As the Medical Director of The Foundling’s Home for Integrated Behavioral Health and Vice President of the Vincent J. Fontana Center for Child Protection, Dr. Akeem Marsh oversees the medical operations and strategy of our pediatric mental health center, while also managing programs and initiatives including professional development training events, public tours, practice related research, and advocacy efforts to reduce child maltreatment. As a practitioner, researcher, and thought leader, Dr. Marsh brings his extensive experience and expertise in the mental health and child welfare fields to this dual role. Dr. Marsh is a published author and notable expert – in 2022, he released his book Not Just Bad Kids: The Adversity and Disruptive Behavior Link, a co-edited work that draws upon his clinical experience with systems-involved children and adolescents. Additionally, he has been published in the Journal of Psychiatric Practice, the Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy, and in International Clinical Psychopharmacology. Dr. Marsh has presented locally, nationally, and internationally at numerous professional conference settings including the iHeart Radio/MWA Mental Wealth Expo and a Presidential Session at the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Annual Meeting by invitation. Prior to joining The Foundling in 2020, Dr. Marsh served as a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Bellevue’s Juvenile Justice Mental Health Services, working closely with ACS’ secure detention centers. Dr. Marsh is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), serves as a member of the Board of Directors of both the New York Council on Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (NYCCAP) and the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC), and was admitted to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society (AΩA ) chapter at CUNY School of Medicine. He maintains a faculty appointment as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine. Last year, he was appointed by Mayor Adams to serve on the city’s first-ever Juvenile Justice Advisory Board.
As Senior Vice President for External Affairs & Public Policy, Yolanda McBride oversees The Foundling’s governmental affairs portfolio and marketing and communication division. In her role, she develops and leads a wide range of strategies focused on building the profile of The Foundling, including our policy and advocacy agenda, budgetary and legislative priorities, as well as our marketing and communications campaigns. Yolanda most recently served as the Director of Public Policy at Children’s Aid, where she spearheaded the agency’s policy, legislative, and advocacy strategy and efforts at the city, state, and federal levels. In her role, she also led the development and operations of the Fostering Youth Succes Alliance and was instrumental in formulating the agency’s community engagement goals for their strategic plan. Prior to her work at Children’s Aid, Yolanda spent nearly eight years in city government as a Senior Policy Analyst for the New York City Council and then as a Senior Policy Advisor for the Mayor’s Office. At New York University’s Institute for Education and Social Policy, she conducted and managed local and national longitudinal education research projects and evaluations. Yolanda received her Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies from Lafayette College and her Master of Public Administration degree from New York University.
As The Foundling’s Senior Vice President of Medical Services, Delaney Gracy, M.D., MPH, oversees and provides strategic direction for the provision of medical services to all children in the care of each of our regional medical clinics. Dr. Gracy brings over 20 years of experience as a physician and in leadership roles dedicated to the strategic development, implementation, and sustainability of multi-site, multi-disciplinary health services in the non-profit sector. In her most recent role, Dr. Gracy served as the Director of Clinical Services at the Montefiore School Health Program, where she oversaw multidisciplinary clinical services at 33 school-based health centers including federally qualified health centers, Article 28 medical clinics, and Article 31 mental health clinics. Prior to that role, Dr. Gracy served as the Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs at the Children’s Health Fund and as the Director of Clinical Initiatives and Coordinator of Residents/Students at the New York Children’s Health Project. Dr. Gracy graduated from Baylor College of Medicine and completed her pediatric residency at the University of California San Diego. She was a general academic pediatrics and urban community health fellow at Columbia University Medical Center and earned a Master of Public Health, Epidemiology from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Dr. Gracy has been invited to participate in various professional committees, she has co-authored numerous publications and health education materials, and she has frequently appeared as an expert in the press and media.
As Vice President of Facilities and Real Estate Management, Hayden Blades is responsible for ensuring that The Foundling’s commercial and residential locations are continually maintained and optimized, and leads the acquisition process for real estate and the development of new sites as needed. Hayden works collaboratively with organizational and regional leadership to ensure that all ongoing facilities and maintenance needs are addressed, all aspects of capital projects are managed, and that safety, compliance, and regulatory measures are met. Hayden comes to us with decades of relevant nonprofit and governmental facilities management experience, most recently serving as Vice President of Facilities and Property Management at SCO Family of Services. During his 10 years at SCO, he managed day-to-day operations of over 130 sites, oversaw the $10 million gut renovation of a 30,000 square foot facility in Jamaica, Queens, and directed the sale and relocation of the organization’s headquarters. Prior to this position, Hayden served as the Assistant Commissioner of Facilities at NYC Administration for Children’s Services, and held auditing and facilities management roles at Legal Aid Society and NYC Housing Preservation and Development. Hayden holds a BBA in Public Accounting from Pace University.
“As a first-generation American and a life-long New Yorker, I am deeply inspired by the work the Foundling does to provide families, adults, and children in this great city the tools and resources to thrive and achieve their full potential, regardless of their circumstances. All New Yorkers should have the opportunity to seek and achieve what is best for themselves and their families. These are the opportunities the Foundling provides, and I am proud to support that work.”
Antonio Perez-Marques is a partner in the litigation group of Davis Polk and Wardwell LLP, where he represents a broad range of U.S. and non-U.S. corporations and financial institutions in their most critical litigations and government investigations, as well as in complex matters involving both civil and criminal or regulatory elements. His civil litigation practice focuses on class action securities litigation, commercial disputes and cross-border matters. His government and internal investigations practice spans a wide range of matters, including anti-money-laundering, economic sanctions, and securities enforcement, in proceedings involving a wide range of federal and state authorities. He has been at the firm since 2002, and a partner since 2011.
Mr. Perez-Marques is a proud Cuban-American born and raised in New York City and, as the son of a pediatrician and a father of three, is particularly inspired by the Foundling’s work with children and families. He also serves on the board of Resurrection Episcopal Day School, of which he was chair from 2019-2023.
Mr. Perez-Marques graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University with a B.A. in Public and International Affairs, and cum laude from New York University School of Law, where he was recognized as a Florence Allen Scholar.
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