BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — Tributes poured in from colleagues Wednesday as Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy announced that Nancy Webster, executive director since 2010, plans to retire in early May, after leading the organization through 15 years of transformative growth.
The Conservancy, which started as an advocacy organization, evolved over time to managing and fundraising for a wide variety of programming, and Webster became the face of the organization. Now, the Conservancy will be joining with the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation.
Related Article: Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy to join with Park Corporation
Joining the park staff in 2006, Webster became executive director in 2010. “It’s been a wonderful 15 years,” she told the Brooklyn Eagle. Growing up in North Carolina, Webster said she always dreamed of both living in New York City and living on the water. At Brooklyn Bridge Park, “I was able to combine those two things, and I’m extraordinarily grateful.”
Webster added, “I felt it was time to move on to a new and different phase,” including taking some time for contemplation and reflection, and walking the Camino de Santiago. But she’s not going to leave Brooklyn, she avowed.
BBP credits Webster for playing a crucial role as a community liaison, working to ensure that the park’s design and programming reflected the needs of residents and visitors. She built and strengthened relationships between local stakeholders, government officials and the public, and significantly expanded the Conservancy’s reach, increasing free cultural, recreational and educational programs that welcomed more than 1.8 million participants.
Webster also spearheaded the Conservancy’s environmental education programming, launching the Environmental Education Center, which serves more than 15,000 children annually from every ZIP code in Brooklyn. Most recently, she helped secure $3 million in NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) capital funding to expand the center and enhance its educational initiatives.
Under Webster’s leadership, the Conservancy tripled its budget and significantly increased philanthropic and corporate contributions via ambitious fundraising campaigns. She launched the Conservancy’s star-studded annual gala, which raised a record-breaking $1.7 million in 2024.
“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to help make the park more vibrant and accessible to thousands of New Yorkers,” she said in a statement.
“It has been a privilege to work alongside the passionate staff and board at the Conservancy, as well as my colleagues at Brooklyn Bridge Park, President Eric Landau, and his team who have created such an outstanding public space. My work has been built on the vision and dedication of the early park advocates and Conservancy leaders who paved the way. I look forward to seeing the park continue to flourish in the years ahead.”
Webster is also co-author of “A History of Brooklyn Bridge Park: How a Community Reclaimed and Transformed New York City’s Waterfront.”
Tributes from colleagues
Chris Coffey, Chair of the Conservancy:
“Nancy’s leadership has been transformational. She has not only expanded the Conservancy’s programming and impact but also helped guide Brooklyn Bridge Park’s development as a vital community space. Having worked with Nancy as chair these 7 years, and before that as a board member, nobody fights harder for the conservancy, for maritime education and for access to the best education for students & families all over Brooklyn and the City. I’ll miss her every day and wish her only the absolute best in her well-deserved retirement.”
Eric Landau, President of Brooklyn Bridge Park:
“Nancy has played a pivotal role in shaping the park’s success. Her deep commitment to programming, education, and community engagement has left a lasting impact that will be felt for generations.”
Michael Van Valkenburgh, the park’s designer:
“Parks are so important to New Yorkers that we have our own word, “parkie,” for park lovers, park makers, and advocates. Nancy Webster is a parkie through and through. Her incredible devotion to Brooklyn Bridge Park for decades has left a stunning legacy. Thank you, Nancy.”
Councilmember Lincoln Restler:
“Nancy’s years of extraordinary activism, coalition-building, and leadership have been instrumental in the transformation of Brooklyn Bridge Park. During her distinguished tenure leading the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, she has created dynamic programming and cultivated a small army of BBP supporters for our world class waterfront park. Congratulations on her well-earned retirement, which is a bittersweet celebration for all who have worked with her.”
Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon:
“Nancy Webster has been a visionary leader whose passion and dedication have helped transform Brooklyn Bridge Park into one of New York City’s most treasured public spaces. Her ability to bring people together, foster community, and create inclusive, accessible programming has left an indelible mark on the park and the Brooklyn community. We are all grateful for her tireless advocacy and wish her the very best in this next chapter.”
