Who We Are
The Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter, Inc. (NCS) serves people who are chronically homeless, formerly homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless. Established in 1982 by religious and community leaders on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, NCS was founded on the premise that homelessness is the responsibility of the entire community.
Ira L. Mandelker, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Our new Executive Director, Ira L. Mandelker, Ph.D., joined NCS on October 25, 2010. Before coming to NCS, Dr. Mandelker spent ten years as the Executive Director of HATAS, The Homeless & Travelers Aid Society of the Capital District. HATAS is the central intake, assessment, and referral point for the Albany County homeless shelter system, and provides homelessness prevention, housing, employment, and mental health services to homeless and at-risk Albany County residents.
Prior to joining HATAS, Dr. Mandelker was Associate Director at Grand Central Neighborhood Social Services, a New York City drop-in center providing human services, employment, and housing opportunities to homeless single adults. Dr. Mandelker is also a past-chair of the Albany County Coalition on Homelessness, and has served on the Executive Committee of the Albany County Plan to End Homelessness, the Executive Committee of the United Way 211 Northeast Region, the Albany County Housing Trust Fund Task Force, the Albany County Reentry Task Force, The Code Blue Albany Committee, and the Emergency Food and Shelter Program Boards of Albany and Schenectady Counties.
If you would like to contact the following NCS staff members, please click on the name below.
Deborah Baron Ellis, LCSW
Chief Program Officer
Frederick Bryant
Director, Transitional HousingRachel Griffin
Director, Chance for ChangeRebecca Marriott
Director, Vocational/ Educational ServicesJeffrey S. Grunberg
Director, Louis Nine HouseRoe Piccoli
Director, NCS Residence
Ping Maquiran
Controller
Prema Menon
Director, Human Resources and Volunteer Services
Diane L. Rush
Director, Development and Communications