Meet Our Staff
Andrew Oliver is the founder and director of Do For One, an innovative organization dedicated to improving the lives of isolated and disabled people through the power of relationships. In addition to his role at Do For One, Andrew is a teacher affiliated with the Training Institute for Human Services at Syracuse University and a training consultant for numerous advocacy and faith-based organizations. With nearly 20 years of experience, Andrew has assisted individuals with developmental disabilities, their families, and other allies in gaining employment, engaging in volunteer work, living more independently, building freely given relationships, and finding a sense of belonging in their communities. His deep commitment to counteracting the negative treatment of marginalized people through radical personal and moral action is evident in every aspect of his work.
contact andrew@doforone.org
Jane Yoon is the Program Manager of Do For One NYC. She is a graduate of Tufts University and holds a Masters in Education from Columbia University. While teaching special education in NYC, Jane discovered Do For One early on in 2016 as a volunteer, and joined staff in 2019. Whether in Uganda where she taught at Ekisa Academy, a school for children with disabilities, or in NYC where she co-founded a mercy ministries team in the church context and mobilized hundreds of volunteers to serve their marginalized neighbors, Jane has always been passionate about building communities with deep roots that lead to connections being made and lives being transformed.
contact jane@doforone.org
Ben Tien is the Program Coordinator at Do For One. Before Do For One, Ben worked in the global health and humanitarian fields - he's spent two years abroad in Australia and Rwanda and worked at organizations serving child-bearing mothers, rural Rwandans, and refugees. Ben brings a knack for building relationships, especially with historically marginalized folks, coupled with a penchant for creative and strategic thinking. He has co-led Do For One's Community Support Committee and has enjoyed a friendship for nearly four years with Devon Ray Hillary, who is Ben's Do For One Partner. Ben and Devon enjoy playing piano, cooking, and chowing down at buffets together.
contact ben@doforone.org
Interested in joining our leadership or becoming an affiliate organization? Want to learn more about our program model? Click below to learn about Lead For One.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Christina Park plays a supervisory role and board treasurer. Christina has a background in art history (BA, Northwestern University) and has worked mainly in the not- for-profit sector. These include K-12 programs in museum education, a South Korean advocacy group in Seoul (KWAFU) and various church administrative roles.
Cindy Kim has been involved with Do For One since 2019. As someone who lives with mild cerebral palsy herself, Cindy understands some of the unique challenges that people with disabilities face. Cindy is also an accomplished children's book editor, having graduated from NYU with a Master’s degree in Publishing. She has worked in the publishing industry for almost ten years and enjoys making diverse, inclusive books for very young kids. She became an Advocate to her friend ('Partner') Maegan, and they began their friendship virtually through many FaceTime chats, which has continued to blossom both virtually and now in person. She became part of Do For One's Relationship Committee before joining the Board in 2023.
Caroline Oh has over a decade experience in operations and strategy. She has consult- ed for companies across all industries and is most recently Director of Business Operations and Strategy at Pursuit, a social impact organization aiming to help transform the lives of lower income populations that do not have easy access to tech careers and the wealth it brings. Originally from Philadelphia, she has lived in NY for over a decade and loves the diversity of experiences, perspectives, and lives that this city holds.
Nick Nowalk first got involved with Do For One when he heard about us through Church of the City and attended an UWS game night in early 2018. Since then he's been a committed core leader, advocate, and hosted a number of DFO gatherings over the past couple of years. His most long-standing leadership and ministry experience includes campus ministry through Christian Union both at Harvard and Columbia University. In addition, he offers engaging lectures on various christian topics. Beginning in 2022, he is currently lead pastor at Neighborhood Church of Greenwich Village. Nick possesses unique leadership skills and influence in associations with similar values to Do For One.
Maria Newkirk graduated from Allen School of Health Sciences and now works for Weill Cornell Medicine. While living on Roosevelt Island, Maria had the opportunity to cultivate relationships with people living with disabilities. These relationships enriched her sense of the gifts each person has to contribute to the community and opened her eyes to the hardships the marginalized sometimes endure. She enjoys facilitating opportunities for others to enjoy friendships with those living with disabilities through working with Do For One.
Jesse Thorson is a sustainability strategist at Third Partners, where he manages consulting engagements in tech, ag-tech, construction products, and fashion. Previously, he was program manager at Columbia University's Center for Sustainable Development, where he managed research & convening initiatives at the intersection of religion, ethics, and sustainable development. Jesse has been involved in Do For One as an advocate since 2018. In his board capacity, he contributes to process improvement initiatives and organizational advancement.
CORE LEADERSHIP
Do For One’s core leaders are people who focus their time, talent, and resources to promote the values of Do For One and to create voluntary networks of support for Do For One relationships. Core Group leaders can also assist the staff in advocate recruitment for unmatched partners on Do For One’s working list. Our core group leaders meet regularly to discuss strategies to support current Do For One relationships and partners who need matching.
Alexa Burke | Megan Guerrero | Cindy Kim | Chantel Katanakis I Gene Yonish I Inbar Maydan
Jason Villacres I Maureen Clarke I Richard Stephens | Maegan Ishmael
COLLABORATIONS
Organizations
Advanced Care Alliance
Center for All Abilities
Future Centered Care
Hope for New York
Job Path
KEEN New York
LEL Foundation in Indiana
Young Life Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities
Rodeph Sholom Synagogue
Roosevelt Island Disabled Association
Churches
Emmanuel Presbyterian Church
Hope Astoria Church
Hope East Queens
Hope Midtown Church
Lower Manhattan Community Church
Neighborhood Church of Greenwich Village
One Community Church
Redeemer West Side
Shelter Rock Church
Metro Hope Church