Elsia Vasquez

Elsia Vasquez is Founder and Executive Director of P.A.'L.A.N.T.E. Harlem. She brings a unique and solid commitment to tenant organizing and public advocacy on the housing issues facing low-income renters and homeowners. She experienced first-hand the realities of living in deplorable conditions and organized 55 tenants living in three dilapidated buildings to help them address the poor conditions in their apartments at the hand of her landlord. Together, they organized a tenant association, where she served as the president and initiated a Housing Court action to force the owner to make repairs and demanded inclusion in the Article 7A program.

Ms. Vasquez founded People Against Landlord Abuse and Tenant Exploitation (P.A.'L.A.N.T.E.) Harlem in February 2008 to assist her neighbors. Under her leadership, P.A.'L.A.N.T.E. Harlem delivers its core programs: Tenant Organizing and Leadership Development, Legal and Mediation Services, Homelessness Prevention, P.A.'L.A.N.T.E. Kids, and Workforce Development.

Before creating P.A.'L.A.N.T.E. Harlem, she was Director of Prudential Investments, developing and introducing value added and practice management programs for high-end financial advisors and brokerage firms. Prior to joining Prudential, she was the Vice President of< The Advisor Institute at AllianceBernstein, where she was responsible for developing and delivering practice management programs to financial advisors, mutual fund wholesalers, and relationship management/key accounts. Prior to AllianceBernstein, Ms. Vasquez was a Senior Associate at Zurich Investments, Morgan Grenfell, and a Marketing Coordinator at Coutts, responsible for assisting private bankers and mutual fund wholesalers in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong. She also worked in the public relations department at Salomon Brothers in the financial district.

She is the winner of a 2014 #WomenLead New York City Council Award in New York City Council District 9. U.S. Congress Member Charles B. Rangel, New York City Council Member Robert Jackson (Outstanding Individual Award) and New York City Council Member Inez Dickens (Outstanding Woman Award) have also recognized her for her outstanding service to the community. In her leadership role, P.A.'L.A.N.T.E. has been named a top nonprofit for four consecutive years by GreatNonProfits.org, and the organization has been recognized and presented with Proclamations from the New York City Council, Manhattan Borough President Gale B. Brewer, New York State Assembly, and U.S. Congress.