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Forest Hills resident tapped to head children and youth services

Forest Hills resident tapped to head children and youth services
Photo by Sarina Trangle
By Sarina Trangle

Udai Tambar, a Forest Hills resident and head of South Asian Youth Action!, is slated to begin as the city’s director of children and youth services March 3.

Tambar previously worked on Mayor Bill de Blasio’s transition team. He will now report to Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Lilliam Barrios-Paoli and work to fulfill de Blasio’s vision of addressing inequality, according to SAYA!

“Having a person like Udai, whose background is steeped in strengthening youth, families and communities, is a boon for all New Yorkers,” Usha Saxena, board chair of SAYA!, said in a statement. “His contribution to SAYA! and our community cannot be measured.”

Tambar declined to comment.

He spent the past four years at the helm of SAYA!, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting low-income South Asian youth reach their full potential through academic assistance, leadership development and enrichment services.

While Tambar was executive director of SAYA!, the organization expanded, doubling its budget and nearly tripling the number of its program sites to 14, according to SAYA!

Tambar is not new to politics, having served as policy director for former Newark Mayor Cory Booker when he was elected and pulling together a transition team.

SAYA! noted he also worked as special assistant to former city Human Resources Administration Commissioner Robert Doar, served as assistant deputy commissioner for parent and community engagement at HRA and managed the City Council’s New American Youth Initiative.

Susan Maher Singh, a SAYA! board member, plans to resign from the board and serve as the interim executive director of the organization.

She brings more than two decades of experience working with children, family and youth services to the job, most recently as director of public policy for Good Shepherd Services, SAYA! said.

“I am excited to help the organization further its mission in this new capacity,” Singh said in a statement. “I look forward to working closely with the staff and board to ensure the continued success of the youth we serve.”

Reach reporter Sarina Trangle at 718-260-4546 or by e-mail at strangle@cnglocal.com.