The West Harlem Development Corporation (WHDC), a nonprofit established in 2009 to enhance the lives of Manhattanville residents, is facing scrutiny over alleged mismanagement of millions of dollars it has received from Columbia University. Over 15 years, the university has provided WHDC with $96 million, but critics argue the organization has squandered a significant opportunity, with its assets dwindling to just over $56 million.
Questions Surrounding Leadership
Central to the controversy is the tenure of Zead Ramadan, who was appointed executive director in 2020. Ramadan, 57, previously managed a cafe and a sandwich business, and sources suggest he lacked prior experience in fund management. Despite this, WHDC board members reportedly described his hiring as the result of an "exhaustive" cross-country search that utilized a consultant costing over $150,000.
Ramadan's salary has also drawn attention. He earned $147,000 in his first year as executive director in 2021, with his compensation rising to more than $225,000 by 2024, a 53 percent increase. One current WHDC board member defended the selection, stating Ramadan was chosen because he "really knew Harlem" due to his extensive community involvement.
However, not all within the organization have expressed confidence. One board member, who led the search committee, reportedly resigned immediately after Ramadan's appointment. Ramadan himself has faced separate allegations, including a federal lawsuit filed by a former WHDC board member and employee who accused Ramadan of making racist and antisemitic remarks and harassing colleagues. The lawsuit also alleges that the board chair failed to intervene in these complaints. WHDC has denied these allegations, and the case is ongoing.
Court documents further outline accusations of harassment and verbal abuse by Ramadan towards female employees. One employee reportedly requested a move to a different office due to his alleged bullying, while another, who was pregnant, was allegedly fired after complaining about his conduct in 2025. An email from this employee described Ramadan's tone and language as consistently unprofessional, creating an unsafe and emotionally exhausting work environment.
Financial Stewardship and Investment Performance
Despite receiving a substantial endowment from Columbia University, WHDC has not initiated major construction or long-term projects. The nonprofit's assets are held in an investment account at First Boston, generating approximately $2 million in annual interest. This interest income is reportedly equivalent to the amount WHDC awards each year to community groups for various activities, such as staging music festivals and distributing Thanksgiving turkeys. This means the principal fund is not growing.
In the previous year, WHDC paid $173,000 in investment management fees. An analysis suggests that if WHDC had invested its initial $17 million check from Columbia into a stock market tracker, the fund could have grown to approximately $205 million by now. The group has been criticized for squandering what is described as a "generational opportunity" to improve the Manhattanville area.
Ramadan has deep ties to both Columbia University and the Harlem community. His wife serves as vice dean for finance and administration at Columbia. Before his role at WHDC, Ramadan was a member of Manhattan's Community Board 12 for 15 years and a founding board member of the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Education Center, where he operated the X Cafe.
WHDC and Ramadan did not respond to requests for comment regarding these allegations and financial practices.