The Board of Director carries out Going Coastal’s mission determining projects and services on behalf of the community at large. In addition to the governing board, we rely on numerous advisors who help guide our mission and shape programs.

Barbara La Rocco, president 

1. Barbara’s professional background includes expertise in corporate development, partnership marketing and community outreach promotions. This experience was gained during the 20 years she spent in the event and entertainment industries, having been the director of Sponsorship for the New York Racing Association and the TV Food Network, and director of Special Events, Public Relations and Marketing for high-end beach resorts and corporate conference centers. Barbara has a BS from the University of Central Florida, where her accomplishments include organizing environmental cleanup campaigns for the degraded Weekiva Springs and initiating the Adopt-a-Highway program in the coastal community of Hilton Head, SC. She is the recipient of the Disney Community Service, Keep America Beautiful, and Pitch-In Awards for her work on behalf of the environment.
   
   

Zhennya Slootskin, secretary and treasurer

1. Zhennya Slootskin is a cartographer and web designer who has created hundreds of maps detailing every mile of New York City coastline for the guidebook "Going Coastal NYC" (Fordham 2009). She is co‐founder of Going Coastal, Inc. Zhennya has a Graduate Certification in Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) at CUNY Hunter, where she is pursuing a MA in Geography. Her hobby is table tennis and she is Olympic‐rated player. She has an BA degree from Franklin College, Switzerland in International Business and Economics and 10 years experience as a financial analyst and equities trader on Wall Street. Like many New Yorkers, she was drawn to the waterfront after the events of 9/11 and she has been working to improve our coastal environment for the future ever since. Zhennya serves on the Board of the Map Society of New York and is an officer of the Graduate Geography Club at CUNY Hunter College.
   
   

Michelle Mosler, director

Lata Kennedy, director

1. Ms. Kennedy brings 15 years of business experience and grassroots community organizing to Going Coastal. Lata is the owner of a successful small business, Flower Power that has been an indispensable resource for organically cultivated herbs, roots, flowers, leaves, and seeds since 1993. She conducts asthma prevention education programs in underserved communities throughout the city. She is an avid supporter of the Lower East Side Ecology Center, local gardens and neighborhood organizations.
   

Tanya Zadora, director

1. Tanya’s extensive background in project management, strategic planning, site analysis, space planning, interior design and building restoration cover industrial, corporate, healthcare, historic and low income housing. She has designed a large number of projects throughout the United States and abroad, such as Opryland Hotel (TN), Waterbury Hospital (CT), ARC Assisted Living (TX), Air Force Village (FL). Tanya holds a BS in mechanical engineering, BA in interior design and is certified in Autocad CADD systems and HVAC systems.