Shelton Haynes works with the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation Board of Directors and is responsible for implementing and managing the island’s cultural, social, and recreational services. Shelton has been involved with Roosevelt Island since 2004 and joined the Board of Directors in 2011. In addition to his position as Executive Director, Haynes is also a resident who loves Roosevelt Island because it is “designed to offer multiple opportunities for people of all ages.” He further explains how he enjoys the outdoors and often observes birds at bird feeders on his porch.

Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) is an independent public benefit corporation that manages and operates Roosevelt Island in affiliation with the New York City Department of

Housing Preservation and Development. RIOC determines community needs, oversees planning, development, and operations of the island, maintains infrastructure, and provides services to residents, businesses, and the general public. Some of the services offered by RIOC include the construction, maintenance, and management of affordable housing units, senior apartments, and cultural facilities.

Shelton Haynes’ professional experience includes working as a social worker for 20 years with children who were physically abused or neglected. He also worked as a senior program manager for the City of New York in the Department of Cultural Affairs, where he ran an after-school program for 10,000 children in all five boroughs of New York City. After that job, Shelton was a consultant for non-profit providing support services for family child welfare agencies. More recently, Haynes was an Assistant Professor at Columbia University School of Social Work, where he taught courses on social work practice and family violence.

Haynes’ goals include revitalizing cultural programs under his direction to serve residents better, improve access to cultural programming and resources throughout the island’s five zones and develop new partnerships to benefit residents. Haynes also wants to continue emphasizing the importance of youth programming on the island and work towards making Roosevelt Island a “destination for residents and tourists.”

As Executive Director of RIOC, Haynes is responsible for developing programming and services on Roosevelt Island with sustainability in mind, creating opportunities for better coordination between RIOC and community partners and using technology to make services more accessible to residents.