Youth Committee Members

Alden Foster

Alden Foster is Director of Youth Services and Community Engagement at the New York Police Department (NYPD) Community Affairs Bureau, where he works with community leaders to create programs and provide resources for New York City’s youth. Alden Foster is Deputy Director for Youth Services and Community Engagement at the NYPD. overseeing all of the NYPD youth programs, including youth collaborations with other city agencies. Alden feels that “My job is to make sure relationships with youth remain strong, and to coordinate efforts to help young people across the city.” The youth programs Foster coordinates include the NYPD Explorers program, Cops and Kids sports leagues, and the Summer Youth Police Academy. He also travels to local schools to give presentations on topics like gangs and bullying.

Gregory Hambric

Gregory is passionate about community partnerships and is involved with many initiatives aimed at the economic growth of youth and young adults in New York and New Jersey. He is the 1st Vice Chair of the citywide Community Action Board (CAB) which is an advisory group to the Department of Youth and Community Development in New York City, President of the Barack Obama Green Charter High School Board of Trustees in Plainfield, NJ, Co-Chair for JobsFirstNYC, and member of the DYCD Youth Board/Youth Committee. 

He grew up in New York and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Advertising from Iona University.

Raymond Singleton

Raymond Singleton is the Assistant Commissioner within the Division of Family Permanency Services (FPS) at the Administration of Children and Family Services. Ray’s work is focused on expanding the foster care system’s capacity to build workforce programming and connect youth to services focused on education, career readiness, internships and employment services. During his years of service, Ray oversaw major entitlement programs including Medicaid, TANF/TFA, Child Support Enforcement, SNAP, Community Services and Social Services. In 2017, Ray was awarded the Commissioner’s Professionalism, Accountability, and Integrity Award (PAI) for Individual Excellence and completed an Executive Management Program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy’s School of Government. In 2020, Ray was awarded the ACS Child Advocate Award for outstanding service. Originally from Connecticut, Ray completed his studies at Northeastern University’s Arts and Science Program and attended NYU’s Clinical MSW Program. Ray lives in NY and has three children. 

Harini Venkatesh, ED

Harini Venkatesh is a dedicated and innovative city planner with specific interests in affordable housing, public education, local economic development and international development. An analytical manager with proven ability to develop, implement, monitor and evaluate complex projects. An excellent communicator with hands on expertise in multiple stakeholder engagement, negotiation and consensus building. An independently driven self-starter and an enthusiastic and motivated team player.