Executive Leadership
Tony Hillery, CEO
Tony Hillery is the Founder and CEO of Harlem Grown. Tony founded Harlem Grown to address the health and academic challenges facing public elementary school students in Harlem.
In 2011, Tony began volunteering with a local elementary school and was witnessing first-hand the lack of resources allocated to the schools and the poor nutrition of students. He noticed an abandoned and overrun community garden across the street from the school. Tony rallied volunteers and raised the funds needed to transform the lot into a thriving urban farm, kicking off Harlem Grown’s first-ever growing season.
The first year, Tony worked with 400 students to plant 400 seedlings. He watched as students transformed their eating habits and learned skills like patience, teamwork, and responsibility. The first season, they grew 38 lbs of produce. FIfteen years later, in 2026, Harlem Grown has expanded to partner with five local Harlem schools, reached over 7,000 youth, composted nearly 70,000 lbs of food scraps and grew over 5,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables, distributing 213,800 pounds of fresh food to families in need throughout the community.
Tony’s work has impacted more than just the youth, Tony has done his part to help transform Harlem community through the power of growing food and building healthy relationships.
Damion Samuels, Executive Director
Damion Emile Samuels is a seasoned nonprofit executive, strategist, and public speaker with more than three decades of experience designing and leading programs that expand opportunity for youth, young adults, and families across New York City. His work spans after school education, youth development, workforce development, and college and career readiness, with a deep commitment to supporting individuals facing systemic barriers across all stages of development.
Throughout his career, Mr. Samuels has developed innovative programs that support young people from early childhood through young adulthood, including those navigating poverty, housing instability, educational gaps, mental health challenges, and justice system involvement. A respected leader and collaborator, Mr. Samuels has partnered with government agencies, philanthropic institutions, and community organizations to expand access to opportunity and strengthen outcomes at scale.
Mr. Samuels is a skilled facilitator and speaker who has presented at conferences, universities, and public forums nationwide. He serves on the Coordinating Committee of the New York Reentry Education Network and has been featured in The Envy of the World: On Being a Black Man in America by Ellis Cose.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in African American Studies from the University of Virginia and a certificate from the Georgetown University Center for Juvenile Justice Reform. Grounded in a belief in dignity, opportunity, and collective impact, Mr. Samuels continues to advance community-based solutions that enable young people and families to grow, thrive, and lead.
Board of DIRECTORS
Joshua Strugatz, Board Chair, Senior Vice President & Chief Campus Transformation Officer, White Plains Hospital
Tony Hillery, CEO and Founder, Harlem Grown
Nicole Engel, Executive Director, Harlem Grown
Adama Diggs, Vice President, Investment Advisor, JP Morgan Chase Private Bank and Wealth Management
Edward Norton, Actor & Social Entrepreneur
Eric Anthony Wells, Director of Infrastructure, Cloud and Security Architect, Warburg Pincus
Jeffrey Iverson, Operating Partner, Eldridge
Jenny Flores, Co-Founder and CEO, AMH Catalyst
Mari Arnaud, MS ED, Bank Street College of Education, MS OT, Columbia University
Yvette Young, Associate Medical Director, Clinical Affairs, Included Health
Have questions? Connect with us
127th West 127th Street, Annex, New York, NY 10027
E: info@harlemgrown.org
P: 212.870.0113