As QCH Marks 50 Years, Ben Thomases Appointed CEO and Leadership Team Expands

Queens, NY — Queens Community House (QCH), one of the borough’s largest and most impactful social service organizations, announced today that its Board of Directors has approved a change in the title of its senior officer, Ben Thomases, from Executive Director to Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

The title change comes as QCH celebrates its 50th anniversary year and reflects the organization’s dramatic growth under Thomases’s leadership over the past decade. When Thomases was appointed Executive Director in 2014, QCH had an annual operating budget of $14 million. Today, the organization has grown to a $44 million agency serving 28,000 people each year through 40 program sites in 15 Queens neighborhoods.

“The board's Executive Committee unanimously approved the motion to change Ben’s title from Executive Director to Chief Executive Officer,” said Michael Stellman, President of the QCH Board of Directors. “The title of Executive Director reflected an earlier era when QCH was a smaller organization. Over the past decade, Ben has transformed QCH into one of the city’s leading settlement houses. Under his leadership, the organization’s operating budget has tripled and our reach now extends to 28,000 Queens residents annually.

"Ben has also led critical capital and advocacy campaigns, modernized our facilities, and built a professional executive team that includes a Chief Financial Officer, Chief Program Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Strategy Officer. With this team in place, Ben’s focus will increasingly center on long-term strategy, fundraising, and deepening QCH’s relationships with external partners. His leadership has not only expanded our capacity but has also elevated QCH’s standing as a trusted and dynamic institution in Queens and New York City. The Board is proud to recognize the scale and impact of his contributions with the title of Chief Executive Officer.”

QCH recently promoted Robin Veenstra-VanderWeele to Chief Program Officer (CPO), a newly created role that will help further integrate and strengthen the organization’s 60+ programs. Veenstra-VanderWeele, who has led QCH’s Youth Services department for the past four years, will now oversee all four core program areas—Youth Services, Young Adult Services, Community Services, and Older Adult Services—ensuring alignment with QCH’s mission and responsiveness to the borough’s evolving needs. Veenstra-VanderWeele brings over two decades of public and nonprofit leadership experience, including roles as Chief Program Officer at Partnership with Children and key positions in Nashville's Mayor's Office and Martha O'Brien Center. Her promotion reflects QCH’s continued investment in strong leadership and coordinated service delivery across Queens.

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About Queens Community House:

Queens Community House is one of the borough's largest nonprofit organizations, committed to serving the diverse neighborhoods of Queens. Serving more than 28,000 children, youth, adults, and older adults every year, QCH provides individuals and families with the tools to enrich their lives and build healthy, inclusive communities. Through a broad network of programs, QCH offers Queens residents a needed support system at every stage of life, helping them to develop the knowledge, confidence, and skills to change their lives for the better and become active participants in their larger community. QCH opened its doors in 1975 and is excited to celebrate 50 years of impact and community building across the borough this year.