Ricky Cortez’s Professional &

Community Volunteerism Background

 

 

Ricky is the Poconos area alliance representative for Rent Responsibly.  He has attended meetings and participated for the past few years in the Tobyhanna and Coolbaugh Township Short-Term Rental ordinance discussions. As an owner who vacations often with his family, rents to vacationers, and plans to retire here, he is extremely dedicated to sensible regulations while mitigating issues and bridging the gap between residents, vacationers, and owners who rent to them. 

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 “I was so extremely lucky to have intelligent and enthusiastic people like you helping shape its development (STR ordinance). Your personal input really helped shape what the draft looks like today, and I can’t thank you enough for your amazing contributions to this township.” - Former Tobyhanna Township Community Engagement Coordinator

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• PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

  • Witness.org and International Human Rights non-profit

    • Director of Technology

  • OWN Charter School

    • Director of Technology + Media & Community Outreach Coordinator

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• COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE​

  • Poconos Association of Vacation Rental Owners

    • Executive Director​

  • Camelot Forest Conservation Association 

    • Board Member: Recreation Director 

  • LGBT Families

    • Founding Board Member.  Creating safe spaces for non-traditional family planning

  • 670 President Coop

    • Board Member of Coop in Brooklyn, when he lived in Brooklyn

  • Tuscan PTA

    • Board Corresponding Secretary. Website, Newsletter, and Community Communication liaison for Parents, Staff, and Students

  • Poconos Sewing Volunteers 

    • Immediate grassroots response to COVID-19 - organized local teams, and distributed 1,500 masks to essential workers and local organizations like the Pocono Hunger Pantries and Clymer Library & Fire Dept.

  • Poconos Vacation Homes 

    • A Community Reporting and Communication tool to bridge the gap between Residents, Owners who flexibly rent, and our Visitors

  • Rent Responsibly

    • Area alliance representative with PVH for the Pocono Region

  • LNVHHA

    • Executive Member. The Lake Naomi Vacation Home Host Alliance community exists to support and promote effective management of vacation rental activities within the Lake Naomi community

  • ALROA

    • ​Executive Member.  The goal is to ensure ongoing, positive contributions from owners who flexibly rent and overall activities in the ALCA community

  • AirBnB Ambassador & Expedia/Vrbo Alliance member

    • Dedicated to proper training, regulations, and balance locally and nationally for travelers

  • LNC Diversity Task Force - Diversity Statement

    • Communications Liaison

    • * Diversity Discussion: ADOPTION lead by Ricky Cortez

  • ALCA

    • Budget Committee​

      • Member

    • Restatement Process​

      • Involved in providing feedback for the Committee from the perspective of owners to vacation with their family and also rent.​

    • Technology Ad Hoc​ Team

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• PUBLISHED ARTICLES​

  • ​The Boro & Towne - OP-ED

    • ​Vacation Rentals Are Community’s Lifeblood

  • Pocono Tourism - Video

    • ​Inside Short-Term Vacation Rentals in the Pocono Mountains

  • Rent Responsibly - Article

    • Peak Leadership - How Ricky Cortez models responsible vacation rental hosting in the Poconos 

      • * Top 10 Featured Articles of 2021!​