NAC - Key Persons
Adam Epstein, Treasurer, is a Managing Director, Private Wealth Advisor, and Family Office Consultant with UBS Private Wealth Management. As the leader and founder of Epstein Partners, Adam and his team help ultra-high net worth families, family offices, and foundations achieve their most important goals by providing sophisticated and highly custom wealth management solutions. Prior to joining UBS, Adam was a Director at Credit Suisse and a Principal at Alliance Bernstein. Over the years, Adam has received numerous industry awards, including Barron's Top Financial Advisors, Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors, Financial Times Top 400 Financial Advisers, and Forbes Top 250 Financial Advisors.
In addition to his role at NAC, Adam currently serves on the Hun School's Investment Committee and Alumni Board and on the Jewish Community Project's Development Committee. Previously, Adam served as President of the Mercer County, NJ, Estate Planning Council.
Adam holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst®(CIMA®) designation and is a graduate of Bucknell University, where he was a Varsity tennis team member. Still an active tennis player, Adam is currently President of the Aspatuck Tennis Club and sits on the Israeli Tennis Federation Board of Directors.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director & Vice President of Corporate Affairs at NBCUniversal
Adam L. Miller is the Executive Director & Vice President of Corporate Affairs at NBCUniversal and formerly the President of the New York Office of The Abernathy MacGregor Group, Inc. (AMG). He headed the Group's media communications and entertainment practice. Prior to joining AMG in 1994, Mr. Miller worked at Ogilvy Adams & Rinehart specializing in mergers and acquisitions and corporate communications for a variety of industries. Mr. Miller holds a B.A. degree in Philosophy from Hamilton College and has completed the Leadership in Professional Service firms class at Harvard Business School
Alex Okun became NAC's Medical Director in 2014. Dr. Okun received his B.S. in Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry from Yale University and his M.D. from Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons. He is board-certified in General Pediatrics and Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics. Prior to joining NAC, he was Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) and Associate Director of the Pediatrics Residency Training Program at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. Before working in Wisconsin, Dr. Okun held faculty appointments at Einstein College of Medicine and directed pediatric complex care programs at Jacobi Medical Center and the Children's Hospital at Montefiore in the Bronx. He has taught, presented, and published on topics in medical education, bioethics, and primary and specialty care for children with medical complexity, those with life-limiting conditions, and those whose families are child welfare involved. Dr. Okun served on the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Committee on Bioethics and the AAP Section on Home Care, completing 4 years as its chairperson in 2018.
Allison Penn is a licensed psychoanalyst and psychotherapist with a private practice in New York City. Prior to her work as a therapist, Allison worked for many years as an attorney, serving as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and as an Assistant Solicitor General in the New York State Attorney General's Office. Allison received her license in psychoanalysis and psychotherapy from the National Institute for the Psychotherapies in New York in 2017. She received her J.D. from N.Y.U. Law School in 1998 and her B.A. from Cornell University in 1991.
Job Titles:
- Educational Director of the Park Slope Schoolhouse
Ashley Davis is the Educational Director of the Park Slope Schoolhouse, a non-profit early childhood program, and she is an Adjunct Professor at Queens College Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education. Ashley holds a BS in Child and Family Studies from Syracuse University, a Masters of Arts in Early Childhood Special Education from New York University, and a Masters in Administration/Supervision from Hunter College. Her passion for working with children and families began as a young adult when she coached the Special Olympics Swim Team and took them to the World Games.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director in the Investment Bank at J.P. Morgan
Bryan Beller is a Managing Director in the investment bank at J.P. Morgan. He focuses on the media and communications sectors. Bryan began his career at Salomon Brothers in 1996.
Job Titles:
- Associate Executive Director
Cy Orfield has 20 years of Child Welfare experience and earned an MSW from Hunter College School of Social Work. He came to New Alternatives for Children (NAC) in 2017. Prior to that, he was Vice President of Foster Home Services at JCCA. In 2016 he received ACS's LGBTQ Outstanding Provider Award for Improving Services to LGBTQ Youth. He has trained in the Sanctuary Model - a trauma-informed approach to understanding individuals and organizations. At NAC, he oversees Foster Care, Champions for Children's Health, Education, the Post Legal Adoption Network, Safe Haven and Staff Training. Since coming to NAC he has implemented the Child Welfare Training Series, Social Justice Discussion Series, the Safe Haven Program (which serves LGBTQI+ youth and their families), and has been the driving force behind NAC's New York State approval to provide continuing education to NY licensed social workers. He is the proud co-leader of the NAC Strategic Plan's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee and Strategic Growth & Enhanced Program Committee.
David Sorkin - Chief Legal Officer, President
Job Titles:
- Chief Legal Officer
- Executive
- President
David Sorkin is the Chief Legal Officer and a Partner at KKR. Prior to joining KKR in 2007, Mr. Sorkin was a partner in the law firm of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. Mr. Sorkin is a graduate of Williams College and Harvard Law School. From 1984 to 1985, he clerked for the Hon. Charles M. Merrill of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- Founder
Dr. Arlene Goldsmith, who served as NAC's first Executive Director, transitioned to the role of Founder in March 2024. Her leadership for NAC's first 42 years has garnered awards and enabled NAC to grow into into an agency that has succeeded in areas where others have not. In 1981, she was called on to create an agency to address an injustice of immense proportions: medically fragile children who were living in hospitals because their families didn't have the resources to care for them at home. Driven by the strong belief that every child, regardless of their ability, deserves the same opportunities as all children, Dr. Goldsmith created a ground-breaking and innovative agency model of 360 degrees of interdisciplinary care for children and their entire family. Dr. Goldsmith has been and continues to be a leader in child welfare reform and a fierce advocate for children with disabilities.
Before joining NAC, Dr. Goldsmith held numerous diversified social work positions, having spent 25 years as a practitioner in the field of human services. She has served as Educational Program Specialist at the Council on Social Work Education, evaluating accreditation for professional social work programs throughout the U.S., and as Educational Coordinator at the Metropolitan Placement Unit of the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, working on the deinstitutionalization of children with developmental disabilities. She has also worked in child welfare agencies as both a practitioner and supervisor, and has served as a faculty member of Hunter/Lehman College, teaching and counseling students and teachers at their educational clinic.
Dr. Goldsmith holds a Master of Social Work degree from Columbia University School of Social Work and a PhD in Social Work from Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service, with a specialization in Child Welfare. Dr. Goldsmith is recognized as an expert in child welfare policy, and is the author of "Those Children", a case study and evaluation that offers human service professionals guidance in working with inner-city children.
Dr. Goldsmith is a friend and a mentor to almost every child who walks through NAC's doors. Her compassion and uncompromising leadership have enabled thousands of medically complex children and their siblings to live with a family of their own - either birth or adoptive - and lead a better quality of life. Many of the first children NAC helped to leave the hospital are now attending and graduating college, working in the community and succeeding in areas never thought possible. Dr. Goldsmith believes that every child, regardless of their physical ability, deserve the same opportunities as all children.
As a result of her work at NAC, and "in recognition of her pioneering efforts to give hospital-bound, chronically ill children a chance to live in a loving family," Dr. Arlene Goldsmith was named a Robert Wood Johnson Community Health Leader in 1994. Dr. Goldsmith was one of ten leaders around the country to receive this $100,000 award for NAC, which recognizes "leaders who are overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles to provide care to the millions slipping through the cracks." In January 1998, Arlene Goldsmith received a prestigious Lewis Hine Award from the National Child Labor Committee, presented in honor of outstanding service on behalf of children and youth. The Robin Hood Foundation named Dr. Goldsmith as the recipient of their Hero's Award in December 1998 and presented NAC with the accompanying $25,000 check. Most recently in 2009, Dr. Goldsmith was one of three respected members of the social work profession inducted into the Columbia University School of Social Work Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame honors distinguished Columbia University School of Social Work alumni/ae who have made outstanding contributions to the theory and/or practice of social work and who, by their example, have added distinction to the social work profession. In 2010, Dr. Goldsmith was presented with the Foster Care Leadership Award by the Rowell Foster Children's Positive Plan and the Annie E. Casey Foundation for her steadfast commitment to children placed in foster care. She was also made a Fellow at the Academy of Medicine. In 2020, she was honored with a Clara Lemlich Award for Social Activism, and in 2021, Dr. Goldsmith was named as a leader in the 2021 Responsible 100, the New Yorkers who are making the world a better place, by City and State.
Dr. David Goldstein, a NYS Licensed Psychologist, was appointed NAC's Executive Director in March 2024. He is only the second Executive Director in NAC's four plus decades of operation. Prior to becoming Executive Director, Dr. Goldstein served as NAC's Chief Operating Officer from 2018-2024. As COO, Dr. Goldstein oversaw NAC's Medical and Mental Health clinics, Quality Improvement, Facility Management, Research Department and Home and Community Based Services. Dr. Goldstein has over 37 years of experience working in child welfare. He is a discerning mental health executive and senior clinician with proven success building robust clinical services, implementing evidence-based therapeutic programs, and optimizing cost/time efficiencies. Dr. Goldstein is at the forefront of trauma-informed treatment for children involved in the child welfare system.
From 2003-2017 he held leadership positions with the Jewish Child Care Association (JCCA) of New York City, including Vice President, Child Health and Well Being; Director of Psychology, Community Based Programs; and Coordinator of Psychology, Foster Boarding Home Program; prior to which he was VP of Specialized Programs for St. Mary's Children and Family Services. Dr. Goldstein received his Doctor of Psychology, Cum Laude, from Pace University and his BA in Psychology, Cum Laude from SUNY Albany.
Dr. Hazel M. Carter has over 36 years' experience in education reform programs, curriculum development, program design, evaluation, grant writing and teaching at both school and college levels. She is currently an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at The City College of New York. Her career as a college professor, a school teacher, and a former administrator is grounded in the belief that all students can learn. Dr. Carter strongly believes that educators must embrace the community (higher education institutions, school systems, faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, parents, and business and government agencies) in creating an environment that supports effective teaching and learning. Her books, Creating Effective Community Partnerships: a Guide for School Leaders, and Leadership of After-School and Supplemental Education: Creating Seamless Pathways to Postsecondary Life encourage educational leaders to embrace the community and to focus on the often overlooked and underutilized college and university partnerships.
To this end, she works with public school personnel and colleges to improve the quality of education for at risk students through systemic change initiatives in New York City. As a director of several pipeline programs funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Ford Foundation, Kellogg Foundation and Lumina Foundation, she was successful in preparing middle and high school students for persistence and success in post-secondary education and in increasing the number of minority students in teaching.
As the Executive Director of several school-college pipeline programs, Dr. Carter had an "aha" moment: no amount of money or creative programs can impact student achievement without effective leadership. She turned her attention to the area that is sometimes overlooked in school improvement: leadership preparation. Effective school reform resulting in improved student achievement will only occur if educational leaders make it happen, therefore, the next step in her career was to work with aspiring leaders in the School of Education at the City College of New York. Dr. Carter prepares teachers to be school building leaders and school district leaders and has worked with New York State Department of Education in reforming several teacher and leadership certification programs.
Dr. Carter was recognized by the City University of New York as one of the recipients of Major Institutional Grants for Public Service awards and received the community service award from the Trinidad and Tobago Alliance, North America. Additionally, she received the Trinidad and Tobago Heritage award from the New York City Council, the Mid-Brooklyn Civic Association, and has been cited by the United States Congress for her work in community engagement.
She is a Board member of the American Foundation of the University of the West Indies. She has membership in several professional associations including, Global Women's Fund, the International Consortium of Caribbean Professionals, American Educational Research Association, and the Metropolitan Council of Educational Administration Programs.
Dr. Carter received a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Higher Education Administration from New York University. Additionally, she holds a Masters of Science degree in Non-Profit
Job Titles:
- Director of Mental Health Services
Dr. Khalid Khan is a Board Certified Child, Adolescent and Adult Psychiatrist serving as the Director of Mental Health Services at New Alternatives for Children (NAC). He completed his Adult psychiatric residency training and fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Mount Sinai Hospital, N.Y., New York. Additionally, he completed a fellowship program in Psychopharmacologic Treatments of Developmental Disorders at the Seaver Center for Autism Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, N.Y. He continues to maintain his affiliation with Mount Sinai Hospital as a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Voluntary Faculty, and teaching Psychiatry Residents/Fellows. Prior to joining NAC, he has also served as a psychiatric consultant for a social services agency, caring for people with Developmentally Disabilities, and the Clarkstown School District in Rockland County, N.Y. Dr. Khan has extensive experience in diagnosing and treating a wide range of mental disorders with particular interest in Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Elizabeth S. Pforzheimer is one of the founding Board Members of NAC and served as Board President from 1982-2008. She is a member of the board of Bank Street College of Education and a trustee emerita of Wellesley College and Blythedale Children's Hospital.
Eugene A. Pinover is a former Partner and Chair of the New York Real Estate Practice DLA Piper, LLP. He is a member of the Board of Directors of VEREIT Corporation and the Supervisory Board of the Yale School of Music.
Fern June Khan, MSW, is Dean Emerita of Bank Street College Division of Continuing Education. Previously, she was an Associate Dean at LaGuardia Community College where she developed programs for underserved populations from 1971-1989. Ms. Khan received her B.Sc and MSW from NYU during the ‘60s. She currently serves on several nonprofit boards.
Job Titles:
- Director of Human Resources
Gail joined New Alternatives for Children overseeing the Human Resources Department in 2006. She started her career in human resources management at hospitals and subsequently worked at social service agencies. During her career, she has provided strategic and tactical oversight of all human resources functions, including recruitment, compensation, benefits, employee relations, and training. Her background includes experience in program development, internal consulting, legal-related issues, and policy writing and implementation.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer of VEREIT
Glenn J. Rufrano is the Chief Executive Officer of VEREIT. Since assuming the role of CEO on April 1, 2015, he has reconstituted the Board of Directors, formalized a new management team and implemented a business plan to guide the Company's strategy. Prior to VEREIT, he was CEO of O'Connor Capital Partners, a real estate investment firm he co-founded in 1983. From 2010 to 2013 he was Global President and CEO of Cushman & Wakefield, Inc., and previously, held executive leadership roles at Centro Properties Group and New Plan Excel Realty Trust, Inc., as well as previously serving on the Boards of General Growth Properties, Trizec Properties, Inc., Columbia Property Trust, Inc. and Ventas, Inc.
Job Titles:
- Corporate Partner in the New York Office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Jennifer Perkins is a corporate partner in the New York office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP where she represents clients in complex domestic and cross-border acquisitions and disposition. Jennifer has extensive experience representing private equity sponsors in a broad range of industries. She also advises clients on structuring, negotiating and executing minority investments in private equity and other asset management firms. Jennifer serves on the Board of Directors of DOROT, a nonprofit social service organization providing a wide range of services for seniors, and is a member of the Board of Trustees of Larchmont Temple.
Jenny Traslavina became NAC's Director of Development in June 2019. She has over 25 years of experience in non-profit development and has held various positions at NAC since 2003. Initially hired as a Development Associate, she was subsequently promoted to Assistant Director of Development, prior to her current role. Ms. Traslavina is responsible for overseeing the Development Department's overall fundraising strategy, as well as, NAC's Annual Gala and special events, individual donor relations, and all marketing and public relations efforts. She holds a BA in English Literature from New York University.
Jill Sabin Garner is a consultant with Halza, an Asia-based health and medical social media platform. She is the Chairperson-elect of the New York State division of the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists and is the current Continuing Education Chair. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of Village Center for the Arts in New Milford, CT. Ms. Garner received a B.S. in Nursing (summa cum laude) from New York University, a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, and an M.S. from Columbia University. Prior to beginning a career in nursing, Ms. Garner developed residential real estate in Manhattan and Long Island.
Jonathan A. Knee is the Michael T. Fries Professor of Professional Practice in Media and Technology at Columbia Business School, where he also serves as co-Director of the Media and Technology Program. Mr. Knee has been an investment banker for over 25 years, at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Evercore, where he remains a senior advisor.
Joseph R. Ianniello, is a proven leader in the media industry with a successful track record of leading, evolving, growing and transforming businesses throughout his career. Ianniello founded and currently serves as Chairman and CEO of INLO Ventures, an investment and advisory firm in the telecom, media and technology sector.
Previously, Ianniello was the President and acting CEO of CBS Corporation prior to its merger with Viacom, Inc. in December of 2019, and most recently, served as the Chairman and CEO of CBS Entertainment Group until February 2020. In this role, he was responsible for overseeing all CBS-branded assets, including the CBS Television Network. Prior to his role as CEO, he served as Chief Operating Officer of CBS since 2013; Chief Financial Officer, CBS (2009-2013); and Chief Development Officer (2000-2005). He began at CBS in 1997. During his tenure in these senior executive roles, Ianniello was instrumental in positioning CBS as a global multiplatform premium content company. He acted on this vision through a number of key operational steps including the monetization of retransmission consent fees and reverse compensation from local television station affiliates, as well as the licensing of the CBS Corporation content around the world for digital streaming and broadband services. He also oversaw the launch of CBS All Access, CBS' digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, as well as Showtime's "over-the-top" streaming service, which together became one of the company's fastest growing initiatives. He also led all company acquisitions and divestitures for more than 10 years. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration at Pace University, where he serves today on its Board of Trustees, and a Master of Business Administration at Columbia University.
Laura Parsons is a licensed psychologist whose area of expertise is children under the age of five with developmental disabilities. She recently retired from New Alternatives for Children, where she was the Associate Director of Psychological Services. She is on the Board of Trustees of the American Folk Art Museum and the Board of Trustees of the Block Island Medical Center and is Chair Emeritus of the Board of Trustees of Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City. Laura also serves on the Advisory Board of the Berman Institute of Bioethics of Johns Hopkins University. Laura received her B.A. in History from the University of Hawaii, her M.A. in Early Childhood Special Education from Teachers College, and her Psy.D. in Child School Psychology from NYU.
Job Titles:
- Head of Global Corporate Banking and Global Leasing
Lisa Clyde is the head of Global Corporate Banking and Global Leasing at BofA Securities, the institutional broker dealer business of Bank of America. In this role, she leads a team of approximately 1,000 professionals across 45 cities in 30 countries-representing one of the most global businesses within Bank of America. Global Corporate Banking delivers credit, financing, cash management, payments and risk management solutions to more than 2,000 of the world's largest companies. Separately, Global Leasing is the largest U.S. bank-owned equipment financing company providing solutions to over 64,000 clients in 10 countries. A seasoned banker with extensive expertise and relationships in the consumer and retail space, Clyde previously served as Bank of America's global head of Consumer and Retail Investment Banking from 2013 to 2020. Prior to joining the firm in 2005, Clyde was a managing director in Morgan Stanley's Consumer and Retail Investment Banking division. She spent eight years at Morgan Stanley following a four-year tenure with Salomon Brothers' Retail Group. Clyde has served on Bank of America's Global Diversity and Inclusion Council and chaired the Diversity Council for Global Corporate and Investment Banking. Additionally, she has served and chaired the firm's Managing Director Promotion Committee for more than five years. Clyde has been recognized with a number of industry honors including "Most Notable Women on Wall Street" by Crain's New York Business, "Top 25 People Shaping Retail's Future" by the National Retail Federation and "Top 40 under 40 Dealmakers on Wall Street" by Dealmaker magazine. Clyde received an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from the University of California, Los Angeles. She is a board member of New Alternatives for Children and a member of C200, an invitation-only global senior women's business network. Clyde is based in New York City.
Lisa Martin is an educational consultant working with school administrators for children with special needs. She has over 24 years of experience in special education. She is one of the founders and the creator of the New Beginnings School in Fairfield, New Jersey, a school for children and adolescents with Autism. Lisa was a NAC volunteer for several years prior to joining the NAC board.
Job Titles:
- Director of Institutional Giving
Lisa Shaber, Director of Institutional Giving, is responsible for raising private and public grant funds for the agency. Prior to joining NAC in November 2018, Ms. Shaber served as Director of Institutional Giving at Center for Hope and Safety, an agency which serves women and children facing intimate partner violence, in Bergen County, NJ. She has an M.S. in Math Education from City College of New York, an M.B.A in Marketing Management from the Wharton School, and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania. Along with her experience writing and managing grants, Ms. Shaber brings a wide range of skills, including program planning and budgeting, that she uses effectively in her role at NAC.
Marian Adams Bott is a lobbyist and education finance expert. She currently serves as the Education Finance Issue Specialist for the League of Women Voters of New York State. Prior to that, Dr. Bott chaired the Education Committee of the Advisory Board of the New York City League of Women Voters. Dr. Bott holds an MBA from Stanford University, and earned her Doctoral Degree in Organizational Leadership from Columbia University Teacher's College.
Job Titles:
- Treasurer
- Chief Financial Officer of SimpliSafe
Mark H. FitzPatrick is the Chief Financial Officer of SimpliSafe, a leading home security company. Prior to SimpliSafe, he was the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Madison Square Garden Entertainment, a world leader in live experiences with a portfolio of iconic venues and entertainment brands. Previously, Mr. FitzPatrick was the Deputy Chief Financial Officer of WeWork, a leading worldwide provider of community-based workspace, and held a variety of senior finance roles at Time Warner Cable, most recently as the Chief Financial Officer of Residential Services. Mr. FitzPatrick graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree (with honors) from the University of Notre Dame and received a joint J.D. / M.B.A. (with honors) from Georgetown University. He currently resides in Darien, CT with his wife Elizabeth, and their three children.
Mark N. Kaplan is one of the founding Board Members of NAC. He is of counsel to the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. Mr. Kaplan is a member of the Board of Visitors of Columbia Law School, Trustee of Bard College and Simon's Rock College, and Trustee of Channel Thirteen/WNET.
Meryl Sherman is an active volunteer and fundraiser for NAC. She served as co-chair of NAC's Benefit Committee and has been involved with fundraising efforts for the March of Dimes and the Dalton School.
Job Titles:
- Associate Executive Director
Michael Celentano manages the day-to-day operations of the facility and of the agency's support services, ensuring that clients, staff and visitors can fully participate and benefit. He has overseen several capital and infrastructure projects for NAC, including the construction of its state-of-the-art Medical and Mental Health Clinic and a comprehensive facilities transformation.
Mr. Celentano received his MA in Drama Therapy from New York University and his BA in Human Development from Boston College. Prior to joining NAC, he served for ten years as the Supervisor of Medical Day Programs for St. Mary's Healthcare System for Children, an organization with which NAC partners closely.
Job Titles:
- Global Head of Media Company Partnerships for YouTube TV
Michelle is the Global Head of Media Company Partnerships for YouTube TV and YouTube Primetime Channels, a storefront, and feature that allows consumers to subscribe to and watch their favorite premium video channels within the YouTube ecosystem. In that role, she oversees business development, content negotiations, and partner management for all media company partners for those multi-billion dollar businesses. During her tenure at the company, she has seen the growth of YouTube TV from a 1M subscriber new entrant into the top 5 pay TV provider in the industry. She led the launch of Primetime Channels on YouTube and along with her team negotiated all content deals for the 35+ streaming services featured at launch (with more to come). She most recently negotiated YouTube's groundbreaking deal with the NFL to distribute NFL Sunday Ticket on both Primetime Channels and YouTube TV.
Before joining YouTube, Michelle was Senior Vice President, Chief Counsel, Programming at Time Warner Cable, where she was responsible for content acquisition and distribution for the company's cable video business, regional sports networks, and local programming operations.
She has also served as an advisor and consultant to several digital media companies, including Refinery29 and FuboTV. She started her law career as an associate in the New York office of Morrison & Foerster and served as a judicial law clerk for the Hon. Barrington D. Parker, Jr. during his tenure as a U.S. District Court Judge for the S.D.N.Y.
Michelle holds a JD from Harvard Law School and a BA from the University of Virginia. She lives with her husband and son in Manhattan.
Job Titles:
- Partner at Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
Nancy Felsten is a Partner at Davis Wright Tremaine LLP. and advises advertising agencies and corporate clients on advertising, marketing and promotional matters. She also addresses copyright, trademark, privacy, First Amendment and trade secret and trade regulation issues. Nancy frequently represents clients in false advertising challenges before the National Advertising Division (NAD) of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, the NARB, television networks, the Federal Trade Commission and State Attorneys General.
Job Titles:
- Partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Nicole Washington is a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, where she is a key member of the Firm's Investment Funds Group.
Nicole is ranked as a leading investment funds lawyer by numerous publications. Most recently in 2022, Nicole was named to Crain's New York list of Notable Woman in Law and Savoy 2022 Most Influential Black Lawyers. In 2021 she was profiled as one of Law360's Fund Formation MVPs, one of the most coveted awards that recognizes leading lawyers for their involvement in record-breaking deals and complex global matters. In 2021 she was also recognized as a ‘Rising Star' by New York Law Journal as part of the 2021 New York Legal Awards and recognized as a ‘Next Generation Lawyer' by The Legal 500 US. In 2020, Nicole was named by Law360 to the Fund Formation "Rising Stars" list, an annual ranking that recognizes outstanding legal talent under 40 years old. Nicole was also recognized for her commitment to advancing the empowerment of women in law in Corporate Counsel where she was named as an honoree in the "Collaborative Leadership" category as part of the Women, Influence & Power in Law Awards 2020.
Nicole was recognized by The Council of Urban Professionals (CUP) as one of the 2021 "Catalysts in Law." Honorees were recognized for achieving extraordinary professional success while making significant and impactful contributions to their community through volunteerism, philanthropy, board service, and mentorship. Nicole serves as co-chair of Kirkland's Transactional Associate Review Committee and the New York Recruiting Committee and is a member of the Committees on Billings and Collections, Diversity and Inclusion and Firmwide Recruiting. She serves as a board member of PeacePlayers International and Just the Beginning and is on the advisory board of Asian University for Women.
Job Titles:
- Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer at at & T Inc
Pascal Desroches is the Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer at AT&T Inc. He is responsible for AT&T's finance shared services, financial planning, corporate development, accounting, tax, auditing, treasury, investor relations and corporate real estate.
Pascal previously served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of WarnerMedia and the Administrative Officer of Turner Broadcasting System Inc., with responsibility for all of WarnerMedia's financial operations as well as Turner's global communications, facilities, human resources, legal, strategy and research, security and technology organizations. Prior to his role with WarnerMedia, Pascal served as Turner's Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President and Global Controller of Time Warner (now WarnerMedia).
Pascal is an honors graduate of St. John's University where he received a BS in accounting. He received an MBA, with a concentration in corporate finance and management of organization, from the Columbia University Graduate School of Business.
Job Titles:
- Associate Executive Director
Patricia Bryant-Reid, LCSW, joined NAC in 2008 and serves as Associate Executive Director. Ms. Bryant-Reid completed her MSW at the Fordham Graduate School of Social Work. She is a key member of NAC's Executive Leadership team and oversees the following core programs and services: NAC's Special Medical Prevention Program, Partners in Parenting Program; Heathy@Home Program, Family Permanency Center, Youth Development Programs , and our Resource, Advocacy and Homelessness Prevention Program. In addition, Ms. Bryant-Reid has been instrumental in introducing, parent advocacy to our child welfare programs, accessed Federal funding and lead a multidisciplinary team in selecting an electronic health record, she selected and designed NACs Mobile Medical Van which enhanced medical services to children in NAC's child welfare program, and introduced clinical training in adoption to support adoption competency in our post-adoption programs.
Before joining NAC, she spent over 20 years as a practitioner and administrator in the community mental health sector where she had oversight responsibility for community mental health clinics, school based mental health clinics, and mobile crisis teams. Her academic experiences include a 5-year teaching fellowship in the Sociology Department at Hunter College, Assistant Director of Field Work Education, and an adjunct professorship at the Silberman School of Social Work where she taught the Seminar in Field Instruction.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Corporate Department
Robert B. Schumer is chair of the Corporate Department, a member of the Management Committee and is co-head of the Mergers and Acquisitions Group at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton, & Garrison LLP. Over the past 15 years, Bob has served as the lead lawyer in the negotiation and structuring of mergers and acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures and leveraged buyouts on behalf of a diverse range of clients, including public and private companies, private equity funds, financial institutions and other entities. He regularly provides strategic counsel to corporations and their boards of directors and special committees on corporate governance, fiduciary duty, M&A and other corporate matters. Bob also has significant experience in contested matters, including numerous unsolicited offers and proxy contests.
Robert D. Marcus, is the former Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Time Warner Cable Inc. Rob currently serves as an Executive Partner of XN LP, a New York-based hedge fund. He is a member of the boards of directors of Equifax Inc. (EFX), Ocean Outdoor Ltd (OOUT), and Newhouse Broadcasting Corporation. He also serves on the boards of several other non-profit organizations, including Uncommon Schools, Newark Academy, and Saint Barnabas Medical Center. Rob received a J.D. from Columbia Law School and a B.A. from Brown University.
Job Titles:
- President Emeritus
- Senior Advisor of the Blackstone Group L.P. He
Robert L. Friedman is a Senior Advisor of The Blackstone Group L.P. He is board chairman of Harrington Reinsurance Company Ltd. and is also a member of several not-for-profit boards.
Ronald J. Iervolino. Ron is retired from Guggenheim Partners where he was a Sr. Managing Director within the Investment Bank. He is currently Co-Chairman of Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company, a $ 1.5 Billion sustainable infrastructure fund. Ron also serves as Co-Chairman and President of Children's Cancer and Blood Foundation at New York Presbyterian Hospital.
Job Titles:
- Chief Legal Officer for Global Atlantic Financial Group
- Member of Cornell 's Engineering College Council
Sam is the Chief Legal Officer for Global Atlantic Financial Group, with responsibilities for legal, compliance, regulatory and government affairs, corporate governance and internal audit. In addition, he serves on the Company's Operations and Management Committees. Sam received his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Cornell University and his Master of Science degree in systems engineering from NYU Tandon School of Engineering. He served as law clerk to Judge C. Arlen Beam of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals before joining the New York law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell. He left S&C to join Goldman, Sachs & Co. where he served as a Managing Director & Associate General Counsel and was a founding member of the Goldman Sachs Reinsurance Group, which spun out and was renamed Global Atlantic Financial Group. In 2021, Global Atlantic was acquired by the global investment manager KKR & Co. Inc.
Job Titles:
- Senior Partner in Special Acquisition Services Group at Deloitte
Steven Amato is a Senior Partner in Special Acquisition Services Group at Deloitte in New York City, where his responsibility is to provide accounting, M&A structuring and transaction advisory services to both private equity and strategic buyers. His primary focus is on transactions in the sports, media and entertainment industries. In addition to serving as the National M&A leader for the sports, media and entertainment industry practice, Steve is the lead client service partner on many of the firms largest domestic and international clients.
Susan Gevertz is a health care consultant with over 25 years of experience in senior positions in hospital administration. Susan also provides strategic consulting services through The Acceleration Project (TAP). She serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the Westchester County Health Care Corporation and a number of its subsidiary organizations and serves as Chair of the Committee on Quality Care. She is also a member of the Advisory Board for Citizen's Committee for Children (CCC) and provides counsel to numerous community-based organizations.
Job Titles:
- Global Head of Principal Securities Lending at State Street
Taryn Siglain is the Global Head of Principal Securities Lending at State Street. Previously, Taryn held a variety of roles during her 15-year tenure at Morgan Stanley including Head of Americas Secured Funding and Collateral Trading, Vice President Investor Relations, Global Head Client Financing Strategy, and Vice President Corporate Treasury. During her time at Morgan Stanley, Taryn co-founded an employee diversity and inclusion committee to promote open dialogue and education on D&I topics. She is a founding member and the former President of the NAC Junior Board. Taryn holds a BS in Corporate Finance and Accounting from Bentley University.
Job Titles:
- Attorney and Legal Analyst
Terri D. Austin is an attorney and legal analyst who has appeared on a number of networks including ABC News, CBS News, Inside Edition, Fox 11, Court TV, and Law and Crime. She previously served as an Adjunct Professor at USC, Annenberg School of Journalism. Prior to that, she served in numerous roles including Chief Corporate Policy Officer for S&P Global, Chief Diversity Officer for AIG, Litigation Associate at Richards & O'Neil, and Assistant Counsel at the New York City Law Department. Ms. Austin holds a BA in political science from Grinnell College, a JD from Columbia University School of Law, and a MS degree from the Columbia School of Journalism. She is a member of the New York City Bar Association, and has served on a number of non-profit boards including Riverdale Country School.
Tom Newman is a media executive focused on the digital space. He is the co-founder of Kelly Newman Ventures, and the former President of Interactive One, the digital division of Radio One. He has also served as AOL's Senior Vice President of Network Development. Mr. Newman graduated from Harvard College and earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School. He is involved in several not-for-profit organizations, including serving as a Board Member and Treasurer for Asphalt Green.
Job Titles:
- Partner at Public Pension Capital
Tom Uger is a Partner at Public Pension Capital, a private equity firm. Prior to joining PPC, Mr. Uger was a Partner at Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. He holds a B.A. from Dartmouth College. He lives in New York City with his wife and three sons.
Vivian Farah is retired from Saks Fifth Avenue where she was the Vice President, DMM. She has served on several boards and fundraising committees including the Rye Country Day School, Harmonie Club, Trinity School (Atlanta, Georgia), and Young Audiences of Atlanta.