Margaret Stix specializes in developing innovative programs, projects and advocacy strategies that advance policy and practice in workforce, economic and community development. She has thirty years of experience working with City, State and federal government as a City official, a private sector attorney and as an advocate with nonprofit organizations.

Her advocacy work has included building city and statewide coalitions; meeting with legislators and their staffs in New York City, Albany and Washington; drafting legislation; organizing public hearings and forums to heighten awareness of issues; and writing public policy reports, press releases, policy briefs and legal papers.

Stix has developed programs to link publicly-assisted economic development to workforce development and community development; reduce energy costs for residential and commercial buildings; redevelop public buildings as recreational, arts and health care facilities; and provide supportive housing to homeless families and singles.

Suzanne Mattei has over 30 years of experience of experience in public interest law (J.D., Yale Law School) and policy. As Executive Director for Sierra Club’s New York City office, she exposed the health impacts of pollution in the aftermath of the World Trade Center attack and the federal government’s failure to address them. Her research for the Office of the New York City Public Advocate helped lead to passage of New York City’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act and to the halting of an ill-advised plan to build eight giant garbage incinerators. As Regional Director for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, she supervised more than 160 employees in permitting and enforcement matters. She also served as General Counsel and Legislative Director for the New York State Trial Lawyers Association and as founder and Executive Director of New Yorkers for Patient & Family Empowerment, a healthcare consumer rights project now housed at the New York Public Interest Research Group.

Glenn von Nostitz is widely known for in-depth research and compelling studies on public policy issues. For more than three decades, his work has helped achieve progressive change and reform.

• His investigations led to improved treatment of sexual assault survivors in municipal hospital emergency rooms, enforcement of regulations limiting the number of continuous hours worked by hospital residents and to a crackdown on hazardous conditions in garment sweatshops.
• His findings on hospital errors were the basis of a legal decision requiring New York State to release data on hospital adverse medical events.
• His report on home improvement finance in low-income communities was among the first to expose widespread predatory lending.
• His Poor Pay More for Less studies have buttressed calls by advocates to increase grocery options in low-income communities, provide low-cost banking services and end insurance redlining.