Mitchell Netburn, President and CEO

A native New Yorker, Mitchell has over 20 years of public interest experience, most recently as Senior Vice President at F∙E∙G∙S Health and Human Services System where he managed a performance-based welfare-to-work initiative serving 24,000 disabled clients annually. Mitchell succeeded in tripling the number of clients moving from welfare to independence, gaining both national and international recognition for the initiative, and integrating health, mental health, addiction, employment, housing, and support services to create a holistic client-centered model. Prior to joining F∙E∙G∙S, Mitchell served as the Executive Director for the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.  From 2000 to 2006, he succeeded in coordinating homeless programs, policy, strategic planning, and legislative affairs for the city and county of Los Angeles. Mr. Netburn also worked for a variety of New York City government agencies, including the Department of Homeless Services, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education and Human Services, and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene before moving to Los Angeles. As the First Deputy Commissioner at the Department of Homeless Services, Mr. Netburn oversaw all family and adult homeless programs for the City of New York, ensuring quality services were provided to 23,000 homeless individuals per night, including 5,000 families. He also assisted in transferring the operation of shelters to not-for-profit organizations. Mitchell has a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School and a B.A. from Oberlin College.

MARK HURWITZ, Deputy Director

Mark joined Project Renewal in 2007 after a long career advocating and working with the homeless population in a number of multifaceted organizations.  Most recently, Mark was the Deputy Commissioner for the City of New York’s Department of Homeless Services and managed the Adult Services Division.  Prior to joining DHS, Mark worked at the Urban Justice Center and implemented the Mental Health Project helping homeless, mentally-ill people gain access to housing and support services.  He is now in charge of all of the direct services Project Renewal provides to its clients, including the mental health, addiction and employment programs.  He has a bachelor degree from Harvard College and a law degree from Columbia University. 

STEVEN JONES, Chief Financial Officer

Steve joined Project Renewal in 2004 and is responsible for all functions of the Finance Department. Before joining Project Renewal, Steve spent ten years serving not-for-profit organizations at one of the nation’s leading professional services firms.  Steven attended Boston University and Queens College and is a Certified Public Accountant.

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STEPHANIE COWLES, Associate Director

With 35 years of experience in social service, Stephanie has been Associate Director of Project Renewal since 1984 having started here in 1976. She oversees all of the organization’s addiction programs, including our ‘housing first’ program for chronically relapsing addicts -- In Homes Now; a transitional housing program for homeless men on methadone; two shelter-based residential treatment programs; our Crisis Center; our Outpatient Clinic and our year-long residential treatment program – Renewal House. She also started and runs the organization’s award-winning Culinary Arts Training Program, Renewal Farm, and Comfort Foods, a social purpose catering business.

SUSAN DAN, Deputy Director

Susan, who runs all of Project Renewal’s mental health programs, started out as an outreach worker to mentally ill New Yorkers in 1983. Four years later, she became the program’s director and five years after that, became director of all Project Renewal’s outreach programs, including A-PLUS Intensive Case Management, one of only eight National Institute of Mental Health Demonstration programs in the country. In 1998, she was named Associate Director and runs all our outreach, emergency shelter, transitional and permanent housing programs for mentally ill New Yorkers. Susan helped develop and implement several new initiatives, including the Parole Support and Treatment Program -- the first program of its kind -- helping mentally ill parolees reintegrate successfully into the community. In addition, Susan was involved in all aspects of planning, designing, and developing our newest residences -- the LeonaBlanche house with 53 apartments, and the St. Nicholas House with 94 apartments.

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ROSLYNN GLICKSMAN, Medical Director

Prior to joining Project Renewal in 2007, Roslynn supervised the Site Medical Directors and clinical staff as Rikers Island Prison Health Service’s Regional Deputy Medical Director. Her previous work and accomplishments in community medicine include establishing an on-site clinic at Flushing Shelter for homeless women and working as Medical Director at Settlement Health, a community health center in East Harlem. Also, Roslynn served as Regional Peace Corps Medical Officer, providing comprehensive healthcare in Zaire, Burundi and Rwanda (1984-1985). Roslynn has a Bachelor’s degree from Boston University, a medical degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine, and a Master’s of Public Health from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.  She is board certified in internal medicine.

Monica Roquitte, Next Step Employment Program Director

Monica joined Project Renewal in 2010 as the Director of Next Step.  In this position she leads the education, job training, placement and retention activities for the homeless and formerly homeless clients served by Next Step.  Monica is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) with over fifteen years experience in direct service and program management.  Previously she ran the job counseling and placement activities for NYC welfare to work program.  Monica holds a BA from Wellesley College, an MBA from The Wharton School and an MSW from New York University.    

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ELIZABETH OUDENS, Director of Psychiatric Services

Elizabeth started working with Project Renewal in 2000 as the primary psychiatrist at Fort Washington. She has been Director of Psychiatric Services since 2003, overseeing all of the organization’s psychiatric programs while still continuing to see the clients at Fort Washington. Before joining us, she had a Fellowship in Public Psychiatry from Columbia University after completing medical school and residency training in psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco. Her previous work with homeless people included setting up a program for homeless youth in Ulster County NY while a fellow, and co-founding a student-run medical clinic within a shelter in San Francisco.

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SUSAN E. CANTER, ESQ., General Counsel and Secretary

Susan joined Project Renewal in 2004 and oversees a wide array of legal matters that arise within the diverse programs and facilities that make up Project Renewal Inc. Before joining Project Renewal, Susan gained extensive experience in corporate law and litigation from her positions at a major New York City law firm and a Fortune 50 company. Susan is a graduate of New York University School of Law and Queens College of the City University of New York. Susan is admitted to both the New York and Connecticut Bars. Susan currently serves on the Mental Health Law Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York.

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