Patterns & Paradigms | The Pattern Podcast

Do our neighborhoods reflect our natural community patterns? Have we designed them to create economic success? We gravitate towards highly interconnected walkable ecosystems, but somewhere along the way we've turned away from that natural inclination, compartmentalizing our cities so that offices and commercial uses are separate, making the retail businesses surrounding them dependent on the 9-5 workers that frequent the area and leaving the neighborhood emptied outside of traditional office hours. Perhaps it's time to evaluate the ecosystems we create for ourselves to insure they match out natural order: to create neighborhoods that are fully livable and fully functional, with high levels of diversity that create natural economic success.This week's episode features Jared Rodriguez, Principal, Emergent Urban Concepts, a thought leader in the realm of community development. With a degree in civil engineering, architectural Studies, and has worked in Real Estate Development with a focus on green energy components and sustainability, Jared helps communities determine who they want they be. 

How has the pandemic shaped the future of commercial development? This week we're looking at the future of commercial and industrial development, exploring the future of healthcare centers and models, and considering the future of residential development in response to the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic.This week's episode features Guy Leibler, President of Simone Healthcare Development, and Kevin Plunkett, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Simone Development. 

The Bardavon 1869 Opera House, Inc. operates the oldest continuously operating theater in the state, one of the oldest in the country right here in the Hudson Valley, as well as the region’s premiere orchestra, the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, and presents in venues including the Mid-Hudson Civic Center and Kingston’s Ulster Performing Arts Center. The organization offers affordable, world-class arts education programs, music, dance, theater, live in HD broadcasts, and classic films for the diverse audiences of the Hudson Valley.This week's episode features Chris Silva, Executive Director of the Bardavon 1869 Opera House in Poughkeepsie, exploring the challenges of small theaters during the pandemic and what the future holds. 

In this special episode, we tune into the Delaware Engineering Government Series which explores governing in the time of COVID with regional government leadership to meet newly elected New York State Senators Michelle Hinchey, Mike Martucci, and Elijah Reichlin-Melnick. Each in their thirties, unfiltered and inspiring, these remarkable young State Senators ran and won their campaigns during the COVID-19 Pandemic, shifting from the traditional campaign playbook to all virtual campaigns focused on service. Hear what inspired them to run for office and all about their first few months on the job.This week's episode features President & CEO Jonathan Drapkin joined by Vice President for Marketing & Communication, Michelle Pfeffer, to host newly elected New York State Senators Michelle Hinchey of the 46th Senate District, Mike Martucci of the 42nd State Senate District, and Elijah Reichlin-Melnick of the 38th State Senate District. 

How do you approach conflict? Do you seek to change minds or do you seek common ground? As it turns out, our views may be closer than we think, and finding that out is the key to successfully negotiating resolution.This week's episode features Dr. Joshua N. Weiss, the co-founder, with William Ury, of the Global Negotiation Initiative at Harvard University and a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Negotiation Project. He is also the Director and creator of the Master of Science degree in Leadership and Negotiation at Bay Path University. He received his Ph.D. from the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University in 2002.

New York City's water supply system is the largest municipal water supply system in the United States. This modern marvel of engineering consists of 19 reservoirs and 3 lakes that store 570 billion gallons of water when full, delivering that water through 400 miles of aqueducts to 8.5 million people in New York City and another 1 million people in 72 communities throughout the Hudson Valley - by gravity alone. This system shaped the design of older neighborhoods in New York City - the powerful force of gravity was capable of sending water to the 4th, 5th, even the 6th floors of those buildings, so that's how high they were built until the advent of strong electric pumps which could push the water to even higher heights. This system is also the largest unfiltered water system in the country, which means it's a priority to protect the quality of the water at the source, delivering it clean to the 9.5 million people who depend on it everyday.  This week's episode features Adam Bosch, Director of Public Affairs at the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, discussing this powerful system, water quantity and water quality, as well as the jobs that support this incredible water supply. 

The film industry is booming here in the Hudson Valley. With close proximity to New York City - the second largest hub for the entertainment industry, as well as the availability of incredible crew, beautiful locations, supportive film commissioners, and the expanded film tax credits in New York State, the Hudson Valley is an amazing place for film production. The industry is bringing incredible opportunities, new jobs, and economic growth. And it's expanding. This week's episode features Summer Crockett Moore and Tony Glazer, Managing Partners at Choice Films and Umbra of Newburgh.  

There's a renaissance happening in Sullivan County - a movement that believes in building beautiful, active communities through beautification, neighborhood revitalization, community development, healthy communities, and business.This week's episode features Denise Frangipane, Executive Director of Sullivan Renaissance, who oversees the organization and operational activities of Sullivan Renaissance and facilitates collaborations, representing Sullivan Renaissance through its many community partnerships. Sullivan Renaissance was founded in 2000 by Sandra Gerry, who saw the possibilities for Sullivan County, and ultimately teamed up with another existing grassroots effort called Sullivan First, who was working on similar clean up and beautification issues. 

This week, host Jonathan Drapkin reflects on the intent and themes of Patterns & Paradigms. Looking back over the past year as we have all faced a pandemic, economic disruption, and social unrest, we are taking note of where we are now.We recognize that change brings challenge, disruption can create chaos and we’re intentionally choosing to see the silver lining – that opportunity arises. We can shine a light on the things that weren’t working well, that weren’t really working at all. We can regroup, reevaluate, and reengineer.Check out all of our episodes covering topics from community policing to land use and urban planning, from early education to social enterprise and space travel, from New York City to Mars. We have a whole new lineup of exciting guests and innovative ideas coming up next!

How do we increase diversity in the rooms where decisions are made? What can we do to improve representation in the decision making processes in regional leadership positions? How do we open the doors for more people of color to serve on the Boards of Directors here in the Hudson Valley? Freddy Garcia is teaming up with Pattern for Progress on the new Board Institute, an initiative designed to provide the training, resources, connections, and support those who are ready to serve on regional not-for-profit Boards of Directors.This week's episode features Freddy Garcia, Regional Director for Diversity, Inclusion, & Community Engagement at Westchester Medical Center and Director of the new Board Institute at Pattern for Progress. Recruitment for this program begins in mid-April -- stay tuned for more information about how to apply to be part of this board leadership development program, and how your local Boards of Directors can find candidates ready to serve. 

What if we began thinking of our earliest childhood educators as brain architects? What if we transform the concept of "childcare" by empowering our teachers so that we can scaffold a child's learning experience to foster creativity, curiosity, and excitement about learning?  This week's episode features Geraldine Laybourne, Founder of Nickelodeon, and Julie Riess, Director of Vassar College’s early childhood laboratory schools, who have joined forces as Co-Founders of DAY ONE Early Learning Community. DAY ONE is an organization with a mission to revitalize Poughkeepsie and Dutchess County by investing in our youngest, supporting workforce development, parent empowerment, and early childhood learning.

Perseverance and Ingenuity. Sometimes it's all about alignment. It just so happens that this planetary alignment happened in the middle of a global pandemic. Mars reached opposition in October 2020, a "mere" 38.6 million miles away from Earth. A rare opportunity to launch a rover seeking signs of ancient life to collect samples of rock and regolith (broken rock and soil) for a possible return to Earth. So, the many scientists and engineers involved in the Mars 2020 Mission persevered, finding ways to continue their innovative work and successfully launch the Perseverance Rover on July 30, 2020.On February 18, 2021, it landed. Now, more than 144 million miles away, this amazing technology is sending back incredible images of the red planet. Next up, the Mars Helicopter, Ingenuity, will test powered flight on another world for the first time.This week we're talking about this spectacular accomplishment, one that sparks the imagination about humankind's capacity for perseverance and ingenuity, with Rob Sullivan, Principal Research Scientist at the Cornell Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science, and Co-Investigator with Mastcam-Z and MEDA on the Mars 2020 mission.

The mission is simple: Help people to live the healthiest and fullest lives possible. With 1500 employees, Access: Supports for Living supports 11,000 people in the Hudson Valley each year through a broad range of programs including behavioral and mental health services, substance abuse counseling and support, children and family services, services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, longterm residential services, respite care, affordable permanent housing, and employment services (to name a few!). This week we're talking about the challenges this incredible organization faced during the early days of the pandemic, how they pivoted, and how they're moving forward. This week's episode features Ron Colavito, President & CEO at Access: Supports for Living.

Long before the pandemic, there were those who were writing the death of the modern American newspaper. With the rise of the internet and social media, news commentary has gained dominance to achieve likes and ratings to attract advertising dollars, while local newspapers have consolidated into widespread regional hubs as subscriptions have dwindled. This week we're exploring the future of journalism and the media - news versus news commentary, press release journalism versus investigative reporting, finding fact in the world of "fake news" and "alternative facts," and what that all means for local news.This week's episode features Barry Rothfeld, Retired, President and Publisher at The Poughkeepsie Journal, former editor and journalist.

This week we're exploring the importance of expansive diversity, the diversity of perspective that invites inclusivity and equity, that creates environments where those within it feel valued and engaged. We're discussing health equity and seeking our shared humanity - diverse, equitable, and inclusive. This week's episode features Mecca E Mitchell, Senior Vice President for Diversity, Inclusion & Community Engagement and Chief Diversity Officer at Westchester Medical Center Health Network.

We're looking at the world through the lens of a younger generation - young professionals, problem solvers, and entrepreneurs - exploring their unique perspective on the challenges facing the Hudson Valley and the country. This week we're talking with a young mechanical engineer about prosthetics, electric vehicles, 3D Printers, and resiliency.This week's episode features Emma Coltoff, a young mechanical engineer working with TE Connectivity, who even dedicates her free time to solving problems.

The parks in New York's Hudson Valley saw large increases in visitation during the pandemic, highlighting the importance of parkland and open spaces for recreation. This week, we're talking about open space, land use, conservation and the balance between preservation and development.This week's episode features Christopher "Kim" J. Elliman, President and CEO of the Open Space Institute (OSI), a land conservation organization that has conserved more than 2.3 million acres in the eastern U.S. and, in the process, has created more than 50 new parks and protected areas. OSI acquires, finances, and promotes the conservation of lands for human use and resilient natural systems.

The Hudson Valley is naturally cinematic. Seeing the opportunity to drive the local economy through expansion of the Hudson Valley’s growing film and tv production capacity, Mary Stuart Masterson has made the Hudson Valley her home, founding Stockade Works and Upriver Studios. This week we're exploring film production, job creation, and the film and tv ecosystem developing in the Hudson Valley with Mary Stuart Masterson. This week's episode features Mary Stuart Masterson, Founder & President of Stockade Works and Upriver Studios, LLC., and Partner at Quality Pictures. After decades in front of the camera, Mary Stuart moved to the Hudson Valley in 2006 when she directed her first feature, The Cake Eaters. After a hiatus to start her family, Mary Stuart moved to New York’s Hudson Valley and founded Stockade Works, a non-profit that trains, hires and mentors the local workforce in film production across all departments. In addition, Mary Stuart is the Founder of Upriver Studios, a state of the art soundstage complex opening in the Hudson Valley, and co-Founder of Storyhorse Documentary Theater Company.

After hearing a woman's heartbreaking story of addiction, Kelly Lyndgaard was moved to make a difference. Inspired by the strength and commitment of women doing the hard work of recovery, Unshattered was born. This week we’re exploring social enterprise and the road to recovery through the lens of Unshattered, a Hudson Valley non-profit with the mission of helping women in recovery to build a path forward. This week's episode features Kelly Lyndgaard, Founder & CEO of Unshattered, a 501c3 non-profit social enterprise providing pathways toward economic independence and sustained sobriety for women winning their fight against addiction. The women of Unshattered hand craft bags and accessories out of repurposed materials as a tangible representation of the transformation happening in their own lives - something discarded and without purpose crafted into something beautiful, purposeful, and meaningful.

Have you ever thought of buildings as a cinematic experience? Have you considered how architecture is used to welcome people into a space, to promote healing, or to narrate important stories through memorial? This week we’re exploring how the design of our built environments can improve health outcomes and impact our social systems with Michael Murphy of MASS Design, the firm named 2020 Architecture Innovator by Wall Street Journal.This week's episode features Michael Murphy, Founding Principal and Executive Director at MASS Design Group, an architecture and design firm geared towards improving social equity and health outcomes through design innovation.

Are we winning the war on COVID? What of the wounded who have survived the illness but are dealing with lasting impacts? This week we're exploring the other effects of COVID-19, as well as vaccinations and masks, nursing, healthcare, and the pandemic, with Dr. Diana J. Mason, RN, FAAN. This week's episode features Diana J. Mason, Senior Policy Service Professor for the Center for Health Policy and Media Engagement at George Washington University School of Nursing. Nurse, Journalist, Writer, Consultant, she is Professor Emerita and Co-Director of the Center for Health, Media, and Policy at Hunter College, City University of New York, where she was the inaugural Rudin Professor of Nursing until 2016. Dr. Mason is the immediate past president of the American Academy of Nursing, former editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Nursing, and co-producer and moderator of a weekly radio program on health care issues since 1985. She is the lead editor of the award-winning book, Policy and Politics in Nursing and Health Care, now in its 8th edition and the author of over 200 publications. Her scholarship focuses on health policy and what can be learned from nurse-designed models of care.

Nothing represents New Year's Eve like the ball drop in Times Square. With its landmark theaters and vibrant super signs, this week we're talking about the vision and ambition it took to make Times Square the unique attraction it is today. As we explore the roots of this movement and the grit it took to get there, we look towards the future and consider the innovation that lies ahead. Hear the story behind saving the iconic New Year's Eve ball drop at Times Square as we usher in 2021.This week's episode features Gretchen Dykstra, an accomplished leader who ran the highly visible and successful Times Square Business Improvement District and later served as Commissioner of the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs where she regulated small businesses and protected consumers.

We're taking time to reflect on this incredibly challenging year. This week we're exploring how Pattern for Progress, like so many organizations, had to pivot to the virtual world in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the impacts of the pandemic on government services, infrastructure, education, housing, the economy and what to consider as we move forward. This week's episode features Joe Czajka, Senior Vice President for Research, Development & Community Planning at Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress and Executive Director for Pattern's Center for Housing Solutions and Community Initiatives.

We're taking time to reflect on this incredibly challenging year. The pandemic has greatly impacted our businesses - changing the way we work, the way we meet, and how we commute. In Part I of this Year in Review series, we're talking about how our community businesses have been impacted, what we've learned, and how we move forward in the New Year. This week's episode features Dr. Marsha Gordon, President and CEO of the Business Council of Westchester, and Al Samuels, President and CEO of the Rockland Business Association.

We're talking about reshaping New York's workforce. The pandemic has greatly impacted our labor market, shifting from not enough workers to not enough jobs in just a few short months. It has accelerated technology, changing the landscape of the office environment to a virtual world, and shone a light on the impacts of low wages and paid leave, as well as the importance of childcare to workers. How do we address unemployment post-pandemic and prepare our workforce for jobs of the not-so-distant future? How do we reshape New York's labor market? This week's episode features Melinda Mack, Executive Director at New York Association of Training & Employment Professionals (NYATEP). NYATEP is New York's statewide workforce development membership association committed to providing voice, knowledge and accelerating progress in the field of workforce development in New York State.

We're talking about the future of transportation. The pandemic has changed the way people travel, even the frequency and the distance of the daily commute. What does that mean for the public transit systems of New York? How do we reimagine transportation as we move forward?This week's episode features Elliot "Lee" Sander,  President, Americas at BOMBARDIER. Lee served as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation from 1994 to 1996, where he was credited with improving the agency's performance, including eliminating graffiti and debris from the City's highways and bridges. In 2007, Lee was appointed by New York Governor Eliot Spitzer as Executive Director and CEO of the MTA, which operates New York's subway, bus, and bridge and tunnel network, and the commuter rail system for both New York and Connecticut.

We're talking about food insecurity and farming in the Hudson Valley. The pandemic has impacted many people resulting in overwhelming need from food banks and community services.This week's episode features Diane Serratore, Executive Director at People to People in Rockland County, New York, and Megan Larmer, Director of the Regional Food Program at Glynwood in Cold Spring, New York.

We're talking about the carpe diem moment for manufacturing, an opportunity to prioritize manufacturing, technology, and the workforce that supports it. This week's episode features Randy Wolken, President of the Manufacturers Association and the Manufacturers Alliance of New York, and Harold King, President of the Council of Industry.

We're talking about building better communities through the development of a strong regional economy, creative public and private partnerships, and community consensus. This week's episode features Laura Quebral, Director and Research Associate Professor, The University of Buffalo Regional Institute. A planner, analyst, communications strategist, and fundraiser with deep experience in project management, grant writing, team construction, consensus building, and organizational development, Laura works with the Regional Institute to build a better Buffalo, NY.

It's the day after the General Election and we're asking: "What's next?"This week’s episode features Dr. Gerald Benjamin,  retired associate vice president for regional engagement and director of the Benjamin Center for Public Policy Initiatives at SUNY New Paltz, and Liz Benjamin, Managing Director at Marathon Strategies. 

This week we're looking at economics, local government and regional development, asking the question: "Will this work?"This week’s episode features Dr. Kent Gardner, Principal & Chief Economist with CGR, and Michael N'dolo, CEcD, Director of Economic Development at MRB Group Engineering, Architecture & Surveying, D.P.C.

We have to think about what's next, what is possible, and where we're going. We're talking about mentorship, local capacity building, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the rate of change. This week’s episode features Danny Potocki, Managing Director, and Johnny LeHane, Head of Growth Strategy at ACCEL 7, providing incubation and acceleration services to advance entrepreneurship in the Greater Hudson Valley region, from NYC to Albany.

As New York’s small businesses confront the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic and the livelihoods of so many are at risk, it's time to build back better. We're talking about building better neighborly relationships - supporting the small businesses and restaurants in our communities, shopping local, being a tourist in our own towns and neighboring regions to preserve the businesses we know and love. Is this the carpe diem moment where we may be able to change the vision for economic development to be more equitable? This week's episode features Jonathan Bowles, Executive Director of the Center for an Urban Future, a think tank that serves as a catalyst for smart and sustainable policies to reduce inequality, increase economic mobility, and grow the economy in New York City.

As the COVID-19 Pandemic swept across New York City and the Hudson Valley region in March of 2020, teachers and school administrators scrambled to reengineer education for deliver in a virtual format. The pandemic exposed how critical it is to educate young adults with new skills. This is an opportunity to rethink what our education systems look like and how they function. Let's take a look at Higher Education and K-12. We'll learn more about the Bard public High Schools - a unique and innovative approach to high school education.This week's episode features Leon Botstein, President of Bard College in Dutchess County New York since 1975. A true innovator, a renaissance man, and conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra. 

New York City and the Hudson Valley are incredibly intertwined. The Hudson Valley is home to much of New York City's infrastructure and workforce, while New York City is a huge economic and cultural center for the entire region. What happens in the City matters to the entire region and just as importantly, what happens in the Hudson Valley and the region matters to New York City. We're talking about the symbiotic relationship between the New York City, the Hudson Valley and the entire region. Let's talk about the importance of nurturing relationships between neighboring communities and how they impact one another. This week's episode features Carolyn Grossman Meagher, Director of Regional Planning at the NYC Department of City Planning - the only Regional Planner for a City in the country!

What does safety look like? Are we using the right metrics to measure community safety? Was "Defund the Police" the best rally cry to effect change? We're talking about building better communities - of which the police are one critical element. Let's explore community policing and take advantage of opportunities to look at safety, policing and trust. This week's episode features Jeremy Travis, Executive Vice President of Criminal Justice at Arnold Ventures, past president of John Jay College of Criminal Justice at the City University of New York (CUNY), a senior fellow with the Justice Policy Center at the Urban Institute.

Tune in for the story behind Patterns & Paradigms. Vice President for Marketing and Communication at Pattern for Progress, Michelle Pfeffer, talks with Pattern President and CEO, Jonathan Drapkin, host of The Pattern Podcast, to learn the story behind the show.