Jeanne DuPont is the founder of RISE Rockaway Initiative for Sustainability & Equity formerly Rockaway Waterfront Alliance. She has worked to inspire Rockaway residents to care for their environment and community through civic engagement and youth development programs. For nearly 15 years, Ms. DuPont has worked closely with the Rockaway community and city agencies to redevelop underutilized public land for public programs to advance the physical, economic and social sustainability in the Rockaway Peninsula. Through her work, Jeanne has focused on building RISE as a thriving resource for this underserved community, by leading large scale community planning efforts to establish public space to serve local families and advocate for environmental justice in the Rockaways.