About Us
We strive to make NYC work.
The 5BORO Institute is an innovative, action-oriented think tank advancing creative solutions to strengthen NYC. We exist to help solve NYC’s most challenging problems. We believe our city must remain vibrant, dynamic, and diverse — a home for New Yorkers to thrive in and a destination for trailblazers, immigrants, and visionaries.
We partner with policymakers, the private sector, academia, and community leaders to bring best practices to government and tackle complex issues with innovative thinking and actionable plans. The 5BORO Institute is headquartered at New York Law School and is a 501c3 non-profit organization within the Fund for the City of New York’s fiscal sponsorship network
Our Team
Our Leaders
The 5BORO Institute is led by our Board Co-Chairs, Tom Allon and Raj Goyle. Tom Allon is a media entrepreneur and the founder and publisher of the media company City & State. Raj Goyle is a lawyer, tech founder and executive with deep roots in politics and advocacy. Together, the two of them guide 5BORO’s work to improve NYC’s future.
The 5BORO Institute was founded in 2022 by Tom Allon and the late Dick Ravitch, a lawyer, businessman, and legendary figure in New York civic life who served as Lieutenant Governor of New York and chairman and CEO of the MTA. Together, they established the 5BORO Institute to secure our city’s future.
Our Board
Our board is comprised of business and community leaders from diverse sectors in NYC and government veterans who served at the highest levels of New York City and State. These leaders are deeply committed to our city’s future and understand how to effectively create change in NYC. Board members marked with * also serve on 5BORO’s Executive Committee.
Tom Allon * (Co-Chair)
City & State
Raj Goyle * (Co-Chair)
Goyle Ventures
The Late Richard Ravitch (Co-Founder and Co-Chair Emeritus)
Former Lieutenant Governor
Steve Anderson
APLnyc & InfrastructureUSA
Kamal Bherwani *
GCOM
Dr. Erik Blutinger
Mount Sinai
Marie Boster
Fifth Avenue Association
Michael Braun
Kasirer
Ariana Caplan Marra
Microsoft
Fred Cerullo
Grand Central Partnership
Eileen Cifone
National Grid
Neill Coleman
Mission Magnified Consulting
Lou Coletti
Building Trades Employers Association
Brian Ellner
WPP
Rafael Espinal
Freelancers Union
Sarah Feinberg
Feinberg Strategies and Former NYC Transit President
Hal Fetner
Fetner Properties
Henry Garrido
DC37
Audrey Gelman
Six Bells and The Wing
Dan Gerstein
Gotham Ghostwriters
Teresa Gonzalez
Bolton St. John’s
Martin Hassner
Liberal Party of NY
Jesse Horwitz
Founder Agora
Camille Joseph
Charter Communications
Maya Kurien
REBNY
Neal Kwatra
MPS
Jason Laidley
Moonshot Strategies
Caitlin Lewis
Work for America
David Lombino
Two Trees
Holly Lynch
Holly Lynch Consulting
Kerri Lyon
SKDK
Elsie McCabe Thompson
Mission Society of NY
Charles O’Byrne
Related Companies
David Picket *
Gotham Organization
Angela Pinsky
Andrew Rasiej
Civic Hall
Arthur Samuels
MESA Charter
Julie Samuels
Founder Tech:NYC
Jessica Schumer *
Amazon
Karla Silverman
Center for Health Care Strategies
Basil Smikle
Hunter College
Martha Stark
NYU Wagner
Carter Strickland
Trust for Public Land
Nick Suplina
Everytown for Gun Safety
Milton Tingling
Former NYS Supreme Court Justice
Jessica Walker
Manhattan Chamber of Commerce
Daniel Zarrilli
Columbia University