Joshua Mandelbaum, Executive Director

Joshua Mandelbaum, Executive Director, joined 826NYC in July 2013. He has over 16 years of nonprofit experience, including serving as Advertising Director of Poets & Writers and Executive Director of Words without Borders. In addition, Joshua served as editor and publisher of the literary magazine Ballyhoo Stories.

Photo by Aslan Chalom.

Aarti Monteiro, Director of Education

Aarti Monteiro comes to 826NYC with a background in creative writing and education. Before joining the team, she taught at an extended learning time program at a Brooklyn middle school and coordinated a writing and mentoring program. She has an MFA in Fiction from Rutgers University-Newark. Outside of 826NYC, she spends her time reading and writing. The former Writers’ Room Coordinator, she now oversees the Volunteer and Programs teams.

Photo by Aslan Chalom.

Nico Garbaccio, Programs & Volunteer Manager

Nico has been a part of the 826NYC community for over 5 years as a volunteer, an intern, and most recently, running the always-lively field trips program. As the Programs & Volunteer Manager, he heads up the volunteer department and oversees 826NYC’s after school programs in Park Slope and Williamsburg. Talk to him about chain restaurants and the Loch Ness Monster.

Chris Eckert, Store Manager

Chris joined 826NYC as Store Manager in 2016, after a decade of volunteering in the store, in the education programs, and in the capacity of someone who was willing to blow up 200 balloons or get hit in the head with a steel chair for a student’s film. When he is not managing BSSCo. he tutors, writes, and strives to straddle the fine line between curating and hoarding regarding a personal library. Those are his actual glasses.