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Marc Berman, a West Harrison resident, is a Managing Director at Macquarie Capital and has 30 years of experience in financial services focused on mergers and acquisitions, capital raising and providing strategic and financial advice primarily to insurance industry clients and investors. Previously, Mr. Berman was with J.P. Morgan, RBC Capital Markets and Goldman Sachs and started his career as an insurance broker with Marsh McLennan.

Mr. Berman graduated with an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BA from the University of Michigan.

Mr. Berman also is on the Board and a Past President of Temple Israel Center of White Plains.

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Nanette Bourne is head of AKRF’s Hudson Valley office and is the principal-in-charge for many of the firm’s assignments, providing planning and environmental consulting to such municipalities as the Village of Mount Kisco and the Village of Pelham Manor. Ms. Bourne’s more than 25 years of experience include a broad background in planning and managing or directing numerous planning studies as well as environmental studies and permit applications for large-scale development projects. Ms. Bourne has managed environmental review projects prepared under New York State’s Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) and California’s Environmental Quality Act and under federal and local guidelines.

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Mr. Cawley is a licensed real estate broker in New York. In addition to his professional career, he is an active member of many local business and community associations and has done extensive work with volunteer management and staffing for various charitable organizations.

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Mr. Apicella is the Managing Director of Development at MacQuesten. He is an accomplished Senior Real Estate Executive responsible for the acquisition, approvals, financing and construction of more than 2 billion dollars’ worth of development in the tri-state area. He holds extensive expertise in managing all aspects of commercial real estate development including site compliance, legal documentation, governmental approvals/grant awards, regulatory compliance, lease negotiations and asset management. He has an established network extending to all levels of county, state and federal government. In 1998 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by Yonkers Business Improvement District, in 2007 the Distinguished Citizenship Award by Yonkers YWCA and in 2009 New Rochelle Businessman of the Year.

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Keith R. Betensky, Esq. is the managing partner at the Law Offices of Keith R. Betensky and Of Counsel to McCullough Goldberger and Staudt, LLP. Since 2002, he has successfully closed a wide variety of residential and commercial real estate deals throughout the New York Metropolitan area including purchase and sale, leasing and financing. Mr. Betensky also specializes in telecommunications law, environmental law, commercial contracts, equestrian estates, land use/zoning/municipal law, and trusts & estates.

Mr. Betensky’s community involvement has included coaching youth soccer and baseball, co-chairing the Environmental Law Committee of the Westchester County Bar Association, teaching at the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors, serving as Treasurer of the Board of Managers of a Condominium, and acting as President emeritus of the Bedford Village Business Association.

A native New Yorker, Keith earned his bachelor of arts, cum laude,from Tufts University and his juris doctor from Northeastern University.

Why Support WPF? “I support Westchester Parks Foundation because I regularly use and enjoy the County parks system and I believe in preserving and improving this great resource for generations to come.”

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Erica Child is a Director in the Public Finance department at Barclays Bank. Ms. Child has nearly 10 years of experience working with public sector and not-for-profit clients to develop risk management and structured debt issuance solutions. Ms. Child’s client base spans not-for-profit healthcare organizations, higher education institutions, and state and local municipal agencies. Ms. Child holds a B.S. in Finance from the University of Florida.

Ms. Child is passionate about the environment and early childhood development and served as a volunteer with the New York Junior League for several years to support such causes. Ms. Child is proud to join the Westchester Parks Foundation to support its many initiatives, particularly those that promote the benefits of connecting children with nature.

Ms. Child is a native of Florida and lives in Armonk with her husband and two young daughters. Ms. Child enjoys spending time with her family exploring the unique towns and outdoor spaces that make Westchester a special place to live.

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Ms. Joanne Fernandez is the Manager of Government Affairs Entergy. Joining Entergy in 2006, Ms. Fernandez has direct responsibility for managing Entergy’s day-to-day state and local government relations including legislative affairs, advocacy and political activities within New York State. She is responsible for issue management, coalition building, grassroots mobilization, trade organizations, lobbying and political action for the Entergy business organization. Joanne’s work in the community helps to support important local community programs and not-for-profit organizations. She has been recognized for achievement and outstanding corporate citizenship by numerous organizations including: as an “Outstanding Women Business Leader” by the NYC Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; as a “Rising Star” by the Business Council of Westchester; as a “Visionary Leader” by Kids Xpress Magazine; “Best Green Friend” by Westchester Parks Foundation; and the Volunteer Center of the United Way. In addition, Joanne serves as an Executive Board Member of Westchester Parks Foundation and the Greater New York American Red Cross.

Her professional associations include the New York Building Congress, the Business Council of Westchester, the New York League of Conservation Voters, and the Business Council of New York State. She is also a member of the Brooklyn Technical High School Alumni Association and 100 Hispanic Women.

Ms. Fernandez brought extensive public policy experience to Entergy. She served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for Governor George Pataki; as a legislative assistant in the New York State Assembly Majority and in the New York State Senate Majority.

A native New Yorker, Joanne graduated magna cum laude from the State University of New York at Albany with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Latin American Studies with a minor in Economics and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy.

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Herman Geist, Esq. served on the County Board of Legislators, and its predecessor Board of Supervisors from 1966-1973. He served as the first Chairman of the County Board of Legislators.

Herman was, in 1977 a co-founder of the Friends of Westchester County Parks, now the Westchester Parks Foundation. Herman not only founded the WPF, he kept it alive through many years of dormancy when people didn’t always see the value of citizen engagement in parks. He was instrumental in the revitalization of the organization in 2003 and since then the WPF has donated and invested well over $15 million dollars’ worth of goods and services to support our parks. He is still active with us today, more than 40 years later, still helping chart the course for the great opportunities that PRC provides to all residents.

He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Foundation in 2013

Herman was the Chair of the Westchester County Bi-Centennial Commission and has been on the Board of Trustees of the Westchester Medical Center for many years.

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Joseph Graziose serves as Executive Vice President, Development Services at RXR. RXR is an innovative investor, developer and place-maker committed to applying a customer and community-centered approach to building properties, services, and products that create enduring value for all stakeholders. Headquartered in New York, NY with a national platform strategy, RXR is a 500+ person, vertically integrated operating, and development company with expertise in a wide array of value creation activities, including ground up real estate, infrastructure, and industrial development, uncovering value in underperforming properties, repurposing well-located iconic properties, incorporating cutting edge technologies and value-added lending.

In his role, Joseph is responsible for day-to-day management, execution, and strategy for RXR’s development company. During his tenure at RXR, Joseph has been responsible for managing and oversight of ground up development with a focus on multi-family, mixed-use and master planning in the New York metro, along with spearheading RXR’s national expansion including new development opportunities throughout the country.

Since joining RXR in 2011, Joseph has been responsible for building out RXR’s multi-family platform across Westchester County including serving as Project Executive for RXR’s master development partnership with the City of New Rochelle, NY. Through the master development partnership, Joseph is responsible for the creation and implementation of a revitalization plan to transform downtown New Rochelle into a center for job generation, market rate and affordable housing, dining, retail, and arts & culture. The mix of uses now entitled across the downtown, including sites controlled by RXR include over 10 million SF of commercial, retail, institutional and hotel space as well as over 7,000 residential units.

Joseph is an active participant of the Business Council of Westchester and in 2020 was awarded the Council’s Rising Stars 40 under 40 award. He currently serves on the Board of the Westchester Parks Foundation, New Rochelle Business Improvement District and Stamford Downtown Special Service District.

Joseph is a native of Glen Cove, NY and received a degree in finance from Boston College where he was a member of the BC Football Team. Joseph and his wife, Anastasia have two children, Joseph, and Avelina.

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April D. Horton is a Government and External Affairs professional. She leads all government affairs and legislative activity in the NY Midstate region, The Bronx and Manhattan. In this capacity, she is responsible for securing Verizon’s short-term objectives and advancing its long-term legislative goals by communicating with key internal and external stakeholders and positioning the company’s strategic direction in public policy, along with progress towards targeted goals and advances in products and services. She is also responsible for philanthropic strategy, grant-making and initiatives in the Foundation’s issues areas of education, healthcare, and sustainability. ​ Ms. Horton is a native of the Bronx, graduated from Cardinal Spellman and received her Bachelor’s degree from Fordham University. Shereceived her Masters Degree from Columbia University. During her more than 20 years of service for Verizon, Ms. Horton has served in a variety of positions ranging from Customer Service, to Wholesale Markets and External Affairs. She has also managed a multi-million dollar Verizon NY Foundation program. Prior to joining Verizon, Ms. Horton worked at Waterhouse Securities, a brokerage firm where she oversaw mutual fundscompliance. ​ Ms. Horton is active in civic and community affairs. She is a member of the Bronx Democratic County Committee, serves on the Board of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce, Hostos Community College Foundation, Bronx Children’s Museum, She is also a member of The Greater Bronx Chapter of The Links, Incorporated. She has served as the Co-Chair for the Young Professionals Advisory Group of A Better Chance, which under her leadership exceeded its targeted financial goals. She has been honored by the Bronx Democratic County Party, Bronx Chamber of Commerce, and YMCA. April has been recognized as one of the 25 Influential Women in the Bronx by the Bronx Times Reporter. She is actively involved with the Government Action Committee of the Business Council of Westchester where she was also recognized as one of the 40 under 40 Rising Stars. Ms. Horton’s diversified experience in the private sector has fueled her passion for “giving back”. She is passionate about mentoring young women and issues impacting women. She believes public and private partnerships are the key to healthy and thriving communities.

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John B. Kirkpatrick is an award-winning attorney, rated AV Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell, a White Plains City Councilman, and a principal in the White Plains law firm of Kirkpatrick Law, LLC. A trustee with Westchester Parks Foundation since 2003, he actively contributes his time, expertise, and resources to WPF. Also a city planner and member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), he concentrates his practice in the areas of land use and environmental law, and has over forty years of experience in land use planning and development.

Why Support WPF? “I support Westchester Parks Foundation because the County Parks are extremely important to the County’s economic well-being and quality of life!”

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Carolyn Curtis Moriarty spent her career on Madison Avenue working for such advertising giants as Alka-Seltzer Brands, Proctor & Gamble and the Miller Brewing Company. She also spent several years at Wells, Rich, Green, the advertising agency responsible for the memorable “I Love New York” campaign. After a stint in publishing, she became a stay at home mother to her daughters Kathleen and Michelle. Now, Carolyn channels her creative energies into volunteer work and has helped boost the visibility of such pet causes as The Junior League, The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Iona College. Daughter of well-known Parks and Recreation visionary Joe Curtis, she is proudest of her work with the Bronxville Beautification Council, a non-profit, volunteer-staffed group of “green believers” in her hometown of Bronxville, New York.

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Henry has been a leader in public policy advocacy supporting progressive causes for a long time. He attended the famous 1973 gathering in Ardsley when representatives of environmental organizations allied by past support for effective State legislation revised the structure of a citizens/ coalition named Environmental Planning Lobby (“EPL”) . Henry soon became an EPL Director. Al though the name was later changed to Environmental Advocates of New York (“EANY”) , he is still a Director, after being, variously: Chair of almost every EPL/EANY Committee, Secretary, Treasurer and President. Henry led an alliance which advocated relentlessly during nine years to obtain adoption of the Returnable Beverage Container Act (“the Bottle Bill”), a rare legislative victory by citizen advocates who defeated vigorous opposition by industry lobbyists. Governor Mario Cuomo appointed Henry, representing the environmental constituency, a Member of the State Commission which studied “Bottle Bill” results and reported it successful.

Except for Amherst College, NYU Law School, uneventful U.S. Marine Corps service and two years in New York City Mayor/s Office, Henry lived his entire life in Westchester County.

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Glenn Pacchiana is the Chief Executive Officer of the Quarry and the Asphalt facility of family owned and operated, Thalle Industries in Fishkill, New York. Through Glenn’s long commitment to a serious and concrete partnership between environmental and business forces, Thalle Industries has long been at the forefront of environmentally friendly policies and practices in its industry. Thalle is proud of its role in keeping Hudson Valley and Big Apple projects supplied with green friendly materials. Glenn is a life-long resident of Westchester County. He lives with his wife Alina and their four children in Briarcliff, NY. Glenn is on the Board of the Business Council of Westchester, Associated General Contractors – New York State, Westchester Parks Foundation and the Briarcliff Public Library.

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Shirley A. Phillips is a retired Vice President Emeritus of Westchester Community College and former Director of the Westchester Community College Foundation where she worked from 1988 to 2010. Prior to 1988 she was a member of the Board of Trustees for the Katonah Museum of Art, Associate Director of the Westchester Arts Council, Co-founder and Vice President of the Women’s Enterprise Development Center, and consultant to the New York State Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts, among other not-for-profit groups.

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Dorothy Plechaty is a marketing and writing professional with 10 years of experience in the financial services industry. In her current role, she writes, edits and project manages content for J.P. Morgan Asset Management.

Outside of work, Dorothy is passionate about sustainability and believes parks play an integral role in a healthy environment! Growing up in Katonah, NY, she attended the Young Farmer’s camp at Muscoot Farm and nature camp at the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, and these experiences led her to love and appreciate nature. She enjoys going outside to ski, bike, trail run and hike locally and abroad.

Dorothy received her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from Connecticut College and spent a semester abroad in New Zealand with the School for International Training. She also has an MBA in marketing and management from the Stern School of Business at NYU, where her coursework included classes on sustainability and business.

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Mr. Wilson is a Landscape Contractor. His firm, Lawrence Landscape Design, based in Yonkers, is a full service landscape company serving lower Westchester. His volunteer service includes eleven years with the Westchester County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Board, and leadership of government affairs and industry advocacy projects for the landscape industry throughout New York State. He is President of the Hyatt Association of Southeast Yonkers, and has established numerous volunteer credentials for work with local community organizations in Yonkers.

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Kathleen O’Connor has more than 30 years experience in the Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation (PRC). Starting out in 1980 as a program specialist in camping, she has held several job titles throughout her career with Parks, including recreation supervisor, assistant manager of the Westchester County Center, director of recreation programs and services, deputy commissioner and acting commissioner. She is the first woman commissioner of PRC. As commissioner of Westchester County Parks, O’Connor oversees an operating budget of $50 million and a capital budget of $250 million. She supervises a staff of more than 250 full-time employees, 1,000 summer staff, and the operation of 50 parks and recreation facilities encompassing over 18,000 acres of parkland.

A resident of Mount Pleasant, O’Connor is a past president of Westchester Recreation and Parks Society (WRAPS), a recipient of the organization’s Peter J. Mayer Award of Merit for Lifetime Achievement in Recreation and past vice president of the New York State Recreation and Parks Society (NYSRPS). She is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts/Amherst and holds a B.S. in Leisure Sports and Services.