BOARD

Leigh Pasqual, President

Leigh has spent more than a decade working on women’s rights issues as a writer, communications strategist, and gender advocate. She has worked with the United Nations and with nonprofit organizations in the United States and other countries on issues such as CEDAW, violence against women, gender and HIV/AIDS, reproductive rights, and effective communication in the development field. Leigh has long been inspired by the work of OWP’s Founder and Executive Director, Joanne Derwin, and is particularly drawn to the organization’s mission. “I love the emphasis on curiosity about and respect for other cultures,” she says. Leigh holds a degree in European Studies from the National University of Singapore and a Master Degree in European History from St. Antony’s College, Oxford University. She continues to consult with organizations on a broad range of development issues, and is the founder of a non-profit organization - Good for Girls - dedicated to empowering girls and supporting their education.

Originally from Singapore, Leigh has been living in New York City for just over 10 years with her husband Jesse, her two little girls, Tessa and Ella, and their dog Otis.

Carlos Martínez, Treasurer

Carlos Martínez was born and raised in Barcelona (Spain) where he received his Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the IQS-Universitat Ramon Llull and where he also took different postgraduate courses in the same field. Between 1998 and 2005 he worked in the private sector for different companies in the sales and business development departments. In 2005 he moved to New York where he founded and managed a food importing company for seven years. During this period, he acquired sound experience in the interlinkages between the different departments, processes and actors that shape today’s organizations. Later on, he worked as a freelance consultant for different UN agencies and public organizations. During this stage in his professional career, he has been involved in different projects in the procurement, ethics and compliance fields. He has also worked for UNDP in the Governance and Peacebuilding Cluster. Most recently, he joined the Permanent Mission of Spain to the UN where he currently works in the Administration Department. Carlos has also taken different courses in Operations Management, Sustainable Development and Finance. He lives in Brooklyn since 2008 with his wife, Cristina, and his dog, Chico.

Tami Aritomi,  Secretary

Tami has focused her professional life on policy research, specifically poverty and economic development, education, labor markets, and gender issues, with over 10 years in the field. She is currently a consultant for the World Bank developing studies that examine population aging and gender issues in Eastern European Countries. With a Ph.D. in Demography and Human Development and Family Studies from Pennsylvania State University, Tami has extensive experience with data management and has applied her expertise to a wide range of organizations and companies including the American Institute of Research, the United Nations Development Program, and Development Research Strategies. Tami is drawn to OWP’s effort to provide “a safe and nurturing space where children can develop new cultural and social skills through language... This exposure will grant children and their communities the tools to naturally understand and to integrate different cultures into their daily lives.”

Originally from Peru, Tami is third generation Japanese, and lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn with her husband and two children.

Joanne Derwin, Officer
A mother of two bilingual children and an experienced nonprofit manager, educator, and social justice advocate.  Before initiating One World, Joanne worked at the Alliance for a Greater New York and Urban Agenda, organizations aimed at building a thriving, green, and just New York.  Previously, Joanne worked at the Ford Foundation and helped manage three grantmaking initiatives with a combined annual budget of $12 million.  Joanne has also done research for Partners of the Americas and the Center for Public and Nonprofit Leadership in Washington D.C. and spent two years working as an English teacher in Alicante and Barcelona, Spain.  She is a graduate in Environmental Studies from the University of Colorado, Boulder and holds a Masters in Public Policy from Georgetown University.

Becky Amsel, Officer

Becky grew up in New York and Austin, Texas. She has worked in PR and marketing for hundreds of children’s books, most notably the Harry Potter series. She now works in project management for a boutique design firm. She is a Windsor Terrace resident and One World enthusiast and mom to a very colorful kiddo.

Alina Hurtado, Officer

Alina was born in Uzbekistan and has lived in New York City since her family came to the USA when she was 5 years old. She graduated from the Stern School of Business, and has spent the last 10+ years working at a large management consulting firm, advising external and internal clients on organizational challenges and creating learning and development opportunities for the firm's employees (teaching consultants to be consultants). She fell in love with One World Project in 2018 when she was looking for a school with language immersion for her multilingual daughter. 

Alina lives in Windsor Terrace with her Spanish speaking husband, Jaime, and their two kids, Emma (who now attends after-school) and Lukas (who started at OWP in Fall 2021).

Lenny Sandlar, Officer

Lenny Sandlar is an attorney specializing in federal criminal law, investigations, and regulatory enforcement, and also maintains an active pro bono practice. A graduate of Columbia Law School, Lenny was born in the former Soviet Union and grew up in Brooklyn. As an immigrant, Lenny has a strong commitment to OWP's mission and is pleased to be in his fourth consecutive year as a parent of OWP students. Lenny lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two children.

Aarti Sawhney, Officer 

Aarti Sawhney is an educator, social justice advocate, and OWP parent, originally from Orange, Connecticut. Now residing in Windsor Terrace with her family, Aarti’s lifelong passion for teaching and for education has led her to her current work as an English teacher at City-As-School. She is excited about OWP’s mission of prioritizing the growth of individual students, while fostering broad community and stewardship of our world. She sees education as a way to level the playing field in the fight for social justice and equal opportunity, and looks forward to pursuing those goals at OWP. When she’s not working, Aarti enjoys spending time with her family and her dog, Peaches.