Board Executive Team
John Durso
Chairman
John Durso, Chairman
John is the President of the Long Island Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, the fourth largest central labor council in the United States, representing 250,000 union members in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, a role he has held since 2005.
He also serves as an International Vice President of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), Vice President of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) – a Council within the UFCW – and is a Vice President of the New York City Central Labor Council. In addition, John holds positions on the Town of Hempstead Labor Advisory Board, the Nassau County Living Wage Advisory Board, the Town of Oyster Bay Workforce Investment Boards, and was appointed by the Governor to the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council, the Governor’s “New” New York Panel and the Long Island Regional COVID-19 Taskforce and has b to He is a lifetime member of the New York branch of the NAACP, a board member of the Long Island Association, Board Secretary of the EAC Network, Board Member of Nassau Community College Foundation, and has twice served as Chair of the Board of the United Way of Long Island. Additionally, John serves on the Advisory Boards of the ENERGEIA Partnership, The Cornell Industrial Labor Relations School, the Long Island Community Development Corporation, Molloy College Business School, the Rauch Foundation, Hofstra University’s Labor Advisory Board, and John Thiessen Children’s Foundation.
John is a recipient of Networking Magazine’s “David Award” and is a member of the LIBN/Hofstra University Long Island Hall of Fame. He is also a recipient of the prestigious “Ellis Island Medal of Honor” from the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations, an international organization that celebrates the diversity, achievements and progress of all ethnic backgrounds and promotes tolerance and cultural awareness. Among his other awards are the Harry Chapin Award from the Long Island Association, awards for his community and charitable works from The Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Island Harvest, Long Island Cares and The Long Island United Way. John has also been recognized by City & State as a member of the “Labor Power 100.”
A great admirer of President Theodore Roosevelt, John believes that his greatest accomplishments are his four grown children: John Jr., Michael, Jessica, and Jim. He is also a proud grandfather of seven. John is married to Peggy, who was herself, a 27-year member of Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW.
Geri A. Gregor, CPA
1st Vice President
Geri A. Gregor, CPA, 1st Vice President
Geri A. Gregor is Partner-in-Charge of Grassi & Co.’s Business Advisory Practice. She manages and directs the firm in areas such as business advisory services, forensic and litigation support, and risk management. Her experience ranges over a wide variety of service areas including contract monitorship, cost reporting, audits of unallowable costs, best practices, internal control compliance, and DBE and MWBE compliance.
Ms. Gregor started her career at KPMG, and afterwards took a position with Imrex, LLC, a privately held defense contractor with facilities across the United States. She later joined DOAR Litigation Consulting, one of the largest litigation consulting firms in the country, as Chief Financial Officer. Then, she served as Chief Financial Officer for Great Performances/Artists as Waitresses Inc., an innovative culinary catering company, where she oversaw and advised on all financial operations.
Extremely active in the business networking and philanthropic arenas, Ms. Gregor currently serves on the Board of Directors for the ACE Mentor Program in addition to EAC Network. She served on the boards of the Long Island Business Development Council, the Girl Scouts of Nassau County (“GSNC”), and was a founding board member of the Sylvia Center. She was named one of “Long Island’s Rising Stars under the age of 40” and one of “Long Island’s Top 50 Most Influential Women in Business” by Long Island Business News. In 2009, the Women Builders Council recognized her as one of their “Outstanding Women,” and in 2010 she was named as a “Top Woman in Business” by the Queens Courier and Queens Business magazine. She also received the “Making a Difference for Women” award from Soroptimist International of Nassau County. She is also a member of the New York State Society of CPAs (NYSSCPA) and the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA).
Ms. Gregor is a graduate of Manhattan College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting.
Donna Bacon
Secretary
Donna Bacon, Secretary
She is the founding Executive Director of Mid-Nassau Lend a Helping Hand, which is an organization she founded to provide emergency financial services to women undergoing recent breast cancer surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation treatment. She founded the organization as a direct result of the challenges she experienced dealing with the financial strain a breast cancer diagnosis can bring and its impact on recovery, particularly at 33 years old.
Donna’s dedication to closing the gap on healthcare disparities extends internationally with her mission work in Pretoria and Soweto, South Africa, where she volunteers, working directly with women that are pregnant and HIV+ as well as training outreach workers in various communities and treatment facilities.
Thomas Boerum
Treasurer
Thomas Boerum, Treasurer
Thomas Boerum is a Financial Advisor and is Vice President of CGAA, Inc. in Hauppauge, New York. CGAA, Inc. is a group of Financial Advisors that focus on wealth management for the education workforce on Long Island as well individuals and small businesses. Mr. Boerum began his career with Dean Witter in 1996 and has been with CGAA, Inc. since 1997. He received a degree in Business Management from SUNY Pattsburgh and his MBA from Dowling University.
Mr. Boerum also serves on the Board for Ride For Life, an organization dedicated to finding a cure for ALS as well as providing resources to ALS patients. He lives on Long Island with his wife Penelope and son Maxwell.
David E. Paseltiner, Esq.
Board Counsel, Chairman Emeritus
David E. Paseltiner, Esq. Counsel, Chairman Emeritus
David has extensive experience in a broad range of sophisticated commercial matters, including representing both borrowers and lenders in complex financial transactions; structuring, negotiating and implementing mergers, acquisitions and divestitures; negotiating and drafting employment and compensation agreements and agreements among shareholders, partners and limited liability company members; and other corporate, commercial, and real estate transactions.
In addition to regularly representing lending institutions, David has represented clients in a diverse range of industries, with significant experience in the paper (including corrugated container and paper manufacturers) and aviation (including distributors and lessors of airport ground support equipment and parts and the aftermarket sale of engine and aircraft product and services) industries, as well as representing software developers, advertising
agencies, professional services businesses, distributors, and equipment manufacturers,
During his career, David has negotiated agreements with some of the country’s largest businesses, including Philip Morris, Major League Baseball, Anheuser-Busch, Staples, the National Football League, ABC, Procter & Gamble, Campbell’s Soup, United Airlines, Rite Aid, PC Richard and Dollar General. In addition, he has drafted and negotiated a wide variety of often unusual commercial agreements, including a race car sponsorship agreement; an agreement for the loan of fine art to a museum; yacht construction, purchase and sale agreements; aircraft financing and lease agreements; a grape sale agreement and winemaker employment agreements; agreements for the supply of food services to summer camps and private educational institutions; celebrity likeness and endorsement agreements; an agreement for the
supply of curated fashion products; and a child care center management agreement.
Board Members
Risa Aggrey
Director
Risa Aggrey
Richard M. Kessel
Member at Large, Chairman Emeritus
Richard M. Kessel, Member at Large
Richard M. Kessel, an expert in New York energy issues, served nearly three years as President and Chief Executive Officer of the New York Power Authority (NYPA), the nation’s largest state-owned electric utility, with 17 generating facilities and more than 1,400-circuit-miles of high-voltage transmission lines.
During Mr. Kessel’s term, from October 2008 to September 2011, NYPA made significant strides in life extension and modernization programs at its major upstate hydroelectric facilities; bringing about additional economical energy supplies for the Authority’s downstate governmental customers from new generation and transmission initiatives; promoting economic development through its allocations of lower cost power and other measures; enhancing the energy efficiency of public facilities throughout the state; and advancing other significant initiatives for augmenting clean, nonpolluting energy supplies and spurring new jobs.
Prior to joining NYPA, Mr. Kessel served two terms as Chairman of the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) Board of Trustees and also served as President and CEO. From 1998 through 2007, he guided LIPA through its first nine years of operation as the nation’s third largest municipal electric utility in terms of customers served.
Mr. Kessel began his career in public service as Executive Director of the New York State Consumer Protection Board from 1984 to 1995.
He currently resides in Merrick with his wife, Diane, and his son, Eli.
Kim M. Ciesinski, Esq., PLLC.
Director
Kim M. Ciesinski, Esq., PLLC., Director
Having earned a Juris Doctor from Hofstra University School of Law in 1989, she is also certified in mediation from the Ackerman Institute for the Family and highly trained in Collaborative Interdisciplinary Practice from the New York Association of Collaborative Professionals. Kim is a member of the Nassau County, Suffolk County and New York State Bar Associations Matrimonial Committees, as well as the New York State Association of Collaborative Professionals. Kim serves on the Advisory Board for The Center for Children, Families and the Law at Hofstra Law School and as a Special Master for the Nassau County Supreme Court, where she is appointed by Judges to assist in resolving highly contentious matrimonial cases before trial.
Having a keen interest in social justice, Kim is a graduate and member of the Energeia Partnership at Molloy College which is a regional leadership program. Passionate about her commitment to eliminating the destructive forces of litigation in the traditional divorce paradigm, Kim has co-authored “Stress Free Divorce Volume 3”, to raise public awareness about the Collaborative Divorce process.
Kim has been designated a “2010-2021 Super Lawyer” and has received an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings, the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards. She is the proud recipient of both the LIBN’s “Top 50 Most Influential Women in Business” and “Leaders in Law” awards, among others.
Active in the community, Kim also gives back through fundraising and philanthropy and has served as a board member of Girls Inc., Long Island, the American Red Cross, Long Island and The Huntington Junior Welfare League, Inc.
Most importantly, Kim is a single mother who resides on Long Island with her three daughters, for whom she strives daily to set an example of strength, independence and generosity of spirit.
Louis Bruno
Director
Louis Bruno , Director
After several years in the funeral profession, Louis was employed by Mr. Charles J. O’Shea. When Mr. O’Shea moved into retirement, Louis, along with his friend and co-worker Louis Guerra purchased both of Mr. O’Shea’s Funeral Homes, in Wantagh and East Meadow. Later in 2007 Louis, his brother James and Louis Guerra acquired Jennifer’s grandfathers’ funeral home , which is now Albrecht, Bruno, and O’Shea Funeral Home in East Islip.
Louis is an active member of the Knights of Columbus in East Meadow, The Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis Club, and involved with The Children of Hope Foundation. Currently he holds the position of Past President of the Nassau/Suffolk Funeral Directors Association. Louis truly enjoys supporting FTK of East Islip and the events that benefit children. Louis has been a proud supporter of EAC Network over the past years and especially enjoys working with the staff at EAC Network.
Louis would like to thank EAC Network for being recognized and looks forward to continuing the honorable work that is presented in the time of need.
Noreen Carro
Director
Noreen Carro, Director
Noreen Carro is the Vice President of LMN Printing, NY division – a full service printing, bindery, graphics, and mailing company established in 1971.
She has been honored throughout Long Island, New York, and the United States every year since 1989 for her commitment to her company, the community, as an advocate for women’s rights, and leadership in the Hispanic community. In addition, she serves on many boards in addition to EAC Network’s and is one of the members on the Governor’s Long Island Regional Economic Development Council.
Ms. Carro is a single mom of two sons, Rickey and Michael, and has been with her fiancé Larry for 16 years – who is also involved in some of the programs at EAC Network.
Samuel Chu
Member at Large
Samuel Chu, Member at Large
Samuel J. Ferrara, Esq.
Director
Samuel J. Ferrara, Esq., Director
Mr. Ferrara represents a variety of clients in a range of matrimonial and family law issues, as well as transactional, corporate and commercial matters. He has particular expertise with contested custody cases, high net worth cases and commercial transactions.
Mr. Ferrara counsels clients throughout all phases of the divorce and separation process, including custody/parental access disputes and support/property distribution issues. He also assists clients in resolving corporate and commercial issues. His experience includes transactional work such as buy/sell agreements for multimillion dollar entities and smaller, individual transactions. These include such issues as employment, shareholder and partnership agreements, licensure issues, and real estate and general business/corporate consultation. Mr. Ferrara is also well-versed in ADR, serving as mediation counsel as well as mediator in multiple disciplines.
A top litigator and negotiator, Mr. Ferrara attained Fellowship in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and was named one of the Ten Leaders in Family Law, as well as being designated as a New York Super Lawyer since 2008, a distinction earned by only five percent of the lawyers in the New York metro area. Mr. Ferrara was selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® in the practice area of family law since 2015.
Mr. Ferrara presents numerous programs and/or teaches at various professional organizations on parent education, custody, parental access, property distribution, trial advocacy, appellate advocacy and ethics. He is also published in professional journals and newsletters. Mr. Ferrara is an adjunct Professor at Hofstra University.
He received his B.A. and M.A. from Boston University and his J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law. Mr. Ferrara was a member of the Labor Law Journal and Moot Court teams. Mr. Ferrara is one of the directors of the Parent Education and Custody Effectiveness program (P.E.A.C.E.), a past member of the Board of Directors of the Nassau County Bar Association, Chair of the Nassau County Bar Association Matrimonial Law and Judiciary committees, a member of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), the American Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, and the Suffolk County Bar Association.
Brian Clarke
Director, Chairman Emeritus
Brian Clarke, Director, Chairman Emeritus
Bert J. Cunningham
Retired
Bert J. Cunningham, Retired
- A strategic consultant to public relations and marketing agencies
- Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications, New York Power Authority
- Vice President of Communications, Long Island Power Authority.
- President and Chief Operating Officer of the Blankman/Cunningham Group, a Garden City-based public relations and marketing communications agency that served a wide variety of private- and public-sector clients.
- Executive Director of Government & Community Affairs, and Chief of Staff, at the Long Island Rail Road;
- Chief of Staff and Communications Director for the North Hempstead Town Supervisor;
- Director of Public Affairs for the New York State Senate Standing Committee on Transportation and the State Legislature’s Commission on Critical Transportation Choices
- Director of Marketing for a company offering numismatic rarities to select collectors.
- And, as a writer and assistant editor at Direct Marketing and Fund Raising Management magazines.
He also served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Hofstra University teaching a graduate-level course in “The Theory and Practice of Public Relations”.
A student of history, Bert currently serves as Historian for 69th Infantry Regiment- “The Fighting Sixty-ninth” – in New York City, which has a history dating back to 1849. He also served as a member of the New York Committee of the National World War I Centennial Commission.
Now retired, Bert had a successful 45-year career in public relations and market on Long Island in both the public and private sectors. He currently serves as Historian for the Regimental Headquarters of the 69th Infantry Regiment – The Fighting Sixty-ninth – in New York City.
Dianna Jacob
Member at Large
Dianna Jacob, Member at Large
M. Allan Hyman, Esq.
Director, Chairman Emeritus
M. Allan Hyman, Esq., Director, Chairman Emeritus
Mr. Hyman has successfully obtained millions of dollars of tax refunds and savings for clients during his distinguished career. He represents both claimants and condemnors in Eminent Domain proceedings throughout the State of New York and other jurisdictions.
At Hofstra University School of Law, Mr. Hyman has taught courses in “The Law of Eminent Domain and Tax Review and “Pre-trial Skills.” He currently teaches a course in “Real Estate Transactions.” In addition to his role as an Adjunct Professor of Law, he has lectured at the Nassau Academy of Law, the Institute of Property Taxation and the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. He has also authored articles on tax certiorari and condemnation issues in both legal periodicals and the business press.
Active in civic affairs, Mr. Hyman serves as a member of the Board of Overseers of Northwell Health. He is a former Chairman of the Board and currently a member of the Board of the Education and Assistance Corporation, a social service organization, which among other things, offers counseling to non-violent offenders as an alternative to incarceration.
Mr. Hyman serves on Governor Cuomo’s Judicial Screening Committee for the Second Department. As one of its thirteen members, he is responsible for screening applicants for judicial appointments to all courts including the Appellate Division in the Second Judicial Department. Previously, Mr. Hyman served on the governor appointed State Judicial Screening Committee that reviews candidates for the New York State Court of Claims.
He is the attorney coach for the Mock Trial Team at W. Tresper Clarke High School in East Meadow, and under his guidance, the school has won two state championships in the New York State Bar Association sponsored competition.
Carmine Inserra
Director, Chairman Emeritus
Carmine Inserra, Director, Chairman Emeritus
Carmine Inserra has been servicing the industrial and office needs of clients since 1978. Together with Pasquale Bagnato, Bagnato Realty was formed in 1980 which serviced clients throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties and the New York metropolitan area. In the early 1990’s, Bagnato Realty formed a management division and after merging with several management firms, the company became a full service brokerage firm. In 2000, the firm climbed to new heights after becoming NAI Long Island, a member firm of NAI Global servicing Nassau, Suffolk, and Queens. Today, NAI Long Island is a powerhouse brokerage firm with the ability to offer clients local knowledge and a global reach.
Throughout his vast career, Mr. Inserra has acted as managing partner, and has closed over five hundred deals including several monumental sales and lease transactions. His expertise in the market combined with his integrity has helped develop relationships with clients such as Scandinavian Airline Systems, Sweet-n-Low Confectionery, Avnet, G-tech Corp., Griffon Corp., Allied Waste Services, Inc., Wright Management, Stantec, and many more.
A recipient of the Reckson Associates’ “Broker of the Year” award and recognized as Long Island Business News’ “Who’s Who in Commercial Real Estate”, Mr. Inserra is dedicated to servicing his clients through hard work and professionalism and his reward is continued success. Most recently, he was the recipient of the CIBS “Most Distinguished Member Award” for 2014.
Tochi Iroku-Malize
Director
Tochi Iroku-Malize
She is currently the president-elect of the American Academy of Family Physicians, past president of the New York State Academy of Family Physicians, and serves on numerous committees for specialty societies including the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, the Association of Departments of Family Medicine, and the World Organization of Family Doctors amongst others. She is also involved in community based organizations which provide service to various communities, including the American Red Cross, Links Incorporated and Jack & Jill, Incorporated.
Dr. Iroku-Malize is involved in diverse programs including, but not limited to, global & planetary health, clinical informatics, women’s & children’s health, special needs populations, cultural competency, advocacy and leadership. She has worked for over the past three decades on clinical, research and academic initiatives to enhance health and equity for both providers and patients across various communities locally, nationally and internationally.
Lisa Mirabile
Director
Lisa Mirabile, Director
Lisa Mirabile is not only a person who gets things done, she also gets around. She has travelled far. Lisa began her career as an art director for several NYC agencies, where she had the opportunity to journey through Latin America to shoot commercials for some major companies, including Kodak and IBM. As it turned out, she wound up spending four years in Brazil, where she produced award-winning commercials for American Express.
Back in New York, her ambition, and vision, led her to the establishment of her own advertising agency. Their secret to early, and continuing, success was to go after, as she stated, “everything we loved.” And that included home interiors, from rugs, tile and fixtures, to fashion, finance and real estate. Among their first major successes included work for a number of mortgage companies in the Tri-State area. The Direct Response TV spots they produced for these firms turned out to be extremely successful.
Five years later, in 2009, Lisa and the Vertigo team extended their offerings to include the quickly expanding realm of social and digital media. They went from the name Vertigo New York to The Vertigo Media Group, as it more succinctly captured the agency they had become. In 2011, they took another leap forward — this time by acquiring a well-known Long Island agency known as Digital Motion. This turned out to be the right move at the right time, as it allowed all their clients to more easily enter the digital space with Vertigo’s on-site programmers and Google Ad Word specialists. Lisa’s prior TV experience morphed nicely into digital video for social media, while Fred Pesce’s, and her own, artistic backgrounds fueled their outstanding website design and production.
Now, in 2022, Vertigo’s focus will be to leverage new technology to continually upgrade its integrated services, as well as engaging clients who are serious about communicating with Spanish-speaking audiences.
Most recently, Lisa revealed her latest creation in the form of Internet radio. In an effort to bring more women-owned Businesses into the world of podcasting and instructional talk radio, she created a new and relevant podcast, which can be found across the Internet. True to form, each show comes with streaming video content. Lisa stated:
“As a female business owner and a single mom, I want to empower and educate other women. This was an opportunity to create what I want to see more of, and to let the voices of other women be heard, no matter the type of business or the topic.”
Over the years, she has been recognized in the media and by business groups. First,
as one of the 40 under 40 (top, local business people under the age of 40), then as one of the Power Women of Long Island, and most recently, as one of the Top 100 Business Women on Long Island.
With all she has done, Lisa still claims her children to be her greatest accomplishment. She is the mother to Leo, her 22-year-old son who is currently attending the Zarb Business School at Hofstra , and daughter Gianna, 20, who is attending Manhattan College, with a goal of eventually becoming a professor. She is justifiably quite proud of both of them.
James LaCarrubba
Director
James LaCarrubba
Stephen Wade LaMagna, Esq.
Director
Stephen Wade LaMagna, Esq.Director
Stephen Wade LaMagna, Esq.’s career specializing in criminal law began in 1987 as a prosecutor with the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office. As a prosecutor, he gained the reputation for being an aggressive, thorough, and skillful trial attorney. Mr. LaMagna quickly became one of the District Attorneys Senior Trial Attorneys and was selected to prosecute many sensitive cases for the District Attorney.
In 1992, Mr. LaMagna left the District Attorney’s Office and became a founding partner in Martello & LaMagna, P.C. For almost three decades he has earned the respect and reputation for being a zealous defender of his clients’ rights. Utilizing his extensive experience and trial skills, Mr. LaMagna has successfully defended individuals as well as business entities charged with criminal behavior or under investigation for criminal activity.
Throughout his career, Mr. LaMagna has been involved in numerous high profile criminal cases. As a result he has been a guest lecturer for the Nassau County Bar Association as well as a guest commentator and expert for various news outlets including News12, Newsday, and the Associated Press. He has been featured in the New York Times and has appeared on 60 Minutes and Prime Time.
Michael F. LoFrumento, Esq.
Member at Large
Michael F. LoFrumento, Esq., Member at Large
Michael is an avid writer on matrimonial law and his articles have been published in the New York Law Journal, The Suffolk Lawyer and the New York State Bar’s Family Law Review.
Based upon Michael’s writing skills, he also dedicates his practice to appellate work. Michael has successfully argued at the Appellate Division and has had decisions on his appeals published in the New York Law Journal.
Michael’s accomplishments have not gone unnoticed by his peers. Since 2014, Michael has been named a Super Lawyer (as published in the New York Times), which is an honor received by less than 2.5% of all lawyers. He has also been named as a top lawyer in New York by the Ten Leaders Cooperative and as one of the nation’s top attorneys by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel.
Paul D. Napoli
Director
Paul D. Napoli, Director
Paul Napoli was named Vice President Power Markets of PSEG Long Island in October 2014. In this position, he manages the development of the Long Island Power Authority’s electric resource plan; fuel and purchased-power forecasting and management, including contract negotiation and administration’ power projects development and management; and participation in the region’s wholesale electricity markets.
Mr. Napoli joined PSEG as an engineer in 1979, handling a variety of transmission, gas, electric, wholesale and retail policy, and regulatory matters involving both regulated and non-regulated sides of the company. After holding several other technical engineering positions in PSEG, he was named General Manager of Transmission Plant and Engineering in 2001. In 2007, he was named Managing Director of Transmission Business Services and Strategy.
Mr. Napoli graduated from Stevens institute of Technology with a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering and holds an MBA in Finance from Seton Hall University, along with certificates in Mergers and Acquisitions from UCLA, and Finance from Dartmouth College.
Bob Nystrom
Director
Bob Nystrom, Director
Bob Nystrom was drafted by the New York Islanders in 1972, played a total of 14 seasons for them, and won 4 consecutive Stanley Cups from 1980 to 1983. He will always be remembered for scoring the Stanley Cup winning goal against the Flyers in 1980. After 23 years of hard work as a member of the organization, both on and off the ice, the Islanders officially retired his number, 23, to the rafters in 1995.
Post hockey career, Mr. Nystrom went in to the insurance business as Executive Vice President with Kinloch Consulting Group. He spent 24 years helping clients manage risks in property and casualty, employee benefits, professional liability, and other areas of specialized exposures.
After selling the firm Mr. Nystrom joined American Credit Card Processing. He currently manages the Huntington, New York office and his primary role is developing and managing the salesforce for the company.
Mr. Nystrom works with and supports many charitable organizations in addition to EAC Network, including the Clark Gillies Foundation, Companions in Courage, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
He is married to his wife, Michele, and has two children: daughter, Marisa, and son, Eric.
Catherine Stanton, Esq.
Director
Catherine Stanton, Esq., Director
Ms. Stanton graduated magna cum laude from St. John’s University in 1986 and from the College of William and Mary Law School in 1989. She began working with the firm as an attorney in 1990 and became a partner in 1998. Ms. Stanton served as President of WILG, Workers’ Injury Law & Advocacy Group from 2012-2013 which is a national non-profit membership organization dedicated to representing the interests of millions of workers and their families who, each year, suffer the consequences of workplace injuries and illnesses. Ms. Stanton is the past Chair of the Workers’ Compensation Section for the American Association for Justice, a national organization that supports plaintiff trial lawyers.
Locally, Ms. Stanton is past Secretary for the New York State Trial Lawyers Association and is a current board member. She is a past president of the Society of New York Workers Compensation’ Bar Association which is a bipartisan organization comprised of attorneys representing all parties to a workers’ compensation claim to work toward common goals. She is currently the President of the Brehon Law Society of Nassau County which is focused on monitoring and eradication of violations of human rights and civil liberties principally but not exclusively in the north of Ireland.
Ms. Stanton has been named to the Super Lawyers list in the area of workers’ compensation by Super Lawyers magazine each year from 2007-2021.
In 2018, Ms. Stanton earned a spot on the New York Super Lawyers Women’s Edition list, which features the top women attorneys in the New York Metro area. She had previously made the list in 2014, 2015 and 2016. She also has received the highest rating through AVVO. She is a member of the National Academy of Social Insurance whose mission is to increase public understanding of how social insurance contributes to economic security.
Ms. Stanton was named a Fellow of the College of Workers’ Compensation in March 2015, an honor that is given to attorneys who have distinguished themselves in their practice in the field of workers’ compensation. She has extensive experience in dealing with all types of workers’ compensation claims, including those related to occupational diseases and has lectured to unions, bar associations and medical groups on topics of importance to the injured worker and those who assist them.
Bruce A. Watterson
Director
Bruce A. Watterson, First Vice Chairman
Bruce A. Watterson, is a Senior Vice President and Group Director of Signature Bank. His group is responsible for serving the financial needs of both business and high net worth individuals in the metropolitan area. Prior to joining Signature in 2001, Mr. Watterson was a Vice President/Managing Director with Citigroup Private Bank. Mr. Watterson has over twenty-five years of corporate/private banking experience having held a variety of positions at NatWest Bank, Marine Midland Bank and Mellon Financial Group. Mr. Watterson earned his BA/MBA from Pace University’s Lubin School of Business in Pleasantville, NY where he majored in Finance and Accounting.
Mr. Watterson is heavily involved in the Long Island community and is active on several boards and committees in addition to his service to EAC Network. He, his wife, and four children reside in Rockville Centre where he volunteers a great deal of his time coaching several sports teams for the RVC Town, PAL, and St. Agnes teams.
Laura Brancato
Director
Laura Brancato, Director
Laura Brancato: A New Addition to EAC Network’s Board of Directors
Laura M. Brancato is a New York-based Partner with Meltzer Lippe law firm’s Mental Health, Guardianship & Elder Law Litigation Practice Group. Laura devotes her practice to complex guardianship and elder law litigation including Article 81 and 17A guardianship proceedings, Article 9 proceedings under the Mental Hygiene Law, Power of Attorney litigation and related Supreme Court fiduciary litigation. Additionally, she handles Surrogate’s Court litigation including contested wills, turnover proceedings, judicial accountings, and related litigation.
Extensive experience litigating in New York State Supreme Court, Surrogate’s Court and at all levels of administrative hearings on behalf of her clients resulted in Laura’s practice group covering a broad range of mental hygiene law issues associated with cognitive impairment, mental and behavioral health, and substance use disorders.
Laura is an active member of the Part 36 Fiduciary Appointment list and is regularly appointed by Judges throughout the downstate area in Article 81 proceedings, especially in those cases pertaining to a mental health diagnosis.
As a compliment to her practice, Laura serves as Co-Chair of the Guardianship Committee of the Elder Law Section of the New York State Bar Association and Vice-Chair of the Nassau County Bar Association Mental Health Committee. Laura was recently appointed to the New York State Task Force on Mental Health and Trauma Impacted Representation. As a task force member, Laura participates in legislative initiatives to improve access to and delivery of vital mental health services.
Laura frequently lectures on a wide variety of topics and has been a featured speaker throughout New York State. Most recently, Laura presented at the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Educating America Tour, the New York State Women’s Bar Association, the Estate Planning Counsel of New York, the Elder Law Section of the New York State Bar, and the Meltzer Lippe Annual Taxation Seminar.
Laura is also an author on topics related to adult guardianship proceedings, special needs planning, mental health law, and related topics. Her written work has been featured in Trusts & Estate Magazine, the New York State Bar Association Publication on Elder Law, and Special Needs Planning in addition to the New York State Bar Association Elder Law Journal.
Prior to working in Guardianship and Elder Law, Laura held a position as an Assistant District Attorney in Bronx County. There she tried numerous cases in the office’s Gam/Major Case Unit. Laura received her undergraduate degree from Loyola University in Maryland where she studied political science and business. She received her J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law, where she held an executive board position on the Moot Court Honor Society.
Laura lives in Westchester, New York with her three children. She is an active member of her community and sits on the Board of Trustees of the Flint Park Conservancy.
Alanna Russo
Director
Alanna Russo, Director
Alanna is passionate about building relationships and meeting the needs of her community. She is an active board member of a number of community-based organizations including the Huntington YMCA, Moonjumpers Charitable Foundation, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, and the Project Warmth Committee for the United Way of Long Island.
Alanna holds a BA in Organizational Management and an MBA from St. Joseph’s University. She has a certificate in Non-Profit Management from UCLA, a Diversity & Inclusion certification from the American Management Association. Alanna is an honored recipient of Long Island Business News 40 Under 40 Award, was named on Long Island Business News’s Power List: Long Island’s Most Powerful Women 2022 and was included in Long Island Business News’ 2023 Book of Long Island Business Influencers. She is a Leadership Huntington graduate and is in the 2022 class of Energia.
Alanna is passionate about building relationships, meeting the needs of her community by offering effective solutions and rising above challenges to meet the desired outcome.
Emeritus Board
John A. Cherpock, CPA
Board Member Emeritus
Joseph A. Lagano
Board Member Emeritus
Michael T. Schroder, Esq.
Chairman Emeritus
Dominick J. Scotto
Board Member Emeritus
Angelo Zaffuto
Board Member Emeritus
Louis C. Grassi
Board Member Emeritus
Robert McBride
Board Member Emeritus
