Featured Speakers

Morgan Monaco

Executive Director

Morgan Monaco

Executive Director

Morgan Monaco has over 13 years of government experience at the intersection of environmental sustainability and social justice. Prior to joining the Red Hook Initiative as the Executive Director, she served as the Deputy Director at the Mayor’s Office of Operations, the City’s performance measurement and management office. At Operations, she helped to ensure that City government remained accountable to its residents by increasing operational efficiency, and by managing broad-reaching equity initiatives. She also helped to create OneNYC, which combines sustainability, equity and resiliency policy into one plan for NYC’s future. During her tenure at NYC Parks, she oversaw environmental sustainability initiatives and directed the MillionTreesNYC campaign to plant and care for one million new trees across the five boroughs. Morgan began her career on the Development team at StoryCorps, a national oral history project.

Morgan has a Master’s in Public Administration and Non-Profit Management from NYU Wagner, as well as a B.A. in International Studies from Vassar College. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, a fellow public servant, their son, an avid user of our city’s parks and playgrounds, and two cats, Raymour and Flannigan.

Gregg Bishop

Board Member

Gregg Bishop

Board Member

Gregg Bishop is the Executive Director of the Social Justice Fund, Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation. Previously Gregg served as the Commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS). Gregg was charged with running a dynamic City agency focused on equity of opportunity that leads to economic self-sufficiency and mobility for New York City’s diverse communities. SBS actively connects New Yorkers to good jobs, creates stronger businesses, and builds a thriving economy in neighborhoods across the five boroughs. From 2015-2020, he oversaw the opening of new Workforce1 Career Centers, certified a record number of minority and women-owned businesses (M/WBEs) to compete for government contracts, helped businesses to open nearly three months faster, and expanded services to women and immigrant entrepreneurs.

Born in Grenada and raised in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, Gregg formerly served as Deputy Commissioner of SBS’ Business Development Division from 2012 to 2015. He began his tenure at the agency in 2008, and was responsible for a suite of programs designed to make it easier for businesses to start, operate, and grow, and to recover from emergencies. Prior to his career in government, Gregg served as the Senior Manager of Workforce Development at NPower.

Gregg received a Master’s degree in Integrated Marketing and Management Communication from Florida State University, and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.S. in Business Administration from Florida A&M University. He studied International Management and Marketing in Tokyo, Japan, and is a graduate of Harvard Kennedy School’s Senior Executives in State and Local Government program, and the Coro Foundation’s Leadership New York. He is an adjunct professor at Baruch College’s School of Public Affairs and serves as a board member of Red Hook Initiative.

The Ms. Sheryl and Ms. Deanna Award

Michel’le Thomas

Community Relations Manager

Michel’le Thomas

Community Relations Manager

Michel’le Thomas was born and raised in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Michel’le is in her mid 20’s trying to live her best life the only way she knows how. In between living her life, she is also trying to break barriers for women. When Michel’le says barriers, she means all the things people don’t expect from women. Her accomplishments become that inspiration for other women in the community. Michel’le works to create the type of environments where women can walk in the room and light it up, talk that talk, and be comfortable.

Michel’le has a dream: a dream to empower and inspire women all over the world. To come together and create safe spaces where they can be themselves, gain self-love to accept themselves in every possible way, build confidence wherever they may lack it and create and share opportunities that can benefit all women. While doing these things for themselves individually, Michel’le challenges us to do it for each other. It wouldn’t be her dream if she was not making it a reality! It can’t happen without you. Michel’le needs you and we all need each other. So on that note let’s get to it #whatyoufeelinglike

Taste of Red Hook Map

Food

  • Blue Crab Roll Bites
    Brooklyn Crab
  • Pulled Pork Sliders
    Brooklyn Ice House
  • Cuban Sandwiches with Chickpea Salad
    Cubana Café
  • Cavatelli with Vodka Sauce
    Café Spaghetti
  • Gringo Taco & Ground Beet Taco (vg)
    Calexico
  • Jersey Joe
    Court Street Grocers
  • Deviled Eggs with Chives, Dill, & Crunchy Garlic
    Fort Defiance
  • Brandade de Morue: Whipped Salt Cod Spread
    The Good Fork Pub
  • Stuffed Haus Bunz with Ham Paté or Squash Ricotta (v)
    Grindhaus
  • Pork and Bean Rillette with Mustard
    Gus’s Chop House
  • Pulled Pork Sliders with Coleslaw, Pickles, Crispy Fried Onions, & Hot Ranch
    Hometown Bar B Que
  • K + L Chili
    Keg & Lantern Brewing Company
  • Asian BBQ
    Meat Asia
  • Caprese Salad
    MozzLab
  • Keluga Caviar & Potato Chips with Creme Fraiche
    Pearl Street Caviar
  • Farmstand Pizza
    Pizza Moto
  • Ethiopian-spiced Greens (vg)
    Red Hook Farms
  • Pickled Vegetables
    Rick’s Picks
  • Iowa Loose Meat Sliders
    United Sandwiches of America
  • Mussel en Escabeche with Green Chickpeas & Smoked Paprika Aioli
    Victor

Drink

Alcoholic Drinks

  • Red Hook Iced Tea
    Brooklyn Crab
  • Bee’s Knees
    Brooklyn Gin
  • The Spaghetti Spritz
    Café Spaghetti
  • Lopez Real Mezcal Artesanal
    Las Chingonas Imports
  • Golden Ale, Greeneyes IPA, & Beyond the Haze IPA
    Keg & Lantern Brewing Company
  • 2017 “Storm Master” Chardonnay & 2015 “Gaia” Red Blend
    The Red Hook Winery
  • A Field Story Gruit Style Ale, The Crisp Pilsner
    Sixpoint (Served at Brooklyn Ice House)
  • Assorted Beers
    Strong Rope Brewery
  • Tito’s Clove Screwdriver
    Tito’s (Served at Brooklyn Ice House)
  • Hand Poured Whiskey
    Travel Bar
  • Assorted Spirits
    Van Brunt Stillhouse
  • A Fun Assortment of Wines
    Wet Whistle Wines and Spirits
  • Bourbon Aged 10 Years & Oak & Apple Wood Aged Rye
    Widow Jane

Non-Alcoholic Drinks

  • Assorted Organic Sparkling Waters
    Sound
  • Blueberry Lemongrass Kombucha
    Pilot Kombucha
  • Egg Creams (v) (gf)
    Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain
  • Bottled Water

Dessert

  • Brooklyn’s Freshest Ice Cream
    Ample Hills Creamery
  • Assorted Gelato & Sorbetto
    Dolce Brooklyn
  • Salty Snack – Chocolate Fudge with Pretzels & Potato Chips
    Jessie Sheehan Bakes
  • Assorted Raaka Chocolate
    Raaka Chocolate
  • Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pies
    Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pies
  • Cookies & Creme Popcorn, Strawberry Shortcake, & Birthday Cake Cookies
    Sweet Treats By C

Thank you to tonight’s entertainment!

Danny Rivera

Danny Rivera

Danny Rivera is a New York City native award-winning composer and performer of Jazz and Electronic Music. As a member of the Bobby Sanabria Big Band, he has been featured as a Baritone Saxophonist and arranger on multiple Grammy-nominated recordings and toured the United States and Europe. Recent recordings include Kelly Clarkson’s “When Christmas Comes Around…”. Under the moniker LUNATiC, Danny has DJ’d various clubs, weddings, art events, and corporate parties, and has produced his debut album “Begin At Midnight”.

Thank You to our Event Hosts!


Groundbreaker 

Rebecca & James Katz
William Matelski
Jennifer Wheary & Paul Walker

Harvester
Linda Gibbs & Thomas McMahon

Christopher Hayes & Kate Shaw
Kristen & Jeffrey Kusama-Hinte
Amanda & Patrick Nichols
Nanda Prabhakar
William B. Wachtel

Forager
Alison Maschmeyer & Guy Dorsainvil

Debbie & Jonathan Rosen

Caretaker
Heather Baltz & Andrew Deitchman

Belinda Bellet & Bill Olshan
Stephanie Cherry & Robert Hansen
Daisy Conroy & Franco Fubini
Lisa Pilar Cowan & Jonathan Spear
Jess & Marcia Fardella
Maureen Friar
Ayana Johnson
Amanda McGowan & Lawrence Vitale
Charlie Pigott
Alice & David Sandgrund
Regan Solmo & Geoff Brewer
Susan Stamler & Christopher Meyer
Marquise Stillwell
George Suttles
Susan Weltman & Steve Jervis