It always feels great when you can reward someone for their hard work who truly deserves it. That is why at NYCID we love to promote from within our ranks. We know that the person has a proven track record and is willing to go above and beyond for those who we serve.

That is why we are proud to announce the appointment of Pavel Valera to Director of Workforce Initiatives. 

“It has been a long time coming!” says Michael De Vito Jr, NYCID Associate Executive Director. 

Valera most recently directed NYCID’s Staten Island Young Adult Borough Center at Tottenville High School starting in 2019.  Hailing from East New York with a love for boxing he came to NYCID from Good Shepherd services where he directed the Franklin K. Lane YABC in Brooklyn, NY

De Vito Shares that “last year, after multiple rounds of interviews, we chose Pavel because he is as dedicated as he is quick thinking and creative. We were just about to make the appointment as the entire country went into lock down. As this caused incredible stress to our programs, we had to make some different moves on the chessboard.  Pavel took this in an incredible stride.  With grace and love, he absolutely never missed a step as he continued to go above and beyond each day for our kids and for NYCID, which is exactly why he is the person for position”

Valera earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology from the College of Staten Island. He further his education by obtaining his masters from Alfred University in Public Administration. He has led NYCID’s LTW team to getting more than 200 youth credentialed and certified in a variety of sectors such as OSHA-30, Security Guard, Food Handlers, and Peer Mediation. 

NYCID CEO Candace Gonzalez says “Pavel epitomizes that hard work pays off. I want to congratulate Pavel in his new role as Director of Workforce. As he faces new challenges and opportunities, I’m excited to see Pavel move the mission of NYCID forward.”

Valera will oversee all of NYCID Learning to Work and Summer Youth Employment programs and will continue to provide leadership in the Youth WINS partnership. 

In his spare time Pavel enjoys weight training and spending time with my family. 

“I am excited to take this next step in my professional career and continue to help improve the lives of the families impacted by NYCID”. Says Valera

We are so happy to be able to elevate someone who has such a passion for their work and will certainly fulfill our mission to improve lives!