board of directors - girl scouts of nassau county · 2019-11-19 · board of directors, officers...

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Board of Directors

Officers Members-At-Large Board Development Committee

Girl Scouts of Nassau County’s Board of Director’s

(To see individual Board Members bios and photos, click on the link)

OFFICERS

Andrea Elder-Howell, Esq.

President & Chief Volunteer Officer

Anthony Edelman

Executive Vice President

Roxanne Garcia France

Vice President

Christopher Pendergast

Vice President

Valerie Terzano

Vice President

Erica Rice

Treasurer

Christine Bonczyk

Secretary

MEMBERS-AT-LARGE

Dr. Nada Anid

Maritza Arroyo

Eileen Baker

Tonia Bottoms, Esq.

Lisa Burke

Austin Cannon, Jr.

Michele Cusack

Mark Florio

Lisa M. Gardner, Esq.

Julie Strachan Haiber, Esq.

Elizabeth Hill

Shari James

Christina Mendoza

Cathy O’Reilly

Bonnie Porzio

Seema Rahman

Sharon Ramnauth

Carol Ransom

Kelly Ann Poole-Reed, Esq.

Eric Rogers

George Santiago, Jr., Ph.D.

Lauren Summa

Dermond Thomas

Chloe Van Dorn

Milagros Vicente

Irene Villacci, Esq.

Allison Bishop White

BOARD DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

Natalie Borneo, Chair

Elizabeth Alford

Lisa Burke

Andrea Henderson

Carmel Mendoza

Carol Ransom

Melanie Sinesi

Valerie Terzano

Denise Voda

Andrea Elder-Howell was named Managing Director, Vice President-Legal of PSEG Long Island in July 2018. In this role, Ms. Elder-Howell leads the legal team on Long Island and provides legal guidance on a variety of issues to key stakeholders at the utility.

Previously, Ms. Elder-Howell served as Senior Commercial Counsel at PSEG Long Island, where she advised and represented the utility in legal matters and commercial transactions, supported the company’s strategic business plan and strategically addressed potential legal issues and concerns. She also reviewed, drafted and negotiated various commercial agreements while primarily supporting energy-related projects.

Prior to joining PSEG Long Island in 2014, Ms. Elder-Howell served as Vice President and Assistant General Counsel for RBS Sempra Commodities and Senior Commercial Counsel for KeySpan Energy/National Grid.

Ms. Elder-Howell has more than 20 years of experience working on sophisticated commercial transactions in the energy industry. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Queens College, her juris doctorate from Rutgers University School of Law and Master of Law in Taxation from New York University School of Law. She is a member of the Nassau Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She was recently appointed to serve on the Mentor New York Board, has served on the Girl Scouts of Nassau County Board for the past 6 years and previously served on the executive boards for the New York State Bar Association and the Nassau County Chapter of Jack & Jill of America, Inc. Ms. Elder-Howell has been recognized by the New York State Society of CPAs, Jack and Jill of America and New York State PTA for her dedication to promoting opportunities for youth on Long Island.

Anthony J. Edelman is serving as the Executive Vice President on the Board of Directors. He served three con-secutive terms as a Member-at-Large. An active member since 2001 Mr. Edelman has served as Cookie Manager for his wife and daughter’s Girl Scout troop, and contin-ues to volunteer for many different assignments in the Hicksville Association. He is the recipient of the GSUSA Appreciation and Honor Pins, and was recently recog-nized at GSNC’s 100th Anniversary Gala as the recipi-ent of the “Leader” award.

Mr. Edelman served as a trustee and President of the Hicksville Union Free School District Board of Education and as an elected member of the Nassau Suffolk School Board Association Executive Committee. He is a Past President and Director of National Affairs for National Association of Purchasing Managers – Long Island, and remains very active in community, church, professional and charitable organizations.

A graduate of the University of Phoenix with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Mr. Edelman is an Assistant Vice President of Bethpage Federal Credit Union, a community-based, full service financial insti-tution, committed to providing their members with extraordinary value and service, anytime, anywhere. The Edelman family resides in Hicksville.

Andrea Elder-Howell, Esq.President

Anthony EdelmanExecutive Vice President

*Incumbent

Board of Directors, Officers

Board of Directors, Officers (continued)

*Incumbent

Christopher Pendergast is serving as a Vice President on the Board of Directors after serving six years as a Member-at-Large. He previously served as a member of the Council Nominating Committee. Mr. Pendergast is proud to be a part of such a wonderful organization, and is very excited to have the opportunity to contribute. The father of a Gold Award Girl Scout and spouse of a Girl Scout Delegate Chair, cookie manager, troop leader and troop consultant, Mr. Pendergast is very familiar with the positive influence Girl Scouting can have on girls and young women.

Mr. Pendergast is Chief Technology Officer for Henry Schein. At Hofstra University’s Continuing Education pro-gram, Mr. Pendergast has developed and taught profes-sional development programs in Information Technology for more than 20 years.

Mr. Pendergast is committed to youth programs and up until 2010 was an active member of the Farmingdale Soccer Club. Since 1994, he has volunteered as a coach and manager for both girls and boys teams. A Trustee of St. James Church in Seaford, Mr. Pendergast has served on the Pastoral Council, Finance Committee, Fundraising Committee, and as a Lector and Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion.

Mr. Pendergast resides in Farmingdale with his wife Ursula and their two children. His daughter Lauren is a Gold Award recipient and lifetime member. Mr. Pendergast is a graduate of Hofstra University and holds both a B.B.A and M.B.A. degree.

Christopher PendergastVice President

Valerie Terzano has served three terms as a Member-at-Large of the Board of Directors and is now serving her first term as Vice President. In addition she is serving a second term as a member of the Board Development Committee (formerly the Council Nominating Committee).

Starting her career as a Nursing Supervisor at NYU Winthrop Hospital in 1982, Valerie Terzano currently holds the position of Chief Nursing Officer, Senior Vice President since 2000. She holds a Master of Science degree in Nursing Administration from Adelphi University and is currently seeking a PhD in Nursing from Molloy College. In 2008 Ms. Terzano received the Nursing Spectrum Excellence Award for Advancing and Leading the Profession. Her professional mem-berships include American Organization of Nurse Executives, Sigma Theta Tau, International Honor Society of Nursing, American Nurses Association, Emergency Nurses Association, American College of Healthcare Executives, and she is certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as Nurse Executive, Advanced. Valerie served as chairperson of the Nassau Suffolk Hospital Council Nurse Executive Committee, and currently serves on the Molloy College School of Nursing Advisory Board, and on the Curriculum Advisory Committee for Farmingdale State College. She is also a NYS Licensed Massage Therapist. She resides in Melville with her family.

Valerie TerzanoVice President


Erica RiceTreasurer

Erica Rice is serving as Treasurer on the Board of Directors. Ms. Rice is an audit manager with more than 15 years of professional experience at Berdon Accountants and Advisors, LLP and plays an integral role is the firm’s Employee Benefit Plan Practice. Erica has particular expertise in auditing and ac-counting for single and multiemployer employee benefit plans, labor unions, and not-for-profit organizations. She works closely with clients to help ensure that they fulfill gov-ernment compliance requirements, limit exposure to penal-ties, and leverage ways to increase efficiency.

Her experience extends to:l Executing all phases of audit engagements, including

planning, team supervision, and client relationsl Compliance payroll auditsl Preparing financial statementsl Cost allocation analysisl Assisting clients in Department of Labor (DOL)

examinationsl Governmental reporting— Forms 990, 990PF, and 5500l Preparing Form LM-2 for Labor Unions as required by the

DOLl Responding to IRS and DOL notices on behalf of clients

In addition to her responsibilities as audit manager, Erica develops education programs on auditing best practices for the firm, and regularly trains staff of all levels on the intrica-cies surrounding employee benefit plan auditing processes. Furthermore, she serves as mentor to junior team members.

She is a member of the New York State Societyof Certified Public Accountants Employee BenefitsCommittee and Trea-surer of the Board of Directors,Girl Scouts of Nassau County. Erica was selected for the Long Island Business News Who’s Who in Womenin Professional Services special section.

Erica graduated from the University of Albany with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. She is licensed as a certified public accountant in New York.

Dr. Roxanne Garcia, known by her colleagues as “Dr. RG” as their new Vice President for the Board. Dr. RG is a dedicated educator, who has more than 30 years of experience in public education serving in various public schools within the eastern regions of the United States such as New York, Georgia, Florida and North Carolina. She currently is the Associate Superintendent for Nassau BOCES, the largest Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) in New York State which serves 56 school districts in Nassau County. Her responsibilities involve leading and supervising various divisions within the agency towards achieving strategic goals, setting programmatic and operational direction, and ensuring the high quality of services and programs.

Dr. RG earned her Educational Leadership and Policy doctorate from Hofstra University. Her dissertation examined whether successful urban research-based district leadership practices have applicability to suburban district leaders in improving teaching and learning. Her findings revealed urban leadership research conceptual frames do not align neatly in the suburban contexts. In fact, suburban leaders in Long Island, New York focus more on building partnerships and steward leadership practices which focuses on others, the community, and society at large rather than the self. Dr. RG uses her educational platform to create policies and procedures to ensure ALL children have equitable access to quality educational opportunities. She is passionate about informing, inspiring, and empowering educational leaders, teachers, parents, organizations and communities in actualizing the maximum potential of ALL children, so they are prepared to compete, contribute, and survive in a diverse 21st Century global economy.

Dr. RG’s greatest accomplishment to date has been Mom-in-Chief, where she has created a family life grounded in fostering meaningful family interactions, nurturing parent-child relationships, promoting emotional/physical/material well-being, and supporting family members with disabilities.

Roxanne Garcia-FranceVice President


Christine Bonczyk, a resident of Hicksville, is serving a second term as Secretary on the Board of Directors.

She has served as a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors, and as an Alternate National Council Delegate to the National Convention in Columbus Ohio in 2017. Ms. Bonczyk is retired from the County Comptroller’s office as the Health Benefits Administrator for Nassau County employees.

Ms. Bonczyk is spending her time giving back to her community. She started her career in Girl Scouting as a Girl Scout Junior and has served on the Girl Scouts Adult Recognition Committee, Walkathon Committee, Critical Issues Committee, Community Relations Committee and Human Resources Committee. She is also a member of the Nassau Financial Credit Union Supervisory Committee and Nominating Committee and volunteers doing Medicare counseling.

Ms. Bonczyk received her Masters in Public Administration from Long Island University at CW Post, and describes herself as a pro-active, honest person who gets things done.

Christine BonczykSecretary

Board of Directors, Members-at-Large

Nada Marie Anid, Ph.D. is the first female Dean of NYIT’s School of Engineering and Computing Sciences. She embraces NYIT’s forward-thinking and applica-tions-ori-ented mission and works on several strategic partnerships, including the creation of the School’s first Entrepreneurship and Technology Innovation Center. A promoter of technol-ogy entrepreneur-ship, she is the co-editor of the book: The Internet of Women: Accelerating Culture Change.

Dr. Anid has launched several energy and sustain-ability education initiatives. Under her leadership, the school has launched premier conference series and technology trans-fer initiatives including NYIT’s Annual Energy Conference, held every June since 2005, covering topics such as “Energy in Motion, by Rail, Road and Drone,” “Green Buildings, Sustainability and Performance,” and “Beyond Carbon: Offshore Energy and Technologies.”

Dr. Anid has also worked diligently to create a common platform for international research collaborations, which includes seven university partners in Latin America, to global U.S. – China NSF funded workshops on the Food-Energy-Water Nexus.

Her own research is in the fields of alternative energy, sus-tainability, biotechnology, water quality, and engi-neering education. In 2017, she was the lead editor for Elsevier’s and she has served as guest editor for the January 2018 Special Issue on Food, Energy and Water for the Journal Environmental Progress and Sustainable Energy.

Dr. Anid is serving as a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors.

Dr. Nada Marie Anid

Maritza Arroyo is serving her first term as a Member-at-Large of the Board of Directors. She has a proven track record of more than 14 years in the for profit and nonprofit education sector. Previous to launching her consulting practice, 7L, she was Vice President of Education at the United Way of New York City where she led the education strategy and imple-mentation for the organization and actively influenced the educational practice and policy on student success in high poverty schools. She was responsible for the implementa-tion and execution of the $52M NYC DOE Community Schools contract, serving over 20,000 PK-12 grade students as well as leading the strategy and execution of the neighborhood-based program ReadNYC in Mott Haven.

Prior to United Way of New York City, she was CEO at Zone 126, a nonprofit organization based in Astoria/Long Island City, Queens, New York. During her tenure, she leveraged her experience and proven track record in leading organizational restructuring to re-define Zone 126’s Cradle to Career impact as a Collective Impact backbone organization. There she developed and led over 30 partner organizations focused on providing ten feeder PK-12 schools receive cradle to career supports, impacting over 6,000 students and families, +2,000 teachers, and ten Principals.

From 2008 until 2013, Ms. Arroyo was Executive Director Tri State Area at BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life) where she scaled the number of children served in after-school and summer programs from 2,300 to 8,000 within two years and consistently improved math and reading skills.

Throughout the span of her career in education, Ms. Arroyo has raised over $70M in funding that has served more than 90,000 children and families.

A graduate of Hofstra University, Ms. Arroyo attended the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, where she completed a Certificate in Executive Management Leadership. In 2011, she was selected as a Social Impact Exchange – American Express emerging nonprofit leader. Ms. Arroyo was selected in 2014 to the inaugural cohort of the prestigious Presidio Institute Cross Sector Leadership Fellows program. In January 2016, Ms. Arroyo was appoint-ed by Mayor Bill de Blasio as a member of the Advisory Board of the NYC Children’s Cabinet.

Maritza Arroyo

Board of Directors, Members-at-Large (continued)

Eileen is serving her first term as Member-at-Large of the Board of Directors. She has been a longtime supporter of the Girl Scouts both personally and professionally. She is a Vice President of TD Bank, N.A and has been in the bank-ing industry for many years. Eileen is a member of the Honor Circle Society and has volunteered on various committees most recently the One Hundredth Anniver-sary Gala.

Eileen is a Board member and Past President of the Farmingdale Rotary and was honored with a Paul Harris Award. She had received the Kaiser award after serving as President of the Kiwanis Club of the Bellmore’s and also serving on its Board. Eileen was honored with the Martin Luther King Award for her community work in the Town of Babylon and the Women Trailblazer Award from Nassau County.

She attended Nassau Community College and resides in North Merrick with her husband Richard. Eileen is the mother of five children all of whom were active in scout-ing. Eileen and her husband were Boy Scout Leaders for their sons and she has wonderful memories of when she too was a Girl Scout.

Eileen Baker

Tonia Bottoms, is a Managing Director and Senior Manag-ing Counsel for Pershing, a BNY Mellon company, in the Legal Department. Tonia specializes in the areas of retire-ment plans and financial products. In this role, she advises all aspects of Pershing’s retirement business which spans individual and plan markets.

Tonia is a member of the Global Governance Committee of IMPACT, a global resource for BNY Mellon and its employees, with a specific emphasis on the recruitment, retention, pro-fessional development and advancement of multicultural employees. Previously, she was the co-chair for the Jersey City chapter of the firm’s Women’s Initiative Network. Tonia was honored in 2016 by the Harlem YMCA as a recipient of the Outstanding Achievement and Leadership in Excellence award.

Tonia has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. She previously held in-house counsel positions at Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Prudential Securities Incorporated. Ms. Bottoms began her legal career as an assistant district attorney for the Kings County Dis-trict Attorney’s Office.

Tonia is a member of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) and currently serves as co-chair of its Retirement and Education Savings Committee. Tonia is a member of the National Bar Association and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Maryland.

Tonia resides in West Hempstead with her husband, Marlon and daughter, Makayla. Tonia is serving her second term as a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors.

Tonia Bottoms, Esq.


Austin Cannon, Jr. is serving as a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors. Mr. Cannon has a long associa-tion with the Board of Directors, having served previously as Vice President from 2003-2005 and Member-at-Large from 1992-1998 and 2005-2011. He served as a member of the Council Nominating Committee from 2011-2013, 2006-2008, 2000-2002 and for two-years beginning in 1994. A proud recipient of the Girl Scout Thanks Badge, Mr. Cannon is a former National Delegate and currently serves as Chairman of the Human Resources Committee.

A resident of North Bellmore with a long history of volun-teerism with Boy Scouts and the Knights of Columbus, Mr. Cannon, an Eagle Scout, is currently the Scouting Program Coordinator for the Diocese of Rockville Centre Office of Youth Ministry. Mr. Cannon, a former National Vice Chairman of the National Catholic Committee on Scouting, is a recipient of the Silver Saint George Emblem, a national honor given for exceptional service to Catholic youth in scouting on a national level.

Austin Cannon, Jr.Lisa Burke

Lisa Burke is currently serving as a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors as well as a member of the Board Development Committee (formerly the Council Nominating Committee) after serving three terms as Secretary of the Board of Directors. She was re-elected as a Member-at-Large in May 2018. Ms. Burke was a Member-at-Large of the Board from 2005-2011. She was a Board Champion on the first Strategic Learning Team for GSNC and served as the Chair of the Nominating Committee in 2009, a committee she had served on pre-viously.

She has been co-chair of the Delegate Communication Committee for six years. She has found governance both interesting and rewarding on both the local and national level. A lifetime member of the Girl Scout Movement, Ms. Burke has attended three GSUSA National Council Sessions/Conventions as a visitor; a chaperone in Atlanta in 2005 and Indianapolis in 2008, and was called up as an alternate to serve as a National Delegate at the 2011 and 2014 National Conventions and was a Delegate at the 2017 National Convention. The mother of two lifetime Girl Scouts and a former Boy Scout in Oyster Bay, she has been both troop cookie manager and still serves as the fall products manager for Mags&Munchies in the Oyster Bay Association/Service Unit. A graduate of SUNY at Plattsburg with a degree in education, Ms. Burke is the owner and President of A Business Contracting Corp, which has been in business for over 30 years.


Michele Cusack

Michele Cusack is serving her first term as a Member-at-Large of the Board of Directors for the Girl Scouts of Nassau County. Ms. Cusack is a senior health care execu-tive with more than 20 years of experience. As Northwell Health’s Chief Financial Officer, she manages the health system’s day-to-day finance operations, various corporate financial operations, including financial planning, budget-ing, reimbursement, accounts payable, internal audit, cost accounting, cash management, tax management and other financial functions that collaborate with revenue cycle, managed care and operational teams across the organization.

Ms. Cusack, a Certified Public Accountant, has an adminis-trative role on the Finance and Audit Committees of North-well’s Board of Trustees, and she is a member of Hofstra University’s Zarb School of Business Dean’s Advisory Board. She is also an alum of Hofstra University.

Michele and her husband Jim live in Nassau County with their four children, and their three daughters actively par-ticipate in local Girl Scout troops.

Mark Florio

Mark Florio served as a Member-at-Large from 2005 – 2009, as Secretary of the Board from 2009- 2011, as Vice President of the Board from 2011 – 2015, and has served on the Council Nominating Committee where he became familiar with the governance struc-ture of our Council. Mr. Florio was elected in 2005 to serve as an Alternate National Delegate and attended the National Convention in Atlanta. He serves as a Member-at-Large of the Board of Directors.

An Eagle Scout, he has volunteered extensively with Boy Scouts in the past and has transferred this enthusiasm for volunteerism to Girl Scouts of Nassau County. Mr. Florio is a graduate of Lehigh University with a B.S. in Finance and holds an M.B.A. in Finance from Adelphi University. He is a Vice President at Barclays, a multina-tional banking group. Mr. Florio, his wife and three young daughters (one Girl Scout Junior, one Girl Scout Brownie and one former Girl Scout Cadette) reside in North Bellmore.


Lisa Gardner, Esq.

Lisa M. Gardner, Esq. a resident of Massapequa Park, is a family law attorney at Donohoe Talbert LLP. Ms. Gardner earned her law degree at Hofstra University School of Law, with a concentration in Child and Family Advocacy, and her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan. Ms. Gardner is serving as a Member-at-Large of the Board of Directors.

In her family law practice, Ms. Gardner has hosted complimentary legal support groups, focused on family law issues, which are open to the community. She has been a presenter at continuing education workshops for mental health professionals on issues concerning custody, parenting time, supreme court and family court. In 2016 Ms. Gardner was a co-presenter on New York Family Law for Hofstra Law School’s Continuing Legal Education Program.

Ms. Gardner’s time as a Girl Scout growing up in Michigan taught her the importance of community involvement and friendship with other women. She carried those values with her in college, as a member of the executive board of her sorority. Her dedication to advocacy of women’s issues continued in her role in fundraising for her chapter’s national philanthropic cause, domestic violence awareness.

At Hofstra Law School, Ms. Gardner participated in the Child Advocacy Clinic, aiding in the representation of children in Family Court. She also volunteered for the Courtroom Advocates Project, assisting victims of domestic violence.

Ms. Gardner has been recognized for the work in her field and in the community. In 2016 she was awarded Hofstra University School of Law Outstanding Women in Law and the Millennial Award by Long Island Business News. In 2015, she was awarded Top 50 Women by Long Island Business News.

Julie Stratchan Haiber, Esq.

Julie Strachan Haiber is an attorney and Account Executive with Thomson Reuters, where she works with law firms based in the Eastern United States on document automa-tion, knowledge management and workflow initiatives. She has worked at Thomson Reuters since 2005. Ms. Strachan Haiber earned her law degree from New York Law School and her BA from The George Wash-ington University in Washington, DC with a double major in English and Theatre.

Ms. Strachan Haiber grew up in Merrick and currently resides there with her husband and daughter. She has served as a co-leader of her daughter’s Daisy troop since 2016. She also participated in Girl Scouts in the Merrick Schools as a child. Ms. Strachan Haiber is serving as a Member-at-Large of the Board of Directors.

Elizabeth (Betsy) Hill is serving as a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors, a position she previously held from 2003 to 2005 and from 2017-2019. Ms. Hill was a Girl Scout in her youth in Illinois and was a Girl Scout leader in Manhasset for 13 years. Ms. Hill has two adult daughters; one daughter earned her Gold Award and the other daughter earned her Silver Award, and as a com-puter programmer, she is now working as a volunteer with the Girl Scout Council of Kansas City, MO in STEM programs.

Ms. Hill is the CEO of Bright Bay Advisors, LLP, a consulting firm whose clients include organizations involved in pub-lic finance such as state and local governments and their agen-cies, portfolio managers, financial advisors, and other orga-nizations. Bright Bay Advisors provides its clients with assis-tance in debt planning and issuance, credit analysis, portfolio analysis, distressed credit workouts, operational improve-ments, and credit training. Bright Bay Advisors is an MSRB-registered Municipal Advisors, a Certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise by the Port Authority of NY & NJ and is certified as a Women-Business-Enterprise (WBE) by the State of New York, The City of New York and the Port Authority of NY & NJ.

Ms. Hill has over 30 years of experience in senior manage-ment of municipal credit analysis, surveillance and invest-ment management with bond insurers, a rating agency and Bloomberg, covering the full spectrum of municipal bond sectors on a nationwide basis, including healthcare, higher education, charter schools, student loans and housing.

Ms. Hill holds a Master’s Degree from the Robert Wagner Graduate School of Public Administration at New York University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Illinois State University. Ms. Hill developed and taught a course in “Risk Management in the Public Sector” for New York University’s Wagner School.

Elizabeth Hill


Shari James has more than ten years of experience in accounting, finance, compliance, and risk manage-ment in the public and private sectors.

With the spirit of service calling her, Shari started her work in the public sector in 2013, and was formerly the Chief Deputy Comptroller for Nassau County, NY.

Prior to joining Nassau County, she served as the Comptroller for the City of Long Beach, NY. Shari also worked in various roles during her tenure in Long Beach, including Director of Operations, Director of Community Development, and Deputy Comptroller. In those roles, she was instrumental in helping the City recover from a fis-cal crisis and handled complex financial issues related to Superstorm Sandy rebuilding efforts.

From 2008-2012, she was an Assistant Vice President at JP Morgan Chase, managing a $2 billion portfolio, specializing in debt structuring and capital advisory. Prior to holding that role, she worked at Bloomberg L.P. as an Analytics Specialist and PwC LLP as a com-pliance analyst.

Shari attended St. John’s University and graduated with a B.S.in Finance. She is also a 2015 New Leaders Council Fellow. Shari resides in Valley Stream, NY with her daugh-ter Gabrielle. Shari is serving as a Member-at-Large of the Board of Directors.

Shari James

Christina Mendoza

Christina Mendoza is currently a junior at Cornell University, majoring in Biological Sciences with a con-centration in Neurobiology and Behavior. She has been a member of Girl Scouts for the past 16 years. As a girl, Ms. Mendoza was an active member of the GSNC National Delegates, Media Girls, Chorus, Asian Task Force, and Girl Scouts Bishop’s Troop of Rockville Centre. In 2006, she was part of the GSNC Chorus that sang for a Dove commercial about self-esteem, which aired during Super Bowl XL. Ms. Mendoza is also on the Samoas Girl Scout Cookie box, which was changed in 2012 for the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouts.

When she was a sophomore in high school, Ms. Mendoza earned her Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting. For part of her project she started a pro-gram called “Cranes for Cancer,” which helped pediatric cancer patients make 1,000 cranes so that they could remain hopeful during a difficult time in their lives. Ms. Mendoza feels that Girl Scouts is a wonderful organiza-tion that has provided her with so many life-changing experiences, and as a Board member, she wants to make sure that every girl has their own unique experi-ence with Girl Scouts.

Outside of Girl Scouts, Ms. Mendoza works as a Research Assistant at the Emerging Markets Institute at the SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University. Ms. Mendoza is a Student Advisor for the Biology major, and is a member of the Biology Scholars Program, the Cornell Badminton Club, the Cornell Filipino Association, and the Cornell Alzheimer’s Help and Awareness Club. Ms. Mendoza had a research intern-ship this past summer at the University of Cambridge, where she was studying the aggregation of proteins which cause Alzheimer’s disease, and compounds that prevent this. In her free time, she also conducts research at the Hu Lab in Cornell, studying Frontotemporal lobar degenera-tion and the biological mechanisms that cause this disease. Ms. Mendoza serves as a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors.

Catherine O’Reilly

Catherine O’Reilly is serving as a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors. Ms. O’Reilly has been active with the Girl Scouts of Nassau County since 2006, having served three terms as a Member at Large for the Board of Directors and one term as a Member of the Council Nominating Committee. In 2008, Ms. O’Reilly accepted the Girl Scouts of Nassau County “Making a Difference for the Youth of Long Island Award” on behalf of her company, DHL Express U.S.

Through Ms. O’Reilly’s leadership, DHL has provided the inter-national logistics expertise for the last 13 years for Operation Cookie — the delivery of Girl Scout Cookies to the U.S. military serving abroad. Ms. O’Reilly is also one of the driving forces behind the 14-year-strong Operation Holiday Cheer, in which DHL delivers live Christmas trees from Dees’ Nursery in Oceanside to U.S. military serving in the Middle East.

Ms. O’Reilly has been with DHL Express for 25 years and cur-rently serves as Manager of Commercial Air Aviation, over-seeing all commercial aviation in both New York and Chicago. This includes the DHL helicop-ter operations in both cities.

Ms. O’Reilly has been recognized with the DHL CEO Award for Corporate Citizenship. Her volunteer service has been recog-nized by all branches of the U.S. mili-tary, the VFW and many local organizations. In 2015, Ms. O’Reilly received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor Award on Ellis Island.

Ms. O’Reilly was one of the first volunteers for the Lustgarten Foundation, which is committed to scientif-ic and medical research related to the diagnosis, treat-ment, cure and pre-vention of pancreatic cancer. She is a graduate of St. John’s University, and is a member of the Keystone Yacht Club in Woodmere. She lives in Atlantic Beach.


Bonnie Porzio, Esq. is serving as a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors. Mrs. Porzio previously served two terms on the Board. Mrs. Porzio is a member of the Human Resources Committee and actively supports the council’s fundraising efforts. Mrs. Porzio previously served as mem-bers of both the Fund Development and Council Nominating Committees. Mrs. Porzio provides legal advice to the board where she can, most recently regarding the construction of the new Service Center. Mrs. Porzio co-chaired GSNC’s commit-tee for the concession stand at the U.S. Open and was as a member of the Corporate Committee for the First Annual “Girls Go the Distance” Walkathon.

Mrs. Porzio is General Counsel for Triumph Construction Corp., a multimillion dollar construction company in New York. Mrs. Porzio graduated from Hofstra University School of Law. She is past President of the St. Thomas the Apostle School Board and past President of the St. Thomas Parents’ Club, the fundraising arm of her chil-dren’s school. She lives with her husband Josh, her two beautiful children, Reilly and Aidan and their dog, Harper. Mrs. Porzio enjoys fundraising, volunteering, traveling and working with children and ani-mals.

Bonnie Porzio

Seema Rahman is serving as a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors for Girl Scouts of Nassau County. In 2005 Ms. Rahman started troops for each Girl Scout level at the Islamic Center of Long Island in Westbury and is still actively involved with them. She serves as the Treasurer for the Carle Place/Westbury Association/Service Unit and she is camp trained. Ms. Rahman’s adult daughter, Sofia, com-pleted Girl Scouts with a Bronze Award and was inspired to become a Girl Scout leader as well. In 2013 Seema was hon-ored with the GSUSA Appreciation Pin.

Ms. Rahman has worked for Northwell Health in Manhasset since 1989 in various roles of medical assistant, medical secretary, surgical coordinator, and office manager.

Ms. Rahman’s focus has been volunteering to further youth involvement as well as bridge interfaith paths. Embracing the various PTA activities she had volunteered for at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels, Seema was nominated to the Executive Board of the PTSA of East Meadow High School for two separate terms. In addition, Seema was honored by Assemblyman Thomas McKevitt in 2012 at the sixth Annual “Women of Distinction Award” cer-emony.

Ms. Rahman helped to start a youth leadership group for teenagers at the Islamic Center of Long Island. Her work at ICLI was recognized and she was nominated for the posi-tion of Vice President of the Executive Board at the Center from 2012- 2014. She Co-Chaired the Fundraising Committee which helps organize an Annual Gala at the Garden City Hotel for over 400 guests. Since 2015, Ms. Rahman serves on the Board of Trustees for the Islamic Center on various committees including Fundraising, Interfaith and Youth. She was awarded in 2015 by ICLI “Honoring Muslim Women Pioneers.”

Ms. Rahman’s zeal to be a part of our children’s lives and help them be the best that they can be is apparent. Seema’s mantra is we must play an active role to help guide the chil-dren of today to be the leaders of the future.

Seema Rahman



Sharon Ramnauth is serving as a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors. Sharon has been a Troop Leader for over five years, serves as the Cookie Manager and is part of her Association’s Service Team. She has also served as an Alternate Delegate. Sharon is a Solutions Architect for Workday, which is a HR and Financials software company and is ranked #7 on Fortune’s Best Companies list.

Sharon resides in Valley Stream with her husband, Adrian and their two children. As a mother of a Cadette Girl Scout and a Cub Scout, Sharon truly understands the value and the impact of Scouting. She genuinely believes in the mis-sion of Girl Scouts, to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. Sharon is proud to be part of and serve an organization that allows our girls to realize their full potential.

Sharon Ramnauth

Carol Ransom is a face very familiar to Girl Scouts of Nassau County and she is serving as a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors and serves on the Board Development Committee. Ms. Ransom previously served on the Board as Vice President from 2001-2003 and as a Member-at-Large from 1994-2000. Ms. Ransom was Chair of the 2005-2006 Council Nominating Committee and served as Chair of the Human Resources Committee for three years. She is current-ly Chair of the Community Relations Committee. She is a past National Delegate, repre-senting GSNC at the 2011 National Council Meeting and served as Chair of our delegation to the 2002 National Council Meeting.

In 2005, Ms. Ransom received the coveted Thanks Badge for her outstanding service to Girl Scouting. Ms. Ransom retired from the Town of Hempstead Housing Authority and cur-rently resides in Hempstead.

Carol Ransom


Kelly Ann Poole Reed is serving as a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors. Ms. Reed is a graduate of Touro Law School and has been practicing since 1992. She received her undergraduate degree from St. John’s University.

Ms. Reed is admitted to practice in New York, Connecticut, and District of Columbia. Ms. Reed is an active member of the legal community as a member of the New York State and Nassau County Bar Associations Real Property Committees, invited member of the New York City Foreclosure Task Force, Board Member of the USFN, past member of the US Treasury Department Task Force – Bankruptcy/Loss Mitigation Sub-Committee, the MBA Commercial and Mortgage Servicing Planning Committees and Loan Administration Committee. She has been a panelist on numerous industry wide educa-tional programs.

Ms. Reed is very active in the community at large. She serves as a mentor in the student-alumni mentor pro-gram at Touro Law School, as well as a member of the Touro Dean’s Alumni Advisory Council. For the past sev-eral years she has been an active committee member of several GSNC fundraising events. Ms. Reed is a Co-Leader of a Brownie troop.

Kelly Ann Poole Reed, Esq.

Eric Rogers is serving as a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors. Eric previously served as the Treasurer of the Board of Directors from 2009 - 2015. He is also a mem-ber of the Finance Committee. Mr. Rogers and his entire family are committed to Girl Scouts of Nassau County. His wife, a former Troop Leader and his three daughters are Girl Scouts in the Carle Place/Westbury Association. Mr. Rogers served as a Board Champion on a GSNC’s Strate-gic Learning Team. Mr. Rogers has served as community liaison on Carle Place School Board’s Facility, Finance and Scholarship Committees, he has also served on sever-al committees of the New York State Society of CPAs and American Institute of CPA’s.

A graduate of Long Island University – CW Post Campus, Mr. Rogers is the Chief Financial Officer for the Grand Healthcare System which is a consortium of nursing homes throughout New York State. The Rogers family resides in Westbury.

Eric Rogers


Dr. George Santiago, Jr., Ph.D.

Dr. George Santiago, Jr., is serving as a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors and is a longtime supporter of the Girl Scouts of Nassau County. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Rutgers College of Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey. He subsequently enrolled in the Educational Administration program at The Pennsylvania State University and received his M.Ed. in 1986 and his Ph.D. in 1994.

Dr. Santiago has had a number of professional affiliations; to name a few: Assistant Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics at Montclair State University; Executive Associate Director for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education; Provost and Chief Academic Officer at Briarcliffe College; President and Chief Executive Officer of Briarcliffe College; and most recently, President and Chief Executive Officer of TCI College of Technology in New York City. Currently, Dr. Santiago is consulting with various col-leges and universities in areas focused on mergers, acquisi-tions, and accreditation.

Dr Santiago has received awards too numerous to list here, including GSNC Honoree for our 100th Anniversary Gala in 2012.

Dr. Santiago was a 2003 finalist for the Fulbright Senior Specialist award, and is a member of the Beta Chapter of Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Inc. As well as being a Visiting Scholar at Capella University, Dr. Santiago serves as an evaluator for the New York State Education Department and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Dr. Santiago is affiliated with a host of State, regional and national organizations and professional societies.

Dr. Santiago is an Eagle Scout, and was formerly an Assistant Scoutmaster in Philadelphia, PA prior to moving to Long Island, New York in 2004. Dr. Santiago was born and raised in Vineland, New Jersey and is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jorge and Ana Santiago of San Sebastian, Puerto Rico.

Lauren Summa is serving her first term as a Member-at-Large of the Board of Directors for the Girl Scouts of Nassau County. Ms. Summa was raised in Pittsburgh, PA where she participated in Girl Scouts at a young age in a troop lead by her mother. From her involvement in Girl Scouts, it instilled in her the importance of challenging yourself to achieve your goals and to push for women to have a seat at the table.

A Dean’s List scholar at Hofstra University, Summa holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism and a Master of Arts degree in Speech Communication. During her time in college, she was President of the Hofstra University Chapter of the Radio-Television News Directors Association, member of the Broadcast Education Association, the New York Women’s Agenda and an Advocacy Intern at the Women’s Sports Foundation.

Ms. Summa has more than ten years of experience in the public sector. She began her career in politics in 2009 as an aide to State Senator Craig Johnson. As an advocate of women’s issues, Summa proposed the idea for new legislation (S6894A) sponsored by Senator Johnson which would require insurance coverage for the HALO breast pap test to detect risk of developing breast cancer. As a proponent of equality for women and to help gain support for the New York State Fair Pay Act sponsored by Senator Johnson, Summa came up with the idea of distributing lilies throughout the 7th Senate District at train stations in honor of Lilly Ledbetter. She also worked with OfficeMax on their annual “A Day Made Better” campaign that honors teachers nationwide.

Ms. Summa serves as Supervisor Judi Bosworth’s Resident Advocate for the Town of North Hempstead and works tirelessly on constituent issues. She also empowers young people by mentoring, organizing professional development events and networking opportunities.

Ms. Summa has served on the Board of Directors for the Nassau County Habitat for Humanity for six years and served three years as Vice President. Additionally, she is a member of the Advisory Board for the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island. Ms. Summa looks forward to giving back to the Girl Scouts and helping young girls prosper.

Lauren Summa


Dermond Thomas

Dermond Thomas currently serves as Counsel at Campolo, Middleton & McCormick in Westbury, NY. He was Secretary of MSC Industrial Supply Co. which is based in Melville, NY. Mr. Thomas is responsible for leading the business devel-opment team’s channel development initiatives to drive company growth. He also leads the business development team’s execution efforts on corporate transactions and performs secretarial duties related to the MSC Board of Directors and its various committees.

An elected official, Mr. Thomas serves as Trustee in the Village of Valley Stream.

Mr. Thomas holds a BA in Economics from Amherst College, a JD from Columbia Law School and Executive Education Certificates from Harvard Law School and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Thomas joined the Board of Directors in 2016 and is cur-rently serving as a Member-at-Large.

Chloe Van Dorn

Chloe Van Dorn is serving as a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors. Ms. Van Dorn, a Lifetime Member of Girl Scouting, has been involved with Girl Scouts for 14 years. Chloe is a sophomore at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. She is in the Pre-Professional Scholars Program in Medicine, which means she will be attending the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine upon completion of her undergraduate coursework. She is majoring in Psychology with minors in Biology, Chemistry and Business Management. She is the Vice President of the Sailing Team, a member of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority, a member of the Women in Science and Engineering Roundtable club and a volunteer at the Seidman Cancer Center. She enjoys working during the summer as a certified Sailing Instructor and lifeguard.

Chloe served as a National Council Delegate for the 2017 National Council Session and 54th Convention in Columbus, Ohio. She also attended the Girl Scout Leadership Institute at the 53rd Girl Scout National Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2014 and served as a Council Delegate for the Jericho-Syosset Association of Girl Scouts of Nassau County. Ms. Van Dorn earned her Girl Scout Gold Award in 2016 and her Silver Award in 2014. For her Gold Award project, Ms. Van Dorn increased awareness and educated her community about the issue of the severe lack of sleep among teenagers today. She was a member of the GSNC Media Girls and attended North Shore-LIJ’s Girl Scout “Career Exploration Camp” as well as many other STEM-related pro-grams. Ms. Van Dorn is very proud to be part of such a fantastic organization and she extremely honored to serve on the Board of Directors of Girl Scouts of Nassau County.


Irene Villacci, Esq.

Irene Villacci is serving as a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors. Ms. Villacci is a Past President of the Woman’s Bar Association of the State of New York (WBASNY). Prior to this office, she served as an officer of WBASNY for four years, an active committee chair, and a Past President of the Nassau chapter. She is the sole proprietor of her law form, Irene V. Villacci, Esq., P.C. since 2007. Her practice concentrates in the areas of elder law, trusts and estates, guardianships, and residential real estate.

Irene Villacci has a great passion for mentoring young people, especially young women. She was a Girl Scout in the original troop established at St. Raymond’s in East Rockaway. She welcomes the opportunity to continue her commitment to mentoring young women by serving on the Board of Directors of Girl Scouts of Nassau County.

Milagros Vicente

Milagros Vicente is a lifelong community activist who advo-cates on behalf of the most vulnerable in her community. Early on, she learned the importance of service from her father and four brothers who all proudly served in the United States Military.

Milagros’ advocacy work started twenty-nine years ago, when her eldest son, was diagnosed at birth with Cerebral Palsy and hydrocephalus. As Milagros took on the role of parenting a child with special needs, she advo-cated for her son which then led to advocating on behalf of all individuals with special needs and founding a non-profit organization serving children with special needs.

Milagros is currently an elected Board of Education Trustee in Valley Stream District 13 and chairs the Education Committee. She is a member of the 5th Pct. Community Police Council and is a graduate of the Nassau County Civilian Police Academy. She is the found-er of North Valley Stream Neighborhood Association. Milagros has earned recogni-tion in her community with citations and awards. Milagros is an active PTA member in the Valley Stream Schools. Her dedication and vol-unteer work has earned her the PTA Life Achievement Award and the PTA Honorary Life Member.

Milagros has always been a mentor to youth. She is the owner of The Learning Way Child Care and is working on her CDA credentials. She serves as a board member for Sparkle Empowerment Program for Girls, a leader-ship and self-esteem development program for girls aged 13-18. She is also a Board member of the Yva Jourdan Foundation Inc. (TYJF). She has been a Girl Scout Troop Leader for 6 years, and is a Lifetime Member of Girl Scouts. In addition, Milagros was employed as a Membership Engagement Manager with the Girl Scouts of Nassau County.

Milagros earned her Bachelors of Science in Legal Studies from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and holds a parale-gal certificate.

Milagros is a Member-at-Large of the Board of Directors.


Allison Bishop White

Allison Bishop White, is a former Director, Global Client Strategy of Bank of America Merrill Lynch and was respon-sible for providing strategic direction to Financial Advisors. In addition, she supported the Fiduciary Strat-egy implementa-tion, Optimal Practice Model and Goals-Based Wealth Man-agement efforts from a regulatory perspective.

Prior to joining Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Ms. White was employed at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE Euronext) where she held a number of senior roles. She served as a Senior Trial Counsel and Director in the Enforce-ment Division, the Managing Director and Head of the Risk Assessment Group as well as the Vice Presi-dent and Chief Compliance Officer of NYSE Euronext. During her tenure at NYSE, she also served as a mem-ber of the Enforcement Disciplinary Action and Listing and Compliance Committees, Senior Advisor to NYSE Employee Resource Groups and was a member of the NYSE Euronext PAC Governing Board. Prior to joining the Financial Services Industry, she was a litigator in the New York County District Attorney’s Office where she served in the Trial and Investigations Divisions.

Ms. White is a member of the New York City Bar Associa-tion, the Financial Women’s Association, the New York State Medical Review Board and the Securities Industry and Finan-cial Markets Association. She also serves on the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Pub-lic Policy Coun-cil and previously served on CFP Board’s Business Model Council. She was a Trustee of the Con-gregational Church of South Hempstead, an Associate Member of Jack & Jill of Nassau County, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and was a leader in the Mer-rill Lynch Women’s Exchange and serves as a mentor. Ms. White is a graduate of North-eastern University and the Maurice A. Dean School of Law at Hofstra University. Ms. White joined the Board in 2016 and is serving as a Member-at-Large.

Board Development CommitteeElizabeth Alford

Elizabeth Alford is serving a member of the Board Development Committee (formerly the Council Nominat-ing Committee) and served as an Alternate National Coun-cil Delegate for the 2017 National Council Session and 54th Convention. Ms. Alford previously served as chair of the Council Nominating Committee. A long-time volunteer with Girl Scouts of Nassau County, Ms. Alford started as a Leader for her daughter’s Girl Scout Troop, later became a trainer, and a member of the Board of Directors and the Hispanic/Latino Task Force. Ms. Alford is very passionate about being a positive role model for Latina girls. In the summer of 2005, Eliza-beth volunteered to assist at Girl Scouts of the USA’s 5th National Latina Conference. Cur-rently she serves as a member of the Adult Recognitions Committee and the Delegate Communications Committee.

In 2004, Ms. Alford was recognized as an outstanding volunteer by the Junior League of Long Island. She was awarded the Honor Pin, the Thanks Badge and the Con-tinuation Award in recognition for her work in Girl Scouts.

Natalie Borneo, Chair

Natalie Borneo is a member of the Long Island Chapter of The Links Incorporated. She is also a member of the Lakeview Branch of the NAACP. Natalie supports youth by serving as a mentor/coach for the Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACTSO) for the Lakeview Long Island Branch of the NAACP.

Ms. Borneo has co-authored and delivered “etiquette” made simple sessions to teens and young adults. Ms. Borneo is a member of the St. Paul AME Church in Rockville Centre and serves as a member of the Vice Chair of the Steward Board, Co-Chair of the Class Leader System, Leader of the Biblical Storytelling Ministry, and member Praise & Worship Team.

Ms. Borneo volunteers for organizations including Dress for Success and the Perfection Dance Center Parent Association. She is the recipient of the 2016 NAACP Long Island Region Game Changer Award, the 2011 Woodmen of the World Community Leadership Award, the YWCA Academy of Women Leaders in 2010, and the Black Achievers in Industry Award in 2000.

Ms. Borneo currently works as a Compliance Consultant for Wells Fargo Insurance Services Inc. She graduated from Howard University School of Business & Public Administration with a BBA in Insurance, and received an MBA in Management Studies from Fordham University. She is a licensed New York State Broker with an Associate in Risk Management.

Ms. Borneo is the Chair of the Board Development Committee (formerly the Council Nominating Committee). She resides in West Hempstead with her husband Henry and two children Ashley and Kyle.

Board Development Committee (continued)

Lisa Burke

Lisa Burke is currently serving as a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors as well as a member of the Board Development Committee (formerly the Council Nominating Committee) after serving three terms as Secretary of the Board of Directors. She was re-elected as a Member-at-Large in May 2018. Ms. Burke was a Member-at-Large of the Board from 2005-2011. She was a Board Champion on the first Strategic Learning Team for GSNC and served as the Chair of the Nominating Committee in 2009, a committee she had served on pre-viously.

She has been co-chair of the Delegate Communication Committee for six years. She has found governance both interesting and rewarding on both the local and national level. A lifetime member of the Girl Scout Movement, Ms. Burke has attended three GSUSA National Council Sessions/Conventions as a visitor; a chaperone in Atlanta in 2005 and Indianapolis in 2008, and was called up as an alternate to serve as a National Delegate at the 2011 and 2014 National Conventions and was a Delegate at the 2017 National Convention. The mother of two lifetime Girl Scouts and a former Boy Scout in Oyster Bay, she has been both troop cookie manager and still serves as the fall products manager for Mags&Munchies in the Oyster Bay Association/Service Unit. A graduate of SUNY at Plattsburg with a degree in education, Ms. Burke is the owner and President of A Business Contracting Corp, which has been in business for over 30 years.

Andrea Henderson is serving as a member of the Board Development Committee (formerly the Council Nominat-ing Committee) and has over 20 years’ experience as an International Human Resources professional work-ing with domestic and global organizations, large and small, to maximize their investment in talent. She is adept at moving from the strategic to the tactical seamlessly, with a strong emphasis on execution and pull-through.

After working in executive search, including leading her own firm as Managing Partner, Andrea began consult-ing with many organizations in the pharmaceutical, biotech, healthcare, and non-profit sectors to develop strategies around identifying and cultivating talent.

She was on the Board of the African American Alumni Association of Columbia Business School and has served on the Board of Directors of the Brooklyn Young Mothers’ Collective and the Ivy Foundation of Suffolk-Nassau Coun-ties. She has spoken at the Thurgood Marshall Foundation Leadership Summit, has consulted with NYU Stern’s MBA Career Services and has been profiled in the book, Naked Ambition by busi-ness psychologist, Dr. Debra Condren.

She continues to advocate for issues about which she is passionate: youth development, education, professional development and diversity, and socially responsible busi-ness, among others.

Andrea obtained a BS from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, an MA in In-ternational Relations from Clark Atlanta University, and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Andrea Henderson


Carmel Mendoza earned her doctorate degree in Physical Therapy at St. Scholastica’s College in Duluth, Minnesota. Her work entails more than 30 years expe-rience provid-ing Early Intervention services for infants and children from birth to 3 years old through the New York State Department of Health contracted with vari-ous agencies.

Currently, Dr. Mendoza is serving as a member of the Board Development Committee (formerly the Council Nominating Committee) From 1999-2015, she was the troop leader to her three daughters (all Gold Award Girl Scouts and Lifetime members). An avid Girl Scout vol-unteer, she has served in many positions in the East Meadow Association/Service Unit includ-ing service unit manager 2004-2008 (formerly known as chair of association volunteers), several terms of delegate, nominating committee, and service team member who chaired numerous events providing programs to her local community. As a member of the GSNC Asian Task Force, she assisted in council-wide multi-cultural events including CelebrASIAN 2001, CelebrASIAN II 2003, Cultural Festival Cruise 2010, and Safari Adventure 2011. Carmel represented GSNC as a delegate at the GSUSA National Convention in Indianapolis in 2011 and alternate delegate to Columbus in 2017.

As a member of the Executive Board of the Catholic Committee for Girl Scouting in the Diocese of Rockville Centre, Dr. Mendoza actively participates in helping Girl Scouts to earn their religious awards. Together with the Committee, she authored “Jesus Loves Me” which is a diocesan Daisy Girl Scout religious award. On Sundays, Carmel volunteers at the Nassau University Medical Center Pastoral Care Department in various capacities including Lector and Eucharistic Minister. She serves as GS liaison at St. Raphael’s Church for Girl Scout Sunday.

Carmel Mendoza

Carol Ransom is a face very familiar to Girl Scouts of Nassau County and she is serving as a Member-at-Large of the Board of Directors. Ms. Ransom previously served on the Board as Vice President from 2001-2003 and as a Member-at-Large from 1994-2000. Ms. Ransom was Chair of the 2005-2006 Council Nominating Committee and served as Chair of the Human Resources Committee for three years. She is currently Chair of the Community Relations Committee. She is a past National Delegate, representing GSNC at the 2011 National Council Meeting and served as Chair of our delegation to the 2002 National Council Meeting.

In 2005, Ms. Ransom received the coveted Thanks Badge for her outstanding service to Girl Scouting. Ms. Ransom retired from the Town of Hempstead Housing Authority and currently resides in Hempstead.

Carol Ransom


Melanie Sinesi is serving as a member of the Board De-velopment Committee (formerly the Council Nominating Committee). She is the Deputy Director of Community Af-fairs for Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. She joined the County Executive’s team after four years with United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. Over the course of four years, Melanie worked as both the Senator’s Long Island liaison and the Deputy Director of Constituent Affairs, assisting thousands of New Yorker’s with their federal casework.

Over the course of her career, Melanie cites assisting hundreds of 9/11 first responders attain crucial ben-efits for themselves and their families as a critical way in which government can benefit its constituents.

Starting as an intern herself, Melanie knows the true value of an intern, and has proudly served as the intern coor-dinator for both Senator Gillibrand and Suffolk County Executive Bellone.

Melanie credits Girl Scouts as the first institution that taught her how to be a leader. She obtained her Girl Scout Gold Award in 2008, and has continued her Girl Scout career through her role as Delegate Chair for the Bay As-sociation/Service Unit.

Melanie Sinesi

Valerie Terzano has served three terms as a Member-at-Large of the Board of Directors and is now serving her first term as Vice President. In addition she is serving a second term as a member of the Board Development Committee (formerly the Council Nominating Committee).

Starting her career as a Nursing Supervisor at NYU Winthrop Hospital in 1982, Valerie Terzano currently holds the position of Chief Nursing Officer, Senior Vice President since 2000. She holds a Master of Science degree in Nursing Administration from Adelphi University and is currently seeking a PhD in Nursing from Molloy College. In 2008 Ms. Terzano received the Nursing Spectrum Excellence Award for Advancing and Leading the Profession. Her professional mem-berships include American Organization of Nurse Executives, Sigma Theta Tau, International Honor Society of Nursing, American Nurses Association, Emergency Nurses Association, American College of Healthcare Executives, and she is certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as Nurse Executive, Advanced. Valerie served as chairperson of the Nassau Suffolk Hospital Council Nurse Executive Committee, and currently serves on the Molloy College School of Nursing Advisory Board, and on the Curriculum Advisory Committee for Farmingdale State College. She is also a NYS Licensed Massage Therapist. She resides in Melville with her family.

Valerie Terzano


Denise Voda, a resident of Franklin Square, is serving as a member of the Board Development Committee (formerly the Council Nominating Committee). Denise was a Girl Scout in Queens and Suffolk for 10 years and has been an active adult member of Girls Scouts of Nassau County and the West Hempstead/Franklin Square Association since 1989. Her daughter joined Girl Scouts as a Daisy and earned her Gold Award. Denise was a Girl Scout lead-er until 2002 and has been a member of the WHFS Service Team for over 25 years. Her various positions on the service team include Event Chair, Personnel Chair, Secretary, Sunshine & Sympathy, Bridging and Awards Ceremony coordinator, CAV, Trip Application Chair and Publicity.

On the council level Denise is one of the founding members and Co-Chairs of the Girls Go the Distance Walkathon/Family Fun Day, a member of the Adult Recognitions Committee, is a Cookie Booth Sleuth, was a member of the Alumni Event Committee and the 100th Anniversary Gala Committee as well as help-ing out wherever she can. Denise has also been a Cub Scout Den Mother and Pack Board Member, coach and board member for the Franklin Square Raiders Soccer Club, PTA member and Board Member and was involved in volun-teering at various events at Kellenberg Memorial High School while her children were students. Along with her Girl Scout activities and working full time Denise is also an “at home” member of the NYU Naughty Knitters, a group that knits and crochets blankets, scarves, hats, and other items to donate to various charitable organizations and the military.

Denise Voda

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