Constitution & Cocktails

About our Honorees

Whitney Barrat

President, Downtown Jamaica Partnership BID

Whitney Barrat has served and led mission-driven, community-focused, not-for-profit organizations for over 15 years, acquiring formidable experience with an array of intersecting disciplines, including non-profit management, governance and operations, urban planning, placemaking, community and economic development, landscape design, sustainable development, historic preservation, public art and small business support and advocacy, amongst many others.

A seasoned planner, project manager and strategist, Whitney’s career highlights include her work as Director of Planning and Administration for the $550M renovation of David GeLen Hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and her roles as Executive Director of the Jamaica Center BID (2017-2019) and President of the newly merged Downtown Jamaica Partnership BID (2023 to Present). Prior to her initial arrival in Jamaica, Whitney spent almost a decade working in Lower Manhattan, serving as Director of Construction Mitigation and then as Director of Special Projects for the Alliance for Downtown New York, where she built and managed a $1.5M, HUD-funded public art program that resulted in the production of over 35 outdoor, large-scale public art installations. Whitney then served as Executive Director of the Old Seaport Alliance, a start-up merchant’s association focused on small business support, historic preservation and neighborhood resiliency in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. Whitney’s volunteer leadership roles include 6 and a half years on the New Rochelle Public Library Board of Trustees, where she served as Vice President and President of the Board for five of those years. Whitney is honored to serve as a member of the Board of Directors of the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning, and was recently appointed to the NYC BID Association’s Board of Directors.

REGINA BAIN

Executive Director, Louis Armstrong House Museum

Regina Bain serves as the Executive Director of the Louis Armstrong Museum which was honored with the 2024 United States National Medal for Museums and Libraries, celebrating its work in community. The Museum preserves the landmarked home and archives of jazz icon, Louis Armstrong, and develops programs grounded in the values of artistic excellence, education and community. Ms. Bain recently opened the new 14,000 sq. foot, 26 million-dollar Armstrong Center housing a multimedia exhibition, a 75-seat performance space, and the 60,000-piece Armstrong Archives — the largest of any single jazz musician. During her tenure, the museum's programs having expanded exponentially, including a Trumpet Learning program for students, Justice Arts program for those returning from incarceration, Home Ownership and Housing program for neighbors, and Archival Tours for the public.

Previous to her appointment at LAHM, Ms. Bain served as Associate Vice President of the Posse Foundation — a national leadership and college access program, where she supported Executive Directors in 10 cities, led the staff training team, and facilitated large and small group dialogue on issues of identity and power. Bain is currently a co-facilitator of Culture @3, a community of cultural leaders in New York, and recently served on the Yale University Alumni Board of Governors. Currently, Ms. Bain is co-curating a multinational exhibition on Armstrong in Ghana and a digital experience on jazz and hip hop in Queens, New York. Her writing is featured in the Handbook of Black Librarianship, Third Edition.