Page 14 - NYC Imagine Awards Journal
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Meet the Judges Meet the Judges
Saundra Thomas Nicole Weingartner
Principal Director of State Government Affairs
SPT Consults Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP
Saundra Thomas, Principal of SPT Consults, is a As the Director of State Government Affairs
driven professional with 30+ years in media and
nonprofit leadership. Saundra is a community at Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP, Nicole L.
connector whose strength lies in making and Weingartner, provides strategic advocacy support
building relationships, partnerships and convening to the firm’s state (including Nassau and Suffolk
disparate groups. County) government relations clients on budgetary,
legislative, and other regulatory matters. This
Saundra was most recently Interim Co-Executive includes the design and implementation of a
Director of Open House New York, whose mission legislative advocacy campaign, review of potential
is to provide broad audiences with unparalleled implications of state and/or local laws, as well
access to the extraordinary architecture of New as assisting with policy-driven communications
York and to the people who help design, build, and preserve the city. (social media campaigns and eblasts) and Political Action Committee operations
(development, management, bookkeeping, reporting and events).
Prior to launching her consulting business, Saundra spent 17 years as Vice-
President of Community Affairs at WABC-TV, where she oversaw all on-air Nicole began her career serving as Communications Specialist for the New York
public service announcements and led the station’s strategic vision for community State Senate and as a Regional Coordinator of Intergovernmental Relations for
the New York State Assembly. Her years of experience in Albany help the firm’s
engagement, outreach and projects.
clients navigate the legislative and budget processes each year.
In 2013, she dipped her toe into the political arena, as a candidate for New York
City Council, mounting a formidable challenge to the incumbent. Nicole has been a leader within many organizations, such as the AHRC Suffolk
Foundation Board of Directors, Co-Chair of the Viscardi Advisory Council,
and the Women Steering Committee of the Association for a Better New York
Saundra has 3 decades of nonprofit board experience and is currently also a
board member of Indigo Arts Alliance and Prospect Park Alliance and Open (ABNY). She is also a member of the U.S. Government Committee and Co-
House New York and The Peace Studio. Chair of the AFP Advocacy Ambassadors Task Force of the Association of
Fundraising Professionals (Global) as well as a Board Member of the Association
of Fundraising Professionals (Long Island Chapter),
She received an honorary doctorate from St. Francis College in Brooklyn, holds
an M.A. in Media Studies from the New School, and a B.A. in Journalism from
Rutgers University. She is a proud Alumna of Monmouth University (B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies
– Criminal Justice & Music Industry) and Vaughn College of Aeronautics and
Technology (B.S. in Airport Management & Air Traffic Control).
Saundra loves traveling, wine collecting, cooking, eating, writing and storytelling!
Her greatest passion is mentoring, youth, and coaching leaders. She is a proud But Nicole’s favorite role in life is being a wife to Jason and Mommy to her
resident of Ditmas Park, Brooklyn.
two toddlers.
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