Monday, June 10 2024, 6:30pm
Ross Dock, Fort Lee, New Jersey

Honoring Erik Kulleseid & Billy Procida

Special Musical Performance by
CNBC’s Steve Liesman & The New Equilibrium

On Monday, June 10th 2024 Palisades Parks Conservancy hosted our annual benefit event ‘Party for the Parks’. This year we were thrilled to honor OSI President Erik Kulleseid for his contributions to the Palisades region and Billy Procida for his continued dedication to Tallman Mountain State Park.

175 guests joined us at Ross Dock in the Palisades Interstate Park for a night of great food and drinks, music, and unparalleled views of the George Washington Bridge and the Manhattan skyline.

Want to support the event but couldn’t make it this year? Please consider making a donation in lieu of a ticket:

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the Palisades Parks Conservancy Party for the Parks 2024!

We appreciate you joining us in celebrating this remarkable system of twenty-nine parks and historic sites and our honorees Erik Kulleseid and Billy Procida - both shining examples of what stewardship looks like in the modern era.

A long tradition of conservation and generosity has grown the Palisades Interstate Park into a system of more than 130,000 acres. Each year, more than nine million visitors enjoy the cliffs, trails, beaches, museums, and historic sites.  This is only possible because of the long history of public and private support for these lands.

This is a critical and exciting moment for our parks. We are lucky to be part of two wonderful states that continue to bolster our parks and historic sites. New Jersey has increased support and new partnerships with local municipalities support improved maintenance of the Palisades Parks and Interstate Parkway. New York State has allocated significant capital funding to develop facilities at Sojourner Truth State Park and renovate the long-shuttered Lake Sebago in Harriman State Park.

The Conservancy continues to evolve as its capacity expands. Last year we doubled our staff with the addition of our New York Program Manager and this summer we will add an additional staff member to support bigger and farther reaching projects.

Thank you for your continued partnership,

Remy Schwartz Carol Ash
Executive Director Board President

Honorees

Erik Kulleseid

Kulleseid is currently the President and CEO of Open Space Institute, but until Spring of this year served as Commissioner of New York State Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation. During his five years with NYS Parks Erik’s leadership brought hundreds of millions of capital funds to the Palisades Parks helping weather an unprecedented growth in visitors that began during Covid. His legacy also includes the launch of the NY Swims initiative which includes new facilities at Sojourner Truth Park and the renovation of long shuttered Lake Sebago.

Billy Procida

Procida founded Procida Funding and Advisors in 1995 and has since financed, fixed and built billions of dollars of buildings and companies. Billy sponsors numerous charities and is a huge advocate of the Palisades Parks. A decade and half ago he brought attention to Tallman Mountain State Park through an op-ed, and in 2015 committed to a 20-year lease as the park pool’s concessionaire. Since then, he has invested nearly one million dollars in the pool facility and transformed it into a thriving local destination while continuing to advocate for other improvements in the park.

Co-chairs

Carol Ash

Ali Betts

Jennifer Cunningham

Victor Del Rio

Vendors

Music
CNBC's Steve Liesman & The New Equilibrium

Food & Wine
In Thyme Catering

Craft Beer
Newburgh Brewing Company

Photography
Amar Productions

About the Conservancy

The Palisades Parks Conservancy is a non-profit supporting the Palisades Interstate Parks a network of 20 parks and 9 historic sites through partnerships with the Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC) to protect the natural and historic resources of the 130,000-acre Palisades Interstate Park system.

Created as a “friends” group in 2001, today we are an independent 501(c)(3) that raises funds, undertakes capital projects, develops partnerships and programs to appeal to a wide range of visitors, and advocates to protect the park system. We are committed to preserving and protecting the rich history and biodiversity of America's first bi-state park system by connecting people, parks and history.

How We Do It:

  • We partner with park and historic site staff and community groups to offer direct funding for free and low-cost programs and events across the Palisades Parks System.

  • Expanding the audiences of our various parks and historic sites by working with organizations that encourage and support previously undeserved groups in enjoying nature and history in our region.

  • Ensuring adequate funding for our parks and sites as well as limiting encroaching developments in our region.

  • Identifying new pathways and support projects to improve connections between our parks and lessen the environmental impact of auto transportation in our region.

Remy Schwartz, Executive Director 

Sabeena Prescod, New York Program Manager

Board

Carol Ash, President 

Elizabeth Greenstein, Vice President

Victor Del Rio, Secretary 

Kevin Reymond, Treasurer 

Holly Leicht, Governance Officer

Angela Cristini, Ph.D

Dani Dudek

Joshua E. Hyman, MD 

David Kupperman 

Erik S. Larsen, MD, FACEP

Richard Ma 

Kevin B. Tremble

Joshua Laird, Executive Director 

Commissioners

James E. Hanson II, President

D. Bryce O’Brien II, Vice President

David H. Mortimer, Secretary

Honorable Paul Tomasko, Treasurer

Jennifer Cunningham

Rose Marie Manger, Esq. 

Jeannette A. Redden

Phil White 

Kevin B. Tremble