Dr. Christine O'Connell

Executive Director

Dr. Christine O’Connell (she/her) is an organizer, a scientist, an educator, a strategist. She comes to Riley’s Way with a distinguished career in communication, science policy, outreach and engagement, empowering voices and building empathetic leaders. She was the founding Associate Director at the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University where she helped create and build the Center and its empathy-based communication curriculum to international acclaim. She led the growth of many of the Alda Center’s flagship programs, and under her direction the Alda Center’s workshop program trained over ten-thousand scientists worldwide to be more effective communicators.

Christine is a sought-after public speaker and curriculum designer, and has led workshops and headlined at conferences and institutions around the world. She has spoken at dozens of institutions including NASA, Caltech, the Broad Institute, Google, Harvard, Yale, Stanford, the National Academy of Sciences, and Okinawa Institute of Technology. She has published in various outlets including the New York Times, science journals, and book chapters. In 2018, she was named a Women in Power Fellow, a New York based fellowship for rising female leaders.

Christine has a record of providing strategic direction to grow non-profit and academic organizations, research initiatives, and environmental and community campaigns. She worked for Partnerships for Parks and City Parks Foundation to help community groups in New York City think strategically and implement their vision for parks and open spaces. She also helped lead a campaign to raise funding for parks and open space in New York City, organized conversations around climate change policy during the 2000 Presidential Primaries, and built bridges within academia between science, the public, media, and policy makers. As a professor in the School of Journalism at Stony Brook University, Dr. O’Connell developed research initiatives, served as the co-lead on multimillion-dollar grants, and mentored and taught students. She is passionate about advancing women in STEM and business, and promoting diversity and inclusion in the sciences. Currently she serves on the Advisory Board for 500 Women Scientists, and retains visiting faculty appointments at Stony Brook University in New York and the Centre for Public Awareness of Science at Australia National University. She received her B.S. from Cornell University, and Ph.D. in Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University.

Laura Dunn

Director of Operations

Laura (she/her) joined Riley’s Way in 2015 and has been instrumental in building the Foundation from an idea into the national organization it is today. From creating Riley’s Way Program curriculum and administering grants to our partner schools, to organizing many of the day-to-day operations, Laura wears many hats at Riley’s Way. Most proudly, Laura helped Riley’s Way reach the national stage in 2019 through the Call for Kindness and Youth Leadership Retreat. As the Director of Operations, Laura manages the systems and people involved in Riley’s Way, helping to organize student involvement, strategic planning, and staffing & HR. In addition to all of this, Laura’s is also one of the smiling faces you’ll see if you attend any of our Riley’s Way events.

Prior to joining Riley’s Way, Laura worked at the National Center for Victims of Crime as the Program Assistant for the Stalking Resource Center. During her almost three years there, she helped the SRC train and assist thousands of criminal justice professionals and victim service providers nationwide, including supporting the roll-out of the Use of Technology to Stalk online training course. Laura received her BA from Vassar College and her MSSW from Columbia University, with a focus in nonprofit management. She lives in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, with her husband and dog Lucy, and in her spare time is on the search for the best Dim Sum in the neighborhood.

Lauren Shenkman

Director of Partnerships and Programs

Lauren Shenkman (she/her) is honored to be the Director of Partnerships and Programs at Riley’s Way Foundation. Lauren is a nonprofit professional with a background in camp, educational and cultural programming, community building, program strategy, and partnership development. As Director of Partnerships and Programs, she oversees strategic partnerships and program strategy and implementation.

Lauren previously served as the Director of Membership and Community Engagement at Brooklyn’s Congregation Beth Elohim, where she helped launch CBE Feeds after Hurricane Sandy and acclaimed author series Brooklyn by the Book with the Brooklyn Public Library and the Community Bookstore. She was the Director of the Educational Alliance’s Downtown Community Center, the Director of Youth Programs at the 14th Street Y, and the Beacon Director at Moshulu Montefiore Community Center. In each role, Lauren is a connector who brings diverse communities and individuals together to make a difference.

Lauren lives in Brooklyn with her husband, Ben, and their two kids. She currently sits on the Steering Committee for the NYC Youth Civic Engagement Coalition. She loves swimming in the ocean, theater, a consuming novel, introducing fabulous people to each other, and goes everywhere with too many bags.

Stephanie Kingston

Development Director

Stephanie Kingston (she/her) is an educator, philanthropist, and champion of kindness. As the inaugural Development Director at Riley’s Way, Stephanie is lead on events for programs and development, she is designing an active alumni program, and collaborating with the Riley’s Way team to foster community and support kind leaders nationwide.

Before joining Riley’s Way full time, Stephanie served as a long-term faculty advisor for the Hewitt School and Young Women’s Leadership School of Astoria Riley’s Way Council. After earning her BS in Photography from Drexel University and her MA in Art Education from Teachers College Columbia University, Stephanie spent 12 years at the Hewitt School. At Hewitt, she taught middle and upper school graphic design and photography before transitioning to school leadership as the 9th Grade Dean, Coordinator of Experiential Initiatives, and interim Dean of Upper School. In these roles Stephanie demonstrated her passion for making connections by developing school partnerships with local, national, and global players including the Francis Holland School in London, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and School Year Abroad.

Stephanie lives in New Jersey with her husband and son and their two mini-goldendoodles. In her free time she serves on the New York City Leadership Team for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Student Visionaries of the Year program, which raises about $1M annually to help cancel blood cancer.

Cheyenne Rosado

Program Director

Cheyenne (all pronouns) joined Riley’s Way in 2020 and is now the Program Director, overseeing the impactful Call For Kindness fellowship. They support young people in creating positive change through the lens of kindness and empathy within their communities. They curate engaging monthly leadership development trainings, provide individual support, and bring a diverse background in community organizing and youth development to their role.

Previous to this position, Cheyenne dedicated several years to serving the LGBTQIA+ youth population. In that capacity, they provided comprehensive support, ranging from college and career guidance to facilitating drop-in groups and social justice internships. Cheyenne’s commitment to working with marginalized communities and advocating for inclusivity is deeply rooted in their experience as a queer Latinx person. Their expertise in fostering safe spaces, providing resources, and promoting social equality enhances their ability to create meaningful spaces and experiences for the Riley’s Way Community.

Outside of work, they embrace their role as an active cat mom and enjoy playing board games.

Naya Houchen

Program Manager

Naya Houchen (she/her) has joined Riley’s Way as the Program Manager, supporting the organization’s key leadership development programs for teen leaders. She is dedicated to addressing the diverse needs of young people and has always acted with that in mind. In her most recent role, Naya was a Lead Educator at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum where she used a holistic educational approach to develop curricula promoting both academic and personal growth. Passionate about the impact of non-profit work, she is thrilled to continue her work as a part of the Riley’s Way community.

Ava Mateo

Communications and Impact Manager

Ava (she/her) is the Communications and Impact Manager at Riley’s Way. In this position, she develops and implements communication strategies around programs, student and community engagement, development efforts, and organizational events.

Ava is a youth leader and advocate who has been recognized for her innovative methods of promoting youth civic engagement by the Aspen Institute, the White House, CIRCLE at Tufts, and more. Prior to joining the Riley’s Way team, she was the Executive Director of 18by Vote, a youth-led national organization that helps young and rising voters understand how, when, and why to vote.

Ava has a master’s degree in Sociology and Education with a concentration in Education Policy from Columbia University, Teachers College. Her research was focused on the influence of youth-led organizations and youth educational programs on youth participants’ socio-political identity development. Ava received her bachelor’s degree from Sarah Lawrence College.

Thais Salas

Senior Program Coordinator

Thais Salas (she/her) is joining Riley’s Way as a Senior Program Coordinator, supporting the Councils and the development of the Chapters. Being a recent graduate of Cornell University, Thais has done advocacy work around empowering youth both on and off campus. She is passionate about creating spaces for young leaders to cultivate their purpose and find the support they need to do so. Thais is excited to join the Riley’s Way team as a staff member after being a part of the Councils during her time in high school.

Christina Alvarez

Digital Coordinator

Christina Alvarez (she/her) is the Digital Coordinator for Riley’s Way, where she combines her experience in content creation and community outreach through social media with her passion for promoting social change and using kindness and empathy to empower others. Based in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, she is an Alumni of the University of Maryland, College Park, where she studied Communications, Media, Rhetoric, and Philosophy. Christina continues to stay connected to the UMD community through mentoring students in the College Park Scholars Media, Self and Society program. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, various forms of crafting, and visiting art galleries, museums, and coffee shops around city.

Destany Story

Program Coordinator

Destany Story is an accomplished educator, advocate, and global changemaker who served as the Program Director of Women Empowering Nations. During her tenure, Destany oversaw programs that provided mentorship, leadership development, and professional growth opportunities, empowering young women of color to accelerate their path to executive leadership. Under her leadership, WEN expanded its impact to serve over 2,000 women and girls across 70+ countries.

Throughout her career, Destany has demonstrated her passion for youth advocacy, women’s empowerment, and education reform. She has served more than 300 students, recruited top talent to address critical gaps in Memphis school systems, and spearheaded transformative nonprofit projects that uplifted global communities. Destany also served as a Youth and Mentoring Board Member for the Memphis Urban League, contributing to initiatives that supported young leaders in her hometown.

Recognized for her leadership, Destany was a member of the 2022 Leaders of Color class, a recipient of the 2021 Memphis 20 Under 30 award, and a keynote speaker for Governor Bill Lee’s 2019 Charter School Growth Funding Dinner. Additionally, she is an active member of the Black Women Congressional Alliance, reflecting her commitment to advancing equity and representation at all levels.

Destany is excited to bring her expertise and passion for creating equitable opportunities to her new role at Riley’s Way Foundation.

Kate Sinclair

Development and Operations Coordinator

Kate Sinclair (she/her) is the Development and Operations Coordinator at Riley’s Way. She is currently pursuing her Master’s in Psychology at NYU and holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in sociology. With a strong background in child development research, she is now shifting her focus to working with older populations. Kate has experience supporting communities in need, working in a Title I elementary school, and contributing to development efforts in higher education. Passionate about empowering communities and driving social change, she is dedicated to creating meaningful impact through her work.

Kris Qiu

Communications and Development Associate

Kris Qiu (they/them) is an alum of Yale University and excited to be a part of the Riley’s Way team as a Communications & Development Associate. Kris is passionate about the impact that young people can have on the world, and they are thrilled to support the young leaders of Riley’s Way. In their free time, Kris likes to play board games, collect tchotchkes, and fuss over their houseplants.

Jeleny Franco

Communications Intern

Jeleny Franco is a Riley’s Way intern who recently graduated from Mesa Charter High School. This fall, she will be attending Queens College to study Chemistry. Passionate about learning and community. She loves exploring her free time reading and exploring the city on long walks.

Kiersten Johnson

Alumni Intern

Kiersten Johnson (KJ) is a UGA sophomore studying Advertising and Social Entrepreneurship with a certificate in Nonprofit Leadership and Management. She’s passionate about using communication to create impact, and has experience in branding, strategy, and youth development. She leads the Black Youth Empowerment Network at UGA and works closely with nonprofit organizations like Riley’s Way and SEEDs Training.

Avery Kelley

Content Creator

Avery Kelley is a 17-year-old CEO, creator, writer, director, and philanthropist from the southside of Chicago, currently residing in Atlanta, GA.

In 2022, Avery began the Love Carries On Drive, a philanthropic effort that works to raise duffel bags and luggage tags for foster children in need across the nation. When donating clothes to two foster children in need, Avery learned that often, when moving from home to home, foster children are forced to place their belongings in trash bags. With the effort to change the narrative, the drive began, initially raising 100 bags for foster children in the Chicago area, now expanding nationally, raising over 1,000 duffel bags for foster children across the US. She was a 2022 Riley’s Way Foundation, Call For Kindness Fellow, a 2023 and 2024 Continuation Grant recipient, a member of the Riley’s Way DEIA committee, and now serves as a member on the Youth Advisory Board and as one of Riley’s Way’s content creators.

Outside of her philanthropic work, Avery is also a filmmaker. In 2019, she founded her production company, Inspired Melanin Inc., a company that focuses on curating scripted and non-scripted projects that represent the underrepresented. She has written and directed several projects over 6 years, garnering international attention. Her most recent short film, “The All Aroundz” has been selected for over 17 film festivals and counting, located in Los Angeles, Atlanta, New Orleans, Greece, France, and more!

Chelsea Osei

Call For Kindness Intern

Chelsea Osei, a political science major at Howard University, is a passionate advocate for youth empowerment and change at both the national and local levels. Since joining the Riley’s Way family in 2023, Chelsea has embraced the principles of kind leadership to amplify the voices of her community. She made history as her district’s first Student Board of Education Member, contributed to student advocacy as a member of Howard University’s Senate Student Advocacy Committee, and was honored as the 62nd United States Senate Youth Program Delegate. Beyond these roles, Chelsea remains deeply involved with Riley’s Way, serving as a Lead Team Mentor, Planning Committee Member, and Event Moderator. Looking ahead, she aspires to expand her advocacy efforts in the fields of medical and educational justice.

Maya Puterman

Call For Kindness Intern

Maya Puterman (she/her) is a freshman at Duke University majoring in Engineering. As a 2024 Call for Kindness Fellow and 2025 Senior Fellow, Maya is excited to return to Riley’s Way as an intern supporting the Call for Kindness and Mentorship Initiative. She is the founder of Fresh Opportunities, a nonprofit that empowers students to launch food recovery clubs at their schools to donate their surplus lunch to local shelters and community fridges. Fresh Opportunities has partnered with 10 schools, grown to over 120 volunteers, and recovered more than 11,000 meals. Maya is passionate about mentoring young changemakers and supporting them in bringing their ideas to life. She enjoys creative problem-solving and entrepreneurship.

Brody Sandler

Partnerships Intern

Brody Sandler is a Junior at The Browning School in New York City, where he serves as Co-Chair of the Browning Riley’s Way Chapter and Editor of The Grytte, The School’s newspaper first published in 1897. Brody is a passionate golfer, spending his Sundays teaching youth from across New York City as a volunteer coach for the First Tee of Metropolitan NY, and his free time is spent practicing photography. He’s excited to continue expanding Riley’s Way’s partnership network, both with corporate and non-profit organizations, continuing to expand the public presence of kindness and empathy.

Banks Vadeboncoeur

Content Creator

Banks Vadeboncoeur, from Ponte Vedra, Florida, is a 2022 Call for Kindness Fellow and Continuation Grant recipient for her project, The Young Writers Workshop, which provides literacy education to under-resourced elementary students. A passionate member of the Riley’s Way community, Banks has attended four Leadership Summits across the country and loved connecting with fellow alumni at the Orlando meetup. She is thrilled to continue her involvement with the foundation as a Content Creator and looks forward to collaborating with fellow Riley’s Way changemakers at Stanford University.

Josephine Yunayev

Chapter Intern

Josephine Yunayev is a junior at James Madison High School and has lived in Brooklyn, New York for her whole life! She is extremely interested in the study of psychology, especially how it behavioral and cognitive components shape people’s lives. She has a background in research and education, as she has taught elementary and high school classes, as well currently finished research on “Assessing the Vulnerability of Harassment, Fear of Victimization, and Self-Objectification on Public High School Female Athletes in NYC”. Josephine loves to write poetry, take photos, and play tennis. She is so excited to be able to work on advancing the impact that Riley’s Way has on our future generations!

Ian Sandler

Co-Founder and Board Chair

Ian Sandler is the co-founder of Riley’s Way Foundation with his wife Mackenzie, to honor their most magical daughter and to carry Riley’s spirit and love of life forward.

Ian joined Insight in 2016 where he is a Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer. Ian has direct responsibility across Legal, Finance, Compliance, Investor Relations, IT, HR, and Onsite. In addition, Ian has direct management oversight for the newly launched Insight Partners Public Equities (IPPE) business.

Ian was previously the Chief Operating Officer of Global Equities at Citadel. Prior to Citadel, Ian was a Partner at the Carlyle Group where he served as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Legal Officer of Global Market Strategies. Before joining the Carlyle Group, Ian had a seven-year career at Morgan Stanley where he served as the Global Chief Operating Officer for the technology and modeling division as well as other roles within the loan and high yield business earlier in his career. Prior to Morgan Stanley, Ian worked as a bankruptcy lawyer at Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel.

In addition to his roles at Insight and Riley’s Way Foundation, Ian was appointed in July 2022 to the Board of Trustees at The Browning School, an all-boys college preparatory school in New York City.

Ian has a Bachelor of General Studies from the University of Michigan and a JD from the University of Pennsylvania. In June 2023, Ian was invited to join the University of Michigan’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts Dean’s Advisory Council.

Mackenzie Sandler

Co-Founder

Mackenzie co-founded the Riley’s Way Foundation in honor of Riley, her daughter and best friend. As the person who knows Riley best, Mackenzie intends to make sure the Foundation stays true to the essence of who Riley was: a kind, compassionate and truly special friend to all who were lucky enough to know her. She has no doubt that Riley would have been immensely proud of the work that is being done in her name.

Mackenzie previously worked as a bankruptcy attorney.

Amy Bersh

Director & Secretary

Amy Feinsilver Bersh, a close friend of Mackenzie and Ian Sandler, is a former intellectual property attorney. As a mother of two, Amy values the importance of teaching your children to be thoughtful and kind.

Amy is devoted to developing programming that promotes Riley’s qualities by emphasizing the values of kindness and empathy. Amy works on the day-to-day tasks involved in developing and growing the foundation. She assists with events, fundraising and communications with board members and the public.

Paul Burke

Director

Paul Burke is the Head of School at The Nightingale-Bamford School, and is honored to contribute to a very special foundation for an even more special member of the Nightingale community. Riley was the quintessential Nightingale girl, an inquisitive and imaginative student who was a friend to all. Riley’s Foundation lives out the promise that a particularly magical Lower School girl represented for all of us who remain. To that end, every Nightingale girl, with Paul as their representative, is privileged to be a part of a very real and ambitious effort to make the world more reflective of Riley’s heart and mind.

Scott Eisenberg

Director

Scott Eisenberg is a dear friend of Mackenzie and Ian. Scott is a Media and Entertainment Executive and serves on the board of the Israel Tennis Centers with a focus on marketing and fundraising for the foundation. Scott’s wife Tamara, daughter Olivia and son Jake share a special bond with the entire Sandler family.

Scott’s goal as a board member is to use his personal connections and his media and marketing expertise to continue to shine a light on the magic of Riley and to have her kind, compassionate and gentle spirit inspire other children to exhibit the same.

Morgan Elwyn

Director

Eric Frank

Director

Eric Frank is a childhood friend of Ian Sandler and he and his wife Lisa are close friends with Ian and MacKenzie. He is a father of three boys and lives with his family in Tribeca. Eric is a partner at Intrade Capital Group II.

Eric is primarily focused on helping Ian and MacKenzie grow Riley’s Foundation to help children in need and to recognize children for acts of kindness. He currently assists with Strategic Planning, Event Planning, and Fundraising. His main goal is to help steer this Foundation towards its ultimate goal of making a difference in children’s lives today and tomorrow. He is excited and proud to be a part of the Riley’s Way Foundation.

Jordan Freundlich

Director

Jordan Freundlich is a close friend of Mackenzie and Ian Sandler, and one of Ian’s closest friends since second grade. Jordan is currently a lawyer with Vishnick McGovern Milizio LLP in Lake Success, practicing estate and commercial litigation. Jordan is also a board member for Literacy Nassau, a not-for-profit organization providing services for hundreds of functionally illiterate adults and children with learning disabilities in Nassau County.

Jordan’s goal is ensure that the Foundation meets its mission to help children and promote the characteristics that made Riley so special, especially her kindness and empathy. Jordan is involved in developing the Foundation’s ideals and organizing fundraising events.

Gia Gambino

Director

Gia Gambino is a Riley’s Way triple crown, having participated in the Riley’s Way Council, Youth Leadership Retreats, and Call For Kindness Fellow. She is the current Youth Advisory Board co-chair.

Laura Rebell Gross

Director + Chair of DEI Committee

Laura Rebell Gross is the Managing Director of Girls’ Education for Student Leadership Network, which is the umbrella organization for three educational initiatives: College Bound Initiative, Young Women’s Leadership Network, and The Young Women’s Leadership Schools. Through her work with five all girls’ public schools here in New York City and 15 National Affiliate schools, Laura oversees programs that serve more than 8,500 girls . As a leader in the education field for the last fifteen years, Ms. Rebell Gross implements a vision for developing innovative programs that enrich girls’ lives, create experiential leadership opportunities, and build a path to college. To impact the lives of girls beyond New York City, Laura co-founded the Young Women’s Charter Prep School of Rochester, a public school serving girls from the city of Rochester, and takes the lead in identifying and establishing new school affiliates nationwide

Laura’s goals for the foundation are to empower young women in the Youth Council to change their communities and spread Riley’s values of kindness, empathy and friendship and to help ensure that work of RSMF creates a sustainable model of programs to impact schools across New York City.

Agha Haider

Director

Agha Haider is a St. Louis native currently attending college at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. He is incredibly passionate about social change, education reform, and making a positive impact in this world. At the age of 13, Agha founded a 501(c)3 non-profit organization called the Literacy Initiative focused on developing after-school programming for disadvantaged youth. Since 2017, his non-profit has distributed over 35,000 books, supported over 27,000 youth, brought together over 1,000 high school volunteers, and initiated tangible change across his community and beyond. Currently, Agha is running a new non-profit organization, The Education Collaborative, focused on breaking down socioeconomics barriers in education. Agha is always interested in connecting with other like-minded individuals. You can contact him at agha@educollaborative.org or follow him on Instagram at https://instagram.com/aghahadr.

Noah Heller

Director

Noah and his wife Meryl are close friends of Ian and Mackenzie. Noah is Chief Executive Officer of Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, a 650 lawyer international law firm.

Noah is actively involved in developing the Foundation’s programming. His goal is for the foundation to honor the memory of Riley and improve the lives of many children. Noah is also a Board of Director for the Fairfield/Westchester Chapter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America.

John Horner

Director + Chair of Governance Committee

John and his wife Christina have been friends with Ian and Mackenzie since the fall of 2010. This is when Riley started kindergarten at Nightingale Bamford and became one of their daughter’s best friends.

John’s hope is to help the foundation create programs that over time will inspire teens to make the world better, the way he knows Riley would have.

John is currently a Managing Director at JPMorgan.

Oseloka Idigbe

Director + Chair of Programming Committee

Oseloka Idigbe is a Senior Consultant at Community Resource Exchange (CRE). He is accomplished in leading diverse teams to solve organization and sector wide problems at Foundations, Non-profits, and Government agencies. At CRE, Oseloka’s work includes assisting organizations in a wide range of issue areas, including program development and evaluation, Board development, and professional development.

Prior to his transition to the nonprofit sector, Oseloka worked at Standard Bank of South Africa in the Real Estate Finance team. Since then, he has held multiple positions helping to deliver strategic solutions to various nonprofit organizations. Most recently, he was part of The Rockefeller Foundation’s ‘Digital Jobs Africa’ initiative.

Oseloka holds a Master’s Degree from New York University in Public Administration, a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from University College London, and a Bachelor of Laws from BPP Law School, London. He holds Flawless Consulting certification, Facilitative Leadership for Social Change accreditation, and is certified in the Clark Wilson Group: 360° Feedback Surveys.

Mindy Jacobs

Director

As Director of Timber Lake Camp, Mindy was fortunate to see firsthand Riley’s magical qualities and beautiful spirit. Riley’s love of making friends and being kind and compassionate made a lasting impact on everyone at camp. Since the inception of Riley’s Way, Mindy and her husband, Jay, have become close friends with Mackenzie and Ian, working together to honor Riley’s life at camp and beyond.

Having worked in camping for over 30 years, Mindy is devoted to instilling the beautiful qualities that we affectionately term “Riley’s Way” to her campers each summer. Mindy’s camp experience, along with her passion for empowering young girls and building their self-esteem, has made her a great asset in advancing Riley’s Way mission.

Lauren Hyman Kaplan

Director

Lauren Hyman Kaplan, M.A is a school consultant, certified emotional intelligence coach and counselor in the field of social-emotional learning, emotional intelligence and bullying prevention.

Lauren is a former teacher and school counselor with over 20 years of experience training and providing consulting to schools and parenting organizations around the United States and the world. She is an instructor for the Certificate in Social-Emotional Learning and Character Development at the Academy for SEL in Schools at Rutgers University and an adjunct instructor at Bank Street College of Education in New York City. Lauren is a member of the board of trustees at Montclair Kimberley Academy in Montclair, NJ.

Lauren lives in Montclair, NJ with her husband and two children. Lauren is excited about helping Riley’s Way with their mission to empower youth to lead with kindness and empathy.

Terry Kaplan

Director & Chief Creative Offier

Terry Kaplan is Riley’s grandmother. She serves as a creative consultant and photographer to the Foundation and is the driving force behind Miami events. Terry hopes to see Riley’s Way inspire many children to be kind, confident, nonjudgmental and mindful of the people around them with long lasting results. Terry is currently a mixed media artist and president of Terry Tiles.

David Kerstein

Director

David J. Kerstein is a co-founder and Managing Director of Validity Finance, a commercial litigation finance company. Dave helps to lead Validity’s origination, underwriting and structuring of investment opportunities, as well as its strategic growth into new and expanded markets and avenues for investment. Dave was an early adopter of litigation finance, with nine years of experience in the industry, and a recognized leader in the industry, having been named among Lawdragon’s “Global 100 Leaders in Legal Finance” and selected by Who’s Who Legal as a “Thought Leader in Third Party Funding.” Before co-founding Validity, Dave was an Investment Manager at another litigation finance company, and prior to that he was a trial lawyer at Gibson Dunn in New York for 15 years where he handled complex, commercial disputes for plaintiffs and defendants in domestic and international litigations and arbitrations. Dave earned his J.D. from University of Pennsylvania Law School and his B.A. from the School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania.

Katie Leonberger

Director

Katie formerly was the President and CEO of Community Resource Exchange (CRE), a nonprofit consulting firm that provides the strategies and tools needed to build sustainable, high-performing organizations that improve people’s lives and drive social change. Before joining CRE, Katie was a senior leader on the Government Innovation team at Bloomberg Philanthropies and her private sector experience includes serving as a consultant at McKinsey & Company. Katie serves on the boards of Morgan Stanley GIFT (Global Impact Funding Trust), Riley’s Way Foundation, and Microlumbia Fund, a nonprofit impact investing fund she co-founded at Columbia Business School.

Katie was named one of New York Nonprofit Media’s “40 Under 40” Rising Stars and part of City & State’s “Nonprofit Power 100” list. She is an Adjunct Professor at NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

Katie holds an M.B.A. with a concentration in Social Enterprise from Columbia Business School and an M.A. in international policy studies and a dual B.A. in economics and international relations with honors from Stanford University.

Lindsey K. Levine, Ph.D.

Director

Lindsey is a clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry of Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, where she has been on the faculty since 2009. Her primary areas of interest have always been children and the development of adolescent girls and young women. Lindsey served on the Dean’s Council of the Gallatin School at New York University, her undergraduate alma mater, from 2007-2019, and is a Trustee Emerita of Adelphi University, where she earned her doctorate.

Lindsey lives in Manhattan with her two daughters and her husband Michael. Lindsey founded the Kindness Committee at the Hewitt School, which provides support to families, faculty and staff who are experiencing challenging life events. At Hewitt, Lindsey is also a member of the Parents’ Association Board and the Chair of the New Family Welcome Committee.

Yolonda Marshall

Director

Yolonda Marshall is Student Leadership Network’s Chief Executive Officer and has committed more than a decade working to ensure that children growing up in low income communities across the country receive the education they deserve.

Prior to joining Student Leadership Network, Yolonda served as the Deputy Chief Officer, Regional Programs for New Leaders; an organization whose mission is to ensure high academic achievement for all children, especially students in poverty and students of color, by developing transformational school leaders and advancing the policies and practices that allow great leaders to succeed.

Yolonda began her education non-profit career with Teach For America where she held a number of leadership roles on their national development and human assets team, and also served as Interim Executive Director of the Greater Philadelphia region. Prior to joining Teach For America, she had a 14 year career with Showtime Networks Inc.

Yolonda received her BS degree in Marketing from Tuskegee University and her MBA with a concentration in Marketing and Media Management from Columbia Business School.

Brian Potash

Director, Treasurer + Chair of Finance Committee

Brian graduated from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business in 1996 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He spent the first part of his career in financial services, most meaningfully as a partner and CFO at Intrade LLC, a proprietary trading firm located in New York City.

More recently, Brian returned to school, receiving his Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling at IONA University. He is currently employed at Saint Vincent’s Hospital Westchester, where he works as a therapist in the outpatient mental health clinic.

Brian and Ian Sandler have been the closest of personal friends for the past 35+ years. He lives in Purchase, New York with his wife Robin and daughters Reese and Casey.

Rob Robinson

Director

Robert Robinson is the Senior Managing Director of CollegeBound Initiative (CBI) at Student Leadership Network, formerly known as Young Women’s Leadership Network. In this role, he oversees the successful partnership and implementation of our college access programming within the network’s 26 partnered NYC DOE high schools and, the newly added and first, partnered high school in Rochester, NY. As the head of the department, he ensures the effective supervision/training of our counseling staff and manages our overall CBI operations while maintaining our college access outcomes across the network.

Previously Rob served as the Managing Director of CBI and Director of College Counseling for CBI at two Brooklyn high schools: Middle College High School at Medgar Evers College and Juan Morel Campos Secondary School. As a Director of College Counseling, Rob worked primarily with first-generation, low income students of color with the goal of helping all students gain access to higher education.

Rob began his career as an Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions at his alma mater, New York University for nearly four years. As Assistant Director, Rob worked specifically with the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) in an effort to increase minority and financially disadvantaged students’ enrollment.

Rob received both his Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science and his Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration from NYU. He prides himself in being a HEOP graduate and an active member of his community. He has volunteered with various non-profit organizations such as Grand Street Settlement and PublicColor. As a member of the New York State Association for College Admissions Counseling, he has served as a Conference Presenter, Workshop Moderator, and Planning Committee member. He has also served as a Summer Institute Mentor where his responsibilities included training new high school and college admissions counselors.

When not immersed in his passions for student development and higher education, Rob spends his free time with his beautiful wife Nicole and their three kids (Brooklyn, Waverly and Violet).

Natalie Silverstein

Director + Chair of the Development Committee

Natalie Silverstein, MPH is an author, speaker, consultant, nonprofit founder and passionate advocate for family and youth service. Her first book, Simple Acts: The Busy Family’s Guide to Giving Back, was published in 2019 and was named as one of the Top Books for Parents Who Want to Raise Kind Kids by the HuffPost. Her second book, Simple Acts: The Busy Teen’s Guide to Making a Difference was published in 2022.  She is the host of the award-winning podcast, Simple Acts, Big Impact: Celebrating Teen Changemakers. Natalie’s writing has appeared on Katie Couric Media, TODAY Parents, Zibby Mag, Medium, Grown and Flown, and Motherwell. Natalie is the New York coordinator of Doing Good Together for which she curates a free monthly e-mail listing of family-friendly service opportunities. She is a founding member of Impact100 NYC, and is a member of the Legacy Collective and the Providentia Fund. Natalie holds a master’s degree from Yale University.

Sarah Schwarzschild

Director

Sarah Schwarzschild is an experienced leader with a proven track record of growing and operating businesses in the asset management and investment management industries. She is an expert in asset management, investment management and private equity/private credit businesses, with a specialty in real estate. She has held positions in every facet of these businesses including investments, leadership, operations, strategy, business development and capital raising.

Sarah is currently the Chief Operating Officer of Mavik Capital Management, a $1 billion credit-focused investment management firm. Sarah is responsible for strategy and operations of the firm. She sits on its Executive Committee, Investment Committee and Compensation Committee. Sarah is also spearheading the firm’s technology initiatives and is the Head of Human Resources.

Sarah currently sits on the Board of Advisors for INCEPTIV, a private equity firm providing specialty capital for sponsors.

Manavi Bajpai

Youth Advisory Board Co-Chair

Hi! My name is Manavi Bajpai. I am originally from Nashville, TN but I am living in Los Angeles, California as I am a freshman at the University of Southern California. I was a 2022 Call For Kindness Fellow and am serving as a mentor for this year’s new C4K cohort. My kindness project is music based and it is called Tunes For Kidz. I absolutely love music, business, and dogs. Some of my favorite artists are SZA and Taylor Swift. I look forward to meeting all of you for a fun and impactful weekend!

Michal Ruprecht

Youth Advisory Board Co-Chair

Michal is an M.D. student at Wayne State University and graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.S. in Neuroscience in 2022. He joined Riley’s Way in 2020 and has been involved in the organization ever since. Michal is interested in leveraging community action and social change to help build a kind and welcoming community of young leaders. He is passionate about mental and physical health, nature, and art.

Manavi Bajpai

Youth Advisory Board Co-Chair

Hi! My name is Manavi Bajpai. I am originally from Nashville, TN but I am living in Los Angeles, California as I am a freshman at the University of Southern California. I was a 2022 Call For Kindness Fellow and am serving as a mentor for this year’s new C4K cohort. My kindness project is music based and it is called Tunes For Kidz. I absolutely love music, business, and dogs. Some of my favorite artists are SZA and Taylor Swift. I look forward to meeting all of you for a fun and impactful weekend!

Michal Ruprecht

Youth Advisory Board Co-Chair

Michal is an M.D. student at Wayne State University and graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.S. in Neuroscience in 2022. He joined Riley’s Way in 2020 and has been involved in the organization ever since. Michal is interested in leveraging community action and social change to help build a kind and welcoming community of young leaders. He is passionate about mental and physical health, nature, and art.

William Bai

Youth Advisory Board Member

William is an MD student at Yale University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Tulane University in 2024. He first got involved with Riley’s Way in the 2022 Call for Kindness Cohort. In his free time, he enjoys lifting, listening to country music, watching soccer, and trying different cuisines.

Julia Best

Youth Advisory Board Member

Julia is currently a junior at Lakeside in Seattle, Washington. She has been involved in Riley’s Way Youth Leadership Retreat for the past two years and was on the retreat’s planning committee this past year. Julia is passionate about service work and loves to be involved in her community through volunteer tutoring and facilitating DEI conversations with middle school students. She has enjoyed the supportive and kind community at Riley’s Way and is excited to help elevate young leaders with the Youth Advisory Board.

Gia Gambino

Youth Advisory Board Founding Co-Chair

Gia Gambino is a Riley’s Way triple crown, having participated in the Riley’s Way Council, Youth Leadership Retreats, and Call For Kindness Fellow. She is the current Youth Advisory Board co-chair.

Gia Gupta

Youth Advisory Board Member

Gia Gupta is from Cherry Hill, New Jersey in the Greater Philadelphia Area. She became involved with Riley’s Way Foundation as a Youth Leadership Retreat attendee in 2023. She is excited to be on the Youth Advisory Board to help spread the Riley’s Way mission of kind leadership.

Lexi Horner

Youth Advisory Board Member

Lexi is a senior at the Nightingale-Bamford School. She is the 2022-2023 Co-Chair of the Nightingale and TYWLS East Harlem Council and has been a member of the council since 2020. Lexi is excited to get more involved in the other Riley’s Way programs such as the Call For Kindness and the Youth Leadership Retreat. Riley was one of Lexi’s best friends in Lower School and Lexi is thrilled that Riley’s Way has such a positive impact on the world while also making sure that Riley is always remembered.

Julia Huth

Youth Advisory Board Member

Gillian Johnson

Youth Advisory Board Member

Gillian is a first-year student at The George Washington University in Washington, DC, studying International Affairs and Economics. She has been involved with Riley’s Way since 2021 through virtual and in-person Youth Leadership Retreats and as a Call For Kindness winner in 2022, judge, and mentor. Gillian is the founder and director of Recovery Meet-Ups (RM), a free service focused on empowering teens through eating disorder recovery through monthly virtual Meet-Ups and social media advocacy.

Lexi Jordan

Youth Advisory Board Member

Lexi is a rising senior at the Nightingale-Bamford School in Manhattan, New York City. She joined the Nightingale and TYWLS East Harlem Council in the 2024-2025 school year, and she is excited to continue serving on this Council for the 2025-2026 school year. Lexi volunteers for several mental health organizations, working to spread awareness and end the stigma surrounding mental illness particularly in the teen community. She plans to focus her studies on the intersection between neuroscience, psychology, and pharmacology in order to better diagnose and treat those struggling with mental illness. Lexi is honored to be part of the Youth Advisory Board and looks forward to helping amplify Riley’s Way’s mission by offering a meaningful, youth perspective.

Avery Kelley

Youth Advisory Board Member

Avery Kelley is a rising senior in high school. She first joined the Riley’s Way community in 2022 as apart of the 2022 Call For Kindness Cohort with her philanthropic effort the Love Carries On Drive, a drive that works to raise duffel bags and luggage tags for foster children in need. Raising over 1,000 bags, the drive continues to expand nationally. She has continued her Riley’s Way journey through serving as a continuation grant fellow in 2023 and 2024, serving on the DEIA committee, and now working as a Riley’s Way Content Creator. In fall of 2026, she plans on attending film school, continuing her journey of working to curate scripted and non-scripted projects that represent the underrepresented.

Addison Lowry

Youth Advisory Board Member

Addison Lowry (she/her) is a high school senior from Louisville, Kentucky, with a deep passion for education and social justice. Addison first connected with Riley’s Way in 2023 through the Youth Leadership Retreat, later becoming a 2024 Call for Kindness Fellow and a 2025 Senior Fellow. She is excited to be a part of the YAB and continue building a future of empathy and kind leadership!

Ranen Miao

Youth Advisory Board Member

Ranen is the co-founder of OutVote, a C4K project building a culture of civic engagement in the LGBTQIA+ community by registering, educating, and activating young LGBTQIA+ people to vote. He is currently a JD-MPA student at Harvard Law School and the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and received his BA from Washington University in St. Louis. Ranen is passionate about empathetic, youth-centered, and inclusive social change and is thrilled to be working with the C4K YAB this year!

Viet Pham

Youth Advisory Board Member

Viet Pham is a senior at duPont Manual High School in Louisville, KY. He is the Content Manager of 13 Firsts, a student-led podcast focused on educational justice, which he, along with two other members, was a 2024 Call for Kindness Fellow for. He has attended the Youth Leadership Retreat for three years and has been on the Planning Committee for two.

Alejandra Picon

Youth Advisory Board Member

Hi! My name is Alejandra Picon and I am currently a senior at Mercer County Technical Schools-Health Science Academy in New Jersey. I am an advocate for environmental justice, equity, and food insecurity. I have been involved with Rolling Harvest Food Rescue and with Eco Central International, where I help introduce youth into environmentalism. I attended the Riley’s Way Youth Leadership Retreat in 2023, where I learned more about leadership skills and made so many connections with other incredible youth. I am looking forward to contributing to the Youth Advisory Board to reach out to more youth and empower them to take initiative in their communities.

Imelda Ramirez

Youth Advisory Board Member

Imelda is a student at Lakeside School in Seattle. She was a 2023 Call For Kindness Fellow for her organization Love and Sweet Bakery. With Riley’s Way, Imelda has learned the vast importance and impact of leading with kindness from her time connecting with amazing young leaders from across the country. In her free time, Imelda enjoys baking delicious goods for her friends and family, playing soccer, doing ceramics, and listening to music!  She is extremely appreciative of the Riley’s Way community and is excited to empower others and drive positive change while serving as a member of the Youth Advisory Board.

Brody Sandler

Youth Advisory Board Member

Brody Sandler is a Junior at The Browning School in New York City, where he serves as Co-Chair of the Browning Riley’s Way Chapter and Editor of The Grytte, The School’s newspaper first published in 1897. Brody is a passionate golfer, spending his Sundays teaching youth from across New York City as a volunteer coach for the First Tee of Metropolitan NY, and his free time is spent practicing photography. He’s excited to continue expanding Riley’s Way’s partnership network, both with corporate and non-profit organizations, continuing to expand the public presence of kindness and empathy.

Amanda Steele

Youth Advisory Board Member

Amanda is a sophomore at the University of California, Berkeley studying Business Administration and Industrial Engineering. She got involved in Riley’s Way in 2023 through the Youth Leadership Retreat, and has continued to stay involved as a Program Marketing Intern, Team Mentor, and as a part of Senior Fellowship project Rose Musical Theater. Riley’s Way has given her some of her best friends and closest connections, and she is thrilled to contribute more deeply to their mission and vision as part of the Youth Advisory Board.

Brody Sundheim

Youth Advisory Board Member

Amelia Wang

Youth Advisory Board Member

Amelia Wang is a student at Portola High School and has been involved with Riley’s Way since her sophomore year. She is the founder and chair of the Portola Chapter (Senior Squad), a member of the Riley’s Way Leadership Retreat Planning Committee, and now a member of the Youth Action Board! In her free time, she enjoys baking, reading, and watching movies.

Crystal Yeh

Youth Advisory Board Member

Crystal Yeh is from Cherry Hill, New Jersey and a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania studying business. She is passionate about sustainability and education equity. She’s been involved with Riley’s Way since 2023, participating and leading as a team mentor for the Youth Leadership Retreat and Call for Kindness.

Yasien Taher

Youth Advisory Board Member

Sarah Zhao

Youth Advisory Board Member

Sarah is a Sophomore at Brown University studying Economics. She was initially introduced to Riley’s Way through its Councils, eventually becoming the Co-Head of The Nightingale Bamford School and TWYLS Harlem Council. She has also been a Call For Kindness Grant Judge for the past two years. She is excited for her second year on the YAB and to continue working with some inspiring people!