Meet the Team

Tim Laughlin has served as President of the Lower East Side Partnership (LESP) since 2015. With extensive experience in public space management, municipal operations, and capital projects, Tim is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life and economic vitality of the Lower East Side.

During his tenure, Tim has spearheaded numerous initiatives to improve and activate the neighborhood's public realm. These include the innovative 100 Gates Project, the dynamic Open Streets program, and expanded Outdoor Dining opportunities. He has also overseen significant investments in supplemental services to keep the area clean, safe, and welcoming.

A key focus of Tim's leadership has been community engagement, particularly in the new Essex Market and the broader Essex Crossing mixed-use development. His collaborative approach ensured that local voices were heard and considered in these transformative projects.

Before joining LESP, Tim gained valuable experience working for New York City Councilman Dan Garodnick, who now serves as the City Planning Chair. This background in city government informs Tim's strategic approach to advocating for the Lower East Side's needs and opportunities.

Nina LoSchiavo is the Chief Operating Officer at Lower East Side Partnership (LESP) an economic development non-profit, business improvement district, and contracted partner to Essex Market. She began at LESP in 2015, where she was the organization’s first in-house creative and evolved her work overtime to include the full spectrum of LESP’s service delivery. Nina is responsible for executing key initiatives for programming provision and guiding workplace strategy in the fields of marketing, creative, community engagement, and public space management. She manages LESP’s efforts at Essex Market, a historic neighborhood institution, where the organization provides support services to NYCEDC and vendors, and hosts free programming and events for local non-profits and residents.

Sam Lake joined the Partnership in January 2024, bringing seven years of experience in community engagement, data analytics, and public works.

She thrives on the variety of her role, overseeing sanitation and horticulture services, public space planning, and outreach. You'll often find Sam outdoors—connecting with businesses, assessing sidewalks, and working to enhance the Lower East Side.

When not at work, Sam is learning to paint at the Manny Cantor Art School.

Starting as a graphic designer in June of 2018, Nick has grown into the role of Creative Lead, managing marketing strategies, design, and print production for the Lower East Side Partnership and Essex Market. His goal is to deliver innovative creative solutions that enhance the story of the neighborhood.

Outside of work hours, he coaches wrestling at the middle school and youth levels.

Dustin is the community content coordinator for the Lower East Side Partnership, handling photo and video content to be used on social media, in marketing materials, and across the organization. Dustin captures photo and video content for local LES businesses to expose them to a wider audience and assist with their own marketing efforts. He also is the photographer for Essex Market, capturing the events, initiatives, and vendors to tell the story of the Market.

Outside of work he’s an avid cyclist, and enjoys exploring and photographing the city at large.

Josefina Modeste designs marketing materials for the Lower East Side Partnership and Essex Market, handling design and production for the organization’s events, initiatives, and local vendors. She is committed to meeting the diverse needs of the community, creating connections with the passionate and unique individuals in the Lower East Side.

Lily Chin is the Kitchen and Programming Manager of the Essex Kitchen where she hosts types of programs catered to all ages from 5 to 95. Some of these include motor skills building workshops for children, cooking essentials for adolescents and nutrition based cooking demonstrations for the elderly.

Outside of work, Lily moonlights as a private chef and holiday cookie baker.

Alex Ritter-Jung has been Essex Market’s Vendor & Community Engagement Coordinator since Spring 2023. Together with the Essex Market vendors, Alex creates exciting programming and initiatives that celebrates the cultural legacy of Essex Market, inviting the public inside the market for a taste of what the 25+ vendors have to offer. They are passionate about the history of the Lower East Side, and the cultural importance of public spaces in building community.

Outside of work, you can find Alex trying the newest local pastry spots, hitting up art museums, and cooking their way through their ever-expanding cookbook collection.