Michelle de la Uz is a nationally recognized leader in social justice and community development, with over 25 years of experience in public service. As Executive Director of Fifth Avenue Committee (FAC), she leads a mission-driven organization advancing economic, social, and racial justice for over 7,500 low- and moderate-income New Yorkers each year. Under her leadership, FAC and its affiliates have more than quintupled in size and impact, with annual budgets over $34 million, real estate assets exceeding $263 million, and an affordable housing development pipeline of more than 2,000 units totaling $1 billion in total development costs. Michelle also serves on the national board of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development (ANHD), the Community Advisory Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and is Co-Chair of the New York Housing Conference. From 2012 to 2021, she served as a New York City Planning Commissioner, shaping citywide planning and land use policy.