The Board of Directors of Groundwork Hudson Valley, a leading environmental organization dedicated to creating sustainable urban communities and addressing environmental justice, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Oded Holzinger as its new Executive Director, succeeding Brigitte Griswold after her successful almost seven-year tenure. Oded brings to the organization an extensive background and proven track record in climate resilience, urban planning, environmental restoration, and community engagement. Oded’s wealth of experience and deep understanding of environmental issues in Yonkers and Westchester County will help usher Groundwork into an exciting new phase.
During his tenure as Climate Resilience Program Manager at Groundwork Hudson Valley, Oded championed the Climate Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. This work included the facilitation of a task force whose members worked to provide community-based input to the newly released Yonkers Climate Action Plan. He worked on the development of the Yonkers Greenway together with key partners and led watershed restoration and climate change mitigation initiatives throughout the city. For more than a decade, Oded has worked in different capacities as an urban planner and program manager for the public, nonprofit, and private sectors. He holds a Master’s in Urban Planning with a focus on Environmental Planning from Hunter College, and a Bachelor’s in Urban and Environmental Geography. He also holds a certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
In his new role, Oded Holzinger will lead the organization in its efforts to advance climate resilience, nurture the next generation of environmental leaders, and promote sustainability education. He will officially assume his leadership responsibilities on Tuesday, September 26th 2023.
Wendy Zimmermann, Groundwork’s Board Chair said, “We are delighted to welcome Oded back to the Groundwork Hudson Valley team. His passion for environmental stewardship and his extensive experience make him the ideal leader to help us achieve our goals and make a lasting difference in our communities.”
The Board of Directors and the Groundwork team extend their heartfelt thanks to Ellen Theg, Groundwork’s Chief of Operations and Interim Executive Director, for her outstanding leadership and dedication to Groundwork Hudson Valley during this transition process.
The appointment of Oded Holzinger underscores Groundwork Hudson Valley’s continued commitment to making a positive impact on the environment and to working with communities throughout Yonkers and Westchester County. The organization remains dedicated to its mission of creating sustainable environmental change in urban neighborhoods through community-based partnerships that promote equity, youth leadership, and economic opportunity.
For more information visit groundworkhv.org.
