christian gonzález-rivera is the director of strategic policy initiatives at the Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging. His work is to translate results and findings from Brookdale's academic research and demonstration projects into policy and practice, create strategic partnerships across institutions and organizations, and help formulate and communicate Brookdale’s policy priorities. Christian serves on the steering committee of the Inclusive Growth Initiative, a diverse group of policy leaders who are developing an inclusive, cohesive agenda for inclusive economic growth. He is immediate past president of the State Society on Aging of New York, an interdisciplinary membership society focused on improving the quality of life for older New Yorkers. Christian is also a fellow of the Sterling Network, a group of systems leaders from New York City’s government, non-profit, and business sectors working together to expand economic justice across the five boroughs. Before coming to Brookdale, christian spent seven years as a senior researcher at the Center for an Urban Future (CUF), where he led the organization's work in the areas of workforce development policy and older adults policy. His signature achievement at CUF was to place the needs of New York’s growing and increasingly diverse older adult population firmly onto the radar of policymakers, elected officials, and city and state agencies. Prior to that, he researched housing policy at the Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy at New York University. As the research manager at the Greenlining Institute in Berkeley, California (since relocated to Oakland), he authored and supported research on housing, philanthropy, diversity in the healthcare workforce, access to financial services, consumer protection, and the green economy. In 2016, City and State named christian one of New York City's 40 Under 40 Rising Stars. His work has been covered in both English- and Spanish-language media outlets, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Daily News, Next City, City and State, Gotham Gazette, Univision, NY1, WNYC, KPFA, and others. He holds a BA in urban studies from Columbia University and a master’s degree in urban planning from New York University's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.
