Office of Government and Community Affairs

The Office of Government and Community Affairs (GCA) is an administrative office that serves as the primary liaison between Columbia and local, state, and federal governmental agencies. GCA also serves as the primary overseer of the relationship between Columbia and the surrounding community. For this reason, the office is an integral player in the planning of the Manhattanville campus.

The office is overseen by Maxine Griffith, who is the Executive Vice President of Government and Community Affairs. Ms. Griffith reports directly to President Bollinger.

Staff

Associate VP

• Victoria Mason-Ailey, AVP, Planning and Project Coordination
• Flores A. Forbes, AVP, Strategic Policy and Program Implementation
• Theodore J. Gershon, AVP, Community Based Initiatives & Special Advisor, Workforce Development
• Karen Jewett, AVP, University Relations and Partnerships
• Marcia Lynn Sells, AVP, Program Development and Initiatives

Support Staff

• Junior M. Benjamin, Senior Project Coordinator
• Kevin Brannon, Administrative Coordinator
• Monica T. Brown, Project Coordinator
• Yanira Cantres, Project Coordinator
• Ashley Johnston Emerson, Senior Project Coordinator
• Lauren L. Feighan, Senior Project Coordinator
• Loftin Flowers, Director, Government Relations and Policy Coordination
• Joan Griffith-Lee, Senior Project Coordinator
• Shaneen Grinage, Administrative Coordinator
• Valerie G. James, Assistant to the Executive Vice President
• Lamar Lovelace, Project Coordinator
• Allen Poole, Associate Director, Budget and Administration
• Vicente Villalba, Community Affairs Officer
• Orit Yakuel, Senior Project Coordinator