Westchester Parks Foundation Elects New Chairman

WHITE PLAINS, NY — Westchester Parks Foundation, which is dedicated exclusively to promoting and supporting Westchester County Parks, announced the election of a new chairman. Seth M. Mandelbaum, Esq., managing partner with McCullough, Goldberger & Staudt, LLP in White Plains, will be the new chair of the board of directors.

Since 2015, Mandelbaum served as the foundation’s vice chairman and has been a member of its board of trustees since 2011.

His appointment comes after Joanne Fernandez’s announcement to step down as chairwoman after six years. Jane Solnick, director of public affairs at Con Edison, will take over as the foundation’s vice chairwoman.

“What could be more important than ensuring that future generations have the chance to enjoy the more than 18,000 acres of open space in Westchester’s Parks system?" Mandelbaum said. “I’m excited to take on a further leadership role in an organization that has had a longstanding commitment to supporting one of the greatest assets in our community: our parks. I would also like to thank immediate past Chairperson Joanne Fernandez for her extraordinary leadership and vision over the last six years.’’

Mandelbaum practices in the areas of land use and environmental law, alternative energy, municipal law and nonprofit organizations. In addition, Mandelbaum is one of only a small group of attorneys in New York to be certified by the U.S. Green Building Council as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED® AP).

Joe Stout, executive director of Westchester Parks Foundation said that the foundation is grateful to Joanne Fernandez for her years of service.

"We are equally as privileged to have someone as dedicated as Seth Mandelbaum lead our Board for the next three years," he said. "Seth has been a board member for years and understands the importance of parks to the community in Westchester, and the need to advocate for and invest in them. His dedication to our organization and commitment to Westchester parks is unwavering.”

Mandelbaum is also a member of the board of directors of the Westchester County Association, where he serves on the Real Estate Task Force and is co-chairman of the SEQRA Subcommittee. In addition to WPF, Mandelbaum serves on the board of directors of the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center.

He is a member of the New York State Bar Association, and the Westchester County Bar Association, for which he formerly served as Co-Chair of the Environmental Law Committee. In 2009, Mandelbaum was a recipient of the Business Council of Westchester “Rising Stars – 40 under 40” award.

Mandelbaum holds a J.D., cum laude, and an environmental law certificate from Pace University School of Law, where he was an articles editor for the Pace Environmental Law Review; and a B.A. with honors from the University of Florida, where he majored in environmental policy.

He resides in White Plains with his wife and two daughters.

Find and “Like” Hudson Valley Patches' Facebook Pages.