A familiar face to Community Board 6 is stepping into her new official role as district manager starting next month with the experience and know-how to help bring resources to Forest Hills and Rego Park residents.
Christine Nolan, a steadfast member of Community Board 6 and its neighbors for nearly 18 years, takes on the official title of district manager starting on Monday, July 1, according to information shared by the board.
CB6 Chairperson Heather Beers-Dimitriadis, who assumed the role in 2022, praised Nolan for her leadership as the unofficial district manager following Frank Gulluscio’s retirement in December of last year. Gulluscio had held the position for over 18 years under three different chairpersons.
“Constituents from the neighborhoods of Forest Hills and Rego Park have turned to Christine to help resolve community concerns and complaints in her capacity as Community Coordinator,” Beers-Dimitriadis wrote in a statement. “She is as effective as she is kind, and as organized as she is compassionate. So many have achieved results from City Agencies thanks to her tenacious liaising.”
In a one-on-one conversation with QNS, the new district manager shared that she has always been drawn to community service, dating back to her childhood in the Howard Beach area.
Nolan said her involvement in the S.T.A.R.S. Community Center, as one of the first organizations in the area at the time, helped expose her to community service projects and unified activities that brought people together.
“I think that’s where my love for the community started,” Nolan shared. “In any community, I think you need people to be involved and I think that’s the biggest thing. Just getting people to be involved in community activities.”
Nolan added that working with constituents during her time with the New York City Council and under the leadership of Senator Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. bolstered her experience working with city agencies to resolve community issues and furthered her appreciation for community advocacy.
Alexa Weitzman, the former chairperson of CB6, also expressed gratitude for Nolan’s years of service to the community.
“After working with Christine Nolan during my tenure as chair of Queens Community Board 6, I know she will make an excellent district manager. I’m thrilled for CB6, Board leadership and the community at large, who will all benefit from her experience, dedication and collaborative spirit,” Weitzman said in a statement.
Despite Nolan’s many years of community service, she believes there is always something new to learn when serving the community.
“I’ll never pretend that I know it all because it’s impossible,” Nolan said. “You just keep learning. With every case that comes in the door. It’s a learning experience.”
Nolan’s successes since taking the responsibility of district manager, before her official appointment, have also generated a healthy professional relationship with the CB6 chair. Although Nolan admits they have not agreed on everything, the two leaders always come together to better the community.
“I think that being that we both share the same goal in the end, it’s easy to work together and come to conclusions based on what the community board wants and what the community wants as a whole,” Nolan said.
Looking ahead, Nolan said she wants to raise community board awareness by informing the public about its role and responsibilities. The new district manager also looks forward to expanding the ability for the public to attend community board meetings virtually when unable to attend in person.
“If we can just continue to improve every single day and work on the issues, then I think that’s the most important thing,” Nolan said.
