2021 Contemporary Women of Distinction

Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins Senator Robert G.
Ortt
Women of
DISTINCTION
HONORING WOMEN IN NEW YORK
Dear Friends,
Each year, the New York State Senate recognizes a group of outstanding women whose
accomplishments and dedication can be lauded and celebrated. These Women of
Distinction are selected by their respective State Senators as role models who stepped up
to serve their communities and their neighbors.
Included in this year’s honorees are women who helped provide food for quarantined
families and backpacks for children in need, and who helped establish food pantries. All of
these honorees have responded to the call for action in different, but vital, ways - and we
are so proud of the contributions they’ve made to their neighbors, communities, schools,
and hospitals.
The crises faced by our State and Nation over the past few years have shaken many of us
to our cores. The way we move forward and rebuild is through following the examples of
service, selflessness, and perseverance set by the New York State Senate’s 2021 Women of
Distinction.
We are inspired by these incredible women and grateful for their service to our
communities and our State.
Sincerely,
Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins Senator Robert G. Ortt

President Pro Tempore and Minority Leader
NYS Senate Majority Leader
Women of
DISTINCTION
LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION CONGRATULATING THE 2021

NEW YORK STATE SENATE WOMEN OF DISTINCTION
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to acknowledge and celebrate Women of
Distinction who significantly add inspiration and encouragement to the people of this great
Empire State; and
WHEREAS, The New York State Senate Women of Distinction program was created in 1998
as part of our State celebration of Women’s History Month to honor exemplary women
from across New York State whose professional or personal achievements, commitment
to excellence and accomplishments merit special recognition; honorees are selected from
nominations submitted from across the State; and
WHEREAS, Women of every economic, ethnic and religious background have made
significant contributions that are reflected across all aspects of society; and
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to individuals of remarkable
character who have shown initiative and commitment in constantly pursuing higher goals
for themselves, as well as acting as role models to all women in their community; and
WHEREAS, On behalf of the New York State Senate, I take this opportunity to congratulate
Sherry Algredo, Nowshin Ali, Carol B. Allen, M.D., Jacqueline Archer, Jaime-Faye Bean, Kyle
McCauley Belokopitsky, Patricia Blair, Keisha Boatswain, Deborah Carim, Marjorie Carter,
Mildred Casiano, Evelyn J. Clarke, Sabrina Cruz, Joan Cusack-McGuirk, Michelle Daniels,
Maria Davis, Elizabeth Delacruz, Anne del Castillo, Gwendolyn Dowdell, Drea d’Nur, Somia
Elrowmeim, Heidi Felix, Mary Maggio Fischer, Ridvan Foxhall, Joanna Fuentes, Sylvia Getman,
Mary Hartshorne, Wendy L. Hersh, Doria E. Hillsman, Lisa Hofflich, Candace Aguirre Holley,
Camara Lashawn Jackson, Celeste Jakubowski, Samantha Johnson, Jeannette Joseph-
Greenaway, Tina Kaasmann-Dunn, JoAnn Kane-DeMott, Rebecca Kaufman, Gina Keely, Tracie
Killar, Eun-Kyung Kim, Amanda Langseder, Christina M. Liepke, M.D., Alice Lowman, Nilka
Martell, Alicia Massop-Flowers, D.O., Tamara Moise, D.O., Della Moore, Sandy Pirdy, Elizabeth
Rose, Karen Rosolino, Jackie Rowe-Adams, Sheila Ryan, Elizabeth Baird Saenger, Ashleigh
Stornelli, Keri Stromski, Dina Stuck, Sara I. Taylor, Deborah Tharrington, Katherine Conkling
Thompson, Natasha R. Thompson, Eve Van de Wal and Tai Wang as 2021 New York State
Senate Women of Distinction; and
Women of
DISTINCTION
WHEREAS, Women have become part of New York State’s lasting heritage by fighting
against stereotypes, prejudice, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles; and
WHEREAS, From the women’s suffrage movement just over 150 years ago to the present day,
women have played and continue to play a crucial role in adding strength, understanding,
and inspiration to the diversity and quality of life of the people of the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, New York State has been, and continues to be, the home to many distinguished
women who have made their mark in history as pioneers in their field, therefore laying the
foundation for women after them to succeed; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body recognizes that New York State is the home to countless
women who are strong and colorful threads, vital to the fabric of our rich heritage, who have
contributed, and continue to add to the advancement of our culture through their traditional
and non-traditional roles in society; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those who enhance the well-being
and vitality of their community and have shown a long and sustained commitment to
excellence certainly have earned the recognition and applause of all the citizens of this great
Empire State; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the

aforementioned Women of Distinction.
Women of
DISTINCTION
Senator Honoree Page
Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. Elizabeth Delacruz 17
Frederick J. Akshar II Rebecca Kaufman 38
Jamaal T. Bailey Jeannette Joseph-Greenaway 35
Brian A. Benjamin Maria Davis 16
Alessandra Biaggi Lisa Hofflich 30
George M. Borrello Della Moore 48
Phil Boyle Deborah Carim 9
Neil D. Breslin Tracie Killar 40
Jabari Brisport Samantha Johnson 34
John E. Brooks Heidi Felix 22
Samra G. Brouk Sara I. Taylor 58
Leroy Comrie Alicia Massop-Flowers, D.O. 46
Jeremy A. Cooney Michelle Daniels 15
Simcha Felder Nowshin Ali 2
Patrick M. Gallivan Sandy Pirdy 49
James F. Gaughran Karen Rosolino 51
Michael Gianaris Jaime-Faye Bean 5
Andrew Gounardes Somia Elrowmeim 21
Joseph A. Griffo Eve Van de Wal 62
Pete Harckham Ridvan Foxhall 24
Pamela A. Helming Dina Stuck 57
Michelle Hinchey Evelyn J. Clarke 12
Brad Hoylman Anne del Castillo, Esq. 18
Robert Jackson Jackie Rowe-Adams 52
Daphne Jordan Kyle McCauley Belokopitsky, Esq. 6
Todd Kaminsky Jacqueline Archer 4
Anna M. Kaplan Tai Wang 63
Brian Kavanagh Katherine Conkling Thompson 60
Timothy M. Kennedy Celeste Jakubowski 33
Liz Krueger Elizabeth Rose 50
Andrew J. Lanza Tina Kaasmann-Dunn 36
Women of
DISTINCTION
Senator Honoree Page
John C. Liu Eun-Kyung Kim 41
John W. Mannion Gwendolyn Dowdell 19
Mike Martucci Amanda Langseder 42
Mario R. Mattera Gina Keely 39
Rachel May Marjorie Carter 10
Shelley B. Mayer Elizabeth Baird Saenger 54
Zellnor Y. Myrie Camara Lashawn Jackson 32
Peter Oberacker Sheila Ryan 53
Thomas F. O’Mara Natasha R. Thompson 61
Robert G. Ortt Ashleigh B. Stornelli 55
Anthony H. Palumbo Keri Stromski 56
Kevin S. Parker Tamara Moise, D.O. 47
Roxanne J. Persaud Alice Lowman 44
Jessica Ramos Deborah Tharrington 59
Edward A. Rath III JoAnn Kane-DeMott 37
Elijah Reichlin-Melnick Doria E. Hillsman 29
Patty Ritchie Christina M. Liepke, M.D. 43
Gustavo Rivera Mildred Casiano 11
Sean M. Ryan Drea d'Nur 20
Julia Salazar Joanna Fuentes 25
James Sanders Jr. Sherry Algredo 1
Diane J. Savino Keisha Boatswain 8
Luis R. Sepúlveda Nilka Martell 45
Sue Serino Sabrina Cruz 13
José M. Serrano Wendy L. Hersh 28
James Skoufis Joan Cusack-McGuirk 14
Toby Ann Stavisky Mary Maggio Fischer 23
Daniel G. Stec Sylvia Getman 26
Andrea Stewart-Cousins Carol B. Allen, M.D. 3
James N. Tedisco Mary Hartshorne 27
Kevin Thomas Candace Aguirre Holley 31
Alexis Weik Patricia Blair, Esq. 7
Women of
DISTINCTION
NEW YORK STATE SENATE

Women of
DISTINCTION
The New York State Senate

is taking special note of the enormous
contributions that women have
made throughout the State and Nation.
The women honored in this program
have enriched the quality of life in the
Empire State and beyond.
Their achievements should be
a source of pride and inspiration
to all New Yorkers.
Women of
DISTINCTION
Sherry Algredo
Sherry Algredo is the First Vice Chairwoman and the Education and Youth Committee Services
Chairwoman of Queens Community Board 9, which covers the neighborhoods of Richmond Hill,
Woodhaven, Ozone Park, and Kew Gardens.
Ms. Algredo immigrated to the United States in 1994, obtaining a job in the private sector in
accounting for several years. She developed her love for community service from her father,
who was a Red Cross President for 25 years in her home country of Trinidad.
When she became a new parent and had difficulties navigating the public school system, she
decided to get involved in education.
In 2013, Ms. Algredo was elected to the Queens Community Education Council of School District
27 and served two terms for a total of four years. During her last year, she served as the First
Vice Chair and worked on the zoning of a new school, renaming of schools and advocating for
fair funding.
Her dedication to community service and helping others, especially children with special needs
like her son, who was diagnosed with autism, has earned Ms. Algredo numerous citations. She
has been recognized by elected officials throughout the Borough, as well as the Boys & Girls
Club, and the autism awareness organization, “Perfect Piece of the Puzzle.”
During the month of April, which is Autism Awareness Month, Ms. Algredo spent most of her
time fighting for resources and help for families of children with autism who needed extra
support during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms. Algredo has been an active participant in many community and education meetings for the
past several years, and continues to be a force for positive change in the district.
Sherry Algredo was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator James Sanders Jr.
1
Women of
DISTINCTION
Nowshin Ali
Nowshin Ali is the proprietor of Jalsa Grill & Gravy, a halal restaurant beloved by neighbors and patrons.
An essential business, it remained open during the COVID-19 pandemic and quickly grew to include a
food pantry as well.
In 2014, Ms. Ali emigrated from India, with her son, to live in the United States. Since settling in
Brooklyn, she has created an affordable after-school program, a free women’s center, opened a local
restaurant, and most recently, a bustling food pantry.
While working full-time as a manager of a local restaurant, she sent her son to daycare. However, when
the daycare shut down, she was unable to find an affordable place to send him for care and homework
help. She met another P.S. 217 mom who shared her concerns, and together they started their own
after-school program. In 2016, Ms. Ali’s non-profit organization, People In Need (PIN), was founded as an
after-school support group for elementary school children, providing educational, social and emotional
support to children of predominantly immigrant families.
Ms. Ali earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, a Master’s Degree in Mathematics and studied
English in India. Even though she was educated, she still felt unprepared for life in New York. Once
she was able, Ms. Ali took it upon herself to help newly immigrated women with vital information and
provide assistance navigating the system. Armed with her own experience and the drive to make a
difference, she expanded her organization to house a free women’s center in the heart of the Pakistani
community.
During the pandemic, PIN started its emergency supply drive by buying groceries in bulk and enlisting
an army of local volunteers. Ms. Ali temporarily closed her after-school center and devoted herself 100%
to providing and delivering food packages and groceries to people in need. Working tirelessly, Ms. Ali
often devotes 12 hours a day to managing PIN and her restaurant.
Ms. Ali is grateful for the hundreds of volunteers she regularly coordinates with, and those who have
donated to keep the operation running since the start of the pandemic. She appreciates the kindness
and generosity exhibited in her community. The seeds of hope she planted, and the community spirit
she nourished, have flourished through her extraordinary dedication to make life better for those in
need.
Nowshin Ali was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Simcha Felder.
2
Women of
DISTINCTION
Carol B. Allen, M.D.
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins is proud to select Carol B. Allen, M.D. as her
2021 Woman of Distinction.

Carol B. Allen, M.D. is Chairwoman of the Greenburgh COVID Vaccine Angels Initiative. An
integral part of her community, Dr. Allen spearheaded COVID-19 vaccination efforts, including
organizing vaccination pop-ups, vaccinating thousands of residents in Greenburgh and
surrounding communities. She organized and coordinated with local and State authorities to
ensure that anyone who was qualified and wanted to receive the vaccine was able to get an
appointment for vaccination.

A native New Yorker and resident of Hartsdale for the past 27 years, Dr. Allen has been
supporting and working for the betterment of her community for decades. She is a strong
advocate for the disadvantaged and a powerful voice in the fight against systemic racism.

Dr. Allen practiced at the Bronx Veterans Administration Medical Center for over 30 years, and
most recently served at Sun River Health, which was formally Hudson River Healthcare, in
Peekskill. She is a lead member of the Greenburgh Against Systemic Racism Law Enforcement
Committee, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and of the NAACP.

With more than 42 years in the medical field, Dr. Allen specialized in Endocrinology, Diabetes
and Metabolism, and was an Internal Medicine Specialist. She graduated from the Perelman
School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in 1979. She completed her internship at
Elmhurst City Hospital (Queens) and her residency and fellowship at Bronx VA Medical Center.

Highly regarded and accomplished in the medical community, Dr. Allen is a member of the
National Medical Association and the American College of Physicians. She has received
numerous recognitions by the National Committee for Quality Assurance for her hard work and
dedication.
Carol B. Allen, M.D. was selected as a

2021 Women of Distinction honoree by Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins,
President Pro Tempore and NYS Senate Majority Leader.
3
Women of
DISTINCTION
Jacqueline Archer
Jacqueline Archer has been a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) for more than a decade. She
works at Sun Harbor Manor in Roslyn Heights, a nursing home specializing in the care of
the elderly and individuals undergoing rehabilitation. Ms. Archer has been a true COVID-19
healthcare hero, serving on the front lines of the pandemic. Her faith, humanity, and humble
beginnings led her to become a CNA.
During the height of the pandemic, Ms. Archer risked her life to help others, serving as a
direct caregiver in the nursing home. As a CNA, she fed and cared for COVID-19 patients,
took vital signs, changed soiled garments, and comforted those in pain. Though she herself
contracted COVID-19 early in the pandemic, once she recovered, she diligently returned to work,
undeterred, fighting the virus by taking care of her patients.
As a healthcare professional, she has touched the lives of countless patients, caring for each
one like a member of her own family. During the apex of COVID-19, when many seniors died
alone, she was there to care for them and assuage their suffering. Ms. Archer recalls caring for
one elderly woman during this difficult time by singing, watching shows, and spending quality
time together until she passed. For Ms. Archer, taking care of others is not merely a job, but a
calling that she has answered with love, determination, and commitment.
She is a resident of Elmont and is actively involved in both her local church, the Revealed
Word Christian Center in Cambria Heights, as well as the St. George Secondary Old Scholars
Association, which supports students of her Barbadian roots.
Ms. Archer was born in Barbados and immigrated to the United States in 1989. She has been
married for 22 years and has three children and two grandchildren.
Jacqueline Archer was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Todd Kaminsky.
4
Women of
DISTINCTION
Jaime-Faye Bean
Jaime-Faye Bean is the Executive Director of Sunnyside Shines, a Business Improvement District
in Sunnyside, Queens. She is a community leader with an extensive background in non-profit
leadership.
Under her direction and leadership, Sunnyside Shines has dramatically expanded its public
programming and outreach, as well as its merchant services program. In December 2018, Ms. Bean
led a coalition of neighborhood organizations responding to the devastating Queens Boulevard fire
that destroyed six businesses. Her efforts resulted in over $165,000 raised for the 103 employees
displaced by the fire. Because of her selfless and tireless work, she helped coordinate job placement
for those who had lost their livelihoods that day.
A natural born leader, Ms. Bean continues to secure new resources to directly assist and support
small businesses and entrepreneurs in Western Queens through new microgrant programs,
community-crowdfunded small business loan partnerships, and intensive one-on-one relationships
with vulnerable, immigrant-owned businesses. Ms. Bean consistently searches for new ways to help
support local businesses within her community. Her tremendous work has been truly remarkable.
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Bean became active in food security issues. In March
2020, she co-founded Queens Together with Chef Jonathan Forgash, granting support for small
businesses while providing meals to Queens families facing food insecurity. She also partnered
with the BlaQue Resource Network to share food and small business resources and information
with communities in Southeast Queens. In late 2020, Ms. Bean joined the board of Chae Corp, which
works to build food sovereignty through farmers markets, including the Laurelton Farmers Market, a
center of Black, Indigenous, and people of color farms and vendors.
Ms. Bean serves on the Board of Directors for the LOVE, HALLIE Foundation, the St. Pats for All
Parade, the Old Astoria Neighborhood Association, and the New York City BID Association.
Originally from Vermont, Ms. Bean lives in Astoria with her two wonderful sons, Razi and Amin.
Jaime-Faye Bean was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Michael Gianaris.
5
Women of
DISTINCTION
Kyle McCauley Belokopitsky, Esq.
Kyle McCauley Belokopitsky, Esq., is a dedicated community volunteer, leader, mother, attorney, and child
advocate, presently serving as Executive Director of the New York State Parent Teacher Association (NYS PTA).
A highly respected leader in her community, Ms. Belokopitsky is devoted to supporting children and families,
championing family engagement, advocating for students with disabilities, and promoting diversity and
inclusion.
As NYS PTA Executive Director, Ms. Belokopitsky focuses on making every child’s potential a reality. During her
tenure, the National PTA awarded NYS PTA the State Advocacy Award twice, the Diversity and Inclusion Award,
a Silver Membership Growth Medal, the Hispanic and Latino Outreach Award, and the Family Engagement
Innovation Award.
Ms. Belokopitsky serves as President of Twin Town Little League in North Greenbush, one of the Capital
Region’s oldest and largest Little Leagues. During COVID-19, she mobilized Hope 7 Food Pantry, supporting Twin
Town families, multiple senior housing centers, and residents in need. Ms. Belokopitsky serves on the New York
State Educational Conference Board, WMHT Community Advisory Board, is a past Knight in the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks for Rensselaer Lodge 2073, and was Fundraising Chair for the East Greenbush Miracle
League for Disabled Children.
A past firefighter and EMT at Defreestville and Menands Fire Departments, Ms. Belokopitsky served on the NYS
Urban Technical Search and Rescue Team, NYRRT-1, and was deployed to Ground Zero on September 11, 2001.
Ms. Belokopitsky represented New York State United Teachers, New York State Council of School
Superintendents, New York State Catholic Conference, and was admitted to practice law in New York and the
District Court for the Northern District of New York. Ms. Belokopitsky taught Law and Criminal Justice at Hudson
Valley Community College and Schenectady County Community College, and Education Law at The College of
St. Rose Graduate School of Education.
She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and Psychology from SUNY Albany, her Master’s Degree in
Criminal Justice Administration from Nelson Rockefeller Graduate School in Albany, and graduated from Albany
Law School of Union University with dual concentrations in Civil Litigation and Criminal Justice.
Ms. Belokopitsky lives by her favorite Dr. Seuss quote: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
Ms. Belokopitsky, her husband Doug, and their two sons, Jackson and Zach, are longtime North Greenbush
residents.
Kyle McCauley Belokopitsky, Esq., was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Daphne Jordan.
6
Women of
DISTINCTION
Patricia Blair, Esq.
Patricia Blair, Esq. is a 20-year resident of the Town of Islip and maintains a law practice in Blue Point.
Ms. Blair earned a Bachelor of Arts from SUNY Binghamton in 1986, studying Law & Society combined
with Political Science and Philosophy. She obtained a J.D. in 1989 from St. John’s University School of
Law. Additionally, she was admitted to practice law in the Courts of the State of New York.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Blair took part in community service groups including The Islips
Feed the Southside Hospital Employees, where $80,000 was collected. Over 8,500 meals were
provided to employees twice a week for five weeks, in coordination with over 30 restaurants and
food providers. Ms. Blair became involved with The Islips Feed the Islips, successfully raising funds to
stock the shelves of local food pantries.
Ms. Blair is the Founder and President of Poppy’s Angels, established and named after John “Poppy”
Byrne in 2014. This is a community-based group dedicated to raising money to help offset unforeseen
expenses for individuals who have an ill family member. Since its launch, it has notably donated over
$75,000 to assist in paying mortgages, household expenses, repairs, medical bills, and much more.

Ms. Blair has been President of the Kids Foundation of East Islip, a non-profit designed to supplement
the educational experiences of the students in the school district. Since its inception 24 years ago, it
has donated an impressive $1,400,000 back to the students of East Islip.
Ms. Blair has been an active member of the East Islip School District, serving as Vice President and
President of multiple PTA Boards. She served as a member of the School Implementation Team
Committee on district-wide interviews and long-range planning committees, is a Competition Cheer
Board Member, and is involved in the EJ Autism Back the Hoodie planning committee. In addition, she
has spearheaded clothing drives for various charitable causes.
Ms. Blair is a dedicated advocate for her community, serving as a religious education teacher, and
is currently Team Manager for the P.A.L. Jr. Islander’s Ice Hockey team. She is a proud supporter of
Taylor’s Hope Foundation, EJ Autism Foundation and the Islip Breast Cancer Coalition.
Patricia Blair, Esq., was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Alexis Weik.
7
Women of
DISTINCTION
Keisha Boatswain
Keisha Boatswain is a non-profit executive with over 20 of years experience in education

and social service-based environments. She holds a proven and successful record of
accomplishment in program management and community engagement.
As the Executive Director of the Coney Island Anti-Violence Collaborative (CIAVC), Ms. Boatswain
remains committed to developing programs that empower communities to improve their
conditions. CIAVC is a coalition of Coney Island residents, non-profit organizations, businesses,
schools, elected officials, and other stakeholders who have come together to address the issue
of gun violence. She has hosted dozens of events which target the core of violence within a
community, encompassing one common theme — trauma. Trauma-informed services are at
the root of her work, and her mission is to bring awareness to trauma-informed care to those
directly affected.
Ms. Boatswain is dedicated to the Initiative to Reduce Gun Violence and works to develop
plans for collective action toward a safer, informed, and united Coney Island. She recently
participated with CIAVC in an annual three-day Anti-Violence Academy for teenagers and
young adults. A major part of the training focused on helping the 13- to 19-year-old participants
recognize the triggers, trauma or PTSD they face in their daily lives.
Ms. Boatswain earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Morris Brown College and a Master
of Public Administration Degree from the City University of New York. A lifelong learner, Ms.
Boatswain returned to school to earn a MS. Ed. in Educational Leadership, and is currently
enrolled in a doctoral program in pursuit of her Ed.D.
Ms. Boatswain enjoys traveling, gardening and reading in her free time. She dreams of restoring
a 1973 Mercury Cougar convertible.
Keisha Boatswain was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Diane J. Savino.
8
Women of
DISTINCTION
Deborah Carim
Deborah Carim found her culinary passion at a young age while growing up in Ohio. She
earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, and later a Master’s Degree from Youngstown State
University. She worked as a Medical Social Worker for the Summit County Welfare Department
and Mahoning County Easter Seal Society. She went on to establish a small private practice
while also working at Trumbull County Family Court as a Psychology Assistant. Ms. Carim also
attended Peter Kump’s Culinary School in New York City.
When Ms. Carim was presented with the opportunity to participate in “The Islips Feed the
Southside Hospital Employees,” she decided to bake for the hospital staff as a way to make
their day a little easier and to give back to her community. For eight weeks during the COVID-19
pandemic, Ms. Carim baked and delivered thousands of crepes, tarts, scones, chocolate
clusters, madeleines, mascarpone brownies, and many other amazing desserts.
All the cookies and cakes were heavily influenced by Ms. Carim’s love for French pastries. Her
creations were a symbol of her love for her community, and an attempt to make the tough
days for the healthcare professionals during the pandemic a little better. When asked for her
reason to endeavor in baking for months, she said, “Every day, I see the healthcare workers go
to the hospital while the rest of us quarantine at home. Their courage and strength of spirit is
unmatchable and contagious. I like to do something to help them.”
Ms. Carim continues to give back to her community and has been holiday baking for the Center
Point Church Food Pantry in Bay Shore. Christmas, Easter, and Mother’s Day saw thousands of
those mascarpone brownies, chocolate chip madeleines, and lemon poppy seed pound cakes.
She is a 30-year resident of Bay Shore and is married to retired cardiologist, Dr. Goolam Carim,
who enthusiastically supports her work to give back to her community through her culinary
skills. Ms. Carim bakes with great love and compassion. She always strives to be innovative,
yet stay true to her mission of giving back to her community through an unforgettable dessert
experience.
Deborah Carim was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Phil Boyle.
9
Women of
DISTINCTION
Marjorie Carter
Marjorie Carter was born on August 9, 1926, in Syracuse, New York and grew up on the East Side.
Several generations of her family have also lived and continue to reside in Syracuse.
A trailblazer for students and educators across Central New York, Ms. Carter attended Madison
Walnut Elementary. Upon graduating from elementary school, she attended Central High School in
the 1940s (soon to be the first STEM school in Syracuse). She decided to continue her education,
not too far from home, enrolling at The State University of New York College at Cortland, graduating
in the Class of 1948. For three of her years at Cortland, Ms. Carter was the only person of color on
campus. She says that didn’t make any difference as she followed her passion to become a teacher.
Ms. Carter’s husband passed away 35 years ago. Although she never had any biological children,
she was a mother to many. In September 1950, she became the first African American teacher in the
Syracuse City School District. One of her first assignments was to teach thirty-six first graders at
Charles Andrews Elementary School, which is now a housing complex on Salt Springs Road. After a
few years of teaching, Ms. Carter became an Instructional Specialist, working to develop curriculums
for inner city schools to help students with learning.
Ms. Carter’s contributions in the City school system transformed classrooms for generations to
come. Today, there are more than 100 educators of color in the Syracuse City School District. In
1973, Ms. Carter was elected President of the Syracuse Teachers Association. She is the first and the
only African American to hold this position.
After 40 years in the school system, Ms. Carter retired. However, her love for teaching was still there;
she became a docent at the Everson Museum, and for 25 years educated thousands of visitors.
Ms. Carter still provides us with great knowledge, as she states, “Whatever it is that you want to do,
believe in yourself and you can do it.”
A remarkable woman with a long career educating others, Ms. Carter turned 95 on August 9, 2021.
Marjorie Carter was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Rachel May.
10
Women of
DISTINCTION
Mildred Casiano
Mildred Casiano is the Director of Behavioral Health at Union Community Health Center in the
Bronx, where she developed and implemented first-time behavioral health services into a primary
care setting for their satellite clinics and mobile health unit. While maintaining her administrative
role, she provides therapy-utilizing evidence-based practices for children, adolescents and
adults. Ms. Casiano also serves as a field instructor for undergraduate students at Lehman
College.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Casiano worked diligently to ensure that the neediest
patients received access to food and basic means via donations and multiple resources. Ms.
Casiano successfully rolled out a telemedicine platform for behavioral health to assure all
patients continue to receive the continuity of care they were accustomed to pre-pandemic.
Additionally, Ms. Casiano developed a customized Training of Trainers (TOT) guide for
telemedicine, and along with her team, took the initiative to educate senior patients on how to
navigate the Internet and, subsequently, the telehealth app.
Ms. Casiano has been involved in various projects, focusing on health and prevention through the
following institutions: Ecuadorian International Center, University of Arizona Life Enhancement
Program at Canyon Ranch and New York University. Ms. Casiano, along with her former
colleagues, conducted research in Salvador, Brazil in collaboration with the New York University
Global Health Program in measuring the impact of hospitalization trends in the Family Health
Program on the three most common preventable diseases — asthma, gastroenteritis, and
pneumonia — in children under five. The study was published in The Journal of Epidemiology and
Global Health in 2013. Additionally, Ms. Casiano has also presented at Community Health Care
Association of New York State and GMLA.
Ms. Casiano is a proud Bronxite who has been in the mental health and community health care
field for over twenty-five years. She is committed to providing care to high-risk populations in the
areas of health, mental health and disease prevention.
Ms. Casiano holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from SUNY Old Westbury and a
Master of Social Work, as well as a Master of Global Public Health from New York University.
Mildred Casiano was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Gustavo Rivera.
11
Women of
DISTINCTION
Evelyn J. Clarke
Evelyn J. Clarke began her journey in community organizing when she watched her father,
the late Charles R. McGrady, work to integrate and foster biracial friendships during the
civil rights era in Corning. At the age of 16, she began to help him organize events in their
neighborhood.
Ms. Clarke moved to Ulster County to attend SUNY New Paltz and began serving her community,
helping those less fortunate. She worked at the NYS Division for Youth in Highland, and later
commuted to Poughkeepsie to work at the Grace Smith House for Battered Women as an
overnight Admissions Counselor.
Ms. Clarke is an integral part of the Kingston and Esopus communities and has volunteered and
served the public in countless roles over the years. Ms. Clarke is a former volunteer counselor
at the Esther House, a safe and sober residence for women recovering from substance abuse,
an Associate Minister and Director of Christian Education, working alongside her husband,
Reverend G. Modele Clarke at the New Progressive Baptist Church, and was President of the
Ulster County Multi-Services Center, which provides an after-school program for youth and
sponsors the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Event and luncheon held in Kingston.
In 2012, Ms. Clarke was appointed Ulster County Human Rights Commissioner and Director of
the Ulster County Youth Bureau. Ms. Clarke held that post until she retired in 2018. During her
tenure, she focused on restorative justice and keeping kids in school, and to this end, worked
closely with the Kingston City School District’s Board of Education to support redrafting the
School District’s disciplinary codes. She has continued this work by serving as a member of
the Restorative Justice Community Empowerment Task Force and on the Family of Woodstock
Board of Directors.
Ms. Clarke is well-known in the Ulster County community for her kindness, charisma,
humor, and for always being there to help a friend or child in need.
Evelyn J. Clarke was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction by Senator Michelle Hinchey.
12
Women of
DISTINCTION
Sabrina Cruz
Sabrina Cruz is the owner and operator of Ultimate Auto Detailing, a small business located in Kent,
New York.
Ms. Cruz has faced many struggles as a mother and business owner working from home. She began
to lose herself and struggled with depression, anxiety, a nervous breakdown, and thoughts of suicide.
Deciding that she was stronger than her biggest demons, she created her own brand, “Wake up Dress
up Own your Day." Ms. Cruz is an inspiration to those struggling in her community and beyond. She
encourages people to stay positive, attentive, and grateful for the day ahead. “Wake up Dress up Own
your Day” encompasses the idea that with the right mindset, you can overcome the challenges that
come your way.
The world has rapidly changed since 2020, and many are facing their own struggles with depression
and anxiety. Ms. Cruz consistently shows up on social media and in the community to help encourage
and inspire people to see the positivity during these challenging times. Ms. Cruz works tirelessly to
help empower her neighbors to become adaptable to the many changes life brings.
She is currently working on finishing her book, Wake up Dress up Own your Day, which will have daily
inspirations and short stories relating to women who want to take control of their passions and ideas,
and grow confidence in their self-worth.
A leader in the local business community, Ms. Cruz has been featured on multiple podcasts and has
helped many small business owners create a following on social media and generate new leads.
Ms. Cruz is the recipient of the Putnam County Trail Blazers Award for Contribution to Economic
Development and created her own website of short relatable stories for women around the world.
She reminds us all that there is no pause, rewind, stop or fast forward button in life. There is only the
current scenario. So be sure to “Wake up Dress up and Own your Day."
Ms. Cruz lives in Kent, with her husband, Harry, and four children, ages seven through seventeen.
Sabrina Cruz was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Sue Serino.
13
Women of
DISTINCTION
Joan Cusack-McGuirk
Joan Cusack-McGuirk has 45 years of experience in the healthcare industry, serving more than 40 years at
St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital (SLCH). She was instrumental in finalizing the partnership between SLCH and
the Montefiore Health System (MHS) which was announced in 2016. Since that time, Ms. Cusack-McGuirk has
worked to integrate SLCH into the MHS, which is a robust academic health system and a national leader in
transforming health care to improve access, quality, and experience of care.
As Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, she was responsible for the successful integration of two
divergent patient care cultures into a singular care model. Ms. Cusack-McGuirk was promoted to Interim
President and Chief Executive Officer, and soon after was appointed to permanent President and Chief
Executive Officer of SLCH, which was renamed Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall (MSLC) in 2019. Most recently, she
led her community hospital through the COVID-19 pandemic that she describes as the proudest moment in her
career. In her words, she witnessed "bravery, heroism and true dedication across the entire organization."
Under Ms. Cusack-McGuirk’s leadership, MSLC has earned numerous awards and accreditations including: The
Gold Plus Award from the American Heart Association’s “Get with the Guidelines” for stroke for 12 years in a row;
American Heart Association’s Mission Gold Award; Pulmonary Rehab Certification by the American Association
of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehab; verified as a Level III Trauma Center by the American College of
Surgeons Committee since 2015; and accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.
In addition, MSLC has achieved designation as a Magnet organization, the most elite recognition that a hospital
can receive for nursing excellence.
Ms. Cusack-McGuirk graduated as an RN from St. Vincent’s Hospital and Medical Center in New York City,
received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from SUNY New Paltz, earned her graduate degree at New York
University, and is a graduate of The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania's Business Fellows
Program.
Ms. Cusack-McGuirk is an active member of the community, participating in numerous local, regional and State
organizations, including: Healthcare Association of New York State, Northern Metropolitan Hospital Association,
Greater New York Hospital Association, New York Organization of Nurse Executives and Leaders, Patterns for
Progress, Orange County Chamber of Commerce, Vision Hudson Valley, Hudson Valley Economic Development
Corporation, Nora Cronin Academy, Newburgh Armory, and Rotary Club of Greater Newburgh.
Between Ms. Cusack-McGuirk and her beloved late husband, John, they have seven children and eleven
grandchildren. Her family is the highlight of her life; all the rest is icing on the cake.
Joan Cusack-McGuirk was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator James Skoufis.
14
Women of
DISTINCTION
Michelle Daniels
Michelle Daniels founded the Frederick Douglass home-site marker at School #12 in 2007. With the
absence of Douglass programming, and the lack of after-school activities, she started the Frederick
Douglass Club (FDC).
Ms. Daniels taught a diverse group of fourth, fifth and sixth grade students local and national history,
following in the footsteps of Frederick Douglass. Learning through lectures, field trips, and reading,
the students’ annual plays were so popular that they garnered attention from media, universities,
museums, and national historic sites.
FDC students placed first through third annually in local and national speech competitions. One
of the students, Campbell McDade Clay, was invited to recite her speech for the unveiling of the
Douglass statue at the United States Capitol. Ms. Daniels also funded and escorted the students to
different states and cities in the country to learn about history.
Due to health issues, Ms. Daniels could no longer manage the club. She generously donated 2,500
copies of Frederick Douglass’ autobiography to area students, along with two life-sized Douglass
statues to be erected in the City. When one of the statues was vandalized, this prompted her
activist side to emerge. In 2017, Ms. Daniels’ Douglass Club journey earned her a City of Rochester
Proclamation naming a day in her honor.
In 2017, Ms. Daniels beat cancer. After receiving letters of encouragement from Presidents Carter
and Obama, she found a strong sense of purpose. She jumped into action and helped bring aid to
the areas most affected by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. As she looked for her friends’ loved ones,
Ms. Daniels documented her journey on Facebook. Recognizing her hard work and dedication to
help those in need, Action for a Better Community awarded her the Signature Citizen of the Year, and
presented her with a county proclamation.
Ms. Daniels, and her husband, Eric, generously donate to educational initiatives. In 2019, the couple
were awarded the UNCF Frederick Douglass Patterson Leadership Award. Simultaneously, the City
of Rochester presented the duo with a key to the City.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Daniels has been a staunch supporter of her community,
donating toiletries, homeless shelter kits, food and masks. To date, she has made, distributed and
donated 5,750 masks.
Michelle Daniels was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Jeremy A. Cooney.
15
Women of
DISTINCTION
Maria Davis
Maria Davis is a former hip-hop music promoter and a minister at First Corinthian Baptist Church.
In 1995, Ms. Davis unknowingly contracted HIV from her then fiancé. She received a letter informing
her of her exposure. Three years later, she was diagnosed with AIDS, which ultimately transformed
her into a devoted advocate for HIV/AIDS education and awareness.
Ms. Davis has been outspoken about living with HIV/AIDS, lending a voice to the many women
affected by the epidemic. She has dedicated her life to educating women, men and children across
the country, especially in the New York City area, where she was raised and still resides.
She has leveraged her position in the entertainment industry to bring her public health message to
the community at large. She has collaborated with organizations such as amfAR, Life Beat: Music
Industry Fights HIV and BET Rap it Up Community Service, and has served as a keynote speaker for
the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS, Inc. She regularly volunteers her time speaking
to educators, healthcare providers and others regarding the importance of HIV/AIDS education and
awareness.
In recent years, Ms. Davis hosted events that offer food, coats, and toys to those in need. She is a
staunch community health advocate who speaks of the benefits of healthy eating and exercise,
especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. She was a featured speaker on numerous virtual
platforms on how to get tested, stay safe and protect against the virus, while distributing PPE to the
public at her masked and socially-distanced outdoor events.
Since the COVID-19 vaccines were approved, she has been a major force in her beloved Harlem
community, bringing seniors to appointments and helping over 300 people get vaccinated.
For the past 20 years, Ms. Davis has become known as the founder and promoter of her legendary
music showcase, “MAD Wednesdays." This event highlights signed and unsigned R&B, hip-hop
artists and comedians. One of those early artists was Jay-Z, who later put Ms. Davis on his debut
album, “Reasonable Doubt.”
Ms. Davis has been the spokesperson for Bristol-Myers Squibb (PREVAIL) and “I Design,” Merck’s
national HIV education campaign. Through this work, she has helped bridge the gap between HIV
and music. She aspires to do much more in the upcoming years under the umbrella of her not-for-
profit organization, Can’t Be Silenced, Inc.
Maria Davis was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Brian A. Benjamin.
16
Women of
DISTINCTION
Elizabeth Delacruz
Elizabeth Delacruz has a passion to help those in need. She learned at an early age from
her parents the importance of care and compassion for others. As active members of their
neighborhood parish, her family was responsible for arranging activities to provide beneficial
programs to the community such as immigration services and translation, fundraising to help
young mothers, and a food pantry providing food to many low-income families.
Ms. Delacruz believes the community is part of an extended family, with a moral obligation to
help one another. This unprecedented past year resulted in many families losing loved ones,
their jobs, and homes. When New York City was the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic,
despair set in for many, but together, through acts of kindness and caring, the community
rose above it. Now more than ever, Ms. Delacruz is committed to helping her community and
fellow Americans to rebuild, one day at a time. This is the reason she became a member of an
amazing organization called The Glendale Civilian Observation Patrol, Inc. (GCOP).
She started her volunteer work with this organization in 2002, rising from Patrol Supervisor to
her current role as President, which she has held for the past two years. Ms. Delacruz’s love
for her community made it easy to answer the call to serve as the extended eyes and ears
of the 104th Precinct. During her time with 104COP (formerly GCOP), Ms. Delacruz has been
the recipient of numerous citations and awards for outstanding service and her unwavering
commitment to the community.
Ms. Delacruz is a first-generation college graduate from The Borough of Manhattan Community
College, which paved the way for a successful career in banking and finance. With the help of
her parish, friends, and family, Ms. Delacruz was able to put her children through college. She is
the eldest of three children, and the mother of three, two of whom also serve their community.
One child is an officer with the New York Police Department, and the other is in her final year of
medical school.
Ms. Delacruz intends to continue serving her community, the NYPD, and elected officials, so
together they can successfully help their constituents.
Elizabeth Delacruz was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr.
17
Women of
DISTINCTION
Anne del Castillo, Esq.
Anne del Castillo has served as a senior executive at the New York City Mayor’s Office of Media
and Entertainment since 2014, where she has led the agency in creating free mentorship
and training opportunities to increase diversity in writers’ rooms. Ms. del Castillo has helped
establish The Freelancers Hub and The Made in NY Women’s Film, TV and Theatre Fund, the
first municipal program in the country designed to promote equality behind and in front of the
camera in film and television, as well as onstage.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. del Castillo advocated for support of the creative economy
and established programs to help the creative sector, including “Music for Soul/Music Heals,”
which provided paid work for musicians union members entertaining patients and frontline
workers at hospitals and vaccine sites, and “Open Culture,” which allowed arts organizations to
stage ticketed events outdoors.
Prior to her service in City government, her career ranged from working with multimedia artist
Richard Kostelanetz, to consulting on numerous film projects, to being the associate producer
on the Sundance award-winning documentary, Imelda. As Vice President of Development and
Business Affairs at American Documentary, Ms. del Castillo secured funding for the Diverse
Voice Project, which provided co-production funds for diverse, emerging documentary makers
on the PBS series, POV. She was Vice President of the Board of the Association of Independent
Video and Filmmakers, and has also worked on funding panels for the National Endowment for
the Arts, the Center for Asian American Media, and the New York State Council on the Arts.
Ms. del Castillo was born in New York City and raised in Stuyvesant Town in Manhattan, where
she still lives across the street from her mother, and where she is raising her son. She received
her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications with
honors from Boston University, and her JD at Brooklyn Law School.
Throughout her career, Ms. del Castillo has been a strong advocate for the creative community,
and the creative community has flourished because of her support.
Anne del Castillo, Esq., was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Brad Hoylman.
18
Women of
DISTINCTION
Gwendolyn Dowdell
Gwendolyn Dowdell joined the Syracuse Police Department in 1986. She spent years building bridges
between the community and her Department, while dedicating herself to her most vulnerable neighbors.
Ms. Dowdell worked with Vera House in Syracuse and was a dedicated detective and investigator in the
Domestic Violence, Child Abuse, and the Missing Persons units. Caring and committed, Ms. Dowdell went
above and beyond to get victims the help and support they so desperately needed. She also worked
diligently to hold offenders accountable and make the victims feel like they mattered. For her work, Ms.
Dowdell received the Sister Mary Vera Award, dedicated to citizens who serve those affected by domestic
and sexual violence, while emulating the humility, gentleness and humanitarian spirit reflected by Sister
Mary Vera.
Detective Dowdell has also received the Champion of Children Award, the PBA Merit and Valor Award, and
numerous law enforcement commendations.
She retired from the Police Department in 2007, but her service continued. She became a School
Resource Officer at Corcoran High School in the Syracuse City School District, before accepting a role
as a security official at Onondaga Community College. Helen Hudson, Ms. Dowdell’s sister, is the founder
of Mothers Against Gun Violence and is President of the Syracuse Common Council. She put it this way,
“Gwen always finds her way back to those kids.”
During her years with the police, she served as Vice President of Camp 415, an organization of African
American law enforcement officers who seek to strengthen relationships and awareness between the
police and the community. Frank Fowler, a former president of Camp 415 and police chief for several years
during Ms. Dowdell’s tenure, said her leadership shaped the careers of many police officers, including his
own.
The group, Camp 415, was named in honor of the badge number of Wallie Howard Jr., a beloved Syracuse
police investigator killed in the line of duty. Ms. Dowdell has joined with others who loved Wallie to make
sure the community remembers who he was and what he stood for.
In a 2015 Syracuse Post-Standard article, Ms. Dowdell recalled seeing Wallie during shift changes, often
when she felt the most tired. Wallie “had the ability to lift her spirits through sheer presence, through
a smile that was akin to hitting a light switch in a dark place,” the article read. For so many in this
community, Ms. Dowdell’s presence has a similar effect.
Gwendolyn Dowdell was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator John W. Mannion.
19
Women of
DISTINCTION
Drea d’Nur
Drea d’Nur is the founder of Western New York’s first safe, organic, and halal food pantry, Feed
Buffalo, which ensures that all people can eat without compromising their faith and dietary
restrictions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she served hundreds of quarantined families who had little
to no food.
A five-time life-giver, artist, activist, writer, organizer, law maker, and humanitarian, Ms. d’Nur was
honored to take part in the FreeTHEM Walk, which consisted of abolitionists spreading awareness toward
freedom for today’s enslaved people. The Walk took place from the beginning of May to the middle of June,
concluding on the celebration of Juneteenth. Starting in Appomattox, Virginia, and stretching nearly 1,000
miles on the Underground Railroad toward Buffalo, New York, this historic event brought much-needed
awareness to modern-day slavery, better known as human trafficking.
Ms. d’Nur made history when she established the first restoration home for human trafficking victims in
Western New York — Project Mona’s House. She echoes the sentiments of the legendary Nina Simone in
that, “Freedom is living with no fear.” Her tireless, passion-fueled work helps heal, and leads others to
their free places.
As a mother of five, and to the many in her community whom she considers family, Ms. d’Nur consistently
fights for her Black sons and daughters. A principled leader, she stands up for those who deserve justice.
Along with her team, she was instrumental in the passing of Cariol’s Law, which holds law enforcement
accountable — making it their duty to intervene when a citizen’s life is in jeopardy at the hand of a public
servant.
People around the world also know Ms. d’Nur for her healing sounds and powerful lyrics. She has
produced five albums, several films, and many events.
However, her biggest accomplishment is raising five healthy, joyful, and deeply loved children, Sehrea,
Abdul, Haadiyah, Siraj, and Sadiq.
Ms. d’Nur’s light will be seen throughout eternity as a result of the harvest of love and servitude she has
planted throughout her life as an activist, writer, organizer, artist, law maker, humanitarian, and mother.
Drea d’Nur was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Sean M. Ryan.
20
Women of
DISTINCTION
Somia Elrowmeim
Somia Elrowmeim is the founder of Women Empowerment Coalition of NYC. She is a

Yemeni American organizer, educator and staunch advocate.
She served as the Adult Education and Women’s Empowerment Program Manager at
the Arab American Association of New York; she joined the Association as a volunteer
in 2011. Ms. Elrowmeim has dedicated herself to increasing opportunities for immigrant
women. She is a dynamic leader, English language instructor, and activist. Her passion for
community organizing, social justice, education, and women’s empowerment began as a
student leader at Sana’a University in Yemen, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in
Physics and Mathematics.
Ms. Elrowmeim has led Brooklyn’s Arab American community in voter registration
drives, town halls, small group meetings and protests, and rallies of local, national and
international importance.
She is a powerful voice and outspoken leader who does not shy away from causes that she
believes in. She was active in the Women’s March on Washington, protesting the Muslim
travel ban and defending the rights of domestic violence survivors. She works to ensure
that elected officials are held accountable and serve the best interests of their constituents.
In addition to her work as an advocate and educator with the Arab American Association,
Ms. Elrowmeim serves as the Chair of the Board of Action Corps, which is actively fighting
for humanitarian issues around the world.
She is also the founder of the Union of Arab Women, a member-led organization
encouraging the civic engagement, economic empowerment, health, voter registration and
education of New York’s Arab women.
Ms. Elrowmeim is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions.
Somia Elrowmeim was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Andrew Gounardes.
21
Women of
DISTINCTION
Heidi Felix
Heidi Felix, a resident of Wantagh, understands and prioritizes the importance of community. A
dedicated mother and community member, Ms. Felix has a lifelong passion to improve the lives
of those around her.
Ms. Felix is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for LifeVac LLC, where she utilizes her
prior experiences to help promote a product used to save people during choking emergencies.
Before her current role, Ms. Felix was the National Business Development Specialist from The
Millennium Group in Manhattan and a Business Development Officer for NEFCU in Westbury,
among other positions. Performing these jobs while finding the time to give back to her
community and raise her family is a testament to the incredible person Ms. Felix is.
Ms. Felix’s selfless volunteerism is one of her defining characteristics. She has led, and been
a part of, many volunteer and community organizations, including: Kiwanis Club of Wantagh
Board Member and President, Trustee for the Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Center, Sunday school
teacher, member of the Wantagh Chamber of Commerce, Board Member of The Long Island
Center for Business & Professional Women, member of the Wantagh School District PTA, and
much more. Her work has saved lives, helped children receive a quality education, and above all
else, improved Wantagh and the greater Long Island community.
Ms. Felix’s previous accolades include: Herald Person of the Year, Wantagh Chamber of
Commerce Citizen of the Year, Miss Wantagh Honorary Woman of the Year, Town of Hempstead
Pathfinder Award, Wantagh Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year, Special Angel
Award of Long Island, and New York State Assembly Woman of Distinction.
Ms. Felix is a mother, professional, and community leader who embodies the best of the people
of New York. Her dedication to the betterment of her State and community have helped many
and will continue to do so for years to come.
Heidi Felix was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator John E. Brooks.
22
Women of
DISTINCTION
Mary Maggio Fischer
Mary Maggio Fischer is a proud lifelong resident of Queens. She was born and raised in Electchester,
settling as an adult at the Georgetown Mews Cooperative in 1978.
Here, she became a pillar of her community and started to organize at the Co-op, becoming President
of the Georgetown Mews Co-op in 1999. She has overseen and steered it through many major capital
improvement projects, working with local leaders to ensure they were done efficiently while keeping
costs low for the residents there. She has spent the last three decades advocating for the shareholders of
her Co-op.
Ms. Fischer has served on Queens Community Board 8 since being appointed in 1999. She currently
serves as the Board's Chairwoman of the Aging Committee and acts as liaison for local concerns for the
Board at large.
She serves on the Board of Directors at the Council of New York Cooperatives and Condominiums, which
represents over 2,300 co-ops and condominiums throughout New York City. Here, she can advocate for
lower taxes for the members and ensure that properties in Queens are kept up-to-date on any regulatory
changes.
Ms. Fischer has devoted her life to helping others and has worked as a Patient Care Technician at
Flushing Hospital for nearly 40 years. She serves as a delegate for SEIU Local 1199, and has advocated
for fairer wages and safer workspaces at the hospital. Her commitment to public health extends to her
volunteer work with LiveOn New York, where she registers people to become organ donors and lobbies
for funding to increase New York’s outreach for donors.
Through her continued work as a community activist, Ms. Fischer has always remained a committed
mother and ardent advocate for her late daughter, Lauren. People throughout the community joined with
Ms. Fischer throughout her passionate strides to raise awareness and funding for research to find a cure
for cystic fibrosis.
Additionally, Ms. Fischer finds time to serve as a member of the Queens College Advisory Board, the 107th
Precinct Community Council, and as the Vice President of the Stevenson Club.
Ms. Fischer considers it an honor and privilege to be able to devote her time to the community and its
people.
Mary Maggio Fischer was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Toby Ann Stavisky.
23
Women of
DISTINCTION
Ridvan Foxhall
Ridvan Foxhall has over 15 years of experience advancing education, arts, science, health and racial
healing in the City of Peekskill, especially in under-resourced communities. She diligently works with
communities to inspire race unity through workshops and trainings in diversity and inclusion.
Ms. Foxhall is the Founder and Executive Director of New Era Creative Space (NECS), a non-profit
organization with the mission of inspiring stronger communities through creative programs. NECS
offers innovative programs for children with an emphasis on developing moral capabilities alongside
their intellectual and artistic talents.
NECS provides after-school, weekend, and summer programs for youth, ages eight through 18. They
participate in classes in the arts including theater, dance, photography, and digital animation. In
2018, the organization piloted an Apprenticeship and Mentorship program to create a vocational
pathway for local high school students to achieve future employment in the STEAM fields. NECS is
currently working on acquiring funding to further develop this program.
NECS coordinates group programs that foster leadership abilities and encourage youth to engage
with their community. The Virtues Program uses creative mediums including storytelling, music
and cooperative games to encourage the development of ideas including empathy and justice. The
Junior Youth Leadership and Empowerment Club, and the Social Justice Club educate and guide
youth to become more compassionate and connected to the wider society.
In 2006, Ms. Foxhall spearheaded the establishment of a chapter of The Children’s Theatre Company
in Peekskill. Every year, the Theater Company provides creative opportunities to a diverse group
of around two dozen children. Students build character and confidence on stage through the
performing arts. The program instills a sense that they can share in the communities’ interests
and be a positive voice of change in the world. As of 2019, the Children’s Theatre program is an
independent theatre operating under the leadership of New Era Creative Space.
Ms. Foxhall holds a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy and is a certified Parenting Educator.
She is a licensed Occupational therapist and has been working with children and youth with
special needs and their families since 2010. Ms. Foxhall offers workshops for parents, educators
and organizations on topics such as positive discipline, conflict resolution, race unity and cultural
responsive teaching. Originally from Nigeria, she resides in Peekskill with her husband and two
children.
Ridvan Foxhall was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Pete Harckham.
24
Women of
DISTINCTION
Joanna Fuentes
Joanna Fuentes is the President of Community Dialogue NYC, a non-for-profit entity that
collaborates with local organizations such as Bushwick Ayuda Mutua, Hands of Hope
Ministries, and God Squad, to enhance the living conditions of families in underserved
communities.
Ms. Fuentes is a devoted community leader who has dedicated her life to serving families
experiencing food and housing insecurity, inequities in education, and physical and mental
health challenges in her home community and across the City of New York.
Along with a handful of volunteers, Ms. Fuentes possesses an unmatched commitment
to public service, delivering tens of thousands of food boxes to families and providing
opportunities for others to tap into their passion to do the same, regardless of any special
conditions that would make it difficult for them to contribute to their communities otherwise.
Ms. Fuentes is a champion of education, serving on the Community Education Council for
District 32, and representing families of students receiving special education in Bushwick. She
works tirelessly to make sure that children grow in communities that nourish their abilities,
and where they feel safe enough to pursue their dreams without limitation.
She is a member of the 67th Precinct Clergy Council and is actively involved with the 83rd and
67th precincts to uproot gun violence from neighborhoods. Ms. Fuentes works closely with
the Office of Community Affairs and spends most of her time with the community when and
where they need it most — in hospitals, in prayer, and as a helping hand in the most difficult
of times.
Born in the North East Side in Manhattan and raised in Bushwick, Brooklyn by a single mother,
Ms. Fuentes has seen firsthand the obstacles that underrepresented communities live with
each day. Through her work, she is changing the paradigm of a society where the most
vulnerable are the least privileged. By giving selflessly, she is helping to create a better world
today and for generations to come.
Joanna Fuentes was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Julia Salazar.
25
Women of
DISTINCTION
Sylvia Getman
Sylvia Getman is a compassionate, transformational healthcare leader and patient advocate. She
recently retired with three decades of experience as a healthcare executive, and 20 years as a
chief executive officer. Throughout her career, the sustainable provision of rural healthcare was her
professional focus and passion.
Ms. Getman served as President and CEO of Adirondack Health, the only full-service health system in
the 6.1-million-acre Adirondack Park. For five years, and through one pandemic, she was responsible
for the oversight of a 95-bed acute care hospital, a 60-bed skilled nursing facility, physical
rehabilitation facilities, and dialysis, primary, dental and specialty care centers serving patients
across the North Country.
Under Ms. Getman’s direction, Adirondack Health successfully completed a $40 million construction
project, creating a new health and medical fitness center in Lake Placid, and adding a new surgical
services wing at Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake. She also positioned Adirondack
Medical Center as an anchor tenant for the Saranac Lake Community Solar project.
Most recently, she managed Adirondack Health’s regional COVID-19 pandemic response that
included establishing a mobile testing program to serve outlying geographies and help reopen the
North Country economy; proposing the distributed regional State-sponsored test site model (which
the State ultimately adopted); and collaborating with Trudeau Institute to create the Stoltz Infectious
Disease Testing Center.
Prior to Adirondack Health, Ms. Getman was the top executive at Aroostook Medical Center, a
similar-sized health system in Maine, where her proudest accomplishment was the development of
a first-in-the-nation compressed natural gas system to power her hospital. At Aroostook, she was a
Transformation Fellow of the American Hospital Association.
Ms. Getman also served in top leadership positions at Nantucket Cottage Hospital in Massachusetts,
and at Mitchell County Regional Health Center, a 25-bed critical access hospital in northern Iowa.
She holds Bachelor's and Master’s Degrees in Business Administration from the University of
Wisconsin-Madison.
Ms. Getman has served on several regional boards, including the Adirondacks Accountable Care
Organization, Iroquois Healthcare Association, Adirondack Health Institute, Healthcare Trustees
of New York State, New York State Association of Rural Health, and North Country Workforce
Development Board.
Sylvia Getman was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Daniel G. Stec.
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Mary Hartshorne
Mary Hartshorne of Malta is a tremendous and dedicated advocate for justice for the 1,100
retired health care professionals of the former St. Clare’s Hospital in Schenectady who lost all or
some of their pensions through no fault of their own.
Ms. Hartshorne is Chair of the St. Clare’s Pension Recovery Alliance and has been a powerful
and effective public voice for the more than 1,100 retirees who have been impacted with this
devastating economic loss of their retirement savings. She has worked night and day as a
leader in the effort to fight for these health care workers who cared for some of the most
vulnerable, and saw their pensions evaporate in the snap of a finger, causing many to face
dire economic situations in their retirement years. As Ms. Hartshorne continues to push for
the government to help provide assistance to the St. Clare’s retirees, the dissolution of the St.
Clare’s Pension Fund is under investigation by the New York State Attorney General’s Office.
St. Clare’s Hospital was closed over a decade ago and its operations were absorbed by Ellis
Medicine. At the time, the State paid $58.7 million to cover transition costs, including $28 million
to cover the anticipated needs of the St. Clare’s Pension Fund. Unfortunately, that was not
enough to cover the Fund’s pension costs. Since federal law permits a religious exemption, the
St. Clare’s Pension Fund has no benefit guarantee insurance.
Ms. Hartshorne worked for St. Clare’s Hospital for almost 30 years in various positions, including
as a Registered X-ray Technician and Ultrasound Technologist. She received an Associate
Degree from SUNY Schenectady and attended St. Clare’s School of Radiology while working
part-time at Loblaws so she could pay for books, uniforms, and tuition. Ms. Hartshorne also
worked part-time for General Electric Medical Systems as an applications specialist, where she
traveled the East Coast teaching ultrasound.
Ms. Hartshorne is the oldest of 10 children. She has two daughters, five grandchildren and one
great-grandson.
Mary Hartshorne was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator James N. Tedisco.
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Wendy L. Hersh
Wendy L. Hersh is the President of the Roosevelt Island Disabled Association (RIDA), whose mission is to
enhance the quality of life of the disabled population.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the scope of RIDA’s work increased over the past year, not only to include
the disabled, but seniors, and those at risk, and in need within the Roosevelt Island community. Under
Ms. Hersh’s leadership, RIDA has continuously addressed food insecurity, providing food and PPE, while
following government safety protocols. As the pandemic began, Ms. Hersh and her team organized a meal
delivery program with food provided by the NYC Department of Education. As they saw a need outside of their
membership, within a few months, more than 180 individuals and families on Roosevelt Island were receiving
meal delivery.
As the pandemic continued, more Island residents suffered from food insecurity. In mid-August 2020, RIDA
started a food pantry in place of deliveries, providing a week’s worth of fresh produce, meats, dairy, canned
goods, and shelf stable food for Island residents in need.
Ms. Hersh is a National Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. She is
a former President and board member of both the Metro chapter of the National Rehabilitation Association
and New York State National Rehabilitation Counseling Association. She has been working as a Vocational
Rehabilitation Counselor for New York State Education Department, Adult Career and Continuing Education
Services-Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR) since 2004, and since 2016 as a Senior Rehabilitation Counselor,
and is President of the Roosevelt Island Disabled Association. She also oversees a vocational program for kids
and young adults at risk in her community.
Ms. Hersh has worked as a Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor for Bailey House, working with
individuals with HIV/AIDS. As a Supervisor at ACCES-VR, she specializes in individuals with a wide range of
disabilities. She has spearheaded a Downstate Reentry Pilot since 2016 for those involved in the criminal justice
system, although she has been working with these individuals since 2009. Her unit at ACCES-VR engages
people with disabilities who are incarcerated, prior to their release from prison, as well as those engaged
with criminal justice agencies. She works to encourage and motivate them to take advantage of vocational
rehabilitation services in order to help prevent recidivism. She created the Brooklyn Reentry Consortium and
a resource guide to enable criminal justice agencies to work together more effectively for the success of their
clients.
Ms. Hersh received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology/Psychology from the University of Hartford in 1973 and a
Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from New York University in 2001.
Wendy L. Hersh was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator José M. Serrano.
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Doria E. Hillsman
Doria E. Hillsman is a Chemistry teacher at Spring Valley High School, and has served as an
adjunct professor of Chemistry at Lehman College, Rockland Community College, and Westchester
Community College.
Ms. Hillsman is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University (BA) and received a Master of Chemistry
Education (MCE) Degree at the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to teaching, she worked as a quality
Control Chemist for Essex Chemicals (Baltimore, MD) and as a Research Chemist at the Central
Research Division of Witco Chemicals (Oakland, NJ). She has been teaching for 37 years.
Ms. Hillsman is an active member of the Rockland community and served as Education Committee
Co-Chair for the Amistad Project and as Chair of the Education Committee for the Hillburn Historic
Site Commemoration. She is a former board member of the Arts Council of Rockland and is the
past secretary for the Nyack NAACP under the leadership of her beloved mentor, Dr. Frances Pratt,
where she also served as ACT-SO Committee Chair, bringing scores of talented Rockland youth to
national NAACP ACT-SO competitions. She is the Vice President of Programming for the Rockland
Branch of AAUW (American Association of University Women), where she is the editor-in-chief of
an award-winning newsletter and chairs the Secondary School Engineering Workshop Committee.
She also serves as Credentials Chair for NY State AAUW. She is active in her church, Christ Centered
Ministries, and has played violin with a number of orchestral and chamber groups in Rockland and
Bergen counties.
She has taught Chemistry at Spring Valley High School (SVHS) for 19 years, believing strongly
that all children can and want to learn. Ms. Hillsman counts among her highest achievements the
thousands of students whose lives she has touched, many of whom have gone on to do wonderful
and amazing things in chemistry, science, and in all fields of endeavor. She is currently SVHS
Chemical Hygiene Specialist, and serves as the Black History Month Committee Chair. She is on
the Educational Advisory Committee at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and has helped to
facilitate the participation of her students in summer research projects for several years. She has
worked as an education consultant for the Educational Testing Service, where she wrote exams
for the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards, and Praxis exams and was chosen several times as a reader for the College Board for the
Advanced Placement Chemistry exam.
Ms. Hillsman lives in Nanuet, and is the proud mother of two grown sons and the grandmother of the
cutest twins in the world — no really — the world.
Doria E. Hillsman was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick.
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Lisa Hofflich
Lisa Hofflich is a 20-year resident of Westchester County. A journalism graduate of New York
University, Ms. Hofflich is a former investigative television news producer for CNBC, WNBC, and
Consumer Reports, and an Assignment Editor for the nationally-syndicated show EXTRA.
Ms. Hofflich reactivated and led the Westchester Chapter of the National Organization for Women
(NOW), served on the Executive Committee for NOW New York State, the Board of Directors of
NOW-NYC, and chaired the NOW New York State LGBT Task Force. From 2007 to 2015, Ms. Hofflich
was a board member and co-chaired the New York State Public Affairs Committee of the Junior
Leagues, a coalition of Junior Leagues throughout the State representing over 8,000 women.
Ms. Hofflich previously served as Legislative Advisor to two New York State Assembly Members,
drafting and successfully pushing pieces of legislation that were signed into law pertaining to
sexual assault, harassment, human trafficking, maternal health, and wage disparity. She was a
longtime community organizer and activist, immersing herself in nonprofit advocacy by devising
and leading policy campaigns in women’s and children’s issues centered around combating
human trafficking, domestic violence, child abuse, gender equity, and transgender rights.
She was a member of the founding coalitions, spearheading advocacy for passage of landmark
State laws including the Trafficking Victims Protection and Justice Act, the Domestic Violence
Survivors Justice Act, and the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act.
Ms. Hofflich was named one of New York State’s New Abolitionists by the New York State Anti-
Trafficking Coalition and honored as a “Mover and Shaker” by the YWCA of White Plains and
Central Westchester. She is a former president of the Junior League of Bronxville, and served
on the boards of the Pelham Art Center, the Bartow-Pell Conservancy in the Bronx, and the
Pennington School PTA. She is a fellow of the United Nations Association of New York’s Worldview
Institute.
Currently, she is the Lower Hudson Valley Regional Director for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and is
her Special Advisor on Asian American Pacific Islander and human trafficking issues. She is the
Chair of the Westchester Asian American Democratic Committee.
Lisa Hofflich was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Alessandra Biaggi.
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Candace Aguirre Holley
Candace Aguirre Holley is the owner of All Tymez Entertainment and founder of Hempstead
Caring Hearts Inc. She is a member of Empowering Young Professionals of Long Island, a
board member of the Hempstead Chamber of Commerce and the Village of Hempstead Ethics
Committee, and a member of the Hempstead Prevention Coalition.
Ms. Holley was born in Honduras; she arrived in the United States at the early age of nine and
attended both Hempstead and New Hyde Park Public Schools.
She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business and Administration, and is enrolled in a
Leadership Principles program at Harvard Business School. An experienced sales executive, Ms.
Holley works alongside the executive team of Argo Stone in New Hyde Park, specializing in the
administrative and sales segment of the company.
A powerful force in the workplace and her community, Ms. Holley uses her positive attitude and
tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed. She diligently works with county
and State government agencies to make valuable connections for community drives to provide
food, clothing, toiletries, and shelter to those in need.
A resilient and inspiring individual, Ms. Holley is a pillar in Nassau County who is always there to
lend a hand where necessary. She works with leaders throughout the State and county, and is
an active philanthropist in her community, helping the homeless, elderly, veterans, and families.
Inspired and encouraged by her husband, Michael Holley, a retired Village of Hempstead
officer — and their seven children and nine grandchildren — her work has been noticed by local
newspapers, community leaders and elected officials.
In her free time, Ms. Holley enjoys traveling, cooking, playing Monopoly, reading books and
watching movies with her family. She is deserving of being recognized for her selfless work for
our community.
Candace Aguirre Holley was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Kevin Thomas.
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Camara Lashawn Jackson
Camara Lashawn Jackson is no stranger to adversity. Born with Sickle Cell Disease/SS, Ms.
Jackson emphatically states, “I simply refuse defeat in any area of my life!”
Born and raised in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, she has met physical, emotional, and
educational challenges with her undaunted faith, practical adjustments, and an astonishing
mental toughness. Ms. Jackson has always been determined not to be defined nor limited by
this disease.
Ms. Jackson graduated with honors in Criminal Justice from Martin Luther King High School.
She is a 2003 graduate of Virginia Wesleyan College, where she earned dual Bachelor of
Arts Degrees in Criminal Justice and Sociology. After obtaining her undergraduate degree,
Ms. Jackson moved back to New York City, where she began working with inner city youth in
shelters and public schools. While working as an educator, Ms. Jackson witnessed firsthand the
need for additional educational and mentorship-based resources for children.
Community-oriented and socially aware, Ms. Jackson founded Elite Learners, Inc., a school
and community-based 501(c)(3) organization in 2016. Elite Learners provides educational
mentorship and athletic programming to youth and their families in the interest of building
community leaders. The organization’s mission is to create a community support system that
positively impacts future generations.
Determined to face every unforeseen obstacle with grace, style, and a smile, Ms. Jackson said,
“Even on my most pain-filled day, a gentle breeze on my skin makes me grin, antics of babies
make me giggle, and a good joke will cause me to laugh out loud!”
A modern-day fashionista, Ms. Jackson admits her guilty pleasure is fashion, and to owning an
exorbitant number of shoes, stating, “If I am going to be in pain, I might as well look good in the
midst of it.”
Camara Lashawn Jackson was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Zellnor Y. Myrie.
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Celeste Jakubowski
Celeste Jakubowski, BSN, RN has been a nurse at Catholic Health since 1978, working at Sisters of
Charity Hospital, St. Joseph Campus.
Prior to COVID-19, she was the Nurse Manager of Hall 4, an orthopedic nursing unit. As the pandemic
was nearing, and elective surgeries were canceled, Ms. Jakubowski prepared to welcome unknown
numbers of COVID-19 patients. She filled a vital role, coordinating staffing needs with CHS’s Buffalo
corporate team, and making sure patients received quality care.
Ms. Jakubowski spent innumerable hours ensuring there was enough nurses and staff to care for
the people in her community. She is a trusted leader whose staff turned to with questions, worries,
and fears. A pillar of strength, she provided necessary reassurances that they would get through a
challenging time by working together.
As the patient population of the COVID-19 treatment center changed, Ms. Jakubowski and her staff
adapted to meet the needs of the community. She worked with nursing staff and medical leadership
to care for a new population of patients on Hall 4, providing support and guidance for those who had
undergone a tracheostomy and the surgical insertion of a feeding tube. Ms. Jakubowski proudly wore
PPE, and supported her team and their patients as they progressed on their arduous path to recovery.
As numbers declined, Ms. Jakubowski reopened Hall 4 to those not suffering from COVID-19 while
simultaneously supporting staff who were caring for COVID-19 patients. She proved to be a steady
force, providing leadership in an ever-changing atmosphere.
Ms. Jakubowski has been working at St. Joseph Campus for over 40 years and is a lifelong resident of
Western New York. She loves how nursing is a profession that is always acclimating to new challenges.
She became a nurse to help make a difference in people’s lives, and is a shining example of the best of
what nursing can and should be.
Ms. Jakubowski was honored in 2016 with the Caritas Award from the Sisters of Charity Hospital
Foundation and is a Business First WNY Nurse of Distinction.
Celeste Jakubowski was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Timothy M. Kennedy.
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Women of
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Samantha Johnson
Samantha Johnson is a Black, queer community organizer, a 19-year Fort Greene NYCHA
resident, and an extraordinary force for justice in her neighborhood and beyond. Her
background in theater and her attendance at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy
helped Ms. Johnson find her voice early on; she has consistently used that voice to uplift and
embolden her community.
As an Education and Outreach Coordinator for the Center for Independence of the Disabled, she
advocates for more transparency and access to resources for individuals with disabilities. She
also connects people with disabilities who are about to be released from incarceration with
social and economic resources to enable them to maintain self-determined well-being.
Ms. Johnson served as the Director of Community Integration at the Ingersoll Community
Center, creating intentional events and spaces for community members to gather, grow, and
heal together. Her commitment to building a more just and equitable world has not only shown
itself in her professional career, but also in her expansive history of volunteer community
organizing.
Following the fatal shooting of Mike Brown in 2014, she organized and led national campaigns
for Black, Brown, and queer liberation that actively centered the visions of directly impacted
people. She also helped build up the Close Rikers and No New Jails movements, which have
created deeper conversations around abolition and community investment as a means to
public safety. She serves as a member of Community Board 2 and regularly engages in voter
and political education in the district.
As 2020 proved to be an exceptionally challenging year, and those challenges fell

disproportionately on people of color, women, and LGBTQ+ people, Ms. Johnson responded
with redoubled efforts to defend and empower her community. She was also part of a Black-led
mutual aid group that assisted with feeding 400-600 people a day, as well as providing support
services to people arrested during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Samantha Johnson was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Jabari Brisport.
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Women of
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Jeannette Joseph-Greenaway
Jeannette Joseph-Greenaway is President and Founder of Agatha House Foundation.

The daughter of Agatha Joseph, she worked closely with her mother to better the lives of
disadvantaged children. Over 20 years ago, Ms. Joseph-Greenaway’s vision to reach the
children of the community became a reality when she opened the doors to one of her first
childcare facilities in New York. Through this avenue, she was able to provide underserved
families the best possible start academically.
Children in her facilities often surpass kindergarten and enter into first grade from her
care. Ms. Joseph-Greenaway strives to maintain an atmosphere of love and acceptance,
ensuring that children gain confidence and are capable in extending themselves within their
community, thus creating a cycle of unity, growth, and leadership.
On the fast track to successfully empowering the youth of her community, Ms. Joseph-
Greenaway was unexpectedly diagnosed with a debilitating disease that placed her in the
intensive care unit with an uncertain amount of time to live. It was during this difficult time
that she realized her purpose, and that she had a mission to do what she had always known
— what her mother had taught her — to embrace the children and families of her community.
Miraculously, she received a double lung transplant, providing her with vital time in order to
further her efforts.
Agatha House Foundation was created in memory of Ms. Joseph-Greenaway’s mother, who
believed that no child should be excluded or feel left out. Following Agatha Joseph’s passing in
February 2014, Ms. Joseph-Greenaway's desire to do more led to the creation of Agatha House
Foundation.
The mission of Agatha House Foundation is to provide hope and resources for those without
life’s essentials. The Foundation provides help, funding, and programs to assist in ending
childhood hunger, and feeds the children and families displaced due to poverty and disaster.
Jeannette Joseph-Greenaway was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Jamaal T. Bailey.
35
Women of
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Tina Kaasmann-Dunn
Tina Kaasmann-Dunn is a proud Staten Islander who has a penchant to preserve and educate
others on its rich history. Her love for the Borough started at a young age in the wooded areas
surrounding the Swiss Chalet home she was raised in. Her fascination with nature and history
has continued to blossom throughout her life.
Through her advocacy and talent, Ms. Kaasmann-Dunn has succeeded in ensuring that notable
moments in Staten Island’s history are forever preserved. Her passion for tradition, love for her
home, and zeal for history inspired the preservation of Staten Island’s storied past that quite
possibly would have been lost and forgotten if not for her. Ms. Kaasmann-Dunn also specializes
in antiques restoration, and works with museums and collectors of early 17th century English
and Dutch furniture.
Ms. Kaasmann-Dunn has held numerous positions for the betterment of the community, with
particular attention to education and the preservation of its history. She has held leadership
positions with the Preservation League of Staten Island, the Conference House, the Tottenville
Historical Society, and as a member of the Staten Island Museum Accession Committee. Of
particular note, Ms. Kaasmann-Dunn has been a leading voice in recounting the incredible
history of Frederick Law Olmsted, the highly regarded founder of American landscape
architecture.
Her position as a board member of the Friends of Olmsted-Beil House has advanced her
mission to preserve, protect, and present its historic legacy. Ms. Kaasmann-Dunn’s drive and
determination has led her to pursue action to maintain the Olmsted-Beil House’s timeless
architecture and sprawling landscape. She has worked vigorously to preserve this property, a
hidden gem and glimpse into the past. Her interest in helping others to remember the past is a
significant contribution to all of Staten Island.
Ms. Kaasmann-Dunn continues to serve as a beacon of hope and optimism as she offers a
vision for our future while connecting with the past. Her efforts will ensure that the memories of
the past remain a powerful symbol for generations to come.
Tina Kaasmann-Dunn was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Andrew J. Lanza.
36
Women of
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JoAnn Kane-DeMott
JoAnn Kane-DeMott has lived her entire life in the City of Rochester, where she is committed to urban
living.
Before retiring, Ms. Kane-DeMott taught first and second grades at City Catholic schools. She holds a
Master of Science in Elementary Education from SUNY Brockport, magna cum laude, and a New York
State Certification for N-6 and Social Studies 7-9 grades.
Over the years, Ms. Kane-DeMott has made every effort to reach out to others for the betterment of
her community through a variety of organizations. Some of her proudest moments include being
a certified Literacy Volunteer, tutoring four immigrants to become United States citizens, and as a
member of the League of Women Voters, registering new voters and officiating at naturalization
ceremonies.
Ms. Kane-DeMott’s work on special projects in the 19th Ward Community Association include serving
for 12 years on the board of St. Peter’s Soup Kitchen, which provides hot lunches and programs to
address the root causes of poverty, organizing an annual school supply backpack giveaway for 125
children of families in need, serving as a South West food cupboard volunteer, and member of the
Genesee Corridor Business Association, organizing their yearly Genesee Street Youth Flower Planting
Day for the past 20 years.
In addition to her volunteer work, Ms. Kane-DeMott is also trained as a Rochester Police PAC-TAC, a
Citizen Volunteer Response Team member, and a Citizen Emergency Response Team member trained
by the Rochester Fire Department.
She and her husband received the Mayor’s 19th Ward Citizen of the Year Award for their efforts in
the revitalization of Genesee Street in Rochester. Additionally, in 2007, she was recognized by the
Rochester Fire Department for improving safety and appearance in the community.
When she is not working on community projects, Ms. Kane-DeMott enjoys playing the clarinet with
the Eastman School of Music New Horizon Band, singing in their chorus, and singing with the Oasis
Community Chorus.
She and her husband, John, have been married for 42 years and are blessed with a blended family of
seven children and sixteen grandchildren.
Ms. Kane-DeMott has truly dedicated herself to the betterment of the community through her work
and volunteering.
JoAnn Kane-DeMott was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Edward A. Rath III.
37
Women of
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Rebecca Kaufman
Rebecca Kaufman serves as the Director of Public Health for Broome County, overseeing all
facets of the local health department, including a $19 million budget and over 40 programs to
ensure the health of Broome County residents.
Ms. Kaufman started her career at Lourdes Youth Services as a Substance Abuse Prevention
Specialist. Next, she joined the Tioga County Health Department, where she worked for five and
a half years in a variety of roles, ending as the Deputy Director of Public Health. In 2017, she was
appointed Director of Public Health for Broome County.
As part of her role in Broome County, Ms. Kaufman also serves as the Broome Opioid Awareness
Council (BOAC) Coordinator, where she has partnered with local leaders, health professionals
and addiction specialists to identify, treat, and ultimately prevent substance use disorders and
addiction.
Ms. Kaufman rose to the challenge of COVID-19, helping lead the Broome County community
through the pandemic. In addition to helping organize and then implementing the complex
testing, contact tracing, and vaccination systems locally, Ms. Kaufman worked directly with
health care providers, businesses, and community members so they could accurately follow the
State-issued guidelines.
As Director of the Broome County Health Department, Ms. Kaufman’s energetic work, steadfast
management, and boundless dedication to her community, helped save lives during the
worst public health crisis in over a century. She accomplished this all while raising two young
children.
Ms. Kaufman received her Master of Science in Community Health from the State University of
New York College at Cortland.
Born and raised in Endwell, New York, Ms. Kaufman lives there today with her husband, Jason,
and their children, Benjamin and Nora.
Rebecca Kaufman was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Frederick J. Akshar II.
38
Women of
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Gina Keely
Gina Keely is Founder of The Paige Elizabeth Keely Foundation. Her daughter, Paige, passed away from a
previously unknown condition called brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in January 2018. That day, Ms.
Keely sent six-year-old Paige to school and soon received a call from the school nurse that her daughter
was having terrible headaches. A few minutes later, she received another call that Paige was unresponsive.
Following Paige’s tragic passing, Ms. Keely dedicated herself to protecting other children and parents from
having to face the same situation. When she was informed that Paige was born with a brain AVM and could
have survived if known, Ms. Keely decided to help raise awareness by starting The Paige Elizabeth Keely
Foundation.
The Paige Elizabeth Keely Foundation has just marked its one-year anniversary and, in this short time, Ms.
Keely has built an amazing team, and is altering our region’s understanding of this relatively unknown
disease.
With her partnership with Dr. Kimon Bekelis, Director of The Stroke and Brain Aneurysm Center of Long
Island, the Foundation can provide early detection screening and education to bring awareness to AVMs
and educate individuals on the importance of having an MRA scan. Dr. Bekelis and the team of The Stroke
and Brain Aneurysm Center also provide education to emergency medical services (EMS) personnel and
school staff about the symptoms of a brain AVM, aneurysm, and head trauma as a whole.
This credited CME program highlights the importance of identifying stroke patients in the field and reviews
novel interventions in stroke care. They also highlight the importance of EMS in identifying stroke patients,
potential aneurysms, and brain AVM ruptures.
Ms. Keely also established an AVM awareness program for schools to educate staff and families. Through
these events, students receive education about AVM.
Ms. Keely is working to help people better understand AVM in the name of her daughter to help develop
programs and accessibility for brain scans and early detection screening. She hopes to have an MRA
scanning center to further assist in early detection and is working to ensure that her experience protects
others from a similar situation.
Ms. Keely lives in St. James with her husband, Tom, and their two children, Maeve and Ronan.
Gina Keely was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Mario R. Mattera.
39
Women of
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Tracie Killar
Tracie Killar is the Founder and Director of the South End Children’s Café, a program dedicated to
addressing food insecurity and equality, along with academic achievement, and overall wellness, of
children residing in the South End of Albany.
Since opening the Café, Ms. Killar, along with a dedicated team of staff and volunteers, has served
over 120,000 healthy meals to children and their families, 50,000 of which were served since March
2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the community. Each day, fresh fruit is available to the
children for a snack and a salad accompanies a healthy dinner prepared from scratch. In addition,
one-on-one homework help, enrichment programs and exercise is offered before dinner, in a
technology-free program for children ages four and up.
Ms. Killar loves the South End Children’s Café, and the many beautiful, wonderful, kind and
giving people who help make the Café a possibility. She is passionate about her community and
encourages everyone to consider how they can help address food insecurity, equality, and justice.
Ms. Killar is a member of the 10th Ward in Albany and participates on a number of committees
focused on serving the South End and the City of Albany.
Ms. Killar was inducted into the 2020 Albany High School Hall of Fame and has earned other
honors including the Women United Perfect Pitch Award, Vaughan Family Changemaker Award by
the Albany Fund for Education, Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award,
PBS Extraordinary Neighbor recognition, the Rotary People of Action Award, and she was a 2016
Jefferson Award Medalist.
A proud graduate of Albany High School and The College of Saint Rose, Ms. Killar has six children
and six grandchildren.
One of her favorite quotes is by Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Tracie Killar was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Neil D. Breslin.
40
Women of
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Eun-Kyung Kim
Eun-Kyung Kim is the Executive Director of YWCA of Queens. For the past 20 years, she has
focused on advocacy, management and fundraising in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors
in her community.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, YWCA of Queens opened a food pantry serving more than
22,000 families with fresh produce, and virtual classes that brought community members
together. They also distributed care packages called LOVE BOXES for seniors that included a
month of essential items.
Ms. Kim is a longtime radio host at Voice of NY (FM 87.7), Radio Korea (AM1660) and KCBN, and is
often called upon as a guest speaker.
Prior to her community work, she founded the contemporary music group, “Soundclock,” and
served as the artistic director. A professional composer, Ms. Kim’s music has been performed
by various groups and solo artists in the United States, Europe, and Korea. She also served as
a Music Director and Conductor of the Central New Jersey Youth Orchestra and Choir Director at
numerous churches.
After graduating from Seoul National University in South Korea, Ms. Kim came to the United
States and received her Master’s and Doctoral Degree from Manhattan School of Music, where
she studied composition, conducting, and electronic music.
She served as a board member at the Rainbow Center, later renamed Women In Need Center
(WINC) for eight years and became an Executive Director. After a merge with the Korean
American Family Service Center, she served as Director of Shelter Services and Outreach. She
served as an active community leader at the Korean American Association of Queens, Korean
American Human Service Provider's Association and National Korean American Coalition to End
Domestic Abuse.
Ms. Kim taught at the Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory of Music, Queensborough Community
College, Korean American Presbyterian Theological Seminary, PS 68 in Bronx, the Reformed
Presbyterian Theological Seminary of the East, Manhattan School of Music, and the Reformed
Union Theological Seminary of New York, where she served as a Dean of the International
Division.
Eun-Kyung Kim was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator John C. Liu.
41
Women of
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Amanda Langseder
Amanda Langseder prides herself on being a collaborative catalyst of dynamic, inclusive

programming that has a positive impact on community health outcomes.
In October 2020, Ms. Langseder joined Sullivan 180 from Garnet Health, where she served as the
Director of Community Health. Her work there included implementation of a large-scale multi-county
workplace wellness movement, and the fostering of a health system-wide understanding of the
social determinants of health.
Ms. Langseder brought her experiences from the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) Program and
Cornell Cooperative Extension to inspire local healthcare providers to become more engaged in
the communities in which they practice by supporting programs known to improve health, such
as Freedom from Smoking, PreventT2, Mental Health First Aid, and several maternal child health
initiatives. She is the creator of the award-winning Warrior Kids program, which has inspired
thousands of children across the Hudson Valley to adopt healthier habits. She is a well-known
speaker on the topic of childhood obesity.
Ms. Langseder is most proud of her time spent on the floors of local hospitals during the height
of the COVID-19 pandemic, working alongside healthcare providers to connect several hundred
critically ill patients to their families via Zoom.
She has a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Mercy College and a Bachelor of Arts
in Mass Communications from Rowan University. Ms. Langseder works collaboratively with the
Sullivan 180 Board of Directors, Advisory Board, staff, volunteers, and diverse community partners
to grow and mature the organization, while delivering on its long-term vision through programs,
strategic planning, and community outreach. She ensures that operations and programmatic
strategies are effectively implemented, and that program efforts are being targeted to the greatest
community needs with stakeholders and partner organizations.
Ms. Langseder values the great work that has already been done by so many community sectors in
Sullivan County and hopes that Sullivan 180 can become a national example of how working in the
collective impact fashion can take a struggling community from the bottom of the health rankings
to the top.
Amanda Langseder was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Mike Martucci.
42
Women of
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Christina M. Liepke, M.D.
Christina M. Liepke, M.D. is Oswego County’s Medical Director. She has provided guidance,
reassurance, and critical information to her community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Appointed County Medical Director in 2014, Dr. Liepke is tasked with providing guidance on
all medical aspects of the department’s operations, as well as serving as a liaison between
the health department and the medical community. In addition, Dr. Liepke serves as Medical
Director for Oswego County Hospice, a role where she compassionately supports patients and
their families at the end of their life and throughout the grieving process.
Dr. Liepke served on the frontlines throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. During the County’s
regular updates to the public, she was called on to help explain new, complex concepts about
the virus, its transmission, and related public health guidance. In addition, she kept area
medical professionals up-to-date on COVID-19 trends, as well as serving as the County’s point
of contact for local school district officials, responding to their questions and addressing their
concerns.
Dr. Liepke originally wanted to pursue a career as a counselor, but felt she could make more of
an impact as a doctor. After earning her medical degree from SUNY Upstate Medical University
College of Medicine, she married, moved out-of-state, and had two children. Her family returned
to the area in 2005, and she began practicing at Port City Family Medicine, where today she
continues to provide high quality medical care to her patients.
An excellent example of a frontline hero, Dr. Liepke rose to the many challenges presented
by the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of her tireless efforts, she consistently kept the public
informed, and protected the health of people in the community and beyond.
Christina M. Liepke, M.D. was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Patty Ritchie.
43
Women of
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Alice Lowman
Alice Lowman is a lifelong resident of East New York and Brownsville, with over 30 years in
the Spring Creek Gardens community.
Ms. Lowman has served as the President of the Spring Creek Gardens Tenant’s Association
for over 20 years, where she leads and advocates for 532 families who call Spring Creek
Gardens their home. The community of Spring Creek has undergone many changes and
difficult times, but through it all, Ms. Lowman has remained a steadfast voice for tenant’s
rights in this gated community.
Ms. Lowman holds the community of East New York near and dear to her heart, and the love
she has for the great people who reside in the neighborhood is apparent in her community
leadership.
She has been employed by the New York City Transit Authority for over 28 years in various
capacities and within executive offices of the Authority. Currently, Ms. Lowman serves as
a Hearing Officer in the Labor Relations Department, where her extensive knowledge of
policy and keen sense of problem solving shines through in her daily responsibilities.
As a community activist and volunteer, Ms. Lowman serves as the 1st Vice Chair of Brooklyn
Community Board 5, is a member of the Nomination Committee of the 75th Precinct
Community Council, a Sgt-at-Arms of Hip Hop Stand Up & Vote, and a member of H2O (Hip
Hop Organized). Additionally, Ms. Lowman serves as the Property Chairwoman of Risen
Christ Lutheran Church, where she has worshipped for decades with generations of her
family members.
Ms. Lowman is a proud mother of three strong young men who have an undaunted belief
in family and community, despite the challenges of the neighborhoods in which they were
reared. She is also a grandmother of seven beautiful grandchildren, who now bear witness
to their grandmother’s constant advocacy and nurturing of her family and community.
Alice Lowman was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Roxanne J. Persaud.
44
Women of
DISTINCTION
Nilka Martell
Nilka Martell, a lifelong Latina born and raised in the Bronx, is the creator of Getting Involved
Virginia Avenue Efforts (G.I.V.E.), an organization founded after Ms. Martell became aware of the
deep socioeconomic issues facing her community.
G.I.V.E. volunteers engaged in park cleanups where they collected bags of trash, planted flower
bulbs and seeds, and invited local artists to help paint murals. The organization also brought in
theatre groups to perform for Bronx residents.
As G.I.V.E.’s involvement within the Bronx grew, the group began receiving assistance from other
Bronx not-for-profits, such as: Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice; Bronx River Alliance; Bronx
Alliance for Parks and Green Spaces; and countless other community-based organizations. Thus,
a Bronx-wide coalition of community and park advocates founded Loving the Bronx.
Loving the Bronx spearheaded the campaign to get Virginia Park, located in the Parkchester
section of the Bronx, designated as a park in need of an upgrade as it had not received one since
1956. After many years of advocacy, Virginia Park was chosen by the NYC Parks and Recreation
Department for a $10 million upgrade, and was newly designed as “a park without walls.”
Ms. Martell and Loving the Bronx have worked with researchers from Columbia University, who
are studying the feasibility of capping sections of the Cross Bronx. The goal is to create green
space in an effort to mitigate the constant pollution that emanates from the highway. This is a
goal for many in the Bronx, as the community has one of the highest asthma rates in the country.
Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused Bronx residents to fall deeper into food insecurity.
Ms. Martell and Loving the Bronx provided a vital network of food distribution and maintained a
community refrigerator with the help of local merchants.
In addition to Loving the Bronx, Ms. Martell currently serves as President of the Friends of
Pelham Bay Park, as a Board Member of the Bronx River Alliance, Co-Chair of Parks Green
Spaces, and as a Board Member of the Bronx Council for Environmental Quality.
Nilka Martell was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Luis R. Sepúlveda.
45
Women of
DISTINCTION
Alicia Massop-Flowers, D.O.
Alicia Massop-Flowers, D.O., has worked as a general pediatrician for almost 15 years. Her
medical ministry has allowed her to serve the community in the areas of the Bronx, Harlem,
and Upper Manhattan. She also serves as an Adjunct Clinical Professor at Touro College of
Osteopathic Medical School in Harlem.
Community service is very important to Dr. Massop-Flowers. During the COVID-19 pandemic,
Dr. Massop-Flowers, along with the Northeastern Conference of SDA, conducted free testing
not only for New York City and New York State, but throughout territories of the Northeastern
Conference of SDA. She and her team were also asked to conduct COVID-19 testing in the Men’s
Shelter in Brooklyn, which they did free of charge.
Dr. Massop-Flowers has a private practice in Springfield Gardens that allows non-patients in the
community to get COVID-19 testing at no cost, a practice she continues to this day.
Furthermore, she has joined forces with the New York City Department of Health to provide
education on the importance and safety of the vaccines with her practice serving as a
vaccination site. Dr. Massop-Flowers is passionate about educating her community and has
conducted pop-up COVID-19 vaccine administration at the Laurelton Farmer’s Market.
Her history of community service during times of disaster was recognized during the aftermath
of Superstorm Sandy, and when she provided medical coordination for the Hurricane Katrina
survivors who had migrated to Queens at the Radisson Hotel JFK Airport.
Dr. Massop-Flowers is the product of a Christian education. She attended Westchester Area
School, Northeastern Academy, and Oakwood College (now Oakwood University). She majored
in Biological Sciences and minored in Chemistry, graduating cum laude in 1996.
In 2002, she obtained her medical degree from New York College of Osteopathic Medicine
located in Old Westbury, Long Island. She then completed her pediatric internship and
residency training at the Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola. She also served as Pediatric
Chief Resident during her final year of residency training, which she completed in 2005.
Alicia Massop-Flowers, D.O., was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Leroy Comrie.
46
Women of
DISTINCTION
Tamara Moise, D.O.
Tamara Moise, D.O. is the lead physician and co-founder of Big Apple Urgent Care. A passionate
advocate who ensures that underserved communities have access to high quality healthcare, Dr. Moise
has appeared on NBC 4 News NY, Fox 5 News NY, News 12 Brooklyn, SiriusXM, and many more, to raise
awareness on critical healthcare issues.
Born and raised in New York, Dr. Moise received her undergraduate degree in Sociology from the
University of Virginia. She obtained her medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry
of New Jersey — School of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her emergency medicine residency in
2009 at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, New Jersey. Most recently, she worked as an
Attending Emergency Physician at Lutheran Medical Center (now NYU Langone Hospital — Brooklyn)
and Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center in Brooklyn.
Dr. Moise co-founded Big Apple with the vision of providing medical services tailored to New York City’s
diversity. As the daughter of Haitian immigrants, she is acutely aware of patient needs in underserved
and immigrant communities. She is devoted to serving those communities at home and abroad, doing
medical volunteer work in Guatemala and Haiti.
Dr. Moise serves her local community through presentations and workshops on health and wellness.
She was the keynote speaker at the 2018 Caribbean Health Summit in Brooklyn, as well as a special
guest speaker at the 2019 Women’s Wellness Brunch in Rahway, New Jersey. She conducts healthcare
workshops at local senior centers on topics such as hypertension, diabetes, and healthy lifestyle
habits.
Dr. Moise was recently honored as a part of Beyoncé Knowles-Carter’s #beygood “This is Black History”
campaign, which recognized pioneering Black business leaders, artists, activists, and changemakers.
She also received Brooklyn’s 2020 Seventh Annual Black History Month Celebration Award for proving
to be a courageous leader and a worthy role model for up and coming entrepreneurs, educators, artists
and professionals.
Because of her ongoing efforts and commitment, Dr. Moise was honored at the 2019 Brooklyn Salutes
Award Ceremony for her contributions to the development and growth of Brooklyn.
Tamara Moise, D.O., was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Kevin S. Parker.
47
Women of
DISTINCTION
Della Moore
Della Moore led the African American Center for Cultural Development for more than 10 years. A
dedicated volunteer, Ms. Moore is known for her generous spirit and boundless energy.
Ms. Moore moved with her family to Olean from Philadelphia in 1972 because she and her late
husband, who was born and raised in the area, knew it was a good place to raise their children.
Over the subsequent four decades, she embraced the community and invested her time and
energy to making it a better place. An active volunteer for the Greater Olean Area Churches,
Olean Historical Society, and other local nonprofits, Ms. Moore’s contributions and connections
stretch far and wide.
Ms. Moore is passionate about her project, the advancement of the African American Center for
Cultural Development, which she co-founded in 2010. As the Center’s director, Ms. Moore has
worked to raise awareness of the talents, lives and history of African Americans in the Southern
Tier, and highlight the region’s key role in the Underground Railroad.
After several years searching for a permanent headquarters for the organization, Ms. Moore’s
hard work was answered in the form of a generous donation — a stately Queen Anne style
home in Olean. Renovations are ongoing, with an expected grand opening before the end
of 2021. Truly dedicated to her mission and community, Ms. Moore is in development and is
partnering with area colleges and the Olean Business Development to exchange resources and
support.
Ms. Moore credits her strong support system, led by her sister, Marlena, and granddaughter,
Joleen, with keeping her going.
When asked by an Olean Times Herald reporter what motivates her, she said, “The sincere belief
that God has put me here, to do this, in this time, in this season. It is what I must do. It is a talent
I dare not waste or throw away. I am too humbly grateful to shrug it off.”
Della Moore was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator George M. Borrello.
48
Women of
DISTINCTION
Sandy Pirdy
Sandy Pirdy is the owner of Creekside Fabrics, Quilts & Yarn, since 2004, located in Arcade,
New York. Ms. Pirdy is also the co-leader of Cozy Quilts Ministry, which creates quilts for people
undergoing chemotherapy treatments.

A lifelong learner, Ms. Pirdy is dedicated to sharing and encouraging others in personal and
professional growth. She is passionate about arts and culture, economic empowerment,
education, health, and wellness. Her experience as a community leader and organizer, public
speaker, teacher, trainer, life coach, team builder, manager, strategic planner, and a specialist in
customer service, sales and marketing, brings a powerful message of hope.
In 2016, she presented a keynote speech during an annual Wyoming County Chamber’s
Women's Business Summit with the topic: “Planning for the Unplanned” in the midst of
adversity and the unexpected.
She is a 2016 graduate of the John Maxwell Leadership Program, which led her to open a
consulting business in personal and business growth and development. In addition to coaching,
mentoring and teaching, she conducts industrial professional interviews and writes articles for
the Fabric Shop Network magazine based on John Maxwell’s 15 Laws of Invaluable Growth.
Ms. Pirdy is affiliated with many community organizations and serves on several boards
including The Wyoming County Industrial Development Association, and is a member of the
Arcade Chamber of Commerce and the Wyoming County Fair Association. She also spoke as a
guest speaker at D’Youville College. Ms. Pirdy never says no to an opportunity to discuss her
love and passion for what she does.
Ms. Pirdy is a member of the Arcade First Baptist Church and is a strong supporter of the
Wyoming County 4H program. She and her husband operate a small beef farm in Arcade. She
has two children and five grandchildren.
Sandy Pirdy was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Patrick M. Gallivan.
49
Women of
DISTINCTION
Elizabeth Rose
Elizabeth Rose is a lifelong resident of Manhattan; she was born two blocks from the building
where she has lived since 1995.
She became involved in community issues in the Upper East Side neighborhood where she
lives when her eldest child enrolled in kindergarten at the local public elementary school. Ms.
Rose was elected to the School Leadership Team, became Co-President of the PTA, and began
lobbying the local Community Board, Community Education Council, and elected officials
around education issues, and organized community residents to help save a local high school
complex from threatened development.
Her community involvement led to a significant career change. Ms. Rose went to work for the
New York City Department of Education, initially as Director of Planning for Manhattan, and
subsequently served as Chief of Staff for Intergovernmental Affairs, and Chief of Staff in the
Division of Operations. In 2015, Ms. Rose was appointed Deputy Chancellor for Operations.
Her responsibilities encompassed facilities, transportation, food, health, safety and youth
development, space management, and the Public School Athletic League, where she was able
to bring her significant business and strategic planning skills and experience to improve these
critical support services to students.
Ms. Rose continues to remain active in community issues through Manhattan Community Board
8, to which she was appointed in May 2020.

Prior to joining the Department of Education, Ms. Rose spent over a decade in digital media
strategy, marketing, and operations at Bertelsmann, Travelzoo and Vault. She has also worked
as a management consultant with McKinsey & Company, and in consumer brand advertising.

Ms. Rose earned a Master of Business Administration from Columbia University Graduate
School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts from Rice University. She and her husband are the
very proud parents of two college students and three dogs.
Elizabeth Rose was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Liz Krueger.
50
Women of
DISTINCTION
Karen Rosolino
Karen Rosolino is a retired Registered Nurse and a lifelong resident of Long Island. Following a
decorated 37-year career at North Shore LIJ Health System, Ms. Rosolino has devoted her time
and dedicated her life to volunteer work and community service.
Since 2013, Ms. Rosolino has volunteered for the ONE Organization, a global movement to end
extreme poverty and preventable disease by 2030, so that everyone, everywhere, can lead a life
of dignity and opportunity. She is a Congressional District Leader for ONE, where she lobbies
representatives on priority bills to support underdeveloped countries. She also organizes letter-
writing campaigns and participates in town hall meetings. Each year, she maintains a ONE
table at the Locust Valley Summer Fair, and other local fairs and art shows, to engage attendees
and local merchants on the lifesaving work of ONE.
In addition to her exceptional work with ONE, Ms. Rosolino is an active member of the Rotary
Club of Locust Valley. She was fundamental in creating the “Gloves for Hugs” program five years
ago to provide hats, gloves, and coats to children in need. Since that time, the Rotary Club of
Locust Valley has served countless children throughout the community, a need that doubled
during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms. Rosolino was the driving force behind the Rotary Club’s establishing a food drive program
at local grocery stores. Since the program was created, the Rotary Club has collected tons of
food for local pantries. Her unwavering energy, and fierce devotion to the betterment of her
community and the world has benefited all. Whatever the cause Ms. Rosolino devotes her time
to, she leaves an indelible mark.
When her next-door neighbor’s house burned down in a devastating fire, Ms. Rosolino
selflessly welcomed her elderly neighbor into her home, caring for her and providing invaluable
friendship and support.
Each day, Ms. Rosolino exemplifies the Rotary’s motto of “Service Above Self.”
Ms. Rosolino resides in Locust Valley with her husband, John, and is a proud mother and
grandmother.
Karen Rosolino was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator James F. Gaughran.
51
Women of
DISTINCTION
Jackie Rowe-Adams
Jackie Rowe-Adams is a lifelong resident of Harlem. She attended Wadleigh JHS, Benjamin Franklin
High, and the Manhattan Christian Reformed Church, where she began her passionate love for singing.
She was a member of the All-City Wide Chorus and regularly sang at church during her formative years.
Ms. Rowe-Adams now sings not only for churches throughout the Harlem community, but also for
weddings, funerals, parties, and political gatherings. She appeared in the Off-Broadway musical, Mama,
I Want to Sing, and has sung the National Anthem at Shea Stadium and at the opening of the Special
Senior Olympics in Syracuse, New York.
At an early age, Ms. Rowe-Adams became involved in community activities. She became a youth
counselor in her church’s summer day camp and began putting together glee clubs and talent shows.
She worked with the Police Athletic League and the City of New York Parks and Recreation Department.
She has served on a number of community boards, including Community Board 10, Community Board
12, and the Civic Association Serving Harlem. She has been President of the District 5 School Board,
Vice-President of District Council 37, and Board Chairperson of the Renaissance Health Care Network.
Currently, Ms. Rowe-Adams is the President of Local 299 and is serving on the Advisory Board of New
York City Division of Youth & Community Development Department of Youth Services. She is also on the
boards of Addicts Rehabilitation Center Harlem Week, Inc. and Project Harmony, and is a member of the
Mid-Manhattan NAACP.
Ms. Rowe-Adams has worked tirelessly with youth and seniors as a music specialist with Parks and
Recreation since 1986, and in 1996, started the non-profit organization Talented Seniors and Youth
On the Move, Inc., which provides performance opportunities for youth and seniors, and college
scholarships.
After losing two sons to gun violence, Ms. Rowe-Adams co-founded Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E., an
organization driven to ending gun violence in the community.
Ms. Rowe-Adams has received numerous awards and citations for her social activism, among which
are included the Charles H. Moore, Jr. Service Award and the St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Center Award.
Her efforts have inspired love and respect from all who have had the opportunity to meet her.
She is married to William; they have two sons, Eric and Bryant, who are her greatest motivations.
Jackie Rowe-Adams was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Robert Jackson.
52
Women of
DISTINCTION
Sheila Ryan
Sheila Ryan is a lifelong resident of Cortland County, where her contributions to the betterment of the
region are endless.
For the past six years, she has served the Center for the Arts of Homer as Assistant Director. Ms. Ryan is
a true ambassador for the Center, ensuring a first-class experience for patrons and performers alike. Her
friendly public persona brings people back, again and again, for a concert, a theater show, private party
or event.
In her responsibilities, Ms. Ryan oversees the Center’s renowned hospitality to national touring artists
and private event management, including all the planning.
In a year like no other, she has played a major role in keeping the Center active for the community while
following safety protocols. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Ryan worked with the team at the
Center for the Arts to plan safe and engaging events, activities and programs for the greater community.
Among the success stories are a Homer Main Street Art exhibition, Parking Lot Music Performance series,
the first live drive-in concert in New York at Dwyer Park, and a variety of arts programs for children and
young adults.
Over the past 30 years, when the part is right, she has taken to the boards, lending her acting chops and
powerful voice on stage to perform in the Community Theater. For the last 16 years, she has exclusively
performed with the Center for the Arts community theater productions.
Ms. Ryan is a board member of the Homer Downtown Business Association and plays an intricate role in
encouraging guests of the Center for the Arts to enjoy the many food establishments and businesses that
Homer has to offer while they are visiting.
For the past 25 plus years, Ms. Ryan has dedicated her life to supporting individuals who have sustained
a traumatic brain injury. While managing the busy art center, she continues to maintain her role as the
Traumatic Brain Injury Coordinator for the Centers at St. Camillus/Integrity Home Care. She is never more
than a phone call away from the patients she supports.
Family is another area where Ms. Ryan’s commitment is fully on display. She is the proud mother of three
daughters, Katherine, Elizabeth, and Annie, and is the doting grandmother of Lucy.
Sheila Ryan was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Peter Oberacker.
53
Women of
DISTINCTION
Elizabeth Baird Saenger
Elizabeth Baird Saenger has spent her life fighting the evils of mass incarceration and structural
racism. Since retiring from teaching, she has been an active member of the Larchmont
Mamaroneck Human Rights Committee, taught English to immigrants, served on boards of The
Washingtonville Housing Alliance, The Local Summit, and the Community Resource Center, and
co-founded Westchester for Change.
Between her junior and senior years of college at Rice University, she tutored children in
Boston, where she met her future husband. Returning to Rice University, she started a program
to pair Rice students with low-income students for tutoring and support. Ms. Saenger went on
to earn her Master of Education from Tufts University.
In 1972, she settled in New York and sought jobs for ex-offenders and Vietnam War veterans
with “bad papers.” She volunteered with the Quakers to establish a bail-fund to release people
from Westchester County Jail. She would drive there with $100 bills in her pockets, and her
own small children in the back seat, to interview people who were simply too poor to get out of
jail pretrial. The people she helped were usually Black, young and had been arrested on minor
charges, like arguing with a police officer or marijuana possession. Ms. Saenger accompanied
them to their court dates so that public defenders and judges knew there was someone outside
the system who cared about what happened.
In 1973, Ms. Saenger began her distinguished career as a Social Studies teacher at Hommocks
Middle School, and then Ethical Culture Fieldston Lower School.
Ms. Sainger, together with Judge Joseph Clifford, established the Youth Shelter Program of
Westchester in Mt. Vernon. During its more than 40 years of operation, it has provided a safe
and secure environment for hundreds of young men, ages 16 to 21, as they await trial, and offers
educational, vocational and counseling opportunities.
“Injustice is never really hidden,” said Ms. Saenger. “It lurks, harming not only its immediate
victims, but our whole society. The work of seeking justice is urgent but accessible. It belongs
to everyone, and it is profoundly rewarding.”
Elizabeth Baird Saenger was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Shelley B. Mayer.
54
Women of
DISTINCTION
Ashleigh B. Stornelli
Ashleigh B. Stornelli is a Road Deputy with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office whose current assignment
is School Resource Deputy.
Ms. Stornelli grew up in Lyndonville and attended Lyndonville Central School, graduating in the Class of
2010. A devoted soccer, basketball, and track player, she was determined and motivated to succeed. She
went on to earn an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice at Genesee Community College.
In 2014, Ms. Stornelli raised her right hand and joined the Army National Guard as a 32B — Military Police
Officer. She graduated from the 42nd Military Police Company in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, in February
2015, and was stationed at the 222nd Military Police Company in Rochester for six years. During her
time in service, she learned the value of loyalty, duty, and personal courage. She chose to live by these
standards and continue a career in law enforcement in her civilian life.
In 2015, she was accepted into the Erie County Community College Police Academy and graduated with
the 126th Basic Academy Class.
In 2016, Officer Stornelli began working at the Village of Holley Police Department, where she participated
in community events and holiday festivities. She began interacting with students in the school district,
working to develop positive relationships with students and staff.
In May 2018, she was recruited by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, launching her career to the next
level. She is active in the yearly Veterans and Memorial Day ceremonies and attends festivals and other
celebratory events. She is certified in the Mental Health and Crisis Intervention team and is presently
working on her certification in the Child and Safety Seat course.
Currently, she is the School Resource Deputy at Kendall Central School, where she takes pride in being
an educator, counselor and enforcer. Her daily interactions and honest conversations help her to
make positive connections with students, faculty, and staff. She manages a Sixth Grade Safety and
Responsibility Squad and has participated in multiple active shooter drills and DWI simulations within the
district.
Ms. Stornelli has dedicated her life to protect and defend those in need, always there to provide
encouragement and support.
Ashleigh B. Stornelli was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Robert G. Ortt.
55
Women of
DISTINCTION
Keri Stromski
Keri Stromski was a beloved kindergarten teacher at Aquebogue Elementary School in

Riverhead, New York. She distinguished herself in her profession by her sincere dedication and
substantial contributions to the welfare of her students and the community.
Ms. Stromski was truly dedicated to her role as an educator and remained a guiding force and
inspiration to her students during the COVID-19 pandemic. She readily and enthusiastically took
on the challenges of virtual learning, and to her delight, formed strong bonds with her students
and their families.
In 2016, Ms. Stromski was diagnosed with cancer. Through her deep faith and never-ending
support of her family and many friends, she always remained positive, recording Tik Tok videos
during chemotherapy sessions and maintaining her “Faith Over Fear” blog, chronicling her
experience and inspiring others. Through Ms. Stromski’s tireless efforts, she was able to raise
$22,000 for cancer research and awareness.
Deeply cherished by her students, staff and the community-at-large, Ms. Stromski dedicated her
life to nurturing our most precious resource, our youth. Throughout her tenure at Aquebogue
Elementary School, she made incomparable contributions to empowering and improving the
lives of all her students.
Sadly, Ms. Stromski passed away on April 6 at the age of 48. She is survived by her loving
husband, Robert, and their three treasured children, Morgan, Madison and Quinn.
Ms. Stromski leaves behind a legacy which will long endure the passage of time and will remain
a comforting memory to all she taught, served and befriended. She will always be remembered
for her devotion to the teaching profession and will truly be missed by all.
Keri Stromski was selected as a 2021 Woman of Distinction honoree

posthumously by Senator Anthony H. Palumbo.
56
Women of
DISTINCTION
Dina Stuck
Dina Stuck of Seneca Falls, New York joined GW Lisk in 2015 as Director of Human Resources.
She excels as a human resources executive and is a key member of GW Lisk’s leadership team.
Ms. Stuck is currently the Vice President of Human Resources.

As the world, the country and our community were engulfed by the COVID-19 pandemic,
GW Lisk’s leadership team faced numerous and unsettling unknowns. From the outset, the
business managed day-by-day with a singular focus on maintaining the health and safety of the
workforce. Ms. Stuck’s leadership and support during the challenging journey was invaluable.
She remained current with rapidly-evolving executive orders and regulations and helped
translate these generalities into common sense, specific workplace safety procedures.

Ms. Stuck is a key partner in maintaining “often and open” communication with employees,
helping to reassure them during a time of great uncertainty. As a result of these efforts, GW
Lisk maintains a COVID-19 infection rate substantially lower than the infection rate experienced
in New York State. The company, an essential business, stayed safe and fully-operational
throughout the pandemic, thanks to Ms. Stuck’s leadership.

In addition, Ms. Stuck is responsible for several other diverse businesses owned by GW Lisk,
including an ambulance company, a restaurant, flower shop, gift shop, hardware store and
machine shop. In 2021, she started a Leadership Development Program at Lisk, teaching the
“soft skills” of leadership to 26 future Operations Leads. This endeavor is something she is
extremely passionate about. Ms. Stuck also works closely with her Global HR team through Lisk
plants in Ireland and China.

As a member of the Clifton Springs Hospital Board of Trustees, Ms. Stuck is active in the
oversight of this key community health resource.

Ms. Stuck and her husband of 25 years, Ron, have raised their two children, Taylor and William
in Seneca Falls.
Dina Stuck was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Pamela A. Helming.
57
Women of
DISTINCTION
Sara I. Taylor
Sara I. Taylor is a mental health parent advocate. She is the founder of Rochester’s BIPOC PEEEEEEK,
which stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Parents Elevating their voice to Educate
and Empower Each other to Eliminate disparities and inequities in services related to the Emotional
health of our Kids.
Ms. Taylor’s personal experiences as a parent of a child living with mental illness has helped her to
become a passionate and trusted advocate within her community. Through firsthand knowledge,
Ms. Taylor knows the difficulties, barriers and challenges that families face when trying to navigate
the mental health care system. She works tirelessly to break down those barriers and uplift her
community.
In 2020, the City of Rochester was identified as one of 13 United States cities that were greatly
impacted by the COVID–19 pandemic and poor mental health. Ms. Taylor has dedicated her life to
serving vulnerable populations in Rochester and surrounding communities.
BIPOC PEEEEEEK is a network of parents and caregivers of children impacted by mental illness or
other behavioral health and developmental conditions. Recognizing the challenges that people of
color are facing due to the pandemic, Ms. Taylor has become a voice for people of color struggling to
navigate the mental health systems in the Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse and Utica areas. She works
for the advancement of the behavioral health system to better serve BIPOC children and families.
Having grown up in poverty, Ms. Taylor has focused her entire career on implementing change.
She is the Chief Executive Officer of Positive Steps and Managing Director of Taylor-Jones Event
Management Services. Throughout the years, Ms. Taylor has devoted her time and talent to
empowering and motivating women of color, convening influencers, and serving as a community
liaison.
Ms. Taylor is a well-respected leader, motivational speaker and a voice to help break barriers by
promoting diversity, equity and inclusion training across organizational leaders, reminding them
that “Everyone has a role.”
Sara I. Taylor was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Samra G. Brouk.
58
Women of
DISTINCTION
Deborah Tharrington
Deborah Tharrington has been deeply rooted in the community since day one — working
tirelessly for her neighbors in Western Queens. She has lived in Woodside Houses for over 50
years and is a loved and respected leader among her community and beyond.

For over a decade, Ms. Tharrington has been a dedicated community advocate — not only
organizing and engaging residents within Woodside Houses, but liaising with leaders of
Queensbridge Houses and Ravenswood Houses to ensure that the rights of NYCHA residents
across Queens are protected and respected.

Ms. Tharrington has brought that same spirit and sense of community to her work as Deputy
Chief of Staff and Director of Constituent Services for New York City Council Member Jimmy Van
Bramer. Ms. Tharrington has been with Council Member Van Bramer for 12 years.

She has directly helped thousands in our community on issues ranging from Department of
Buildings violations to helping people apply for tax rebates for their apartments.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, the people of Western Queens knew exactly
where to turn. Ms. Tharrington became the clearinghouse for those who lost work. She helped
hundreds of people get connected to resources and unemployment assistance.

Ms. Tharrington takes time to listen, to understand, and to connect the people of Western
Queens to critical resources they need to not only survive, but thrive. She is a deeply respected
member of the community. She has three children, one grandchild, and is hoping to have more
grandkids soon!
Deborah Tharrington was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Jessica Ramos.
59
Women of
DISTINCTION
Katherine Conkling Thompson
Katherine Conkling Thompson is a working artist who has dedicated her life to public service, art, and
advocacy. She has been an innovative and empathetic force behind positive community change in North
Brooklyn for more than 25 years.
Ms. Thompson’s commitment to a lifetime of public service began in the late 1980s when she worked
with Creative Arts Workshops — an organization that provides an artistic refuge for youth experiencing
homelessness. In 1996, she and her husband, Dewey, moved to Greenpoint, where they have resided since.
Her background in the arts, commitment to sustainability, and dedication to social justice quickly became
neighborhood assets.
In 1999, she and her husband co-founded a family soccer program, the AYSO Greenpoint/Williamsburg Youth
Soccer League, for which she served as Assistant Commissioner for 12 years. The League is still active today
and provides an inclusive athletic outlet for more than a thousand young people.
In her work with the soccer league, Ms. Thompson became acutely aware of the lack of safe, public open space
in the neighborhood, leading her to become the co-leader of Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park in 2014. Throughout
her tenure, Ms. Thompson, along with Steve Chesler and a small cohort of engaged Brooklyn residents,
spearheaded the creation of a new public park that will soon include 27 acres.
In recent years, Ms. Thompson has become increasingly active in the fight against climate change, and
particularly against the expansion of fracked gas infrastructure. She has a deep understanding of the
intersection between racial and environmental justice, and in collaboration with several community
organizations, she advocates for sustainable, ethical solutions to neighborhood growth. Ms. Thompson’s
dedication to this cause has been demonstrated in her work as an intervening party to Public Service
Commission proceedings surrounding potential rate hikes on gas prices that would affect the entire Borough
and enable construction of new pipelines.
A theme that connects Ms. Thompson’s varied efforts is her long-term vision and dedication to seeing an
issue through to the end. She is widely respected for taking the time to understand all sides of an issue until
she is an expert — and for thoroughly considering the best interests of everyone involved, with warmth and
approachability. Greenpoint and Williamsburg are better for Ms. Thompson’s work and will continue to benefit
from her unrelenting energy and care.
Ms. Thompson and her husband, Dewey, live in Greenpoint. They have three adult children who also reside in
North Brooklyn.
Katherine Conkling Thompson was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Brian Kavanagh.
60
Women of
DISTINCTION
Natasha R. Thompson
Natasha R. Thompson is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Food Bank of the Southern
Tier in Elmira, New York. Ms. Thompson has more than two decades of experience in food banking,
starting her career in 1997 as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer at the Rhode Island Community Food
Bank.
Ms. Thompson has been with the Food Bank of the Southern Tier since 2001. Under her leadership, it
was recognized as Feeding America’s Food Bank of the Year in 2017.
In 2020, the Food Bank of the Southern Tier saw an unprecedented increase in demand due to
the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many across the Nation, the Food Bank had to drastically shift its
operations to respond quickly and efficiently to meet the community’s needs, while also ensuring
the safety of staff, volunteers, and clients. Ms. Thompson successfully helped her team navigate the
challenges presented by the pandemic, and the food bank ended the year with a record-breaking
distribution of 17.6 million pounds of food — a 40% increase over 2019.
Ms. Thompson is an optimist who believes that food brings people to the table, both figuratively and
literally, where conversations happen, relationships take root, and communities are transformed. Ms.
Thompson has worked with countless people throughout the Southern Tier who are committed to
helping their neighbors and making their communities stronger. Since 2018, she has hosted Chasing
the Dream, a local public affairs program on WSKG-TV which highlights organizations and individuals
who are working to make a difference in their community.
Ms. Thompson holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Religion, and a Master of Business
Administration, both from the University of Rochester. She served as the Chair of Feeding New
York State from 2016-2018, and was a member of Feeding America’s National Council of food
banks, representing the Eastern Region from 2012 to 2016. She currently serves on the board of the
Community Foundation of Tompkins County.
In her free time, Ms. Thompson enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending quality time outdoors with
family and friends.
Natasha R. Thompson was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Thomas F. O’Mara.
61
Women of
DISTINCTION
Eve Van de Wal
Eve Van de Wal is a Registered Nurse with more than 35 years of extensive and diverse
experience in healthcare delivery and health insurance. She joined Excellus BlueCross
BlueShield in 1998 and held several management positions throughout the company before
being appointed Regional President of the Utica/North Country region in 2008.
Ms. Van de Wal has made giving back, making a difference, and helping others a priority.
She has supported a variety of civic and philanthropic organizations, including the
Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, Mohawk Valley EDGE, the United
Way of the Mohawk Valley, The American Heart Association, YWCA of the Mohawk Valley,
Healthcare Workforce New York, and the Rotary Club of Utica.
Ms. Van de Wal’s efforts to improve the quality of life for Upstate New York have not gone
unnoticed. She has received numerous recognitions for her work, including the Catholic
Charities of Oneida and Madison Counties Starfish Award; The Genesis Group Joseph R.
Carucci Legacy Award; Boys and Girls Club Living Legend Award; The American Red Cross
Great Hero Award; The Oneida County Historical Hall of Fame Living Legends Award; the
Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow Award; the Successful Women in Business Award of
the Mohawk Valley; and the YWCA Salute to Outstanding Women Award for Healthcare.
Ms. Van de Wal received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from SUNY Brockport
and Master's Degrees in Health Services Management and Business Administration from
SUNY Institute of Technology. She worked for more than a decade in the Critical Care Unit
of Faxton Hospital in Utica.
She and her husband, Dale, reside in New Hartford. They have two grown children.
Eve Van de Wal was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Joseph A. Griffo.
62
Women of
DISTINCTION
Tai Wang
Tai Wang, her husband, and their one-year-old daughter, Shelley, came to the United States more than
30 years ago, chasing their dreams. With little money, they purchased a grocery retailer in Queens, and
in 1984, they established WAC Lighting.

Ms. Wang, along with her husband, Tony, have helped to grow WAC into a global engineering and
production operation with a vertically integrated design, while upholding their commitment to
excellence and reinvestment. WAC has grown into one of the largest lighting manufacturers in the
world, and holds several major brands, including Modern Forms Schonbek Crystal Lighting, dweLED,
LIMITED and others.

Ms. Wang has received numerous awards, including: 2021 Honoree by the Speaker of the New York
City Council for the Lunar New Year Celebration; the Ellis Island Medal of Honor as Distinguished
Civic Leadership Award; the President’s Volunteer Service and Leadership Awards from International
Leadership Foundation; Humanitarian Service Award and Sponsor Recognition Award from the Gift
of Life; Honoree Award from Queens Botanical Garden; North Hempstead Woman’s Role of Honor
Award; Sponsor Recognition Award from Selfhelp Community Services; Innovative Leadership Award
from LaGuardia Community College; and Honoree Award from the Hofstra University Celebration of
Suburban Diversity; Sponsor Recognition Award from Selfhelp’s Chinese Advisory Council; and Honoree
of the Year Award from the Chinese-American Planning Council.

She also supports important causes such as Gift of Life, Alliance for Smiles, and the American Red
Cross. In her dedication to education, Ms. Wang sponsors not-for-profit organizations, education
institutions, the Long Island Research Association’s Science Fair and other programs to offer children
opportunities for higher education to fulfill their dreams in life.

Ms. Wang is the Founder and President of the New York Chinese Chorus (NYCC) and the Glow
Foundation, with the mission to promote cultural understanding and celebrate the diversity of our
communities. The Foundation sponsors cultural festivals, and music and dance performances in the
New York metropolitan area. NYCC dedicates its time to volunteer and perform at many venues: The
United Nations; CitiField; Brooklyn Botanical Garden; New York City Hall; Farmingdale State University;
LaGuardia Community College; Port Washington Landmark Theater; Flushing Town Hall; Merkin Concert
Hall Kaufman Music Center; and Lefrak Concert Hall at Queens College.
Tai Wang was selected as a

2021 Woman of Distinction honoree by Senator Anna M. Kaplan.
63
PREVIOUS HONOREES
1998
Belinda Alvarez-Groneman Natsue Kobayashi

Mary Anderson Joy Levy
Lois Andrascik Barbara A. Manwaring
Chris Bailey Nancy Mariano
Susan Barbash Margaret McCaughey
Geri Barish Carmen Montanez
Joan Barkley Dianne Sackett Nannery
Sister Mairead Barrett Sr. George Aquin O’Connor
Jeanine Bondi-Steinman Lorraine Pace
Susan K. Brustmann Mary Jane Pauling
Marie Burghard Mary Anne Pietrzykowski
Joan Cashon Jeanie D. Roberts
Carol Cassell Marie A. Russo
Sister Dolores Castellano Theresa Santmann
Charlotte Conable Christine Conniff Sheahan
Carol L. Constantino Jean Sherlock
Margaret Dadd Muriel Siebert
Jane D’Amico Beverly Sills
Aline Euler Laura Spalter
Ilene Flaum Leontina Stern
Mary Jane Fox Maria A. Thomson
Janice W. Gay Stephanie Edith VanAuken
Eileen Gentilcore Mary Ann Varvaro
Gloria Richardson Griffin Janet Walsh
Jane Hamburger Frederica Warner
Elizabeth Harvey Charlotte Watson
Patricia A. Hickey Elaine Wick
Pamela C. Johnston Patricia Willsea
Loretta Jones Doris Buckley Wolf
Katherine E. Keough
PREVIOUS HONOREES
1999
Nan Ackerman Dr. Linda Leest

Eileen Almquist Joan Hope MacNaughton
Jean Argetsinger Margaret Magnus
Juanita Lorraine Bass Takako J. Michii
Dorothy Bavaro Deborah Naybor
Sabina Rosemary Cardali Chloe Ann R. O’Neil
Mary Ann Carey Elizabeth Osborne
Maureen Clancy Francis McMillan Parks
Sheila Cohen Donna deLuca Periconi
Gayle Cratty Irene M. Prazak
Ava Dorfman Dorothy Reister
Nancy Duff Anne Reyen
Barbara Edwardsen Ann Marie Rossi
Josie Fernandez Deborah Running
Geri Fessler Carolyn Rush
Jo Ann Fiorentino Lisa Marsh Ryerson
Carolyn Fish Sandy Scaccia
Connell Frazer Mildred Scharf-Ehrenfeld
Betty Slavicek Gastelua Therese Schoeneck
Regina Keller Gil Charlotte Smallwood-Cook
Jane Golub Shari Hall Smith
Kathleen Granchelli Frances Sodrick
Sister Audrey Harsen Geraldine Spinella
Eileen McKenna Hickey Sheila Strassburg
Roni Horowitz Alana Sweeny
Donna DiSunno lorio Terry Troia
Joan Johsnon Mary Kathleen Tucker
Vicki Joshpe Betty Cooper Wallerstein
Frances Kayne Lynn Westbrook
Dr. Christine G. Khanna Patricia Hill Williams
Naima Kradjian Joanne Wisor
Nina Larrabee Carolyn Wittreich
PREVIOUS HONOREES
2000
Laura Ahearn Melissa Lahtinen-Penfield

Joie Anderson Thelma P. Lally
Betty Angelino Louise Levine
Lillian Barbash Marlene Markoe-Boyd
Sarah Jane Bernhardt-Clifford Eleanor McDonald
Judith S. Bloch Karen Joy Miller
Patricia Brown Marian Mullet
Melina Carnicelli Anne Paolucci
Tammy Carnrike Madeline Patterson
Jacqueline Carway Tillie Peck
Sister Marie R. Castagnaro Elizabeth Potts
Donna Chittenden Frances Pratt
Nellie Coakley Captain Priscilla
Dr. Mary DeRose Ramirez-Lynch
Tamara Denysenko Gertrude Rieur
Carol Sue Detweiler Jean Robbins
Lynda Distler Wilma Rogalin
Noel Donohue Lynn Rosen
Eve Fertig Sharon Saunders
Sister M. Bethany Fitzgerald Lisa Savyon
Angela Forte Joan Schumaker
Florence B. Fuller Paula Sharf
Geraldine Futrell Linnea Shaver
Ruth Finnegan Garner Claire Shulman
Norma Gorman Arlene Sitterly
Barbara Hadel Mary Jane Smith
Joy Hansen Dawn Sullivan
Lucille Helfat Alyson Sweetser
Nikki Henkin Cathryn Thomas
Sister Elizabeth Hill Amy Torrey
Anne Humphrey The Honorable Sandra L. Townes
Ann Irvin Ellen Tuohey
Lisa Israel Kathy Urschel
Arlene Johnston Joanne VanZandt
Barbara Kearns Georgia Verdier
Clara B. Kellner Reba White Williams
Helen Kelly Delores Cooper Kershaw
PREVIOUS HONOREES
2001
Crystal A. Abers Dottie MacVean

A. Trudy Adell Lucinda Sloan Mallen
Heather Ross Benedict Susan Marino, RN
Phyllis Besch Sister Theresa Martel
Dr. Helen Illick Breed Rev. Colette Matthews
Margaret Burch Claire McIntee
Buhrmaster (Coolman) Carol Naylor
Margaret Buzzell Angie Miller
Elizabeth Cochrane Gertrude Hess Parker
Lucy F. Codella Ann Petrus
Dr. Vivian Cody Frances Pizzola
Barbara Cohen Wendy Powers
Wendy Csoka Annie Rabbitt
Victoria DeVantier Chandler M. Ralph
Patricia C. Donnelly Victoria Rosenberg
Pat Finnerty Helene Donlan Sacco
Amy Fischetti Irene Scheid
Miriam M. E. Garcia Roberta C. Schofield
Sister Rose Vincent Gleason Carol Silva
Dr. Lois Goldsmith Bobbi Smith
Betsy Harrison Cathy Stewart
Susan Helsinger Vivian Street
Pat Hieronymus Dolores Thompson
Doris Hunter Dr. Mary Ridgway Tinker
Deborah S. Johnson Belina Venuti
Jacqueline Keller Dr. Nora Volkow
Abby Kenigsberg Nancy Wackstein
Renee Krieger Ethel L. Walker
Carole LaPlante Shirley Waters
Margaret A. Leahy Jill Way
Patricia Lindi Linekin Harriet Weber
Catherine Linfoot Sister Martha Winum
Hon. Gaetan B. Lozito
PREVIOUS HONOREES
2002
Kathleen Barton Angela Koenig

Debbie Basile Lorraine Krup
Nancy Bernheim Mary Anne Krupsak
Marilyn Bitterman Ursula LaMotte
Patricia Bodnar Gloria Lettow
Andrea Clark Brown Carol Mahoney
Prudence Carabine Nancy Manfredonia
Margaret Carroll Marlene Marciniak
Fredrika Conway Doreen Marks
Judy Dagostino Ligia Mendoza
Margaret Requa DeFrancisco Mary Holt Moore
Rita DiMartino Nancy Naples
Kathryn R. Doolittle Rosemary Nesbitt
Anne DuPrey Theresa Pagano
Laura Elliot-Engel Eve Pawelski
Peg Ellsworth Judith Peckham
Madeleine Fitzgibbon Dr. Jana Pulkrabek
Marguerite Flood Dr. Greta Rainsford
Maude Frank Jean Raymond
Michelle Fratti Zakia Robana
Dr. Anne DuVal Frost Jill Rooney
Mimi Galgano Dr. Stella Pandell Russell
Roberta Giordano Janice L. Schaefer
Carol Gresser Joanne Shenandoah
Rosemary Gunning Susan Sherwood
Mary Pat Hancock Rachel Spivey
Dr. Debra Handel Dr. Susan Swain
Dr. Ruby Elinor Hare Barbara Wilcox Thuesen
Violet Haufsk Linda Laursen Toscano
Dr. Evelyn Blose Holman Fanny Villarreal de Canavan
Donna A. Holt Sister Vincent Marie Wilson
Mary Ellen Jones Elizabeth L. Young
Patricia Knapp
PREVIOUS HONOREES
2003
Beverly Anania Harlene Holzschuh

Sheila Appel Paula S. Howk
Dr. Asma Barlas Dolores Marie Hutton
Amalia V. Betanzo Cindy Intschert
Cynthia Bianco Carolyn James
Maggie Brooks Stephanie Joyce Kahn
Francine Brown Jean Kelly
Janet Madonia Calano Susan Lacerte
Minerva Chinea Gay Lenhard
Francine Cieri Elizabeth Letterese
Karen Coleman The Hon. Carol MacKenzie
Delaine Cook-Greene Nancy Marr
Joan Correale Milagros Martinez
Carol Crews Virginia E. Maurer
Melissa A. Croke Barbara B. Melvin
Elizabeth Currier Lynn Millane
Lucille Cuttler Rose V. Moroney
Eva de La O Sister Margaret Murphy
Dr. Donna Denier May Newburger
Lee Gridley Dibble Sister Kathleen Osbelt
Maxine Dowler Janet Ottman
The Hon. Sandra J. Feuerstein Raquel Pachas
The Hon. Patricia M. Filiberto Edith Palmer
Annette S. Foley Vivian Papson
Jane Fox Elizabeth Sanchez
Sister Monica Galligan Gladys Serrano
Georgiana Gehret Leslie Stolzenfels
Barbara L. Germain Marianne Teta
Ann Marie Gianni Cynthia Theiss
Bertha Governale Terri Thomson
Priscilla Halagao Sister Marguerite Torre
Grace Hausmann Colleen Tyll
Nancy Henry Vivian Warren
Fran Weisberg
PREVIOUS HONOREES
2004
Margaret Pataki Maud Haggstrom Kramer

Nancy L. E. Andrews Deborah Kueber
Sarah Anker Judith Lang
Joan Bachert Ronnie W. Lawrence
Kathy Ballesteros Marion Leonardo
Margaret C. Bandy Mary E. Luckern
Frances Barbieri Jacquelyn Maher-Brucia
Lisa Barile Sister Regina McAuley
Marcella Beigel Joanne Meyer-Jendras
Rochelle Berger Joyce E. Mulleedy
Judi Bosworth Susan Murray-Tetz
Mildred Browne Marlene Norfolk
Sheila Burrell RoseMarie Panio
Jaqueline P. Cady Barbara Picard
Brigitte Castellano The Hon. Maxine Postal
Sister Anne P. Clancy Barbara Ernst Prey
Mary Ellen Clausen Dawn Rafalski-VanName
Elizabeth Colon Patti Call Riner
Desiree M. Croteau Marcia Rocco
Edith Davey Althea O. Roll
Dr. Tammie Lee Demler The Hon. Lea Ruskin
Nora Detweiler Gladys Santiago
June Douglas Anita Saunders
The Hon. Karen A. Drago Nancy Schwartz
Marcia Dugan Eleanor Scott
Sherry Eaton Carolyn Gifford Seymour
Barbara Ellenberger Aileen Ortlip Shea
Denise Frangipane Carolyn Short
Pearl Gentile Louise K. Sira
Roberta A. Gerold Beth Strong
Gladys Goesch Ann Toglia
Yvonne Goodhill Barbara N. Webber
Katherine Heaviside Gwendolyn Webber-McLeod
PREVIOUS HONOREES
2005
The Honorable Patricia K. McGee Henrietta Magner

Catherine T. Andrews Donna Matteson
Mary Angerame Dorothy M. McCloskey
Jolene Bender Virginia M. Greene Meehan
Dr. Helen Blanchard Helen Meittinis
Sister Elaine Bohrer Mary Beth Murphy
Diane Brown Maxine Neal
Angie M. Carpenter Arlene O’Dell
Eleanor Charwat Dr. Karen A. Oates
Judith J. Chin Diana W. Petrosky
Marilyn Ciancio Melissa Quimby
R. Carol Coltrain Jennifer Rimmer
Alice T. Cone Helen Woodward Rivas
Phyllis Connelly Francine Roland-King
Mary L. Cotter Rosemary E. Rose
Elizabeth W. Cree Susan Gordon Ryan
Angie M. Cullen Ruth Sayer
Debrah A. DeLuke Mary Schilb
Carol L. Dunn Dr. Ruth H. Scott
Elizabeth Fipps Constance Wilmsen Stafford
Roseann Gentile Patricia Standish
Sandra Gerry Nada Tannen
Roberta A. Goldenberg Marie N. Taver
Jo Greene Deborah Tascone
Rosalyn Haber Sharen Trembath
Sara Jean Hammel Peggy Vergis
Susan R. Holliday Donna M. Vitagliano
Edith Hunter Gail Volk
Roberta Keller Frances M. Walton
Kate Kelly Mary Ellen Whitney
Ruth Kempisty Karen B. Wolfson
Marianne Laine
PREVIOUS HONOREES
2006
Kathleen M. Balus Ann Muro

Stacey Branchini Marlene R. Papa
Gertrude A. Butera Dr. Regina S. Peruggi
Rita Cleary Joyce Peisker Ratushny
Shirley Connolly Mary Holmes Reid
Andria De Lisle-Heath Cheryl Rogowski
Benita “Be” Denemark Susan C. Rounds
Leah S. Dunaief Sister Ann Sakac
Patricia Duo Jill Salerno
Denise Ford Michele Sedor
Joanna S. Fowler, Ph.D. Deborah F. Stanley
Janice Grieshaber Carolyn Stiffler
Lisa M. Heath Barbara J. Stuchinski
Audrey Jacullo Lana J. Taylor
Carolina Minetto Lazzari Linda G. Toohey
Judith Limpert Beverly Towers
Maureen Lodes Joan Vogt
Amy J. Maniscalco Dorothy A. Wentland
Molly McMaster Gale E. Wolfe
Alyse Middendorf
PREVIOUS HONOREES
2007
Renee J. Abdou-Malta Shirley Abigail Adams

Neme Alperstein Patricia Anthony
Stephanie Bail Barbara Bedell
Corinne Brown Eleanor Brown
Linda L. Cellini Mary Chapin
Maureen W. Chisholm Katherine M. Clark
Mary Lou Cummins Ruth Del Col
Corinne DiSomma Sr. Diana Dolce
Nancy Donohue Nancy Duffy
Irene Farley Betti Ford
Judge Polly A. Hoye Paula Huntsman
Rebecca P. Isseroff Dr. Charlene Jaffie
Elise Johnson-Schmidt Margaret Kiesel
Jessie Marvin Lazeroff Linda Manfredi
Mary McDonald Mascott Donna M. McGregor
Karen Dawn McGuire Florence Meiselbach
Colonel Tracey E. Nicholson Angeline N. Joy Nielsen
Edna Northrup Mary Beth Palo
Christine Pendergast Debbie Preston
Patrice Prusmack Jane Shaffer
Nancy Timm-Bowen Suzanne Tingley
Gladys Walker
PREVIOUS HONOREES
2008
Ladan Alomar Mary Lou Arangio

Jamie E. Bogenshutz Maureen Borzacchiello
Donna Boyle Patricia Burkhart
Pamela Carroad Pauline Chu
Lucinda Collier Delores S. Cross
Helen Crosson Cheryl Dinolfo
Jeanne Donalty Audrey Edelman
Marie E. Ficano, Ed.D. Margaret Finnerty
Linda M. Janczak Dorothy Jennings
Dr. Debra Karnasiewicz Catherine Kelly
Dorine Kenney Marion Blumenthal Lazan
Donna Long Susan Lucci
Maureen Torrey Marshall Sandra Hays Mies
Lillian Vitanza Ney, M.D. Aida Y. Nicolaou
Mary Ellen Odell Dr. Celine R. Paquette
Kathleen M. Reilly Sandra Rich
Nancy Robbins Kathleen Roche
Brenda Siegal Judy Driscoll Skillen
Marcia White Kristina M. Young
PREVIOUS HONOREES
2009
Inge Auerbacher Susan Barry Roden

Maclain Berhaupt Elenora P. Bernard
Betty Braton Connie Bruno
Cindy Campbell Lucy Cecere
Janice L. Charles Annie Chwiecko
The Hon. Una S.T. Clarke Joanne Conrad
Betty Cooper Wallerstein Gloria D’Amico
Julie Dent Joanne Dicob
Annette Esposito Elizabeth Flynn
Sister Marcella Marie Garus Jackie Hinckley
Kathleen M. Jimino Ann Jones
Eileen Kavanagh Sister Dorothy Ann Kelly
Victoria Langling Eileen La Ruffa
Flora B. Leamer Jill Levine
Joanne M. Mahoney Janet Malone
Maria Markovics Charlotte Miles
Valerie Muratori Rosalie Norton
Laurel Parker West Roseann Pignatelli Carotenuto
Barbara A. Poldino Mary Rodgers Guettel
Elder Vanessa Scott Joyce E. Skinner
Lois Taplin Bronz Jacquiline Touba, Ph.D.
Carmen R. Velasquez Catherine Videtto
Debbie Virga Thomasina White
PREVIOUS HONOREES
2010
Muriel Allerton Diane Arneth

JoAnn T. Atlas Mary Walsh Boatfield
The Hon. Jacqueline Grace Boyce Dolores Patterson Caldwell
Edie Carbone Linda Chiarenza
Mary Carroll Clavin Susan M. Cohen
Ilene Corina Joy Cousminer
Rachel Lee Davis Andrea L. DeMeo
Katherine M. Doherty Dr. Janice Emanuel-Bunn
Alice J. Fiacco Rena Finkelstein
Eileen Frey Lisa A. Frisch
Ada Grabowski, Ph.D. Corinna Grant
Dedra Grant-Wade Aurelia Greene
Tricia Haggerty Wenz Cheryl Anne Hall
Helen Ann Henkel Catherine McVay Hughes
Dafny Joy Irizarry Paloma Izquierdo-Hernandez
Mimi Pierre Johnson Carrie Kahn
Lynn Kennison Peggy Liuzzi
Anna Maria Lusins-McLachlan Kathy Marchione
Mary-Howell Martens Kathleen Kilcommons McGowan
Ann Chambers Meagher Stephanie A. Miner
Margaret B. Moore Aissatou Ndao
Peg Overdorf Jodie A. Perry
Jean Phelps, Ph.D. Magaly Polo
Terri Pouymari Carol Quirk
Chandler M. Ralph Dr. Julie Ratner
Lillian Rodriguez-Lopez Olga Rovt
Carol Ruane Dr. Eileen Santiago
Victoria Schneps-Yunis Mary Silver
Carol G. Simon Dee G. Vandenburg
Helen R. Worth
PREVIOUS HONOREES
2011
Lori Bahnik Helen Baran

Nicole Behrens Carol Berry
Susan Boudreau Wanda Jean Burris
Christa Caldwell Virginia Clark
Debbie Cuevas Bonnie Daggett
Elaine Delaney Gloria M. Dixon
Ann E. Ellsworth Lindsay Farrell
Dr. Susan Fox Mathylde Frontus
Virginia Gallagher Diane C. Ganz
Mary Herlihy Gearan Deirdre Glenn
Karen Gordon Elizabeth Gulotta
Phyllis E. Gunther Mary E. Holtz
Grace Johnson Debra Markell Kleinert
Dr. Anne M. Kress Frances-Ann Lightsy
Fredericka G. Mabon Dr. Martha MacGuffie
Barbara Medina Elizabeth Miller
Janet Miller Kate Miller
Elissa Montanti Mary Morse
Jeanne Mullgrav Kelly Myers
Mary Nelson Judy Pepenella
Christine P’Simer JoAnn Pushkin
Karen Y. Richmond Beverly Roberts
Rossana Rosado Indi L. Shelby
Vicki Simons Mary Spink
Gretchen Hurley Sprock Leslyn Stewart
Maria A. Thomson Millie Tomidy-Pepper
Karen Washington Judi Whittaker
Kathleen Wojtaszek-Gariano
PREVIOUS HONOREES
2012
LaVonne E. Ansari Roselyn A. Johnson

Angela Augugliaro Catherine Kingsley
Erin Bentivegna Deborah Slaner Larkin
Debra Brawley Sheila Lewandowski
Randi Bregman Mary D. Lindsay
Serena Brothers-Mohamed Gaye Mallet
Jane Brown The Honorable Patricia D. Marks
Patricia T. Cataldi Susan K. McGiver
Dr. Mary Lane Cobb Zenaida Mendez
Marie Colvin Carol Meschkow
The Honorable Ann C. Crowell Chandra S. Morgan
Norma Cummings Major Jude B. Mulvey
Ida D’Angelo Loraine O’Donnell
Deirdre DeAngelis-D’Alessio Siobhan O’Neill
Mary Elizabeth Delli-Pizzi Dilletta Pina
Toni DeMeo Jeanne S. Poindexter
Colleen C. DiPirro Jean-Marie Posner
Elizabeth A. Einstein Jan Rebeor
Hilda Rosario Escher Joanne Rosenberger
Sonia Valentin Fernandez Ginny Salerno
Ivine Galarza Lisa Williams Schary
Marie Goldstein Reina Schiffrin
Ardeane Greene-Cook Lorraine Sciulli
Bernell K. Grier Sue Susman
Colleen Hassett-Mastine Victoria Thomas-Ramos
Kathleen Henderson Alice Thorpe
Virginia Houseknecht Katharine Tomasi
Carol Houwaart-Diez Marolyn Piersma Wilson
Sister Yliana Hernandez Denise Wright-Scott
Reverend Debra Jameson
PREVIOUS HONOREES
2013
Karen Acompora Ginger Lindner

Hazra Joanne Ali Jennifer Mackie
Wanda Beck Antosh Shannon Mancuso-Getzel
Kwayera Archer-Cunningham Karen O’Hara
Judy Baron Theresa Pirraglia
Donna L. Benson Francie Potter
Kate Bialo Mary Alice Price
Lea Bishop Vienna Profeta
Sister Debbie Blow Ingrid M. Richards
Dr. Kari W. Bovenzi Rhonda Lyn Roethel
Erica Boynton Taryn Sacramone
Beth A. Broadway Jackie Schmid
Rosalie M. Burgher Mary Jane Smith
Evelyn Cardona Denise C. Soares
Palmira M. Cataliotti Sofie Somoroff
Mary Chisholm Beverly Stamp
Honorable Bernadette T. Clark Susan Steinberg
Josephine Collins Elaine E. Stillwell
Mildred Collins Emmlynn L. Taylor
Renate DeAngelis Mary Jo Thorn
Randi Shubin Dresner Grace Tillinghast
Leah Dunaief Karen Torrone
Dr. Saadia Josefina Fersobe Tiphaine Tsang
Meredith Festa Marcia B. Tuohey
Jacqueline Gordon Marie Valachovic
Sara Horowitz Isabel E. Villar
Julissa Juarbe Dr. Elaine M. Walsh
Ellie Kastel Nozomi Hirayama Williams
Nancy Kronen Leslie Zemsky
PREVIOUS HONOREES
2014
Gail Adamoschek Michelle McClymont

Seema Agnani Sheila Meegan
Patricia Aitken Julie Menin
Jessica Allen Hazel Miura
Gloria Alston Judith O’Rourke
Sister Marie Antoinette Elizabeth R. OuYang
Jane Backus Filomena Piscitelli
Mary Alice Bellardini The Honorable A. Gail Prudenti
Marissa Bernowitz Josephine Pucci
Deanna Alterio Brennen
Marisa Redanty
Susan K. Brown, PhD
Theresa M. Reichel
Danielle Butin
Lee Roberts
Dorothy Button
Anna Cali Beatrice Ruberto
Fortuna Calvo-Roth Meghan Izzo Russo
Bettye Canestaro Mary Anne Sears
Andrea Curran Shirley Seney
Lakia T. Echols Esmeralda Simmons
Georgina Falu, PhD Pat Singer
Kristine Giotto Margaret Skinner
Constance Glasgow, MD Luader Smith
Carin Guarasci Lauren R. Snyder
Adjoa Esinam Gzifa Geri Spino
Alyce Ingram Barbara Sush
Indu Jaiswal Alana Sweeny
Diane Kuppermann Irma Waldo, MD
Sung Eun Grace Lee Rose Marie Walker
Helene S. Leonardi Mary Whittier
Cindy Abbott Letro Patricia Williams
Debra Liegl Judy Zangwill
PREVIOUS HONOREES
2015
Marisol Alcantara Teresa McPhail

Catherine A. Allain, Ph.D. Edu. Missy Miller
Jane Aoyama-Martin Deborah Gordon Mullaney
Mary Ann Ashley Shirley A. Mullen Ph.D.
Susan Auriemma Mabel Muniz-Sarduy
Gail Lynch Bailey JoAnne Luthmann Nolemi
Janice Barto Sister Mary Celeste O’Bryan
Wendy Bleier-Mervis LaQuita Outlaw, Ed.D.
Jacqueline Campbell Sharon F. Owens
Master Sergeant Sue Clark Libby Pataki
Deborah Coates Betty Pollack
Christine Colligan Gail Reed-Barnett, Ed.D.
Kim Condon Carol Ann Rinzler
Marsha K. Connor Carmen G. Rivera
Amy Cram Jenny Rivera
Carrie Davis Susan Salomone
Shihan Jacqueline Drayton Reverend Dr. Ernestine Sanders
Lou Jean Fleron Dream Shepherd
Joan A. Furey, RN, MA Elizabeth Sherwood
Cristina Furlong Barbara Stuchinski
The Honorable Victoria A. Graffeo Maria Testa
Kamillah M. Hanks Rachel Thieme
Shawyn Patterson Howard Linda A. Thomas
Cantor Dr. Mindy Jacobsen Aixa Torres
Joan Kaplan Marta Moreno Vega
Patricia E. Kennedy Joanne Donaruma Wade
Emily Kessler Kerry W. Walsh
Rosemarie Kluepfel Ella J. Weiss
Sister Mary Ann LoGiudice Joyce Willetts, Ph.D.
Peggy Marone Lee Anne Xippolitos, Ph.D.
Randi Martos Marjorie V. Zmijewski
PREVIOUS HONOREES
2016
Jill Alford-Hammitt Linda M. LeMura, Ph.D.

Sherlita Amler April Leong
Yvonne P. Armstrong Blanca P. Lopez
Cora D. Austin Heidi Macpherson, Ph.D.
Vikki Barbero Janet McEneaney
Cheryl Lynn Brannan Jill Estabrook Morris
Sister Margaret Carney Dr. Lesli C. Myers, Ed.D.
Elizabeth Shell Carr Donna Christina Oliverio
Claudia Coger Meghan Ortega
Ruth Johnson Colvin MaryAnn Pfeiffer
Sister Mary Doris Trudy Pogue
Eva M. Doyle Pia J. Raymond
Rosemary Durso Inez Rodriguez
Audrey Sparks Fussa Bonnie Ross
Gail Goodson Florence Santini
Debora M. Hayes Vita Scaturro
Karen A. Heggen Anita Seefried-Brown
Cindy Doring Hollowood Mardie Sheiken, Ph.D.
Ellen Holmes Chitra Singh
Mary Iapalucci Tatiana Shlomovich
Ellen R. Imbimbo Honorable Deborah A. Slezak
Doryne Isley Dawn R. Smith, LCSW
Mary Frances Jeffrey Marjorie J. Smith
Nicole Johnson Carmen Tapia
Candace S. Johnson, Ph.D. Yudelka Tapia
Jahmila K. Joseph Wendy Tepfer
Reverend Ann Kansfield Barbara Toborg
Virginia M. Krebs Ann Torcivia
Thomasina Laidley-Brown Constance A. Wille
Annmarie Lanesey
PREVIOUS HONOREES
2017
Maria Bartolillo Katie Joyce

Bob Bland Elizabeth Lusskin
Melba P. Brown Mary Lyall
Laura Casamento, Ed.D. Nina Lynch
Meghan Cavanaugh Ann Marie Maglione
Molly Biggs Celani Christine Manzi
Pauline Chu Barbara R. Martinsons
Sarah Chu Paula Miritello
Antonia Clemente The Honorable Valerie Brathwaite Nelson
Crystal Collins Monica Neuwirt
Miriam Colon Jennifer O’Brien
Samantha M. Curtis Paulette Ofrias
Annette Casper De Jesus Carlene Pinto
Julie Dostal, Ph.D. Amy Pollard
Antonia Figueroa Mary K. Pluta
Betty Ann Filkins Donna Raymond
Annette Finch Eileen Reilly
Sherif Fraser Kay Francis Richards
Mary G. Garrote Christine M. Riordan, Ph.D.
Donna B. Gerstle Donna Schaertl
Mindy Germain Diane Serratore
Enid Glabman Deborah A. Simonsmeier
Betsy Goinski Mary Stanco
Mary M. Gooley The Honorable Betty E. Staton
Marsha Gordon, Ph.D. Charlene Jackson Thompson
Minnie Graham Linda Ventura
Christine L. Haider Ellen White
Haney Ho Nadine Whitted
Carmella Hoffman Randa Williams
Charlotte Holstein Michelle M. Deal Winfield
Florence E. Jackson-Frazier, M.S.W. Ana Rodriguez Zurutuza
Pauline Copes Johnson
PREVIOUS HONOREES
2018
Khayriyyah H. Ali Robyn L. Krueger

Tamara Baker Rachel Levy
Elizabeth Baldwin Detective Kayla Maher
Kathryn J. Boor, Ph.D. Beverly L. Mancuso
Christina Boryk Nora Constance Marino
Amy Breedlove Pat Matthews
Linda Brown-Robinson Patricia J. McCabe
Lynda Bryan Deborah Milone
Roberta Byron-Lockwood Donna Mossman
Dr. Diane B. Call Maritza Muñoz
Judy A. Calogero Louise Novros
Lucy A. Candelario Shannon Ozzella
Hope Coleman Lin Pan
Carole Coppens Joan Pastore, DSW
Laurie Crane Rhianna Quinn Roddy
Maria Cruz Linda Romano
Doreen P. Cugno Jacqueline Romano
Katie Davis Samantha Ross
Mary Eileen Fitzgerald Elizabeth Rowley, CFRE
Dr. Irina Gelman Marcee Rubinstein
Wendy Genao Shirley Ruch
Sister Gail Glenn Mary Lou Rupp
Cheryl Hage-Perez Dr. Meera Shah
Sherene Hall Dr. Renee Scialdo Shevat
Pamela Hardy-Lockley Gail L. Smith
Norma Jimenez Coleen Cole Spinello
June A. Johnson Nell Stokes
Monique Johnson Gina Vasquez
Tiesha C. Jones Roxanne Watson
Virgie Jones Alice Holloway Young
Leslie Kennedy Janet Zinck
PREVIOUS HONOREES
2019
La’Shawn Allen-Muhammad Nellie B. King

Lorena Borjas Linda Lee
Deputy Kristy Botsford Jane McCabe
Carola Otero Bracco Emily Monem
Ischia Bravo Haydee Morales
Maude Bruce Michelle Neugebauer
Gail Castellano Po-Ling Ng
Heidi Harrison Chain Bishop LaVerne D. Owens-Larkins
Monique Chandler-Waterman Kelly Parsons
Julie Schwietert Collazo Colleen Pearce
Jennifer O. D’Andrea-Terreri Jo-Ann Raia
Airman 1st Class Madison The Honorable Mary Lou Rath
Daquelente Sophia L. Reid
Nicole Dayka Evelyn Rodriguez
Joan Dean Iris Rodriguez-Rosa
Bette Dewing Carmen Rojas
Randi Shubin Dresner Nicole Sheindlin
Roxanne Dueppengiesser Marguerite A. Smith
Bessie R. Edwards Nancy Sutton
Peg Ellsworth Holly Tanner
Anne Erickson Stacey Tompkins
Barbara Franco Marya Vande-Doyle
Margaret Graham Grace VanderWaal
Kathleen Graupman Evelyn Vollgraff
Coralanne Griffith-Hunte, Psy.D. Kathleen Wagner
Lisa Ann Hermann Tanya Asapansa-Johnson Walker
Pauline P. Holbrook Loretta Z. Weiss
Carol Pingelski Hotaling Kelly Willcox
The Rev. Dr. Maria L. Hubbard Eva D. Williams
Irene Elizabeth Hylton. Ph.D. Stephanie Wong
Sinforosa Tan Kaung, Ph.D. Norma Zimmer
Linda Kemp
PREVIOUS HONOREES
2020
Holly Anderson Abeda Khanam

Donna Beal Patricia Klimkewicz, CAPT, Ph.D.
Eva Benedict Gina Lieneck
Winsome Black-Batten Joyce Maddalone
Carol Blackburn Assistant Chief Martine N. Materasso
Evonne Capers Colleen McQueen, RN
Megan Castellano, MPA Courtney Love’ Miller
Adrienne Ciampi Varnese Ann Mims Molina
Denise Civiletti Vanessa Moschak
Rabbi Judy Cohen-Rosenberg Ngozi N. Moses, MSc
Aracelia Cook Kate Munzinger
Kelly Craig Rhiannon Navin
Kadie Curry Marianne Nicolosi
Mallory Delaney Tonya Ores
Jacqueline Delmont, MD Dolores Orr
Saeeda Lesley Dunston Daisy Paez
Phyllis D. Ellis, RN Diane Cameron Pascone
Lily Fan Bessie Patterson
Leslie Feinberg Lynne Ruda
Eileen Fisher Lois Schwaeber
Anne D. Gioia Lauren Shields
Barbara Goodman Margaret Snyder
Rizy Horowitz Jaclyn M. Tacoronte
Maria Ingrassia Antonia P. Rettaliata Tepe
Princella Jamerson Camelia Tepelus
Cass Johnson, RN Zulmilena Then
Lawana Y. Jones Elsia Vasquez
Krista Jones Sally Roesch Wagner, Ph.D.
Dawn Kelly Melba Wilson

2021 Contemporary Women of Distinction

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2021 Contemporary Women of Distinction

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Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins Senator Robert G.

Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins Senator Robert G. Ortt

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION CONGRATULATING THE 2021

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the

NEW YORK STATE SENATE

The New York State Senate

Sherry Algredo was selected as a

Nowshin Ali was selected as a

Carol B. Allen, M.D.

Carol B. Allen, M.D. was selected as a

Jacqueline Archer was selected as a

Jaime-Faye Bean was selected as a

Kyle McCauley Belokopitsky, Esq.

Kyle McCauley Belokopitsky, Esq., was selected as a

Patricia Blair, Esq.

Patricia Blair, Esq., was selected as a

Keisha Boatswain is a non-profit executive with over 20 of years experience in education

Keisha Boatswain was selected as a

Deborah Carim was selected as a

Marjorie Carter was selected as a

Mildred Casiano was selected as a

Evelyn J. Clarke was selected as a

Sabrina Cruz was selected as a

Joan Cusack-McGuirk was selected as a

Michelle Daniels was selected as a

Maria Davis was selected as a

Elizabeth Delacruz was selected as a

Anne del Castillo, Esq.

Anne del Castillo, Esq., was selected as a

Gwendolyn Dowdell was selected as a

Drea d’Nur was selected as a

Somia Elrowmeim is the founder of Women Empowerment Coalition of NYC. She is a

Somia Elrowmeim was selected as a

Heidi Felix was selected as a

Mary Maggio Fischer

Mary Maggio Fischer was selected as a

Ridvan Foxhall was selected as a

Joanna Fuentes was selected as a

Sylvia Getman was selected as a

Mary Hartshorne was selected as a

Wendy L. Hersh was selected as a

Doria E. Hillsman was selected as a

Lisa Hofflich was selected as a

Candace Aguirre Holley

Candace Aguirre Holley was selected as a

Camara Lashawn Jackson

Camara Lashawn Jackson was selected as a

Celeste Jakubowski was selected as a

As 2020 proved to be an exceptionally challenging year, and those challenges fell

Samantha Johnson was selected as a

Jeannette Joseph-Greenaway is President and Founder of Agatha House Foundation.

Jeannette Joseph-Greenaway was selected as a

Tina Kaasmann-Dunn was selected as a

JoAnn Kane-DeMott was selected as a

Rebecca Kaufman was selected as a

Gina Keely was selected as a

Tracie Killar was selected as a

Eun-Kyung Kim was selected as a

Amanda Langseder prides herself on being a collaborative catalyst of dynamic, inclusive