Navigators

Gary Bagley has over 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, most recently as the Executive Director of New York Cares, New York City’s largest organization devoted to driving community impact through volunteer-led programs. His previous experiences include positions at nonprofit organizations focused on arts education – Young Audiences New York and TADA! Youth Theater. He also teaches nonprofit leadership, management, and strategy at Columbia University and Baruch College.

Keith H. Green is an accomplished Senior Executive, Thought Leader, Speaker and Facilitator with more than 30 years of success in nonprofits and defense. Leveraging extensive experience in organizational administration and operations as well as direction of training programs and staff in not–for–profit, commercial, and industrial environments, he is a valuable asset for health and wellness companies or programs for Education and children, of various sizes and stages of growth that are seeking expert assistance with project management, creating structure around human capital, staff development, strategic planning, or policy and practice development. His broad areas of expertise include board governance, strategy, strategic planning, business planning, and human resources.

As a veteran Board Member, Keith currently holds seats on the Board of Directors for University Hospital-­Newark, Programs for Parents, Inc, and Boys to Leaders Foundation. He has served as a Member on dozens of community organizations, schools, and nonprofits. He holds a Bachelor of Science – HRM from the Union Institute & University and completed the Executive Leadership Program at UCLA as well as the Advanced Leadership Program with United Way Worldwide.

Keith M. Little is a hands-on leader with over 40 years of experience at State, City, local government organizations and in the nonprofit human services sector, Mr. Little brings considerable expertise in the provision services to children, families, and adults via his work in mental health, health care, early childhood education, child welfare, substance abuse,
intellectually and developmentally disabled, and juvenile justice programming.

In his most recent position, Mr. Little is the Founder and Principle for Kemili Solutions. In this role, he has served as the Interim Executive Director of the Children’s Law Center, where he successfully led the organization through the recruitment of a new Executive Director; served as the liaison to the Board of Directors; ensured organizational stability;
led the Executive Team in implementing a development strategy to advance fundraising efforts; prioritized financial monitoring and viability; played a key role in union negotiations which led to a contractual agreement. He is also an Executive Coach for new executive leaders; and the Director of the InUnity Alliance Leadership Development Program for BIPOC professionals.

Mr. Little served as the President & CEO of SCO Family of Services, where he was responsible for oversight of the agency’s extensive continuum of residential and community-based child welfare, early childhood, youth development, family support, special needs, and homeless services.He has held senior organizational and program leadership positions at the New York State Office of Mental Health.  He served as Associate Commissioner and Deputy Director at NYS Office of Mental Health, where he was responsible for the oversight of State Operations for children’s services.His experience includes posts at the Jewish Board, Edwin Gould Service for Children and Families, the New York City Department of Health, and the Nassau County Youth Board.

Mr. Little earned an MPA from Baruch College, City University of New York, and a bachelor’s degree from University of Bridgeport. He sits on the Boards of Directors of Good Shepherd Services; the Black Agency Executives; CASES; MercyFirst; and Brownsville Partnership.

Gilles Mesrobian is an Affiliate Consultant at Support Center. He is also on the faculty of Bard College’s MBA in Sustainability where he teaches Personal Leadership Development working with MBA students to develop leadership competencies utilizing a personal mastery approach.

His professional credentials include over 26 years senior management experience in the nonprofit arena, with nearly 20 years as an Executive Director. His consulting experience covers a broad range of organizational work in the nonprofit and philanthropic sector, including executive leadership transition, organizational assessment, executive search, strategic planning and leadership development.

In addition to his consulting work, Gilles facilitates several leadership training programs including the New York Power Authority’s MBA program and the New York Foundation for the Arts’ year-long leadership program, funded through the American Express Leadership Institute.

Tani Mills has dedicated her career focused on issues related to vocational, social, and economic justice. Tani has implemented and championed strategies that leveled the playing field of opportunity that lead to personal transformation and growth.

As a senior executive with over two decades of experience running a social enterprise, thousands of individuals were connected to work many for the first time, building their confidence, cultivating their self-efficacy, and instilling hope for a better future. An experienced Human Resources Executive, certified Life Skills Educator and Motivator-in-Chief, Tani has worked with individuals both locally and internationally to discuss the importance of personal/professional development and empowering others and using their platform to serve as a catalyst for change.

In 2017, Tani started a new chapter as the Principal of Katalyst Executive Coaching with the sole purpose of elevating the human spirit through leadership coaching, inspiring potential, to evoke positive change. Its tagline is thought +inspiration+ partnership. In line with her coaching work, Tani is also a Support Center Navigator and is currently engaging with faith-based organizations in New Jersey.

Tani holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice, M.A. in Psychology (Forensic). She is an Associate Certified Coach accredited by the International Coaching Federation, a Certified Everything DISC Facilitator as well as “The 5 Behaviors”: Team Development.

Since 2020, David Rivel has been helping mission-driven organizations solve a wide variety of challenges. He provides interim director services, consulting, mediation, and executive coaching. From 2013 to 2020, David was Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services, and from 2001 to 2011, David was Executive Director of City Parks Foundation. David has also served in other various leadership roles including as President of Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, Vice President of Marketing & Communications at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and Director of Finance for First Run Features. David’s academic background is in film history and aesthetics, and he taught film studies at Wesleyan University in Connecticut where he received his Masters of Art. David serves on the board of the Museum of the Moving Image. He lives in Astoria, Queens with his wife, Laura Ensler, a consultant to early childhood education programs.

Stephan Russo is an expert in the management and delivery of human services in New York City. He stepped down as the Executive Director of Goddard Riverside Community Center, a highly regarded New York City settlement house, in February 2017 after a career spanning more than four decades. He began working at Goddard Riverside as a youth outreach worker in the summer of 1976. Except for a brief stint in New York City government and as a consultant in the housing field, Russo held positions of increasing responsibility at Goddard Riverside, serving as a project supervisor, Youth Services Director, Associate Director for Homeless and Housing programs, and Deputy Director before becoming the agency’s Executive Director in 1998.
A remarkable history of developing groundbreaking programs to meet community needs was the hallmark of Goddard Riverside under Russo’s leadership. During his eighteen years as Executive Director, the agency’s budget increased from $12 million to over $40 million.

Frank Schneiger is a Navigator with Support Center and is the founder and President of Frank Schneiger and Associates., formerly Human Services Management Institute, Inc., a 35-year old planning and change management company serving the non-profit sector and public service sectors. His firm specializes in organizational crisis intervention, management and operations change using its “Rapid Change” model, building healthy organizations, major project management, and the effective management of cutbacks and loss of resources.

Dr. Schneiger has served in executive leadership positions in government, business and the non-profit sector. In addition to Managing in Hard Times, he writes a regular on-line column, Manager’s Journal and is the author of two works of fiction and a memoir on the changing nature of work. A recent series of columns, “Why Things Don’t Work” was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for on-line commentary. He holds a BS from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and two Masters Degrees and Doctorate from Columbia University.

Doug Schoenberger joined the Center for Non-Profits in December 2018 as a Government Affairs Specialist. In this role, Doug is responsible for coordinating the development and execution of the Center’s public policy objectives and advocating these goals to all stakeholders, including state legislators and staff, executive branch officials, and business organizations.

Before joining the Center, Doug worked for AT&T and Verizon in a variety of roles. At AT&T, Doug held positions, among others, in international external affairs, business marketing, and systems engineering at Bell Laboratories. Doug joined Verizon in 2007, where he worked in public policy, corporate philanthropy and state government affairs. Doug’s favorite job by far, however, was a brief stint as a “Good Humor Man” in high school.

An active civic volunteer, Doug currently works with The First Tee of Greater Trenton. He is a past Chairman of Lead New Jersey and past Vice-Chairman of the Council of NJ Grantmakers.

Doug’s education includes a B.S. from Union College in Applied Mathematics, an M. Eng. in Operations Research from Cornell University, and a Certificate in Theology and Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary. He and his family reside in Hopewell, New Jersey.

Wendy Seligson is an Affiliate Consultant with the Support Center and founder of Wendy Seligson Consulting, a nonprofit management consulting firm specializing in business and financial planning, organizational systems development, coaching and professional development and strategic approaches to managing risk. With over twenty years as senior executive and chief operating officer in New York City nonprofits, Wendy is experienced at managing complex nonprofit organizations. As the Associate Executive Director of the 14th Street Y from 2007 through 2015 , Wendy managed the Y through a period of rapid growth in which the program size and revenue doubled over five years; she is particularly proud of her work at the Y building high functioning teams and mentoring and developing talented middle-managers to achieve these results. Wendy has JD from New York University School of Law and an undergraduate degree from Duke University.

Sarah BJ Sung (BJ) is an expert in strategy and design of corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, corporate philanthropy and nonprofit management. Ms. Sung is a seasoned executive who has experience working in banking and utility sectors. She is a diversity & inclusion champion who worked on innovative CSR programs to elevate company’s presence and increase its philanthropic reach. An expert in the nonprofit sector, she also serves on the boards of New York City leading nonprofits. Ms. Sung received her certificate in Corporate Citizenship Management from the Boston College for Corporate Citizenship, Carroll School of Management.

Most recently, Ms. Sung worked in Public Affairs department of Con Edison, Inc. and built strategic relationships with nonprofit partners to strengthen support for S.T.E.M (science, technology, engineering and math) and civic engagement programs. Her contributions include concept and implementation of STEM festivals, STEM scholarship program, mentorship & training projects and employee volunteer recognition program and many more.

Sharmila utilizes her expertise in leadership development, program implementation, resource development and communications, advising clients on operations, strategy, board development, multigenerational engagement, grantmaking and community outreach activities. She is also an adjunct associate instructor in the nonprofit management master’s program in the School of Professional Studies at Columbia University in New York, a 21/64 certified trainer in multigenerational philanthropy, Exponent Philanthropy peer coach, and mentor for philanthropy/nonprofit leadership development programs. Additionally, Sharmila is a philanthropy and nonprofit consultant at SRT Advising & Consulting in New York City.

Previously, Sharmila was appointed the first non-family executive director of the Siragusa Family Foundation in Chicago, directing operational, programmatic and administrative functions of the organization and advising on the same for their nonprofit grantees. She has held leadership roles on several boards and committees involving issues of women and children, immigrant communities, education and public health, and building philanthropic leadership and the capacity of the nonprofit sector.

A native New Yorker, Sharmila recently relocated back to Staten Island, NY after spending the past 17 years in Chicago. She holds an MPH from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, an MPA from the Columbia University School of International & Public Affairs, and a BA in International Relations from Brown University.

John Vitali provides services to colleges, universities, and nonprofit organizations focusing on strengthening their financial and business operations in support of institutional mission. From serving as an interim CFO to diagnosing and remediating a particular operational issue, John tailors the scope of its services to each client’s unique needs. John’s services include interim financial and administrative executive leadership; business diagnostics and re-engineering; and high impact, high profile project management. John is a seasoned and accomplished financial and operational leader in the nonprofit and higher education sectors, with the last twenty-one years in senior executive positions at large, complex organizations.

Nancy Wackstein is a veteran human services leader in New York City in both the governmental and nonprofit sectors. Ms. Wackstein most recently served as Director of Community Engagement and Partnerships at Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Service, where she is currently an Adjunct Faculty Instructor for MSW students. Ms. Wackstein served from 2002 to 2015 as Executive Director of United Neighborhood Houses. Prior to UNH, she was the Executive Director of Lenox Hill Neighborhood House for 11 years. Ms. Wackstein served as Director of the NYC Mayor’s Office on Homelessness and SRO Housing from l990-91 under Mayor David N. Dinkins and was Senior Policy Advisor for Human Services in Manhattan Borough from l986-l989. Over the course of her career, Ms. Wackstein has served on many nonprofit Boards and NYC government task forces and commissions, and continues to do so. She received a bachelor’s degree from Binghamton University, SUNY, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and a master’s degree from the Columbia University School of Social Work (CUSSW). In 2009 Ms.Wackstein was inducted into the CUSSW Hall of Fame. In 2013 Ms. Wackstein was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from her alma mater Binghamton University.