Back to Camp Finance 2024 Schedule  

Megan Allen

Chief Executive Officer, New York Council of Nonprofits (NYCON), Boardstrong

Megan Allen is CEO of the New York Council of Nonprofits, Inc. (NYCON), a nonprofit organization working to develop and promote an effective and vibrant charitable community throughout New York State. With more than 3,000 members, NYCON empowers nonprofits through education, capacity building support, advocacy and more. Megan also serves as CEO of Board Strong, Inc., a NYCON affiliate that helps nonprofit organizations achieve the highest standards of board leadership, governance and oversight.

Prior to joining NYCON and BoardStrong in 2022, Megan founded and led a grant-writing service at Capital Region BOCES that helped nonprofits, school districts, BOCES and municipalities statewide realize more than $105 million in funding. In the past 20 years Megan has also worked in communications and development for nonprofit organizations and led two non-profit boards. Today she is a board member for the Capital District Women’s Employment & Resource Center.

Since joining NYCON in 2022, Megan has worked to strengthen the organization’s day-to-day operations and expand on its reputation as a leader in the nonprofit sector. Following a Member Outreach Tour that saw Megan meeting with members from across the state in 2022, she has focused in 2023 on implementing the feedback received to expand services. Including, she has also built on NYCON’s previous advocacy efforts, releasing the first annual State of the Sector report in early 2023. Diversifying NYCON’s funding sources, including strengthening existing funder relationships while building new ones has also been a focus. “I remain thrilled to be at NYCON, working with a wonderful staff and board to help support all of the amazing nonprofit organizations in New York State. I can’t wait to see what the year(s) ahead bring!”

 

Peter M. Andrew, CPIA

President & CEO, Council Services Plus

Mr. Andrew is President and CEO of Council Services Plus (CS Plus), an insurance brokerage headquartered in New York State. Mr. Andrew has more than 25 years of experience in the insurance industry and currently holds licenses for Life, Health, Property and Casualty. He is also a Certified Professional Insurance Agent (CPIA) designation holder.
He is a frequent speaker on issues such as employee benefits and risk management. He has contributed to, and been quoted on, nonprofit insurance issues in The Chronicle of Philanthropy, the Nonprofit Risk Management Center's e-newsletter, and Guidestar's e-newsletter. In addition, Peter has provided trainings to New York State Society of CPA's, The National Council of Nonprofits and the NYS Attorney General's Charites Bureau.
Peter previously served on the Board of Directors of Good Causes, a nonprofit that supports and promotes affordable and comprehensive insurance for New York Nonprofits. Previously, served as President of the Nonprofit Risk Management Center based in Leesburg, VA, is a past President of the Northeastern New York Chapter of the National Association of Health Underwriters {NAHU) and served on the board of directors of the NYS Association of Health Underwriters (NYSAHU).

 

David S. Birdsell, Ph.D.

Provost and Senior V.P. for Academic Affairs, Kean University

David S. Birdsell is Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Kean University. As Kean's Chief Academic Officer, David is responsible for all faculty and academic programs at the University. Prior to his appointment at Kean, David was Dean of the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College/CUNY. He serves on the board of the New York Council of Nonprofits and chairs the board of BoardStrong, Inc. He is an elected Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration. An expert on communication and public administration, David is a regular commentator on politics and policy for print and television. He holds bachelors and masters degrees from the University of Virginia and his doctorate in Public Communication from the University of Maryland.

 

Allan M. Blum, CPA

Partner, Forvis Mazars

Allan brings more than 30 years of experience to the clients he serves, providing a wide range of audit and accounting transaction services. He works with a variety of entities within the nonprofit and health care industries and has spent most of his time working with IDD agencies and managed long term care organizations.
Allan currently is working with the AICPA Health Care Expert Panel and the NYSSCPAs on updating cost report opinions for the new audit standards. He is also a member of the American Institute of CPAs and New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA), where he is a former chair of the nonprofit organizations committee.
A regular speaker, Allan has presented for NYSSCPA, the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Connecticut Society of CPAs. Topics have included mergers and acquisitions, fair value measurements, endowments, related party disclosures and general accounting and auditing updates for nonprofit organizations.

 

Holly Boucher

Performance Consultant, Integra HR

Holly is a Talent Development professional with more than a decade of experience in supporting the growth and development of individuals and teams in a variety of settings, including education, financial services, non-profit, and retail. She believes in the potential that every person has to identify and grow their talents as well as learn and enhance their personal and professional lives with new knowledge and experiences. Her passion is to spark a love of learning and the development of a growth mindset in everyone she meets! She is a two-time SUNY graduate earning her bachelor's degree in Childhood and Special Education from the College at Geneseo and her master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from the University at Buffalo. She is an Everything DiSC® and Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team® Certified Practitioner and holds certificates from the Association for Talent Development (ATD) in Coaching and Designing Virtual Training. When not at work you can find her spending time with friends and family enjoying good food, watching her favorite teams win (Go Yanks and Bills!), attending live theater and music performances, or playing the latest tabletop board game

 

 

Kristin Brown

CEO, Empire Justice Center & Board President, New York Legal Services Coalition

Kristin Brown has spent her career advocating for the civil legal rights of low-income New Yorkers. A graduate of Hartwick College and a Rockefeller College of Public Affairs Center for Women in Government Fellow, she is most proud of being part of the effort to expand access to legal and financial resources that help to put food on the table and keep families in their homes across the state of New York every day. Over the course of 18 years, Kristin built Empire Justice Center’s policy and government relations practice into a well-known source of legal expertise at the state capitol and worked in coalition with other civil legal aid and nonprofit agencies to push for changes to the law, grounded in solving challenges faced by marginalized communities. She helped found and lead numerous successful advocacy campaigns that now provide hundreds of millions of dollars annually to support the provision of civil legal services to low-income New Yorkers. She was named President and CEO of Empire Justice Center in July of 2019. Over the past five years, Kristin has worked at the state and national level to bring the most pressing needs of civil legal services agencies and clients to the attention of decision makers. She has also focused on strengthening Empire Justice Center’s 360 degree approach to systems change – we practice the law, we teach the law, we change the law -- which combines policy advocacy, impact litigation, training and legal support to maximize impact, always with a focus on supporting and collaborating with community and legal organizations who serve the same communities. Under her leadership, Empire Justice Center in the last five years, Empire Justice Center has doubled in size, expanded into multiple new areas of law, including police reform, education discrimination and launching a Low Income Tax Clinic in Monroe County. Prior to joining Empire Justice Center, Kristin worked in several not for profit roles and small business management. After several years of serving on the Board of Directors, including leading their advocacy committee, Kristin was elected President of the New York Legal Services Coalition this past spring. She was a statewide leader in the effort to protect the Interest on Lawyers Account (IOLA). Kristin is also a member of the Office of Court Administration’s Permanent Commission on Access to Justice, a member of the New York Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council Public Assistance Committee, a member of the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on Legal Aid, a Board member of JustCause in Rochester, NY and an Associate member of the Hartwick College Alumni Board of Directors.

 

 

Mack Burnett III

CEO, POWERFUL IMPACT

Mack Burnett is an Award-Winning Entrepreneur, Business Engineer, Speaker, Consultant, and Coach with over 25 years of experience designing, growing, and scaling organizations.
As founder and CEO of growth marketing consultancy POWERFUL IMPACT, he helps companies and organizations engineer Predictable Growth Without Chaos™ so they can focus on developing their core competitive advantages. He applies the same framework he used to grow POWERFUL IMPACT into a business with over 40 employees in 10 time zones in growing and scaling other companies and organizations. He has worked with Nespresso, Planned Parenthood, Girls Who Code, Twitter, AXA Equitable, Udacity, Phase 2, Outscale, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Mack has also been an adjunct professor at New York University for over 10 years, where he teaches growth, strategy, and digital marketing. He was given the 2021 Silver Apple Award by the Direct Marketing Club of New York (DMCNY) for more than 25 years of contribution to the marketing industry

 

 

Dr. Lomax Campbell, MBA, PMP, LSSBB, RYT

Founding President & CEO, Third Eye Network, LLC

Dr. Campbell is a serial entrepreneur, scholar-practitioner, and former public official with 20 years of experience in small business, higher education, and government administration. He is the founding President and CEO of Third Eye Network, LLC, an innovative multicultural management strategy consortium serving a diverse multi-sector clientele—encompassing government, economic development, higher education, nonprofit, philanthropic, small business, the arts, and the entertainment sectors.
His expertise includes strategy, management, marketing, ethnic psychology, urban entrepreneurship, technology innovation, economic and workforce development. He holds advanced professional certifications in project management (PMP®), Lean Six Sigma (Black Belt), Labor Market Information Systems (EMSI Certified), and organizational stress management (Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT® 200) and Emotional Emancipation Circles Facilitation.
Dr. Campbell earned a Doctor of Management degree from the University of Maryland Global Campus, an Executive MBA and a Bachelor of Science degree from Rochester Institute of Technology, and a Certificate of Completion in Leading Economic Growth from Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

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Mary Christman

Talent Manager, Robert Half

Mary Christman is a Talent Manager at global talent solutions firm, Robert Half. Based in Albany, Mary’s specialty is in contract finance and accounting talent, where she excels at placing top accounting and finance professionals with companies throughout the region.

Before joining Robert Half, Mary spent 12 years in property management, overseeing operations and leasing for residential and commercial properties and training employees at newly developed properties, expanding beyond NY. Under her leadership, new developments reached and exceeded targeted lease-up occupancy goals.

Mary is a Hartwick College graduate and is known for her ability to build strong relationships. Her tenure in property management helped develop and sharpen her human resource and accounting skills that she continues to leverage daily in her role.

 

Rachel DeMatteo, CPA

Director, Your Part-Time Controller, LLC

Rachel DeMatteo is the Director and Market Leader for Your Part-Time Controller, LLC’s New York office. With 18 years of experience working with nonprofits, she has served across all sectors and is the leader of YPTC’s foundations specialization. Rachel is a CPA and earned her Bachelor of Science degree from University of Pittsburgh, where she graduated summa cum laude.
Rachel is an active member of the NYSSCPAs’s Not-for-Profit Organizations committee and serves as Treasurer for Colt Coeur Theater Company.

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Allen L. Fetterman, CPA, MBA

Allen L. Fetterman, CPA, MBA lectures extensively on not-for-profit accounting, auditing, federal single audits, tax-exempt issues and governance. He speaks at conferences, seminars and webcasts throughout the country. Allen was an assistant professor of accounting at a local college and a guest lecturer at Yale University and New York University. He was a member of the Faculty Bank of the Foundation for Accounting Education (FAE). He is a past recipient of both the AICPA's and the FAE's Outstanding Discussion Leader Award. He has written articles published in national accounting periodicals in the United States and Israel on accounting and taxes for not-for-profit entities.
Allen served on the American Institute of CPAs Not-for-Profit Organizations Committee, Not-for-Profit Audit and Accounting Guide Task Force and Joint Trial Board. He chaired the New York State Society of CPAs Not-for-Profit Organizations, Professional Ethics, Audit, and Quality Controls Committees and the AICPA Joint Trial Board. He also served as Vice-President of the New York State Society of CPAs and as a Trustee of the Foundation for Accounting Education.
Allen retired in 2003 from Loeb & Troper, where he spent thirty-six years serving not-for-profit entities as an auditor and consultant, the last twenty-five years as a partner. In addition to his client responsibilities, he was the partner in charge of the firm’s quality controls and technical resources.
Allen received his BBA in Accounting from The City College of New York in 1968 and his MBA in Accounting from the Bernard M. Baruch College in 1972. He was elected to Beta Gamma Sigma, the national honorary society in business. He received his CPA certificate in 1973 and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants.
Allen has served on the governing boards of not-for-profit organizations, including positions as President, Treasurer and Chair of the Audit Committee and the Finance Committee.
Allen and Mimi, his wife of 53 years, live in West Nyack, New York. They have two sons and four grandchildren.

 

Vanessa M. Gordon, CPA

Audit Senior Manager, Grassi Advisors and Accountants

Vanessa Gordon is an Audit Senior Manager at Grassi and works with clients solely in the Not-for-Profit industry. She has experience auditing a variety of industries including health care and human services organizations, institutions of higher education, local and governmental units, and religious organizations.
Vanessa demonstrates her expertise in the auditing practice area, which encompasses financial reporting, preparation of financial statements and tax preparations. She has extensive experience in OMB Single Audits, as well as compliance with NYS CFR reporting requirements. Vanessa has worked very closely with our special needs clients and has developed strong technical knowledge of the CFR. In her role, Vanessa works closely with staff and clients to better their businesses and provide insight on the tools they need to move forward.
Vanessa remains actively engaged in the not-for-profit industry through participation in association conferences, meetings and networking events. She has shared her experience and knowledge most recently as a speaker for the New York State Society of CPAs.
Within Grassi, Vanessa serves on the Grassi Women’s Council and presents many in-house CPE based training sessions. She is also very involved with other staff in the firm, where she is a frequent mentor.
She earned her degree from Stony Brook University and is a licensed CPA in New York State. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA).

 

Eleanor (Ellie) Hume, CPA

Regional Director, Your Part-Time Controller, LLC

Ellie Hume is the YPTC’s North/Northeast Regional Director and provides support to several physical offices in the region while also seeking out new opportunities to open additional YPTC offices across the country. Ms. Hume has been working with non-profit and governmental organizations to build stronger accounting departments for more than 20 years and takes pride in helping nonprofits reach financial management nirvana through best accounting practices and strong fiscal governance.
Ellie lives in Long Island, NY with her husband and is an active member of the NYSSCPA, the AICPA and serves on the NYSSCPA’s Not-for-Profit Organizations, CFO, and Diversity and Inclusion Committees and has become a frequent speaker with many NY based nonprofit focused organization such as NYN Media, Nonprofit New York, Philanthropy New York, NYCON and NYSSCPA/FAE. Ms. Hume has also appeared on several of YPTC’s national webinars as well as numerous episodes of The Nonprofit Show. She sits on the Board and is a member of the Finance Committee for BoardStrong, a nonprofit dedicated to developing strong, effective boards, as well as providing a nationwide matching platform connecting nonprofit boards and individuals who wish to serve.
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Sarah M. Hopkins, CPA

Partner, Lumsden McCormick

Sarah is a partner in the audit and assurance department of Lumsden McCormick, where her primary focus is accounting, auditing, compliance and tax matters related to nonprofit organizations and governmental entities.

 

 

 

Eric Laughlin, CPIA

Manager, Broker Services, Council Services Plus

Eric Laughlin has spent over 15 years serving both the nonprofit sector and the insurance industry. Born with a deep sense of compassion and a drive for excellence, Eric's journey has been marked by his unwavering commitment to making a difference in the lives of others. Eric's early years were shaped by a strong sense of community and a desire to lend a helping hand to those in need. As he grew older, he realized that combining his passion for service with a career in insurance could provide him with the means to protect and empower individuals and organizations. Eric's professional journey began with the pursuit of knowledge and expertise. He obtained his Life, Accident, and Health Insurance licenses (LAH), providing him with a strong foundation in the insurance field and later obtained his Property and Casualty Insurance (P&C) license. His thirst for knowledge didn't stop there, as in 2015, he achieved the Certified Professional Insurance Agent (CPIA) designation, a testament to his dedication to staying at the forefront of industry best practices. However, it was Eric's profound commitment to the nonprofit sector that truly set him apart. For more than 15 years, he has dedicated his time and skills to nonprofit organizations, helping them navigate the complexities of insurance and risk management. His guidance has enabled numerous nonprofits to fulfill their missions and serve their communities effectively, even in challenging times. He understands the unique needs and challenges faced by nonprofits and is passionate about ensuring they have the protection and support required to thrive.

 

 

Philip Marciano, CPA

Partner, Citrin Cooperman Advisors LLC

Experience
Phil is a partner in the firm’s New York City office and is recognized as a national resource for government and not-for-profit accounting and federal single audits (Uniform Guidance). He has audited various types of governmental entities such as towns, counties, villages, schools, libraries, other special purpose entities and component units, and various types of not-for-profit organizations.

Prior to Citrin Cooperman, Phil was a shareholder at national financial and employee business services provider where he served as the Government Services Practice Leader for the firm’s Metro New York Not-For-Profit and Government Practice.

Education
Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting, Dowling College

Licenses
Certified Public Accountant in the State of New York
Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM)

Affiliations
Member, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
Board Member, New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA)
Not-for-Profit Organizations Committee Governmental Accounting and Auditing Committee

Presentations & Publications
Phil teaches for the AICPA and Surgent, where he has led numerous courses on accounting and auditing updates. Phil also presents at various conferences in the New York Metro area on not-for-profit and government accounting and federal single audits.
Phil also provides content for Kaplan and serves as their resource for government accounting and auditing.

Community Involvement
Phil is a volunteer coach for his local little league organization.

Outside the Office
Phil enjoys spending time with his wife and kids. He also enjoys golf, reading, and watching baseball games in his spare time.

 

 

Vincent Marrone

Founder, Public Strategies, LLC

Vincent Marrone has worked in public policy, politics, community organizing and advocacy since 1986. Mr. Marrone was a Senior Legislative Assistant to the New York State Assembly Committee on Health for six years. His responsibilities included HIV/AIDS, substance use, legal drugs, tobacco and life and law issues. From 1993 through 1995, he was the Director of Government Relations and Strategic Planning for the AIDS Institute of the New York State Department of Health. At the Institute, he directed education and advocacy around AIDS policy and funding issues in Washington, D.C. and Albany. From 1996-1998, Mr. Marrone was the Director of Public Policy for the Lindesmith Center, a drug policy think tank at George Soros’s Open Society Institute. He also worked for the Research and Policy Reform Center, Inc. (RPR), a 501(c)(4) established by Mr. Soros to advocate on public policy issues. At RPR, Mr. Marrone worked with advocates, lobbyists and elected officials on matters pending in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Washington, D.C. and other locations around the country. From 1998-2000, Mr. Marrone was Director of Government Relations at The After-School Corporation, a public foundation supported by the Open Society Institute to expand the quantity and quality of after-school programs in New York State. In 2001, Mr. Marrone founded Public Strategies, LLC, which serves a variety of non-profit, foundation, and corporate clients with services that include strategic planning, government relations, lobbying, media relations and advocacy skills building. Mr. Marrone is a graduate of Cornell University, and grew up in Syracuse, New York. He now resides in Cross River, New York, with his wife and son.

 

 

Jackie McLaughlin, CPA

Quality Control and Learning Manager, Chazin & Company

Jackie started her career as an auditor with KPMG where her client base consisted of tech startups. From there she worked for Fortune 500 companies in audit management and internal audit. She then returned to her start up roots until she decided to use her training and experience to help nonprofits. She has over thirty-five (35) years of accounting experience, eighteen (18) years specific to nonprofit accounting. Jackie is responsible for quality control, training and financial reviews.

 

 

Kate McNally

Senior Capacity Building Advisor, New York Council of Nonprofits

Kate McNally, serves as Senior Capacity Building Advisor for the New York Council of Nonprofits (NYCON), and brings over twenty years of experience designing and implementing capacity building initiatives. Kate has worked extensively with local and international nonprofits of all sizes, providing capacity building support, training, and technical assistance consulting services, with an emphasis on strategic planning, board development, and grant management. Kate is passionate about helping nonprofits develop effective strategies that contribute to their success and sustainability.

 

Nancy Meyers Preston

President, Nancy Meyers Preston, LTD

Nancy Preston is an independent strategic planning and fundraising consultant with 30 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. She opened her solutions-oriented consulting practice in February 2005 after working in the financial services industry for 12 years as a business development professional, and then in higher education fundraising administration at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for ten years. She has engaged in over 115 contractual arrangements with more than 100 community-based nonprofits.

 

 

Amy Paulin

Assembly Member, New York State Assembly

Assembly Member Amy Paulin has served the 88th New York State Assembly District (Scarsdale, Edgemont, Eastchester, Bronxville, Tuckahoe, Pelham, Pelham Manor, and parts of New Rochelle and White Plains) since 2001. She chairs the Assembly Committee on Health and serves on the Committees on Rules and Education.

A full-time legislator, Assembly Member Paulin annually ranks among the state’s most productive and successful lawmakers. Her diverse legislative agenda includes health care, education, reproductive rights, child welfare, support for families, domestic violence prevention, sex trafficking elimination, government reform, sustainability, animal welfare, and gun control. She served as the Chair of the Assembly Committee on Energy from 2013-2017, working to encourage renewable energy and ensure our electricity grid is reliable, and as the Chair of the Assembly Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions from 2018-2022, where she championed expanded broadband access, public transportation, and utility resiliency.

As one of the most prolific legislators in the Legislature, over 350 of her bills have been signed into law to date. Among her most important legislative accomplishments include writing and sponsoring the bill that eliminated the statute of limitations for rape, sponsoring the landmark Trafficking Victims Protection and Justice Act, which dramatically toughened penalties for traffickers and buyers while providing support to the victims of human trafficking to help rebuild their lives, and authoring the Birth Control Access Act, which greatly expanded access to birth control for New Yorkers by allowing pharmacists to both prescribe and dispense hormonal contraception.

Assembly Member Paulin has a long, distinguished record of activism in public policy and community issues. Prior to her election to the Assembly, Paulin served in a number of capacities, including Executive Director, My Sisters’ Place; Member, Scarsdale Village Board of Trustees; Founder and Chairwoman, Westchester Women’s Agenda; President, Westchester League of Women Voters; Vice President, NY State League of Women Voters; Citizen Member, County Board of Legislators’ Special Committee on Families; and Member, Board of Directors of WCLA – Choice Matters.

Assembly Member Paulin was inducted into the Westchester Women’s Hall of Fame by the Women’s Research and Education Fund, has been honored by the Federated Conservationists of Westchester County and the NYS Camp Directors Association, and has been named NYS Legislator of the Year by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and by the National Organization of Women of New York State. Among other citations and recognitions, she has received the Spirit of Independence Award from Westchester Disabled on the Move, an Ally Award from New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NYSCASA), Vision of the Community from the Scarsdale Teen Center, the Metropolitan Library Council (METRO) award for outstanding and dedicated service in support of libraries, The Loft LGBTQ+ Community Center Equality Award, an MVP award from the NYS Association of Counties, 2023 Legislator of the Year Award from the NYS Health Care Providers, 2023 Legislator of the Year Award of the New York State Society of Plastic Surgeons, the Rider’s Alliance 2023 Transit Champion Award, and she has been named a Leader in the Fight against Domestic Violence by the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NYSCADV).

Assembly Member Paulin was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She is a graduate of the State University of New York at Albany, holds a Master’s degree, and has completed doctoral course work in Criminal Justice from SUNY-Albany. For over forty years she and her husband, Ira Schuman, have lived in Scarsdale, where they raised their children, Beth, Sarah, and Joey.

 

 

Barbara Paxton

Director, BoardStrong

Barbara Paxton is the Director of BoardStrong, an organization that provides nonprofits access to diverse board candidates with a passion to serve, while helping boards make best use of the talent around the table and preparing new board members to serve as effectively as possible.  She has experience in board leadership, board development and governance, fundraising and finance. Barbara earned a B.A. at Wellesley College and a Master of International Affairs at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. She currently serves as chair of the board of the Center for Comprehensive Health Practice.

 

 

David M. Rottkamp, CPA

Partner, Nonprofit Practice Leader, Grassi Advisors and Accountants

David M. Rottkamp, CPA, is an Audit Partner, Not-for-Profit Practice Leader, at Grassi. David has over 35 years of experience providing audit and advisory services to the not-for-profit and health care industries. David focuses on organizations serving individuals with special needs, religious organizations, educational institutions, membership associations, social service providers, healthcare providers, foundations, and the arts and culture world. David’s technical knowledge allows him to provide specific services, including Single Audits/Uniform Guidance compliance audits and retirement plan audits.
Since beginning his career, David has advised some of the area’s most successful not-for-profit and health care organizations in areas such as: financial reporting systems, implementation of new FASB accounting standard updates, IRS Form 990 guidelines, sustainability and succession planning, internal control reviews, developing financial forecasts, and providing quality board education and governance advice. Through his focus on education and board awareness, he has improved the internal structure for many of his clients, demonstrating his industry leadership.
David is an active member of the New York State Society of CPAs (NYSSCPA), where he is a previous Chair of the Not-for-Profit Committee and several of its subcommittees, including government funding sources and cost reporting updates. David also chaired the statewide Not-for-Profit Conference for the NYSSCPA for four years. David is the chair of a NYSSCPA subcommittee, working with the New York State Consolidated Fiscal Reporting Interagency Committee, collaborating with NYS officials on possible revisions to Appendix AA, “Audit Guidelines” of the CFR instructional manual and the instruction manual itself.
An authority in the industry, David has presented on a variety of topics relating to organizations funded by Federal and New York State governments, including government grants and contracts, Medicaid, Medicare and other third-party insurance, and others funded with private funding and contributions. David has conducted educational seminars for clients, accounting industry groups, and Not-for-Profit member organizations.
He has presented to the Financial Managers Association (FMA) for over 25 years, Interagency Council of Developmental Disabilities Agencies, Inc. (IAC), the New York State Society of CPAs Foundation for Accounting Education (FAE), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountant (AICPA) and the New York Council of Nonprofits (NYCON) at their annual Camp Finance. David is also an adjunct professor at New York University (NYU) in Manhattan. Within Grassi, David leads internal education sessions, webinars and writes articles in the firm’s external newsletter relating to the not-for-profit and health care industries.
To give back to the industry in which he serves, David is on the board and serves as Chair of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society – Greater New York City/Long Island Chapter, and serves on several of its committees. Beyond his local work, David is a member of the National Board of Directors of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, is a member of the finance committee and is immediate past chair of National’s audit committee, having a unique and even broader impact on the organization’s well-being. David is a member of the board of directors of NYCON, a membership organization that services over 3,100 NFP members throughout New York State. David is also on the board of BoardStrong, Inc. He is also a member of the AICPA.


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Gary M. Schuster

Partner at J&G Law, LLP

Gary’s varied practice includes formation, transactions, and counseling for corporations, LLCs, partnerships, and nonprofits; purchases and sales of businesses; commercial and residential real estate transactions and leasing; licensing; estate planning, administration, and litigation; guardianship proceedings; arts and entertainment and media; copyright, and trademark.
Gary received his B.A. in government and journalism from Lehigh University in 1979 and his J.D. from Fordham School of Law in 1988. He is admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and was admitted to the Florida bar in 2002.
Gary has assisted in the formation, purchase, and sale of all kinds of businesses, including medical and veterinary practices, printers and publishers, tech companies, franchises, restaurants, bus companies, liquor stores and beer distributors, gas stations, hair salons, tattoo parlors, a theater, funeral homes, bicycle stores, and more.
Gary has extensive experience as both a Board member and attorney, representing many kinds of nonprofits, including those in economic development, health and human services, arts and culture, education, animal welfare, social clubs, sports, veterans, and more. He advises on issues including formation, dissolution, merger, governance, fundraising, compliance, real estate, taxation and tax exemption, transactions, conflict of interest, employment and labor, political activity, loans and finance, trademarks, and other issues. Gary has served on the board of directors of several nonprofit organizations and now serves on the New York Council of Nonprofits (NYCON) as Secretary and former Board Member for the Orange County Arts Council. Gary is a member of the Hudson Valley Nonprofit Consultants, and he is a frequent speaker on business and nonprofit issues.
Gary has extensive experience in music and art, which includes past employment with ASCAP, The Songwriters Guild of America, Dunvagen Music Publishers (owned by the composer Philip Glass) and Knoedler Publishing (publishers of the artist, LeRoy Neiman). He has represented clients in art, music, film, video, dance, theater, photography, fashion modeling, publishing, the internet, museums, and arts centers. He is a founding Board member, past President, and now General Council of the Orange County Arts Council. He has represented or advised Kings Theatre Co., Cornerstone Arts Alliance, Trestle, Inc., Bethel Woods Center for Performing Arts, Arts Society of Kingston, Woodstock Artists Association, Kingston Midtown Arts District, Newburgh Arts and Culture Commission, and others. He was also instrumental in creating the Orange County Film Office.
In the field of intellectual property, Gary has registered and renewed hundreds of copyrights, and registered more than 100 trademarks.
Gary is a former Adjunct Instructor at SUNY Orange in Middletown, teaching Music Business.
Gary is from Rego Park, Queens, New York, and moved to Orange County with his family in 2002.
Gary received the 2024 Karen Minogue Award for Distinguished Service by the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan during their Donor and Volunteer Appreciation Reception on February 8, 2024.
BAR ADMISSIONS
New York, 1989
Florida, 2002
U.S. District Court Southern District of New York, 1994
U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York, 1994
EDUCATION
Fordham University School of Law, New York, New York
J.D. – 1988
Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
B.A. – 1979
AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
2024 Karen Minogue Award for Distinguished Services by the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan

 

Michael Stein

Consultant, Constellation Advancement

Mike brings over 35 years of development experience and background to Constellation Advancement. Prior to joining the firm, he served in a variety of executive roles at the Bassett Healthcare Network (Cooperstown, NY). He originally joined Bassett in 1982 and later became the organization’s first Director of Public Relations and Fund Development. In that capacity, Mike orchestrated Bassett’s first capital campaign to help fund construction of the Bassett Clinic. In 1994, he left Bassett to serve as the Vice President for Development of the Presbyterian Hospital in the City of New York, where he oversaw development operations. Returning to Bassett in October 1996, Mike served as the Vice President for External Affairs and successfully managed two major capital campaigns. In his role as a consultant, Mike has worked with a variety of clients including the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Gundersen Health System (WI), Crouse Health Foundation (Syracuse, NY), Newseum (Washington, DC) and SUNY Cortland. He has lectured on fundraising topics for many organizations and academic institutions throughout New York State, and across the country. Mike currently serves as co- Board Chair for Family Planning of South-Central NY and on the Executive Committee of the Oneonta (NY) branch of the NAACP. He previously served on the board of O’Connor Hospital in Delhi, NY, as a member of the University Council at the University at Albany, as President of the Utica Chapter of the American Heart Association, and on the Board of Directors for the American Heart Association Northeast Affiliate. He also chaired the Health Care Association of New York State’s Task Force on Community Health. Mike received a Bachelor’s Degree from the University at Albany and a Masters in Counseling in Higher Education from the University of Michigan. He lives in Cooperstown, NY.

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Susan Weinrich

Sr. VP, Nonprofit Capacity Building, New York Council of Nonprofits (NYCON)

Susan has over 25 years of experience working with nonprofits as an advisor, teacher and consultant and has been at NYCON since 2003. NYCON's members rely on Susan´s expertise to provide them with a wide range of training and technical assistance in areas such as organizational assessment and development, strategic planning, board development, and performance measurement, as well as community needs assessments and program development. Susan is skilled at working with a diverse array of nonprofits and is mindful of how their size, scope and the type of service they deliver in the community impacts their organizational culture and their approach to capacity building efforts.
Whether a nonprofit organization is run solely by a volunteer Board of Directors, or has a professional staff in addition, Susan tailors her specific approach to the unique needs of her client nonprofits. Susan’s knowledge of the nonprofit sector comes from her hands-on experience with organizations that provide housing, emergency shelter, and domestic violence services as well as those that offer a range of community economic development programs, including arts organizations and museums.
Susan has served on several local and national Boards and currently serves on the Board of the Sanctuary for Independent Media in Troy, NY. Susan has a Master’s degree in Community Economic Development from the Southern New Hampshire University.

 

Bri Zakala

Client Solutions Director, Robert Half

Bri Zakala is a Client Solutions Director with Robert Half, the world’s first and largest talent solutions firm. She sits within the Upstate NY Management Resources practice group which covers Albany, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo. Bri specializes in assisting companies with project needs or interim support in areas such as Accounting, Finance/FP&A, Audit, ERP, Supply Chain, Business Systems, PMP, and Tax, from senior levels up to Director/CFO.

A native of Central New York, Bri earned a B.S. in Business Administration from SUNY Geneseo in 2017. She began her professional journey at Paychex in the insurance sector before joining Robert Half's Rochester branch in 2019. When she began with the firm as a Practice Director, she spearheaded the development of the permanent placement accounting operations division. Her leadership led to a 200% revenue increase, making it one of the leading Permanent Placement Divisions in the Northeast.

 

Personell Handbook Faculty:

 

John Kuznia, CPA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Owner and Principal Consultant, Truman Solutions

John T. Kuznia is Truman Solutions’ owner and principal consultant. He has over 35 years experience in business administration as a CFO and HR Director, with the last 20 years working primarily in the nonprofit sector. As a consultant, he has assisted dozens of companies by filling interim leadership roles, managing transformative projects, or providing ongoing support of the organization’s financial or human resources functions. He earned his CPA while working for PricewaterhouseCoopers in Albany, and is certified as a Sr. Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), and a SHRM-SCP.

John also taught as an adjunct instructor in Human Resource Management at the Sage Graduate School, and as a guest lecturer at UAlbany. He is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management and the Capital Region Human Resource Association. He also serves as the Executive Vice President of the Board of Directors of CAPTAIN/CHS, a local human services agency.

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Michael West, Esq.

Senior Vice President, Legal Services Group, Attorney NYCON

Michael West is a Senior Vice President and the Senior Attorney at the New York Council of Nonprofits, Inc. He has served as a staff attorney with NYCON since 2002 and presently oversees NYCON’s Legal Services Group. Although he has represented clients in all areas of criminal and civil litigation, Mr. West’s practice has long been devoted exclusively to addressing issues concerning tax-exempt, nonprofit organizations, particularly those matters implicating corporate, tax, contract, real property and employment law. He is a recognized and respected advocate, not only for his own clients, but for the nonprofit community as a whole.
Mr. West provides a wide variety of legal services to charitable organizations, educational institutions and religious orders. Long-term, diversified professional engagements facilitated by NYCON have enabled him to develop expertise in numerous specialized areas of law unique to nonprofits—from corporate restructuring to property tax-exemption, and worker classification to restricted fund expenditures. Mike is, perhaps, most highly regarded for the innovation, dedication, effort and empathy that he exhibits in defense of nonprofits struggling to address seemingly insurmountable financial, regulatory or public relations predicaments among other forms of organizational crisis. He also regularly conducts training sessions for nonprofit boards of directors and executive staff, Continuing Legal Education classes for attorneys and discussions and seminars for the general public concerning charitable organizations, in addition, to offering testimony before legislative and regulatory authorities.
Michael West is admitted to the practice of law in the State of New York and is a graduate of Rutgers University and Albany Law School where he was recognized as a New York Chief Justice Benjamin N. Cardozo scholar and served as an Executive Editor with the Albany Law Review.

Robert Young

Senior Investigator, NYS Department of Labor

Robert Young has been with the NYS Department of Labor for 15 years. He started on the Rapid Response team, which helps workers faced with losing their jobs due to facility and business closures. In that role he gave presentations to hundreds of workers at a time when they were faced with one of the most traumatizing moments in their careers.
Robert has been in Labor Standards at the Department of Labor for 10 years, and today is Senior Investigator. Robert’s previous experience includes working in Human Resources, including as director, with national and local companies.