Since 2002, Mr. Gudaitis has served as Executive Director & CEO of New York Disaster Interfaith Services (NYDIS) and its affiliate the Emergency Shelter Network (ESN) – as well as the Chair of New York VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster), and President of the National Disaster Interfaith Network (NDIN).
Founded in 2001, in response to 9/11 recovery needs, NYDIS is a 501(c)(3) federation of over 60 faith-based human service providers, charitable organizations and faith communities working in partnership to provide disaster readiness, response, and recovery services for New York City – and supports recovery in disaster-impacted communities with a direct connection to NYC communities. NYDIS collaborates with local, state, and national organizations to facilitate the delivery of non-sectarian spiritual care, mental health services, emergency relief, recovery services and emergency planning programs – as well as providing mitigation education, preparedness training, and other resilience resources and tools to the New York City faith sector and its partners. NYDIS’ relief and recovery services are principally targeted toward under-resourced victim’s families, survivors, and impacted under-served, immigrant, and other marginalized communities. Its affiliate, ESN, provides shelter services for asylum seekers and people experiencing homeless as well as homeless mitigation programs and services.
Currently, NYDIS has over 40 employees whose work is supported by a $22M annual budget supported by $110M in multi-year contract as well as other donations and grants. On a monthly basis, NYDIS’ direct services currently serves over 15,000 asylum seekers as well as ongoing support to Hurricane Ida impacted households and Puerto Rico evacuee households. NYDIS’ Faith Sector Resilience programs annually provide training, preparedness tools and other programming reaches over 10,000 lay and ordained NYC religious leaders or their congregations as well as their nonprofit and government partners.
In addition to many institutional awards and honors, in 2012, Mr. Gudaitis was appointed to the New York State Respond Commission by Governor Andrew Cuomo. In 2015, he was appointed to the New York City Charitable Organization & House of Worship Recovery Task Force by then New York City Council Speaker, Melissa Mark-Viverito. Since 2016 he has been the Co-Chair of the NYC Faith Sector Community Preparedness Program Advisory Board of the NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene. And, in 2018, he was appointed to the New York State Puerto Rico Recovery & Reconstruction Committee by Governor Andrew Cuomo. Since 2022, he has served on the FDNY Clergy Council. In 2022, he was recognized as one of City & State’s Responsible 100 executives and in 2024, he received their inaugural Above & Beyond in Social Service honors. In 2024, NYDIS was named the National VOAD Member of the Year.
Mr. Gudaitis holds a B.A. from Kenyon College, and an M.Div. from the General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church. He lives in Westchester County, New York, with his husband, the Hon. Anthony Cannataro, an Associate Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals, and their dog, Luca.