We are community-centered, seeking to empower entrepreneurs rooted in the places they call home. We primarily serve minority and women entrepreneurs in the New York City metro area. About 75% of our entrepreneurs are women, and 90% are Black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, or multi-racial.
Empowering Underserved Businesses in NYC
What NYPACE Believes In
Mission
NYPACE stimulates job creation and economic opportunity in underserved communities by mobilizing pro bono professionals to support local entrepreneurs.
Who We Are: Our goal is to do better, do more and reach more.
Collaborative: Working together is how our advisors, entrepreneurs, and community achieve our mission.
Community-Focused: Rooted in and dedicated to the communities we serve, we catalyze local job creation and economic development.
Continuous Learners: We’re always learning and adapting, staying current with the latest trends to better serve entrepreneurs.
Impact-Driven: The jobs we create, the economic development we stimulate, and the change in the lives of our entrepreneurs are the true measures of our success.
Inclusive: Diversity and inclusivity are essential to our work. We recognize that varied perspectives drive innovation and contribute to economic resilience.
Our Community Partners
Our Commitment to
Economic Development
We are community-centered, seeking to empower entrepreneurs rooted in the places they call home. We primarily support minority and women entrepreneurs in the New York City metro area. About 75% of our entrepreneurs are women, and 90% are Black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, or multi-racial.
We leverage the enormous power of NYC’s human capital to deliver a highly impactful and scalable program. We measure our success by the jobs we create, how our work bolsters economic development, and the real-world impact on our entrepreneurs.
NYPACE entrepreneurs often face systemic challenges to growing a small business, including access to knowledge, networks, and capital. Our diverse and relatable teams of pro bono advisors bring an expansive background aligned with our communities’ needs. We offer only customized solutions for each entrepreneur and individualized mentorship from the best and brightest in New York, at no cost.
Our Commitment to
Community Empowerment
Latest Impact Report Highlights
0 %
Owned by People of Color 0 %
Owned by Women 0 %
Operate in or Serve Under-Resourced Neighborhoods 0 %
Have insufficient capital to meet growth goals
NYPACE History
New York Professional Advisors for Community Entrepreneurs was established in 2002 by a group of finance professionals. After having volunteered at traditional nonprofit organizations through their firm, they were looking to find a more productive use of their skills in giving back to the community by providing small business services. Not finding such a group that would allow them to achieve this outcome, they realized a critical gap existed and decided to be the change they wanted to see.
First, they proceeded to think through ways in which such an entrepreneur organization could be set up and the various ways that business mentors could contribute. A number of pilot programs were undertaken to explore the most appropriate model for NYPACE to pursue. This evolutionary format has allowed NYPACE to finesse its structure to best suit both its advisors and community entrepreneurs.
NYPACE was incorporated in the state of New York in 2003 and received its nonprofit status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code in 2005. For 10 years, it continued to operate as a fully volunteer organization in NYC, with the advisors largely composed of today’s board of directors. In 2012, NYPACE hired its first staff member, Stephanie Bombaci, to help manage increasingly complex teams and business challenges and document project case studies. With the model’s continued success, the board laid the groundwork for growth by hiring NYPACE’s first Executive Director in 2018, who subsequently built a staff of program managers.
Since 2022, Ibrahima Souare has led NYPACE through its next growth phase into NYC nonprofit maturity, ensuring reliable growth and transparent administration. As our impact and geography continue to expand, we value our NYC roots and look forward to many more years of growth and service.
New York Professional Advisors for Community Entrepreneurs (NYPACE) was established in 2002 by a group of finance professionals who were unable to find a similar program through their respective companies’ community entrepreneur-related activities.
After having volunteered at traditional nonprofit organizations through their firm, they were looking to find a more productive use of their skills in giving back to the community by providing small business services. Not finding such a group that would allow them to achieve this outcome, they realized a critical gap existed and decided to become the change they wanted to see.
Our Team
Staff
Ibrahima S. Souare
Executive Director
Jennifer Auer
Director of Strategy, Operations, and Impact
Stephanie Bombaci
Director of Corporate Initiatives and Events
Lynda Correa
Senior Program Manager
Oliver Allen-Cummings
Program & Impact Coordinator
Conrad Moy
Program Manager
Christine Seguritan
Manager, Corporate Initiatives and Events
Shrima Wagley Singh
Director of Programs
Our Team
Staff
Ibrahima S. Souare
Executive Director
Jennifer Auer
Director of Strategy, Operations, and Impact
Stephanie Bombaci
Director of Corporate Initiatives and Events
Lynda Correa
Senior Program Manager
Oliver Allen-Cummings
Program & Impact Coordinator
Conrad Moy
Program Manager
Christine Seguritan
Manager, Corporate Initiatives and Events
Shrima Wagley Singh
Director of Programs
Board of Directors
Dan Zamlong
Board Chairman
Talaal Azeem
Thomas Donley
Aaron Feinberg
Kenrick Fraser
Adam Goodman
Cynthia Kleinbaum
Philippe Leroy
Board Treasurer
Randy Moonan
Board Secretary
Keith Motelson
Andrew Siwo
Udai Tambar
Kevin Walters
Eric Wedel
Board of Directors
Dan Zamlong
Board Chairman
Talaal Azeem
Thomas Donley
Aaron Feinberg
Kenrick Fraser
Adam Goodman
Cynthia Kleinbaum
Philippe Leroy
Board Treasurer
Randy Moonan
Keith Motelson
Andrew Siwo
Udai Tambar
Kevin Walters
Eric Wedel
Associate Board
Jackson Baur
Sandra Cao
Caleb Esrig
Sam Foley
George Heathcote
Ben Kennet
Arnav Mody
Nicholas Mohan
Aaser Sadek
Briana Squires
Associate Board
Jackson Baur
Sandra Cao
Caleb Esrig
Sam Foley
George Heathcote
Ben Kennet
Arnav Mody
Nicholas Mohan
Nicholas Mohan
Aaser Sadek
