Don't build it for us, build it with us
We are dedicated to promoting transparency and accountability while opposing a paternalistic government that thinks it knows better than the people that live and work here.
Afterall, we elect representatives, not rulers.
ENACT | Our Core Values
We are dedicated to building a more equitable and transparent White Plains through civic engagement and accountability.
Equity
We strive to ensure that all residents of White Plains have equal access to resources and opportunities.
Nonpartisanship
We operate without bias, focusing on facts and the public interest to serve all community members.
Accountability
We hold local officials to the highest standards of transparency and responsibility for public funds.
Civic Participation
We empower residents to be active participants in the democratic process and local decision-making.
Transparency
We believe that open access to information is the cornerstone of a healthy and informed community.
Board of Directors
Gary O'Brien, Esq. is a commercial real estate executive and attorney with over 25 years of experience leading complex transactions, portfolio strategy, and asset optimization for global organizations. Known for combining legal rigor with business leadership, he is a trusted partner to executive leadership who aligns real estate strategy with enterprise objectives to drive cost savings and long-term portfolio value.
Most recently, Gary served as Head of Real Estate for SIEMENS Mobility, Inc. in New York, where he built and directed the corporate real estate function for a multi-billion-dollar enterprise across the Americas. In this role, he designed, developed, and built modern logistics warehouses and production factories.
Previously Gary was Vice President and Senior Legal Counsel at SIEMENS Corporation, where he streamlined and modernized a 25-million-square-foot portfolio across more than 600 properties. During that time, he executed complex transactions, generated over $30 million in cost savings, and monetized non-core real estate assets to unlock hundreds of millions in capital.
In the advisory and public sectors, Gary has delivered cost efficiencies and operational improvements for high-profile stakeholders. At CBRE’s Global Workplace Solutions, he advised Fortune 500 clients, including BASF, on portfolio strategy, acquisitions, dispositions, and workplace optimization.
Prior to that, as General Counsel, Senior Vice President, and Secretary for the Hudson River Park Trust, Gary led all legal functions for a major public waterfront development. He oversaw the legal strategy for prominent projects such as Little Island and established robust governance, procurement, and risk management frameworks to strengthen compliance and operational integrity.
Admitted to the Bar in New York and New Jersey, Gary earned his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from New York Law School. He holds a Graduate Certificate in Commercial Real Estate Analysis from MIT and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from SUNY Old Westbury.
A native of Germany, Yvonne Gumowitz moved to the United States in 1980. Tired of the heat and large insects in Florida she decided to escape to southern California where she studied urban planning and environmental science at UCLA. This led to an interest in walkable neighborhoods, adaptive reuse of existing buildings and land-use policies that balance growth with conservation. Her current passion is fighting for a displacement-free future for White Plains residents and their environment.
I joined Citizens Advocating for White PlainS Inc. (CAWS) as a Director because the City of White Plains under the mayoral administrations of Mayor Thomas Roach and continuing under Mayor Justin Brasch have failed to inform the residents of White Plains of the City’s policies to provide public, subsidized, accessible, and affordable housing (collectively referred to as ”Affordable Housing”) options.
CAWS has been founded to correct this egregious total lack of communications and transparency especially now that Empire State Development has the responsibility to spend $175 million to assure that substantial Affordable Housing is provided at the 3,000 apartment District Galleria.
I have experienced firsthand the refusal of both Mayor Roach and now Mayor Brasch to inform the public as to the City’s plans to increase Affordable Housing. As secretary of the White Plains Democratic City Committee (WPDCC) Issues Committee, I have observed how both Mayors ignored the simple administrative recommendations to keep the public informed about the City’s Affordable Housing options as set forth in the Resolution passed by the entire 80 member WPDCC on June 20, 2022, specifically:
1) Appointing a Housing Commissioner to coordinate the nine different City departments and agencies involved in Affordable Housing; and
2) Prepare and distribute reports twice a year about the City’s Affordable Housing progress and provide an accounting of the City’s affordable housing assistance fund.
Mayor Brasch also must finally implement the recommendation from the “City of White Plains Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice,” March 2020 from the City’s Planning staff:
“The public resistance to planned development, especially projects that reference anything about ‘affordable housing’ is another challenge noted by Planning Department staff. It is a fascinating paradox that the most commonly cited concern by White Plains residents appears to be the lack of affordable housing; and yet once an affordable housing option is proposed, neighbors protest. An educational campaign can help inform the public about the benefits of affirmatively furthering fair housing.”
I am a 1961 graduate of White Plains High School. My wife and I moved to White Plains in 1977 and have raised our three daughters here, all graduates of White Plains High School. After retiring from my law practice, I served as a White Plains Democratic District Leader in my Rosedale neighborhood until 2026. For seven years, I have volunteered as a pro bono attorney for the Safe Passage Project representing unaccompanied immigrant children seeking asylum in the United States for which in April 2024 I received the New York State Bar Association President’s Pro Bono Service Award.
Ben Brown, Esq. | Pic and Bio coming soon
Add your voice to the effort for a more open, fair, and accountable White Plains—and help our community flourish.
CAWS membership is only $25 per year. Your dues fund our research and advocacy for effective government in White Plains.
To become a member, complete the Membership Form below. Unless you are an elected or appointed official or are otherwise ineligible under our bylaws, your application will be approved, and you will receive a welcome letter with a link to pay your first-year dues.
Members who have paid their dues gain exclusive access to our research and will receive our newsletter and event invitations.
Thank you. Borrowing from the U.S. Army slogan, join us in helping White Plains “Be All It Can Be”!
Join the CAWS Today
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