Keynote Speaker Biographies BOBBY PETROCELLI Renowned Speaker, Bestselling Author, Educator, Coach, Telly Award-winner and NSA Certified Speaking Professional
Bobby Petrocelli is an engaging speaker, author, educator and coach. With almost three decades of professional speaking experience, he has become a leading voice. Bobby’s contagious zest for life and sincere love for people are communicated through his messages. Those who experience him leave educated and motivated by his relevant stories and are refreshed by his charismatic personality. He has been described
as Real: Relatable; and Relevant as his message screams out, “YOU MATTER, will you be you!”
Bobby has inspired millions through personal, television and radio appearances along with every form of printed media. He has worked with educational groups, community organizations, professional sports/collegiate teams, and corporations as well as medical groups. He has been featured on every major TV affiliate along with MSNBC, Lifetime and the Family Channel. He recently won the prestigious Telly Award for his television appearance on Overcoming Obstacles. He has also authored and co-authored 18 different motivational books with over 1,000,000 in circulation.
Bobby’s best selling books include:
• • • •
You Matter, It Doesn’t 10 Seconds will Change Your Life Forever Triumph Over Tragedy Unshakeable Character
Bobby is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), the highest earned designation of the National Speaking Association and International Federation of Professional Speakers. He has become one of the most sought after speakers in the nation.
Keynote Speaker Biographies STEPHANIE HUMPHREY
Lifestyle and Technology Expert:founder, A Matter of Life and Tech blog
Tech-Life Expert Stephanie Humphrey merges her passion for lifestyle media with in-depth tech expertise to show everyday people how empowering, enriching and fun technology can be. Stephanie is driven by the sole purpose of connecting people, particularly those underrepresented in technology, with the tech know-how to transform their worlds.
Stephanie is proud to say that she has realized her dream of becoming a nationally syndicated media personality as the technology contributor to ‘The Harry Show’, hosted by Harry Connick, Jr. She also recently reached another national goal when she became a contributor to Good Morning America and was a guest expert on the daytime morning show Home & Family on The Hallmark Channel.
Stephanie is inspired by an innate curiosity to know why things work and an entrepreneurial spirit, which was the spark that started her on her present journey into tech-life media. Her expertise is built upon more than a decade as a Senior Systems Engineer at Lockheed Martin and engineering degrees from Florida A&M University and the University of Pennsylvania. In her free time, Stephanie serves as the Vice President for the Southeastern Pennsylvania chapter of the Drifters, Inc. and has served twice as a Big Sister in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program.
Keynote Speaker Biographies JOSHUA WAYNE
Joshua Wayne Helps Parents and Educators Understand & Prevent Risky Teen Behavior Joshua’s speaking focuses on helping parents and educators understand and prevent risky teen behavior. Whether it’s drugs and alcohol, being sexually active, driving recklessly or posting inappropriate information online, Joshua provides practical solutions to prevent risky teen behavior.
His innovative, grounded approach helps parents and educators break through their confusion and fear to identify warning signs, implement appropriate and effective interventions, and keep the lines of communication open with teens. Joshua will challenge your audience to think critically about risks, and will leave them energized and optimistic about helping their teens become healthy, happy, successful young adults.
Joshua’s entire career has been devoted to helping teens, young adults and their families resolve conflicts and thrive. He holds a Masters Degree in Counselor
Education from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago and is a Nationally Certified Counselor with the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC). He has been featured as a Life Coach on the Style Network and writes for the Huffington Post.
Special Guest Speaker Mariano Rivera is a PanamanianAmerican former professional baseball pitcher who played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, from 1995 to 2013. Nicknamed "Mo" and "Sandman", he spent most of his career as a relief pitcher and served as the Yankees' closer for 17 seasons. A thirteen-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, he is MLB's career leader in saves (652) and games finished (952). Rivera won five American League (AL) Rolaids Relief Man Awards and three Delivery Man of the Year Awards, and he finished in the top three in voting for the AL Cy Young Award four times. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in its class of 2019 in his first year of eligibility, becoming the first player ever to be elected unanimously by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA).
Raised in the modest Panamanian fishing village of Puerto Caimito, Rivera was an amateur player until signed by the Yankees organization in 1990. He debuted in the major leagues in 1995 as a starting pitcher, before permanently converting to a relief pitcher late in his rookie year. After a breakthrough season in 1996 as a setup man, he became the
Rivera primarily threw a sharp-moving, mid-90s mile-per-hour cut fastball that frequently broke hitters' bats and earned a reputation as one of the league's toughest pitches to hit. With his presence at the end of games, signaled by his foreboding entrance song "Enter Sandman", Rivera was a key contributor to the Yankees' success in the late 1990s and early 2000s. An accomplished postseason performer, he was named the 1999 World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) and the 2003 AL Championship Series MVP, and he holds several postseason records, including lowest earned run average (ERA) (0.70) and most saves (42).
Rivera is regarded within baseball as one of the most dominant relievers in major league history. Pitching with a longevity and consistency uncommon to the closer role, he saved at least 25 games in 15 consecutive seasons and posted an ERA under 2.00 in 11 seasons, both of which are records. His career 2.21 ERA and 1.00 WHIP are the lowest in the live-ball era among qualified pitchers. Fellow players credit him with popularizing the cut fastball across the major leagues. Along with his signature pitch, Rivera was known for his precise control, smooth pitching motion, and for his composure and reserved demeanor on the field. In 2013, the Yankees retired his uniform number 42; he was the last major league player to wear the number full-time, following its league-wide retirement in honor of Jackie Robinson. A devout Christian, Rivera has been involved in philanthropic causes and the religious community through the Mariano Rivera Foundation.
*Source: Wikipedia
Student Panel: The Importance of Mentorship Principal Joseph Starvaggi, ALMS Principal John Barnes, Assistant Superintendent and former IEY Principal Anthony Bongo, NRHS high school basketball coach and alumni Rasaun Young, Dr. Josh Logan (NRHS psychologist) and a member of the New Rochelle Police Department’s PACT Unit (Community Policing).
Mr. Starvaggi sees himself as a “whole child” professional. He believes every student can be successful and must be celebrated for who they are and encouraged to be their own unique self. He also believes that students should not just graduate from New Rochelle High School, but leave our school system as a well-rounded individuals who are prepared for college, careers and life.
Joseph Starvaggi is currently the Interim Principal of New Rochelle High School. Prior to that, he served as the Assistant Prinicipal since 2005. He began in New Rochelle as a social worker at Barnard School and then worked at Albert Leonard Middle School for five years as a Special Education Facilitator. He became the House 2 Principal in 2002 which started his journey at the high school.
Mr. Starvaggi has had a wealth of experience working with children throughout Westchester County. He has worked at Blythdale’s Children’s Hospital, Cerebral Palsy of Westchester, White Plains Public Schools and BOCES of Southern Westchester.
Dr. Joshua Logan - Dr. Logan has been proud to be the the school psychologist in House 1 at New Rochelle High School for the past 13 years. In addition to helping students through individual counseling, Dr. Logan provides consultation with teachers and parents and conducts psychological evaluations to help address student's learning and socialemotional needs. In addition to his other responsibilities, Dr. Logan also serves on the Concussion Management Committee, the Health and Safety Committee, and is the co-faculty advisor for Best Buddies. He holds a PhD in School Psychology from Fordham University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and History from the University of Michigan.One of Logan’s mentors in high school was his 11th and 12th grade English teacher Ms. Marsha Frank. “She was, as most mentors are, supportive and encouraging, but what I also remember is that she was direct and honest. In her class I learned that mistakes were not only expected, but welcomed. Ms. Frank did not tell you what you wanted to hear, but what you needed to hear,” he says.
He was the director of a day treatment program for adolescents with psychological and addiction issues at the Westchester County Medical Center just before coming to New Rochelle. Mr. Starvaggi has a great love for the arts and has volunteered a
great deal of time at Valhalla Middle/High School designing and building sets for their theater
Dr. Anthony Bongo - Dr. Bongo is a proud educator in, and lifelong resident, of New Rochelle. He is a certified School Psychologist and was assistant principal and principal at Isaac E. Young Middle School for the past twenty years. Currently, he is the Assistant Superintendent for Student Services in New Rochelle. He was most inspired by his mentor, Michael Tedesco ( former NRHS Counselor), who he has worked with for over forty years.
Rasaun N. Young, NRHS Class of 1993 Rasaun Young was named the head coach for New Rochelle High School's Boys Varsity Basketball team in 2012, leading the team to the New York State Class AA championship game in his first year.
His coaching career began at Mount Vernon High School in 2004. From 2005 to 2009, Young was the trainer for The Westchester Hawks Select AAU Team.
He is the co-founder and president of Team Young World, Inc., a basketball camp designed to train young athletes to reach their full potential
both on and off the basketball court. Young is also the co-founder Ann board member of the New
Rochelle Basketball Association, which was established in 2011 to provide opportunities for New Rochelle boys and girls to learn and play basketball on a competitive level as well as assisting them with their academic responsibilities.
When he graduated in 1998 from the University at Buffalo, he was the school's all-time leading scorer, three-time first-team All-Mid-Continent Conference selection, a member of the MidContinent Conference All-Academic Team. The university will retire his number (No. 11) in a ceremony on March 8. He was also inducted into the Remington Boys and Girls Club of New Rochelle's Hall of Fame in 2000; the University at Buffalo's Hall of Fame in 2004 and the New Rochelle Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.
Young played professional basketball in Europe from 1999 to 2000. In 2005, he joined the New Rochelle Fire Department.
Young’s mentors include Kelly Johnson, the director of the Youth Bureau, Nat Harris and Rev. Sampson, his coaches at NRHS and Joe Johnstone, Director of Security and a NRHS coach.
*Source: New Rochelle Patch
John Barnes has been working as a school principal for fifteen years and serving as the principal of Albert Leonard Middle School for the last six years. Prior to becoming an administrator and principal, Mr. Barnes worked as a music teacher, classroom teacher, staff developer and instructional coach. Mr. Barnesis a graduate of the Hartt School of Music with a Bachelor of Music degree. He has two masters degrees and an advanced certificate in Educational Leadership. He was also selected as a Columbia University, Teachers College, Cahn Fellow in 2008. He currently is enrolled at St. John's University and is working to complete his dissertation in order to earn his doctorate. Mr. Barnes worked as an actor and singer with some of his favorite roles being Robert in Company, Tommy in Brigadoon, Aladdin, Fagin in Oliver, and Will Parker in Oklahoma. He earned his actor's equity eligibility card while performing in a production of The Will Rogers Follies. Although music and performing were always one of his passions, Mr. Barnes has also spent the majority of his life working with children. He was one of the few boys in his local community who had a booming baby-sitting business, and he started working as
camp counselor at the age of 14. By the age of 18, he was given the charge to be the supervisor of one of the local day camps in Point Lookout NY. While in high school and on breaks from college, he worked as a direct-care counselor for adults with intellectual disabilities. Although some might find performing and teaching quite different, Mr. Barnes has always felt that there are many parallels to being able to engage, inspire, and connect to people with different backgrounds, interests, and abilities. He feels blessed and fortunate to be able to work in the City School District of New Rochelle and to have the chance to go back to 7th grade every day to try and make it better than what he personally remembers about the middle school years. He is passionate about working to eradicate bullying in our schools and this year received an award from the national organization, STOMP Out Bullying. He was selected as their first ever Principal of the Year. He feels funny displaying the award, because he knows bullying is still an epidemic for our young people and that there is so much that has to be done to end all forms of bullying in our schools, for all students. He is honored to be invited to a part of tonight's panel and truly believes that if you find something you truly love to do, that you never really work a day in your life. He tries to instill his students with the mindset to be in it to win it, and to work on being the best versions of themselves regardless of the adversity and obstacles that come up along the way.
Mr. Barnes mentors are his K-8 principal Dr. Andrew Rose and his high school speech and drama teacher Leslie Major.
Police Officer Robert Johnson was appointed to the Department in January 2014 and is currently assigned to the Police and Community Together (PACT) Unit for the Patrol Services Division. Officer Johnson is a well-rounded officer who is respected among his peers and his supervisors. He has been cited seven times for department recognition. Officer Johnson holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Adelphi University.
As a member of The PACT Unit Officer Johnson is tasked with directing the New Roads Mentorship Program, in both Albert Leonard Middle School and Isaac Young Middle School.
On Officer Johnson’s free time, he Co-Founded “Better Way NY”, which is a non-profit organization based in New Rochelle. Better Way NY seeks impact the lives underprivileged youth through college visits, athletic training, recreational trips and international travel. To date Officer Johnson and the Better Way NY team has taken 85 students to 5 different colleges and 5 students to 2 different countries. Officer Johnson also volunteers time at the Boys and Girls club of New Rochelle, assisting with the Passport to Manhood Program.
Officer Johnson has used his background as a former collegiate scholarship athlete and his standing in the community to build relationships with students who are growing up in similar circumstances as he did. He has become a mentor and role model for youth in the community and has assisted in building a bridge from the police department into the community to which they serve.
Adult Forum - Panel Moderator
Student Mentorship Panel Moderator Chloe Werner is a senior at New Rochelle High School. She is in PAVE Acting and has been in every Theatreworks show since she was a freshman (most recently ad the Tour Master in See Rock City). Chloe also pursues stand-up comedy and improv comedy, having performed all over NYC and in comedy festivals in the northeast! Chloe is going to pursue a BFA in film production in college in hopes of becoming a director. She has had a passion for film for a while and is excited to take this next step into her journey. Chloe would not be where she is today without Mr. Stirpe, her wonderful film and acting teacher and mentor. He has taught her so many valuable lessons she will take into the real world. She would like to thank him for all that he does for her and the arts program.
Beth Feldman is an industry renown executive with more than 20 years in public relations, marketing and branding, social media, talent relations, event planning, crisis communications and public speaking. As a nationally recognized parenting expert, Feldman has been interviewed by national and regional news media on career reinvention, social media, parenting tweens and work-life balance. She has appeared on broadcast news programs such as “Good Morning America,” “Nightline,” “Inside Edition,” and WCBS-TV and has been quoted as an expert resource by national news sources such as Associated Press and The New York Times. Feldman is the author and editor of the humor anthology See Mom Run – Sidesplitting Essays from the World’s Most Harried Moms (Ingram Publishing). She holds a masters degree in journalism from New York University and graduated with honors from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She currently lives in New Rochelle with her husband and two children who attended George M. Davis, ALMS and NRHS and are grateful to all the mentors who have impacted their lives along the way.
Adult Forum Identifying the Warning Signs of Stress, Anxiety and Depression in Your Child
Dr. Despina Hatziergati, M.D. Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College Child and Adolescent Inpatient Service Chief, NYP Westchester Division, Stephanie Marquesano, founder of The Harris Project; Elizabeth Van Buren, domestic violence counselor for Hope’s Door and Francis Curley, Interim Director of Guidance and Counseling at NRHS.
Despina Hatziergati, M.D., is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City and an Assistant Attending Psychiatrist at New York Presbyterian’s Westchester Division in White Plains, specializing in the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders in children, adolescents and adults. She is currently the Unit Chief of the Inpatient Children’s and Adolescent departments. Dr. Hatziergati also teaches and supervises medical students, general residents and fellows in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She received her Bachelors of Arts degree in Chemistry from SUNY, New Paltz and her Medical Degree from the University of Ioannina in Greece. She completed her residency in General Psychiatry at the Medical College of Pennsylvania/ Hahnemann University and trained in Child and
Adolescent Psychiatry at New York Presbyterian/ Weill Cornell Medical Center, Westchester Division.
Stephanie Marquesano’s 19 year-old son Harris died by accidental overdose in 2013. Harris had co-occurring disorders (the combination of one or more mental health challenges and substance misuse/addiction). She founded the harris project to advance prevention programming and advocate for the implementation of integrated treatment opportunities to improve the lives of teens and young adults with COD. Stephanie received her J.D. from NYU School of Law, and is a board member of the NYS Regional Planning Consortium, Westchester County Community Services Board member, and co-chairs the Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health CoOccurring System of Care Committee. Inspiring audiences from high school students through health care professionals, Stephanie hopes to save lives and change outcomes. The New Rochelle High School CODA (Co-Occurring Disorders Awareness) Club received the Volunteer New York! Spirit Award in Education & Literacy with Stephanie in April 2018.
PANELIST BIOS
Liz Van Buren joined the Hope’s Door team in June 2018 as a Youth Educator/Domestic Violence Counselor & Advocate. In her Youth Educator role, she travels to over 30 middle and high schools throughout Westchester County presenting to students in health classes about the warning signs of teen dating abuse and how to help yourself or a friend who may be experiencing abuse. She also attends monthly afterschool meetings in 10 high schools and one middle school as part of Hope’s Door’s STAR (Students Talking About Relationships) peer leadership program, in which students lead discussions about healthy and unhealthy relationships. Van Buren also helps coordinate the Annual Teen Symposium, a day for students and educators from across Westchester to gather and learn more about teen dating abuse through keynote speakers and performance pieces.
About Hope’s Door: As a non-profit domestic violence agency, Hope’s Door seeks to end domestic violence and to empower victim-survivors to achieve safety, independence, and healing from the trauma of their abuse. With offices in Hawthorne and Ossining, New York, Hope’s Door provides services free of charge to residents of Westchester County, including but not limited to: a 24/7 hotline, an emergency shelter (in an undisclosed location), individual counseling and support groups, children’s counseling, economic empowerment, youth prevention, community activism, multilingual services, and legal advocacy. For more
information about domestic violence and about Hope’s Door, please visit our website, www.hopesdoorny.org. For confidential help, call our 24/7 hotline: (888) 438-8700.
Francis Curley currently serves as Interim Director of Guidance and Counseling at NRHS. Mr. Curley joined New Rochelle High School in 2002 where he worked as a guidance counselor, implementing a developmental model of counseling to provide academic, personal, career and college counseling to a diverse student population. Mr. Curley has helped students explore career goals through use of interviews, assessments, academic planning, and available resources such as Naviance and Career Zone. He has also assisted students in formulating career goals and objectives that are commensurate with abilities/ strengths. Additionally, Mr. Curley has provided assistance to students and parents in creating a post-secondary education plan that meets the needs of the student and family, and assist in the college application process. He will be leading NRHS annual college night for students and parents this year on April 3, 2019.
We would like to thank the administrators, teachers, parents and students who lent their support to this very special evening. We would also like to oer special thanks to the following individuals for their hard work, time and dedication to making Family University a success.
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR
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Many thanks to NRHS PTSA, ALMS PTA & IEYMS PTA, the NRPD P.A.C.T. team and the City
DINNER PROVIDED BY ($6 per person)
Delano Allen Debbie Morris Denise Flood Tita Damiani Tilsa Gonzalez Dr. Joshua Logan Samantha Morris Elizabeth Muriel NRPD PACT Unit Melissa Riebe Anthony Stirpe Stephanie Tomei NRPD PACT Unit Nancy Podhradsky Katalya Haughton Dara DiBuono Alisa Holland Joseph Starvaggi John Barnes Bruce Daniele Maddie Bamberger Jalen Mention NRPD Detective
Kendall Atterbury
Francis Curley
Dara Dibuono
Linda Fosina
Wendy Koch
Lydia Martinelli Debbie Morris
Grace Myron
Pina Palmisano
Grisella Ramos Mikaela Strauss Chloe Werner
Dylan Feldman
Jamie Cantone
Jake Birnbaum
Tyler Manley
Ken Valenti
Dr. Anthony Bongo
Maryann Cantone
Steve Brown
Antonin Corona
Alissa Clausell
Terrence Fudge