At the conclusion of our previous article, we aimed to leave our readers with a strong impression of Lisa Sorin and her years-long dedication to property and profit. From her unwavering loyalty to Synagro, a company that has been involved in a series of lawsuits since 2002 regarding lack of safety, pollution, and even a claim for direct cause of death via their products, to her involvement in the kettling of peaceful protesters back in 2020.
It’s important to note that because of the vicious and illegal actions by the police, New York taxpayers were forced to foot the bill for yet another lawsuit on behalf of so-called law enforcement. Approximately $10 million dollars was ordered to be paid out to the 300 plaintiffs. Just imagine how far $10 million could stretch in The Bronx. Funding food pantries, public parks, schools, and/or NYCHA repairs could very well be a reality, but because the NYPD has a history of abusing the public they were meant to protect and serve, a portion of the city budget was instead reallocated to this fund for victims of police brutality. The NYPD’s poor training, lack of accountability, oversight, and, of course, the dishonest claims filed by the Bronx Chamber of Commerce and Third Ave Bid cost us $10 million dollars.
According to New York City Penal Law § 240.60, it is a felony in the first degree to falsely report an incident, which carries up to 7 years in prison as a result. While we do not condone incarceration, it is important to mention that a high ranking officer with the NYPD specifically named The Bronx Chamber of Commerce who was and is still led by Lisa Alvarado Sorin as well as The Hub who was under the executive leadership of Michael Brady at the time, as the source of reports stating there was looting taking place in the area of the FTP4 protest. This claim was refuted in court with eyewitness testimony to peaceful protests taking place and absolutely no looting amongst the crowd. However, no action has been taken to hold either individual or organization responsible. No fines, no reparations, nothing. In fact, the pair of paid lobbyists continue to reap financial gain through their various dealings and have been continuously uplifted by the Bronx Democratic Party with most recently Michael’s Hunts Point initiative receiving $200k in grant fundingand Lisa Sorin being honored at the 2025 Bronx Democratic Party Gala for her “Lisa’s commitment to supporting small businesses, championing economic growth, and uplifting our Bronx community…”
Since the 2020 kettling incident, Lisa has attempted to rebrand herself as a dedicated public servant whose passion for art and community is what propels her forward. As we mentioned before, Lisa has placed herself as a board member in almost every major institution within The Bronx. Institutions such as The Bronx YMCA, Red Cross, Casita Maria Center for the Arts and Education, VISIONS, and the Bronx Children’s Museum, just to name a few. Lisa has managed to put significant distance between her name and her affiliation with harmful corporations. The metaphorical distance achieved through constant positive news coverage, thanks to Bronx Chamber of Commerce member Victoria Schneps of Schenps Media and its network of newspapers such as The Bronx Times, AM New York, and Caribbean Life, however, does not erase the reality of Lisa Sorin’s current business affiliations.
(l-r) Laura Guerriero; Lisa Sorin; Wilma Alonso, Fordham Road Business Improvement District executive director; Vicki Schneps; Elizabeth Figueroa, New York Botanical Garden associate vice president for community relations and Olga Luz Tirado. (Photo by Vicki Schenps)
On Jan. 22, 2026, “new and returning members of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce board of directors took their oath of office… at Manhattan College. The list of board members as of 2026 include: newly appointed Kenny Burgos, president and CEO of the New York Apartment Association; Susan L. Parish, president of Mercy University; Mike Nunez, a JPMorgan Chase executive; Paul Ramirez, managing partner of Mainland Media and Bronx Beer Hall; Kathleen Kearns of Montefiore Einstein and Cleon Chung of Optimum as well as returning members Joanna Simone of Simone Development; Dr. Susan Burns, president of the University of Mount Saint Vincent; Eve Colavito, CEO of The Dream School; Joseph Gallitto of D&J Ambulette Services; April Horton of Verizon; Gilbert Vega of TD Bank and Anthony Mormile of Orange Bank & Trust Company. Lisa Sorin said the event was intended for “setting a tone for transparency, for seriousness of purpose and for collective responsibility…”
New members of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce board of directors were sworn in on Jan. 22, 2026 at Manhattan University.
Considering that transparency is now a core value for Lisa Sorin, we thought it appropriate to shine a much-needed light on the Chamber, its function, and the top-tiered members who benefit from Lisa Sorin’s “advocacy”.
Founded in 1894, the Bronx Chamber of Commerce functions as a lobbying group that advocates for business interests. They are funded by membership dues and work consistently to influence public policy and legislative initiatives regarding the local Bronx economy with the help of their “top” lobby consultant and chamber member, Kasirer. Most recently, the Chamber was integral in their support of the “City of Yes for Economic Opportunity” proposal, which has been widely criticized for threatening neighborhood characteristics by erasing lines between residential and commercial zones, potentially causing displacement, noise, and infrastructure strain. Critics affirm that the plan benefits private developers over low-income residents and that environmental reviews were inadequate.
- Amazon-Corporate Level Member
- Airbnb–Corporate Level Member
- Optimum–Corporate Level Member
- TD Bank–Corporate Level Member
- Phillip Morris International–Corporate Level Member
- JP Morgan Chase–Corporate Level Member
- City National Bank–Corporate Level Member
- Ponce Bank–Corporate Level Member
- AT&T-Chairman’s Circle
- Apple Savings Bank-Chairman’s Circle
- Bank of America-Chairman’s Circle
- Bally’s Golf Links-Chairman’s Circle
- Con Edison-Chairman’s Circle
- DoorDash-Chairman’s Circle
- Google-Chairman’s Circle
- GrubHub-Chairman’s Circle
- Lyft-Chairman’s Circle
- McDonalds-Chairman’s Circle
- NY Yankees-Chairman’s Circle
- Starbucks-Chairman’s Circle
- Tik Tok-Chairman’s Circle
- Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)-Chairman’s Circle
The 22 corporations highlighted above are just a fraction of the overall membership, which includes roughly 500 businesses listed in their directory. These corporations were selected for a variety of reasons, which we will explore further at a later time, but would be remiss if we didn’t call attention to Amazon and Airbnb as we near conclusion. Specifically we want to focus on ongoing community reports of increased pollution, lack of laborer safety, union busting, and of course their mutual and ever expanding role in NYC’s ongoing gentrification crisis. As we work to continue to explore the network of corporations and institutions working with The Bronx Chamber, we will continue to emphasize Lisa Sorin’s role in the gentrification of The Bronx and question why on earth Zohran Mamdani selected a candidate who opposes most of what the young mayors’ platform claimed to advocate for.
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