Francesca Fernandez Bruce

A native New Yorker, Francesca is passionate about empowering communities. After several years teaching abroad, she returned to pursue a Master’s in Urban Planning at CUNY Hunter College, to further the cause of social and environmental justice. While studying, she worked with small businesses, the Port Authority of NY NJ, the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, and the NYC Department of City Planning. Missing hands-on community work, in 2024 she leapt at the chance to serve the Grand Street BID alongside a rich tapestry of neighbors, small businesses, and planners of all stripes, to build a safer, more beautiful and inclusive community.