Community Advisory Board

Grauven Olivares is a passionate community leader, advocate, and devoted mother of three committed to advancing equitable opportunities for families across New York City.

Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New York City from the age of five, Grauven brings a deeply personal perspective to her civic and community work. Her experiences raising a family, particularly in Section 8 housing, inform her motivation to ensure that every family has access to the resources, services, and opportunities they need to thrive, regardless of their background or zip code.

Since 2018, Grauven has served on the Community Education Council 1 (CEC1) and currently serves as its President, working alongside parents, educators, and school leaders to strengthen public education and ensure families have a meaningful voice in decisions affecting their children. She has also served on the Manhattan Community Board 3 since 2021, where she advocates for community priorities related to education, health care, youth, older adults, and human rights.

A natural connector and coalition-builder, Grauven partners with community organizations and neighborhood networks to expand access to early childhood education, multilingual family resources, youth programming, and other community-driven initiatives. Families know her as someone who shows up whether she is helping parents navigate Pre-K and 3-K enrollment, advocating for safer neighborhoods and more after school programming, or leading efforts at Greenwich House.

As Chair of the NYC Health + Hospitals/ Gouverneur Community Advisory Board, Grauven uses her passion for listening, collaboration, and community empowerment to ensure the voices and experiences of local residents help inform the health system’s work.