Join us in welcoming CUP’s newest board members! These four amazing women will bring their deep experience and skills from the fields of design, finance, community planning, and affordable housing development to strategically lead CUP as we scale our impact.

Sabrina Hall is an interactive Art Director. With a career spanning over fourteen years, she currently teaches at City Tech, and was co-chair of AIGA NY’s Mentoring program. Sabrina is passionate about speaking on accessibility in design, creating opportunities for emerging designers and advocating for equity within the field of design.

Rebecca Karp is a highly regarded advisor with deep experience solving challenging and complex urban planning initiatives. She launched Karp Strategies in 2015 following nearly a decade in policy, operations, and management roles across the public and private sectors. She has since grown the company into one of the leading urban planning and community economic development consultancies in New York City. Rebecca is passionate about urban development, and is dedicated to creating a thriving urban fabric and helping communities build strong local economies. Rebecca has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Bowdoin College and a Master’s in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she wrote her thesis on Community Benefits Agreements. She is a proud alumna of the Coro Leadership New York Program and NYU Stern School of Business + New York City Department of Small Business Services Strategic Steps for Business program.

Ayanna Oliver- Taylor is a Director at L+M Development Partners, a full-service affordable housing real estate development firm. In her role, Ayanna focuses on preservation development, specifically leading L+M’s NYCHA platform. Prior to L+M, Ayanna worked at the New York City Housing Development Corporation and Carver Federal Savings Bank. She received her BA from the City College of New York and an MS in Real Estate Development from Columbia University. As a native New Yorker, Ayanna is passionate about promoting and expanding social and housing equity for all New Yorkers.  

Mari Yahagi is an Executive Director of JPMorgan, responsible for providing Governance and Oversight on investment products that are offered to the clients. Her educational background is on Urban Disaster Management and Public Policies, focused on urban policy review, conflict management, and decision making through group dynamic analysis. On a pro bono basis, Mari has worked with Non-Profit Organizations focusing on social equality and justice in Japan, United States, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Turkey. She is also studying Ayurvedic Medicine to provide guidance for breastfeeding mothers and for families with young children.

To learn more about CUP's Board of Directors, click here.