PAUL RAMIREZ, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Partner at Mainland Media LLC, was born and raised in the Parkchester section of the Bronx. Mainland Media has partnered with numerous organizations both inside and outside of the Bronx to accomplish its goal of improving the borough’s image. Mr. Ramirez received his BA in Philosophy with a specialization in Ethics and Public Policy, as well as a BS in Music, from Lehman College. Shortly after graduation, he worked as the Deputy Director of Wildcat Service Corporations Young Adult Internship Program (YAIP). YAIP provides young adults with a paid orientation, training and work, followed by services and assistance for placement in permanent jobs, training programs and educational opportunities. While working as the Deputy Director of YAIP, Mr. Ramirez also managed several Bronx-based musical acts, including the Steven Oquendo Latin Jazz Orchestra. He joined Mainland Media and its subsidiary From the Bronx in 2010, and opened the Bronx Beer Hall in 2013. Currently a member of Bronx Community Board 6 and the Jamaica Food Entrepreneurship and Services Training Space Advisory Council, Mr. Ramirez also sits on the Junior Board for the Bronx-based nonprofit, Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corporation (WHEDco).