Wendy Rowden is the President of non-profit Building for the Arts NY, Inc. (formerly 42nd Street Development Corp.). BFA presents vibrant arts initiatives to communities and neighborhoods in New York and other U.S. cities, elevating people and places to serve their greatest purpose. Its two signature projects, Theatre Row and Music and the Brain, nurture emerging artists, audiences, and youth with a focus on accessibility and inclusion. Wendy comes to BFA with more than 30 years of experience in the real estate industry. Prior to joining BFA, she led Jonathan Rose Companies’ Investments where she was responsible for all aspects of the firm’s investment management business. Prior to Jonathan Rose Companies, Wendy served as Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of The Rockefeller Group, the U.S. Subsidiary of Mitsubishi Estate Co. Wendy is an active member of the Urban Land Institute (Governing Trustee, Chair of 2017 Global Awards Jury, and immediate past Global Chair of the Women’s Leadership Initiative). She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation, where she chairs the Finance Committee, and the Actors Fund Housing Development Corporation. Wendy is a past president of WX (Women Executives in Real Estate) and was the 2016 WX Woman of the Year. She is a former member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of Cushman & Wakefield and has taught real estate development at Columbia Business School. Wendy is the recipient of numerous other industry awards, including Bisnow’s “50 Most Powerful Women in Real Estate,” United Way’s “Women United in Philanthropy Award,” and Real Estate Weekly’s Top 100 Women in Real Estate.” She holds degrees from Brown University, University of Michigan, and New York University.