Join the Roosevelt Island Visual Art Association (RIVAA) for a discussion in conjunction with the current photographic exhibition, Roosevelt Island: The Vision Revisited.  RIVAA brings together three distinguished panelists, who through their talent and remarkable efforts, have contributed to the beauty and quality of our built environment on Roosevelt Island.

The Roosevelt Island Daily News

Cover Photo: Tad Sudol.

• Amanda Matthews is a sculptor and creator of The Girl Puzzle, a tribute to groundbreaking investigative journalist Nellie Bly. Through her reporting, Nelly Bly changed how mental illness was treated in this country.
• Gina Pollara, Executive Director of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park from 2006-2013, oversaw the construction of the memorial designed by architect Louis I. Kahn to commemorate the 32nd President of the United States. 
• Susan Rosenthal, President and CEO of Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) from 2016-2020, conceived the idea of a monument to Nelly Bly. 
• Chris Vail, exhibiting photographer of Roosevelt Island: The Vision Revisited will moderate.

Some notes on the panelists…

Amanda Matthews brought international acclaim to Roosevelt Island with The Girl Puzzle. The sculpture adds to her long list of successful public artworks.

Four years after leaving her job at RIOC, Susan Rosenthal remains an important part of the legacy of art on Roosevelt Island. As CEO, she teamed with RIVAA, promoting and expanding the Island of Art theme. She left a lasting footprint on the community.

Gina Pollara designed and managed construction on a wide range of projects. From
2006 to 2013, she served as executive director of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four
Freedoms Park, which constructed the memorial designed by the architect Louis I. Kahn on the southern tip of Roosevelt Island in New York City to commemorate the 32nd President of the United States. – Gina Pollara Biography

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The Contractor RIOC Wasn’t Allowed to Remember

LiRo-Hill returned to RIOC’s panel despite earlier questions about its oversight. When directors challenged its inclusion, the explanation raised a new question about RIOC’s procurement rules.

Theo Gobblevelt Nov 6, 2026

Professor Lydia W. Tang recognized the name LiRo-Hill. During the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation’s September 10, 2026 board meeting, Chief Operating Officer Mary C. Cunneen presented eleven construction management firms recommended for contracts lasting up to six years.

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