Claire H. Altman, MPA, JD
Claire Haaga Altman is an accomplished leader of innovations and manager of nonprofit organizations. Claire began her career at the Vera Institute of Justice, Inc. where she created enterprises to employ ex-offenders (a paratransit service for the elderly and handicapped and an ex-offender construction company). From these experiences, Altman moved to creating a nonprofit housing development organization which created some 2500 supportive housing units for a range of homeless populations including health facilities for persons with HIV/AIDS – with some of the residents being released from prison to these facilities. Ms. Altman pioneered the creation of a nonprofit ReServe Elder Service, Inc. to engage retirees in re-tooling and re-using their skills to assist nonprofits. Moving to the health care arena, Ms. Altman served as the Chief Operating Officer of the Health Care Chaplaincy dedicated to training and employing professional chaplains and conducting research on the efficacy of chaplaincy services. Most recently, Ms. Altman served as the President and CEO of Volunteers of America-GNY working to strengthen the organization’s infrastructure and laying the groundwork for a new strategic plan. Ms. Altman earned her BA at St. Louis University in Political Science, her MPA at NYU, and JD at Fordham Law School. Throughout Ms. Altman’s career, she has focused on creating innovative and cost effective ways to meet the basic needs of employment, housing and health care of some of society’s most needy populations—ex-offenders and ex-addicts, homeless individuals and families, and those with serious health issues. Ms. Altman is a Tennessean by birth moving to New York City after college. She lives in New York City, is married to Dr. Stan Altman, Professor at Baruch College, CUNY and has three adult children.