By far, the greatest accomplishment has been the development and execution of a plan to transform the northern end of Union Square Park from a neglected, graffiti-ridden parking lot into a spectacular new northern gateway into the neighborhood. The Union Square Partnership was the driving force behind the plan – including raising the capital – to rehabilitate the park's Pavilion, expand the playground to triple the size of the former play space, redesign and repave the park's plazas, and add much-needed restroom facilities, historic lighting, over fifty new trees, and enhanced landscaping. The last element of the plan - a new seasonal concession - took a little longer to bring to fruition but we're now on track to open in Spring 2014, and I'm excited to welcome the throngs of people we expect to flock to the park to eat alfresco in this spectacular new setting.

Globest: Tech companies are also increasingly flocking to the area – what about Union Square makes it a great location for this, and will the trend continue?

Thanks to continued growth of the tech and creative services sector in New York City, Union Square's commercial office market is stronger than ever with an exceptionally low 2.9% vacancy rate. The Union Square district is a dynamic center of food, fashion, culture and cutting-edge businesses, and a major transit hub. The ease with which the employees at these companies can collaborate in neighborhood restaurants, cafes, co-working and open spaces is the very definition of Union Square. We know from talking to our tech partners that they thrive on the energy of the dynamic 24/7 community that we have nurtured and grown over the past three decades. These companies and their employees aren't tied to their desks, and they aren't working 9 to 5. At any time of day, there is somewhere to go and something to do in Union Square. They are inspired by the presence of the Union Square Greenmarket. They take advantage of the many seating areas with bistro tables and chairs that make our beautiful historic park more-user-friendly along with our complimentary Wi-Fi system and free solar-powered mobile cell phone charging stations. The tech community is energized by the vibrancy of an area that is never lacking in something to do. For these reasons and so many more, we've heard over and over again from our tech partners that Union Square is the place to be if you want your business to thrive and succeed.

Globest: As a woman in the commercial real estate industry, what challenges have you faced and how did you overcome them?

I was raised in this environment so as a woman, I was better prepared than most to deal with the challenges of working with commercial real estate community. My father was a real estate lawyer handling title insurance for some of the biggest commercial projects in the City for over 30 years. I grew up around real estate executives and brokers, and learned from their brashness and their entrepreneurial spirit how to get the deal done and succeed. There was never any separation in our home between my father's colleagues and clients, and our personal lives. Holidays were spent sitting around the table talking shop about the latest real estate deal and I learned valuable lessons from those conversations, including that the success of the next deal isn't always about the substance of the deal, it's also about getting to know your clients, what they care about and what drives their passion for what they do. Those lessons have served me well in my current job working with the diverse constituency of residents, businesses and other institutional partners that makes up Union Square.

Globest: If you could advise those entering the work force today at the start of their careers, what key lesson would you share and why?

I'd offer two pieces of advice: first, learn to collaborate. Nothing gets done in this world by one individual and the sooner you learn how to work well with others, the faster you'll succeed. And second, always strive to acquire new skills and work hard to outperform your peers, while worrying less about the next promotion or raise. Your efforts will pay off if the long run if you worry less about getting ahead and more about just getting the job done.