We promote economic growth, quality of life, and cultural health in the neighborhood. OANA is a 501c3 non-profit focusing on the part of Astoria bounded by Ditmars Boulevard and 36th Avenue, between the East River and 21st Street.

Whether you’re a business owner interested in being listed in our directory, a neighborhood resident looking to get involved and give back , or a community member with questions or concerns, OANA is your resource for information about Old Astoria Village. Contact us or get updates on what’s new on Facebook and Twitter.

President

Mr. Khuzami has been a member of Community Board 1 in Astoria, NY for the last 16 years. He currently Chairs the Parks and Cultural Committee, sits on the Zoning Committee and is a member of the Executive Board. He is also a member of the Queens General Assembly and is  a panelist for the Grant submissions for the Queens Council on the Arts.  In 2015 he was named as Cultural liaison from Astoria, Long island City to the Borough President, Melinda Katz.

Richard is also proud to be instrumental in the development of an outdoor 2500 seat performance space in Astoria Park, Astoria NY.

Our mission is to both educate and protect the interests and quality of life for all residents of the previously often neglected part of Astoria/Long Island City.

First Vice President

Kevin Hernandez, president of GIL homes is an award-winning local developer and is an active participant in various community organizations throughout Astoria.

Second Vice President

Brett Harris is Managing Partner at AKI Development and is responsible for the daily operations and management of the firm, strategic direction, deal sourcing through execution, managing project teams, and marketing/sales. He has over a decade of experience in real estate development including land acquisition, finance, construction, development, project management, asset management and marketing/sales. Brett previously worked at Stone Street Properties, LeFrak Organization and Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group.

In addition to studying commercial real estate acquisitions and due diligence at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design, Brett graduated from Boston University with a B.S. in Business Administration and Management with a concentration in Law, and from New York University with a Masters in Real Estate Development, where he was a finalist in the 2011 NYU Entrepreneurship in Real Estate Development Competition. Brett was a recipient of Boston University School of Management’s “Most Likely to Succeed” Business Plan award and was a three-time recipient of the NYU Dean’s Graduate Fellowship for Academic Excellence.

Treasurer

Diane is a Greek Canadian living in New York in Old Astoria since 1994.

Diane has been an entrepreneur since she was 21, owning multiple businesses in Canada, Europe and New York. She has now settled into a permanent career in Real Estate of which she loves and devotes most of her time.

Diane has been an advocate for the evolution of Old Astoria, to bring it to a premier residential and a tourist destination of New York City. She is a mother of 3, married happily for 40 years.

Chairman, AKI GROUP

Aki is the Chairman of AKI GROUP, a multinational holding company that manages over a dozen affiliated real estate service companies. Business lines include Construction Management, Development, General Contracting, Interior Renovation, Exterior Restoration, Electric, Plumbing, HVAC, Building Management, Custom Cabinetry and Millwork, Large-Scale Cabinet Distribution, Flooring, Countertops and Fabrication, Large-Scale Granite Distribution, Painting, and Building Maintenance. This integrated business model enables superior cost savings, increased purchasing power, faster delivery times, hands-on control, and streamlined operations.

AKI Renovations, the in-house general contracting company responsible for gut-renovating existing assets, works on behalf of NYC’s most distinguished real estate companies including Kushner Companies, Stellar Management, Stone Street Properties, Moinian Group, Jack Parker Corporation, and Trump Organization among others.

Aki is the definition of an American success story, having immigrated to the United States as a young child to escape war-torn Yugoslavia. In a short period of time, he successfully created a vertically integrated real estate conglomerate that employs hundreds of highly skilled workers. Aki has lived in Astoria for his entire adult life and is involved with numerous charitable organizations.

John Hatfield is the Executive Director of Socrates Sculpture Park. Previous to Socrates Sculpture Park, he worked for seventeen years in various capacities at the New Museum of Contemporary Art, four years as Deputy Director. In addition to his tenure at the New Museum, Hatfield served as Assistant Vice President for Memorial, Cultural and Civic Programs at the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation managing the 9/11 memorial design competition, selection process and cultural site planning. He has served on many panels, juries, curated exhibitions and lectured on art in the public realm.

Karen R. Means is Chief Development Officer and EVP External Affairs at Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey. She joined Goodwill NYNJ in 1995 as Vice President of Youth and Community Development Services. Previously, she was at New Visions for Public Schools.

In 2010, Means was appointed Executive Vice President for Government and Community Relations, Public Relations/Marketing and Communications as part of an executive restructuring. She is a senior level executive with extensive experience in non profit management. Her strong leadership and communication skills have provided a platform for the development of enhanced programs and services, partnership development, needs assessments and fiscal planning.

Means is a graduate of Goodwill Industries International Executive Development Program. She is a Boston University Join Together Fellow. She has a BA in Political Science from Marymount College and an MS in Education from Fordham University. She is a member of several boards.