CHRISTOPHER DOYLE,
STROOCK & STROOCK & LAVAN LLP
BOARD PRESIDENT
Christopher J. Doyle, an attorney, is the Chair of the Corporate Practice Group at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP. His practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, with a particular emphasis on cross-border M&A in the technology, defense and aerospace sectors. Much of his pro-bono work is centered on helping individuals start businesses in his “hometown” of Brooklyn. Prior to his legal career, Chris was a Vice President in the M&A Unit at National Westminster Bank USA. Chris and his wife, Eileen (a 5th grade teacher at PS 99 in Queens), make their home in Manhasset, New York, where they raised their three children. Jingle (a Westie) and Belle (a Cockapoo) still reside at their house.
SHEILA DURANT,
RETIRED PRINCIPAL / INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT
BOARD VICE PRESIDENT
Sheila A. Durant was born and raised in New York City. A product of the CUNY and the New York Public School System, she has earned a Master’s Degree in Special Education from Hunter College and an Administrative Diploma from City College of New York. Her lifelong passion and commitment to children led into teaching. Sheila believes it is not just a vocation, but a “calling in one’s life.” Throughout her career in public education, Sheila has served as a teacher, special education liaison, Assistant Principal and Principal.
During her tenure at P.S 69 Journey Prep, she has accomplished a myriad of successes grounded in student achievement. This includes a designation of a New York State Reward status, a New York City Department of Education school within the top 10% of peer reviewed schools and as a lab-site for early childhood education for educators nationally and local.
As a lifelong leader, Sheila has developed a community of leaders at P.S. 69 Journey Prep and her role on various organizations that support ongoing leadership within teaching and learning. Such roles have included Columbia University’s prestigious Cahn Fellowship, Harvard University’s Principal’s Advisory Board and Schools That Can. Sheila is involved in numerous educational organizations that continue to contribute to a larger collective in education. This includes CSA, NAREA, and TCRWP.
SUSHEEL KURIEN,
SECRETARY
Susheel has significant experience with financial structuring, real estate and technology. A former Partner with KPMG Management Consulting ,(1988-2000) he has a pragmatic understanding of deal structuring, business improvement and business development. His background includes significant experience with technology and financial systems, beginning in 1983. His real estate experience includes roles as General Partner in a number of transactions and projects including a condominium development in Park Slope, Brooklyn, multiple commercial ventures including flex space and medical office facilities, both in the United States and overseas. Additionally, he has acquired, managed, leveraged and exited single family residential real estate holdings for over 15 years. In addition to his work with VOICE, Susheel is a documentary film maker, and a musician. He is privileged to continue his jazz studies with some of the master musicians of our era. He enjoys coaching, mentoring and contributing to the full development of human potential. He has served on various boards for commercial and non-profit entities. He was born in Bombay, India and is proud to be a first generation immigrant. He holds a graduate degree from Teachers College, Columbia University.
RICHARD R. GRASSEY,
UBS FINANCIAL SERVICES
TREASURER
Rick has spent over 30 years in wealth management catering to wealthy families, small to medium sized businesses, and non-profits with comprehensive planning and financial services. He has been active in various philanthropic and charitable efforts, including serving as treasurer, vestryman and finance committee chair at St. Bartholomew's Church (Manhattan) and founding board member of the Foundation for Treatment of Children with AIDS (FTCA). In addition to his work with VOICE, he currently sings in the choir at All Saints (Episcopal) Church Briarcliff Manor, New York and has two children.
CASEY LAMB,
BIG PICTURE LEARNING
Casey Lamb is committed to ensuring that all children have access to high quality educational opportunities that foster the skills, knowledge, and internal drive to determine their own path to success. This passion began as a teenager when she worked as a camp counselor and volunteered as a Big Sister, and developed further at Pomona College, where she studied education policy and psychology. Casey began her educational career as a Teach For America Corps Member teaching special education Atlanta, Georgia, and later worked as the special education director at an all girls charter school in New York City. She then worked as the regional Executive Director and later Chief Operating Officer for Schools That Can, a national organization dedicated to integrating real-world learning programs and practices into K-12 schools. Currently, Casey works for Big Picture Learning, a nonprofit with 25+ years experience transforming schools to be more student-centered. Casey has a Masters of Education in Special Education and has participated in multiple fellowship programs for educational and public leaders. Casey lives in Brooklyn with her husband, daughter, and two cats.
MICHAEL KARP,
MICHAEL KARP ADVISORY SERVICES
Mr. Karp has been a volunteer Project Leader Consultant with NESC – National Executive Service Corps serving nonprofit organizations including several school systems. Previously Mr. Karp was Chairman of Don Aux Associates, a management consulting firm serving middle market companies. Earlier Mr. Karp was a Senior Consultant with Peat Warwick and Mitchell. He served on client Boards and was a frequent invited speaker by trade and industry associations. Mr. Karp holds a BS Degree in Chemistry from Penn State and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania. He was also on the staff at the Wharton School, where he taught statistics.
SACHIN GUJRAL,
FOUNDER & CEO OF CHARTER TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
Sachin Gujral founded CTS in 2010 to help businesses keep up with the technical challenges and opportunities of our digital world. At the outset, the company quickly began servicing a wide array of clients. But despite early successes, Sachin, an accomplished technologist, was hungry to make an even more significant impact. He just didn’t yet know how.
The answer came in 2012. A charter school in Brooklyn reached out to CTS for help. Classroom technology issues were hindering teachers’ ability to instruct, and they were weary of their provider. Working diligently, Sachin and his CTS team repaired the school’s broken IT infrastructure. They did everything from documenting and fixing process issues to repairing SmartBoards—and by the end, Sachin had developed a deep trust with the school and their administrators. That bond made Sachin realize that solving mission-critical IT challenges was the calling he had always sought. He quit his job and made bringing high quality, cost-effective technology solutions to schools his full-time passion.
By 2015, CTS was servicing 25 organizations and devoting 100% of its time, energy, ideas, and resources to technology to power mission critical operations. Along the way, Sachin and his team developed the philosophy that guides them to this day: seamless IT services require focusing on mission first, technology second. In other words, success starts with a organization’s vision and goals—and technology follows. We’ve never forgotten our roots, however; CTS’s name stands for Charter Technology Solutions in honor of that first client.
CTS is about making the most out of what life offers. Our values come from our founder who crisscrossed Brooklyn and the Bronx in an Altima with 230,000 miles on it even as CTS went from supporting one organization in 2010 to 58 today. Today, CTS continues its mission to provide cutting-edge, cost-conscious technology solutions that benefit Commercial & Mission Driven Organizations, Architectural and Construction Firms, Educational Institutions, Libraries, & Government Entities. When an organization has the appropriate technology plan, executed by the right people, it impacts an entire community. We’d be honored to be that company for you.
SARI BIDDELMAN,
TREVOR DAY SCHOOL
JOSE GARZON,
BROTHERHOOD SISTER SOL
Jose, a graduate of the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College, has extensive work experience in accounting, auditing, operations, financial reporting, and budgeting. Jose started his career and worked for over 8 years as an audit supervisor at MBAF CPA’s LLC, where he performed annual audits, and was a member of the firm’s Not-For-Profit, Banking, Real Estate, and Automotive Groups. He worked to set up internal controls for clients, oversaw all audits and financial statements preparation, and prepared 990s and CHAR 500s (non-profit tax returns). For three years, prior to joining The Brotherhood Sister Sol, Jose served as a Controller/CFO consultant in the private sector for public relations and media agencies maintaining budgets of up to 25 million dollars. Jose supervised payroll on average of 50 full-time employees, managed all accounting and finance operations, prepared cash flow reports, tracked all income, oversaw credit card expenditures, led budget meetings, interfaced with banks and managed banking relationships, managed the 401K and prepared annual tax returns.
Sari was raised in New York City, earned her BA from Lehigh University and her MA in Middle School Special and General Education from Bank Street College of Education. Throughout her career, she has worked as a Special Education teacher and Learning Specialist in Manhattan independent schools across all age groups. In addition to working privately with students with learning disabilities after school, Sari is currently a Middle School Learning specialist at Trevor Day School. Sari has also served on the board of B&M Art Program, the Council of Advisors at her alma mater, Suffield Academy, and has consulted in the curriculum development of Mylowrites, software designed to increase independence in the writing process. Sari lives in New York City.
KELLY WOHLFORD,
RFUTURE
Kelly Wohlford, currently RFUTURE’s Assistant to the Executive Director, brings to the table over 30 years of creative and technical experience in the entertainment industry, the bulk of which was spent at world-class residential recording facility Long View Farm Studios in Central Massachusetts. As a staff engineer and producer there, Kelly worked on recording projects ranging from major label artists and regional bands to session work for Bose Corporation and an eclectic array of genres from heavy metal and jazz to folk and classic rock. She is the Chief Technical Director at New York’s Don’t Tell Mama, a venue famous for showcasing talented and diverse performers, ranging from Broadway hopefuls to seasoned professionals. RFUTURE is where all Kelly’s talents and skills come together to give young creators a voice and platform for change.