Saeeda Lesley Dunston is the Chief Executive Officer at Elmcor Youth & Adult Activities, Inc. since August 2014.  She is recognized among her peers and human service providers throughout New York State for developing and implementing culturally competent programs and services that address the challenges encountered by marginalized communities, in empowering individuals and families to become change agents and engaged participants in their communities.

Prior to Elmcor, Ms. Dunston served in senior management positions and served several boroughs and citywide advocacy and policy focused coalitions that address poverty, anti-racism, health care needs of marginalized populations and communities throughout New York City.

Ms. Dunston’s leadership has secured Elmcor’s position as a vital service provider and advocate on the neighborhood level and has been instrumental in building capacity through collaborative relationships with public and private partners. She has developed and enhanced new and existing programs leveraging organizational resources  to address the prevailing socio-economic-health disparities that challenge Queens communities; and; promote inter- and intra-agency collaborations around issues of  behavioral health, health equity, social and economic justice, anti-stigma and community education. Saeeda also shepherded Elmcor’s first Supportive and Affordable Housing Project providing permanent housing to chronically unhoused and persons recovering from a serious substance use disorder and older adults.

She is also a proud wife, mother, grandmother underscoring the deep personal and familial ties and connections to Queens and in particular the East Elmhurst/Corona communities.