Who We Are

Phillip Morrow, President/CEO
Phillip Morrow joined SoBRO in January 1996. Mr. Morrow has over 20 years of experience in housing and community development. From 1982-1995, Mr. Morrow was responsible for all of the Harlem Urban Development Corporation's housing and economic development projects. He has personally supervised the construction/rehabilitation of over 5,000 units of housing and undertaken several major community economic development initiatives including the renovation of the historic Apollo Theater and construction of an incubator retail facility on 125th Street in Harlem.

Nilza Oyola, Senior Vice President
Nilza Oyola joined SoBRO in 1998. Ms. Oyola has more than a decade of experience in educational youth development programs, family development, and business strategic management in the non-for-profit sector. She provides leadership and vision for SoBRO’s Education and Career Development Department which serves over 5,000 individuals annually. Ms. Oyola has a Masters in Business Administration from Dowling College and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management.

Neil Pariser, Senior Vice President
Neil Pariser joined SoBRO in 1977. Schooled as an Urban Planner he has been responsible for conceptualizing and implementing most of the physical and programmatic economic development projects undertaken by the corporation. Prior to joining SoBRO Mr. Pariser worked for the NYC Department of City Planning.

Gerard Weinbrecht, Executive Vice President
Gerard Weinbrecht joined SoBRO in 1990. He is responsible for overseeing SoBRO's program budgets in industrial development, commercial revitalization, employment and training, and youth services as well as administrative, development and management information functions. Prior to joining SoBRO, Mr. Weinbrecht served as the Dean of Mercy College, Bronx Campus.

Lourdes Zapata, Senior Vice President
Lourdes Zapata has over 20 years of experience in community development work, much of it right here at SoBRO. After working for Lawyers for the Public Interest and receiving her M.P.A. from NYU, Ms. Zapata became the Director of Community Development at SoBRO in 1997. She stayed in this position for 8 years before going to the city of Newburgh, New York to take control of the City's development efforts. She returned to SoBRO in late 2009 to assume the position of Senior Vice President in charge of Community and Economic Development.