Hastings Resident Amy Allen Named VP of Westchester County Association

The following announcement is from the Westchester County Association:

Marissa Brett, President of the Westchester County Association (WCA), announced today the promotion of Amy Allen to the position of Vice President, and named Joelle DiNardi to the newly created position of Managing Director, Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Both positions are effective immediately. The staff promotions are part of Brett’s plans to assemble a top-notch team for 2015 and beyond. The Westchester County Association is the preeminent business leadership organization whose mission is to drive economic vitality in the county and the region.

“The WCA is playing a critical role in the transformation of Westchester County from a 1980s business model to a 21st century model,” says Brett. “With healthcare and life sciences booming, and Westchester’s ‘Urban ‘Burbs’ thriving, we are actively working to cultivate a business environment in which today’s enterprises can succeed. These staff changes bring leadership, expertise, and enthusiasm to our team, and that will enable us to succeed in our mission.” Brett also announced the promotion of Monica Ortiz, from Bookkeeper to Financial Manager, and Laura Montopoli, from Events Assistant, to Events Coordinator.

For over a decade, Allen has served as the WCA’s Managing Director for Advocacy and International Business, during which time she managed the organization’s global business advocacy efforts as well as government and healthcare reform. She will continue to have a lead role in the WCA’s healthcare initiatives, including overseeing the work of the Healthcare Consortium, as well as the WCA’s efforts to drive economic vitality and innovation in the region.

“Amy Allen has had a positive impact on nearly every aspect of this organization,” said Brett. “Along the way, she raised the WCA’s profile, attracted global investment to Westchester, and forged strong partnerships with government leaders and the international business community in Westchester County and the region. This promotion is a fitting tribute to her contributions to the WCA.”

DiNardi will oversee the WCA’s efforts to attract and nurture early-stage companies to Westchester County through its BLUEPRINT Accelerator Network, in addition to growing the organization’s meetup and networking groups, Accelerate Westchester, and Innovate Westchester, according to Brett.

“We are excited to have someone focused on promoting the resources Westchester County has to offer entrepreneurs,” said Brett. “Joelle brings great energy to this position, and she has already been successful in reaching new audiences and involving a broad array of partners in our endeavors. We’re proud to have her on our team.”

Prior to joining the WCA, Allen worked for over 15 years for international organizations, including CBS International Publishing, where she was responsible for coordinating and evaluating the financial and market plans for all of CBS’s international publishing operations. She is a recipient of the Westchester County Business Journal Women of Westchester Award and was instrumental in the World Trade Council of Westchester winning the Averill Harriman International Trade Award for Trade Partner of the Year. She holds a MBA in International Business from American University in Washington, D.C. and a BA in Spanish from the University of New Hampshire and University of Valencia, Spain. She lives in Hastings-on-Hudson.

DiNardi has served as the WCA’s coordinator for economic development for the past year and a half. Prior to that, she was an account manager for the recycling broker, Cell Mark, and a product manager for Equis Trading, Inc. DiNardi received her BA from Colgate University.

Ortiz joined the WCA in 2008, and brings over a decade of experience in bookkeeping and accounting services. Montopoli also started at the WCA in 2008. She received her BA from SUNY Cortland.

The BLUEPRINT for Westchester is the Westchester County Association’s aggressive campaign to accelerate Westchester’s economic development. This multi-million dollar, multi-year initiative is organized and driven by the private sector, in collaboration with the county’s real estate, business, and academic communities, with strong participation from Westchester’s six cities. Home to a highly educated workforce, multi-billion dollar healthcare system, internationally renowned cultural and recreational offerings, magnificent parks and preserves, good transportation and excellent schools, affordable office space and easy accessibility to New York City, Westchester epitomizes the “Work.Live.Play.” ethos of today’s professionals. http://www.blueprintforwestchester.com/).

The Westchester County Association is the preeminent business leadership organization serving Westchester County and the region. The Association is committed to business advocacy, economic vitality, and to providing a strong and clear voice for the interests of businesses on the local, regional, and national levels. Its key objectives are to promote positive economic development in the region, foster business development, and provide its members with access and interaction with key public and private sector individuals, agencies, and organizations. (http://westchester.org/).