Board of Trustees

Board of Trustees

OFFICERS

Shanx Ravisankar
(Chair) is a parent member. His son, Tejas, attends the school age program at the Granite Avenue site. Shanx retired in 2011 as the Chief Operating Officer, Oracle Financial Services Global Business Unit (FSGBU). He was a founding member and former CEO of Oracle Financial Services Software, (formerly known as i-flex Solutions, the company was acquired by Oracle in 2006). As a technology leader, he has also been profiled in leading trade and industry publications. Shanx is an engineering graduate from the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, and has an MBA in Management from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, India. In 2008, Shanx was selected as one of the 50 Outstanding Asian American business leaders. This accolade celebrates Asian business leaders and recognizes their pivotal roles in Corporate America. Shanx, his wife, Lakshmi, and their two children reside in Brooklyn.

Lenore Puleo

(Vice Chair) is a parent member. Her son, Cristofer, attends the Granite Avenue site. She retired in 2006 as the Executive Vice President of Shared Services at KeySpan Energy Co. She graduated from Pace University with a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Accounting and is a Certified Management Accountant. She is also a board member of The Staten Island Foundation. Lenore has served on the Board of Directors of S I Bank & Trust, The Snug Harbor Cultural Center, The United Way of NYC and is a founding member of “Women United In Philanthropy”. She also served on the Board of EDEN II from 2000-2006 and was co-chair of the capital campaign for the Agency’s Adult building located on Wright Avenue. Lenore , her husband and son reside on Staten Island.

Gregg Iliceto, CPA
(Treasurer) is a parent member. His son, Michael, attends the Granite Avenue site. Gregg has served on the EDEN II board from 2001-2009 and was Treasurer for 4 years. He has rejoined the board in 2011. During the interim period, Gregg also served on the Eden II & Genesis Foundation board. He is a Certified Public Accountant with over 29 years of experience in the accounting field, and has his own firm on Staten Island. He is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the NYS Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the NJ State Society of CPAs. Gregg is also a member of the Staten Island Bucks. Gregg has been an active fundraiser for the agency for many years. This year, Gregg received the Robert Ambery Memorial Award at the 2012 Eden II & Genesis Foundation Dinner for his advocacy and dedication.

Jim Caldarella
(Secretary) is a community member. He is a senior consultant for i-flex Consulting, assisting clients in the design and development of high-performance systems, solution research and evaluation, enterprise architecture and strategic IT change management. He spent much of his 37 year career developing wholesale funds transfer systems for Citibank. The last of these systems is still operating, processing more than 350,000 transfers per day worth more than 1.75 trillion dollars. He has also played a key role in developing many of the funds transfer industry standards used today. He holds a BA from Northeastern University and post-graduate management studies at Williams College.

MEMBERS

Sheldon Becher is a community member. He is Vice President of Babad Management, a commercial and residential real estate company, and has primary responsibility for the management of many multi-use properties throughout the Tri-state area. These responsibilities include fiscal and operational oversight. Mr. Becher currently serves on the Boards of Directors of several non-profit human service organizations, including Flatbush Bikur Cholim and Misaskim, as well as a member of the Board of a private, non-profit Yeshiva day school. He has also served as a fund-raising consultant to these and other non-profit agencies. He holds an undergraduate degree in Talmudic Law from Talmudical Academy of New Jersey. Mr. Becher lives in the Midwood section of Brooklyn, NY with his wife and four children.

Cafo Boga, CPA is a community member. He is a Senior Operations and Finance Executive with a 20+ year career spanning multiple industries including banking, investments, information technology, business process outsourcing and real estate. Upon passing the CPA exam he joined Peat Marwick (now KPMG Peat Marwick) where he served as an Audit Manager until joining The National Bank of Kuwait S.A.K. in New York as Comptroller and Chief Financial Officer. From 1987 to 2001, he was employed by LBS Bank New York as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. In 2001, he joined i-flex solutions, inc. (now known as Oracle Financial Services Software, Inc.) and served as Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and was a member of the Board of Directors until 2009. His career also reflects solid international experience; he has conducted business in Canada, England, India, Chile and all Balkan countries. He speaks Albanian, Serbo-Croatian, Russian, Italian, Slovenian, and Spanish . Cafo founded the Albanian-American Culture Foundation, currently serves as Chairman of the Board, and was a charter member of the National Albanian American Council. For the past 12 years he has been a member of the Board of Albanian-American Enterprise Fund – a prestigious appointment he received from Former President Bill Clinton. Currently, he also serves on the Board of Albanian American development Foundation, Albanian American Chamber of Commerce, International Virtual e-Hospital Foundation and few other community based organizations.

Rick Chou, DO is a parent member. His daughter, Celeste, attends the Granite Avenue site. He is a family practice physician caring for patients in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. He has been active in community concerns, fundraising, education and events as a member of the Bay Ridge community Council and as an active physician. He has been elected to leadership roles in several institutions in which he has practiced. His professional expertise in medicine and teaching has offered him the opportunity to have a unique perspective on autism education and support.

Chris Drewes, Esq.is a community member. He is an attorney with Kelley Drye in Manhattan. His practice focuses on all aspects of commercial real estate, including financing, acquisition, development, and leasing. He has substantial representation in the areas of bankruptcy, reorganization, and hospital and health care. He also has wide experience in the areas of not-for-profit organizations and foundations. He is a member of the Bar Association of the City of New York. He is also a board member of St. Joseph’s College, NY and is on their Executive and Finance Committees.

Stephanie Dussel is a parent member. Her daughter, Samantha, attends the Genesis school and also resides at the Dix Hills Road residence. She is a registered nurse since 1981. Her nursing background includes critical care, long term care consulting and quality management. She is currently consulting for St. Mary’s Hospital for Children Home Care Division in their quality assurance department. From 1996-2004 she was a SEPTA board member for North Shore Schools. She held both the vice president and president positions. In 1998 she joined EDEN II in their endeavor to open the first resident on Long Island and actively participated in all aspects of the project.

Robert J. Fitzsimmons Jr. is a community member. He acquired his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a Marketing concentration from Marist College. The excitement behind the “art of the sale” and strong family ties drew him to GATEWAY ARMS, where, in 4 years, he has accumulated more than 4 Million Dollars in total sales while overseeing the daily operations of a large-scale commercial / residential property management office. Robert and his family have a long history of service to the not-for-profit community on Staten Island.

Michael Giangregorio is a parent member. His son, Nicholas, attends the Genesis school. He and his wife recently chaired the fundraising event for the school. He is Vice President of JP Morgan in the Financing and Markets Products Division. He joined JP Morgan in 2006 as a senior trader on the U.S.Fixed Income Lending Desk and is accountable for the lending of U.S. Agency, Mortgage-backed and Corporate Securities. Michael has have over 20 years experience in the Financial Industry. He is married with two children. He is a volunteer leader with Autism Speaks and serves as Chair of the Executive Committee for the Long Island Region. He is also involved in advocacy and has lobbied in Washington and Albany on topics ranging from increase funding for research, family services, insurance reform and adult issues. He serves President of the Board of Trustees of the ELIJA School which is a private school for children with autism. He is a member of the Long Island Family Support Consumer Council.

LouAnne Haley is a parent member. Her daughter, Kerry, attends the Genesis school. LouAnne was the Genesis school PTO President for three years and is presently a board member of the Long Island Family Support Consumer Council, a volunteer organization that reaches out to families on Long Island to help educate the community on how to apply for and receive services from the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. Every fall she and her husband, Bob, volunteer and are members of the planning committee for the annual Autism Speaks Walkathon at Jones beach.

Laura Moretti is a parent member. Her son, Anthony, attends the Granite Avenue site. She has an Associates Degree in Science from the College of Staten Island/CUNY. She has co-chaired the Dr. Anthony Moretti memorial golf Outing for the past 3 years, in honor of her late husband who was widely respected. The proceeds of the golf outing benefit the Eden II and Genesis Foundation. Laura is also very involved in the Staten Island dinner dance fundraising event, assuming the responsibilities of the Journal Chairperson. She is also involved in the school’s PTO. Laura manages the accounts of Moretti & Racco Medical Associates. She also owns and co-manages a small real estate company with her partner Dr. Frank Lacqua in Brooklyn.

Bernardo Pace, Ph.D. is a parent member. His daughter, Gina, attends the Forest Avenue site. Bernardo is a Professor of English, at CUNY. He holds a Ph.D. in American Studies, and an MA in English. Working at the City University of NY for 30 years, he has served on and chaired a number of committees, including an advocacy project for poor children in NYC with autism, called Project Equity. Bernardo served on the Board of Trustees of EDEN II from 2002-2009 and has been an active member of the Development Committee up through the present time. He has written several grants for the Agency, including some proposals for our first capital campaign at Wright Ave. He and his daughter live on Staten Island.

John Rudin is a parent member. His son attends the Genesis School. He holds a degree in Accounting from Queens College and is a Certified Cash Manager. He has been the Corporate Controller for Associated Global Systems in New Hyde Park since 2000. He has 29 Years of financial management experience including credit, financial systems implementation, financial reporting, cash management, banking relations, budgeting, audit and tax. He has developed, presented and monitored business plans and budgets in complex multidivisional organizations. He was elected as a parent member to the Developmental Disabilities Institute board and served on its Finance committee. John lives in Smithtown, NY.

Donald M. Russo is the Senior Vice President of Oracle’s Insurance Global Business, a division of Oracle’s Financial Services Global Business Unit. His experience includes over 35 years in the software industry split evenly between working for major financial institutions and consulting to a number of industries. Mr. Russo served as Vice President at Salomon Brothers and then at Merrill Lynch, where he worked in both Finance and IT and was responsible for key systems such as Finance, Credit, Risk Management and Support for Trading Operations. He led the acquisition of Oracle’s Major Banking and Insurance assets including i-Flex, Adminserver and Skywire. Prior to his current role, he was one of three Senior Vice Presidents running Oracle’s Global Financial Services Business. Mr. Russo has an MBA from the Wharton School and a BA from Boston College.

Terry Tarangelo is an Associate Group Director/Vice President Signature Bank on Staten Island. She career spent 29 years with Staten Island Savings Bank/SI Bank & Trust in the residential and commercial lending departments. As a 5 year member of the South Shore Rotary Club, she is a recipient of the CAR Rosenberger “Service Above Self” Award, performs with the Cast in their yearly shows and is a coordinator with the Festa Italiana committee. In addition, she serves on the Richmond University Medical Center Diabetes Community Advisory Board and the Board of Advisors of the Staten Island Region of the American Cancer Society and is active in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. Terry is a member of the Staten Island Economic Development Corp’s Women’s Leadership Council and is an Area Coordinator for the Tunnel to Towers Run. She is a past recipient of The Staten Island Friends for Hospice Care “Celebrate Life Award” and is a member of the St. Joseph By The Sea Alumni Hall of Fame. She is currently a Board Member of the Miss New York State Scholarship pageant and also Past President of the Miss Staten Island Scholarship and Miss New York’s Outstanding Teen Pageants.

Anthony Tucci, Esq. is a parent board member. Anthony is an Attorney and Certified Public Accountant with a private practice located on Staten Island. Mr. Tucci’s firm has successfully negotiated multi-million dollar exemptions for a wide variety of properties including industrial and commercial facilities owned by large corporate clients. Mr. Tucci is admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey. He is actively involved as a cabinet member of Staten Island Economic Development Corporation. Mr. Tucci is also the executive director of the the Autism Awareness & Support Foundation, and served on the board of the San Bernardino Society for a ten year period. He is a member of the American Association of Attorney-CPAs and is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Wagner College.

Joseph Votto, Esq. is a parent member. Joe and his wife, Claudine reside on Staten Island with their 4 children, triplets Olivia, Anthony, Joseph and Matthew. Anthony, Joseph and Matthew attend Eden II’s school program. Joe is a partner in the law firm of Votto & Cassata, LLP., located on Bay Street in Staten Island. The firm has been practicing insurance law, criminal law as well as real estate for the past 8 years. Joseph graduated form St. John’s University School of Law and began practicing law as an Assistant District Attorney in Kings County. After approximately 4 years, Joseph left the District Attorney’s Office and took a position as an in-house counsel for Allstate Insurance Company, where he worked until joining his present firm.