Betsy MacLean

Betsy MacLean has been engaged in groundbreaking community development work for more than 15 years. As Executive Director of Hester Street, Betsy and her team devote urban planning, design, and development expertise to support community-led change. Hester Street creates and facilitates democratic, participatory planning and policy-making to advance racial and economic justice and to radically re-create cities shaped by low-income communities of color. Before HST, Betsy developed affordable housing and spearheaded the community-led design and construction of Brooklyn’s first green public school. She created and directed a community development program in Cuba, and before that, worked as a carpenter. Betsy holds master’s degrees in Urban Planning and International Development from Columbia.