Inc.
In 2004, Rev. Mieke Vandersall was ordained by the Presbytery of New York City. She was ordained into a non-profit whose work was in advocating for a policy shift in ordination to include queer pastors. Her experience paired with a deep knowledge of the wide diversity of the ecumenical Church makes Mieke a compassionate and powerful partner for leaders of nonprofits and faith-based organizations. Recognizing this as her particular gift, Mieke started Vandersall Collective in 2014. Mieke has collaborated with over 100 clients on capital campaigns, major donor programs, crowdsourcing campaigns, strategic thinking and planning, website writing and development, communication strategies, and organizational capacity-building. She formerly served on the Bricks of Mortals Board of Directors.
