Samuel Ratensky Memorial Lecture: Shaun Donovan
- Share
-
-
-
-
The annual Ratensky Lecture was initiated by the AIANY Housing Committee in honor of Samuel Ratensky (1910-1972), an architect and NYC housing official who was responsible for major housing initiatives in the city from 1946 to 1972, and who served as a mentor to many architects who worked in his programs. The lecture series honors individuals who, like Samuel Ratensky, have made significant lifetime contribution to the advancement of housing and community design.
This year, the AIANY Housing Committee will be honoring Shaun Donovan as he discusses his career in architecture, housing, and public service with Michael Kimmelman. In this robust conversation, Donovan and Kimmelman will touch on New York City’s efforts at placemaking, equity, and resiliency in this moment of increased civic awareness and public engagement.
Speaker:
Shaun Donovan, Former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (2009 – 2014); Former Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (2014 – 2017)
Interviewer:
Michael Kimmelman, Architecture Critic and founder of Headway, The New York Times
Introductions by:
Dr. Judith Rodin, President Emerita, University of Pennsylvania; Former President, The Rockefeller Foundation
About the speakers:
Shaun Donovan has dedicated his life to public service, tackled the biggest challenges facing New York City and the nation and fought for people and communities too often left behind.
Donovan served in President Obama’s Cabinet for his full eight years in office. From January, 2009 to July, 2014, Donovan was the 15th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, where he led the fight against the nation’s unprecedented foreclosure crisis. Under his leadership, HUD helped families rent or buy affordable homes, revitalized distressed communities, fought discrimination and dramatically reduced homelessness. After Hurricane Sandy hit his home town, President Obama asked him to lead the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force, leaving a stronger, more resilient region than before the storm hit.
In July, 2014, he was sworn in as the 40th Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. At OMB, Donovan increased investment in key domestic and national security priorities that grew the economy, protected our country and increased opportunity. And he oversaw regulations that reduced inequality, expanded health care, improved education and fought climate change. Prior to joining the Obama Administration, Donovan served as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
Deeply affected by the crisis he saw around him growing up in New York City in the 1970s, Donovan volunteered in a homeless shelter during college and interned for the National Coalition for the Homeless when he graduated. After studying housing in graduate school, he returned to work for the nonprofit Community Preservation Corporation in the Bronx and across New York City.
Michael Kimmelmanis the architecture critic and founder of Headway at The New York Times. His work has often focused on urban affairs, public space, infrastructure and social equity as well as on new buildings and designs. He was the paper’s chief art critic; and, based in Berlin, created the Abroad column, covering cultural and political affairs across Europe and the Middle East.
Judith Rodinis a pioneer, innovator, change-maker and global thought-leader, having led and transformed two global institutions: The Rockefeller Foundation and the University of Pennsylvania, and has championed two fields that are now pervasive: resilience and impact investing. Rodin has served as a member of the board for leading public companies, venture-capital backed startups, and many non-profits as well as leading academic societies. She has authored more than 200 academic articles and chapters, and has written or co-written 15 books, including The Power of Impact Investing: Putting Markets to Work for Profit and Global Good and The Resilience Dividend: Being Strong in a World Where Things Go Wrong.
-
Sponsored by:
-
