Yvonne Stennett

Yvonne Stennett has dedicated her professional and personal life to community development and empowerment of the Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, and Inwood neighborhoods.

She has worked at Community League of the Heights (CLOTH) since 1979 and became the Executive Director in 1994. During her tenure, she has led the rehabilitation and development efforts of over 3,200 units of low-income housing. Under her leadership, CLOTH has developed two Supportive Housing Projects, providing 96 units of affordable housing for formerly homeless adults living with mental illness, and for youth aging out of the foster care system.

Her work encompasses the oversight of over 60 CLOTH properties which include the redevelopment and rehabilitation of 12 buildings. She also leads a team as the co-developer of the new Inwood Library, and other numerous projects in support of community and affordable housing.

In September 2006, Ms. Stennett opened The Community Health Academy of the Heights, a New Visions/New Century School in partnership with the New York City Board of Education, New York Presbyterian Hospital, and Columbia University Medical Center.

In 2013, she completed the development of the $52 million project, The Lucille Bulger Center for Community Life. Concurrently, her work involved the creation of a Business Improvement District along the Broadway commercial corridor.

Ms. Stennett has received numerous awards for work on behalf of her community, including the Ellen Sulzberger Straus Leadership Award from Enterprise Community Partners, the Courage in Community Award from the McAuley Institute, the 2020 Andrew Heiskell Community Service Award from Enterprise Community Partners, and the Brooke Russell Astor Award from the New York City Public Library.

Ms. Stennett is a former member of the Land Use and Zoning Committee, and the Youth Education and Libraries Committee of Community Board 9. Currently, she is a member of the New York Presbyterian Hospital Leadership Council and the Empire State New Market Tax Credit Corporation Advisory Board. She also sits on the board of Neighborhood Trust Federal Credit Union, and is a member of the Columbia University School of Dental Medicine Access, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Board.

Ms. Stennett holds a Bachelor’s degree from Lincoln University in Lincoln, Pennsylvania. She completed the Leadership Development Program at Columbia University Business School and the Achieving Excellence Executive Program in Community Development from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

She is a proud mother of four children, and a grandmother of 11 grandchildren.