Hometown: Floral Park, NY

Alma Mater: Loyola University Maryland

Industry: FinTech

Hobbies: Playing golf, reading, running, traveling, supporting my favorite New York sports teams

Fun Fact: I’ve been to Ireland 23 times.

How did you get involved with Children’s Scholarship Fund and the Young Leaders Board?

Throughout high school and college, I spent my summers volunteering at a camp for children and young adults with special needs and found the experience to be extremely rewarding. When I began working in NYC, I again wanted to volunteer my time with an organization that had a mission I could get behind. I was invited to a CSF event in March 2018 and was blown away by stories I heard from CSF alumni. When I learned of an opening on the YL Board later that month, I jumped at the chance to join and I’ve been a member ever since.

Why is education important to you?

I believe that early education plays a fundamental role in a child’s development. It’s a building block that greatly increases a person’s ability to become successful and have a positive impact on society. Unfortunately, access to a strong education is not possible for many children in the United States. As somebody who was fortunate enough to access a great education from an early age, I believe it is my responsibility to help others receive those same opportunities.

What is your favorite part of being involved with CSF and the Young Leaders Board?

My favorite part of being involved with CSF and the Young Leaders Board is seeing the direct impact the organization has as it relates to hearing stories from CSF alumni at different points in their journey all the way through college. It’s rewarding to work with a group of like minded individuals on the YL Board, especially as we see our fundraising efforts turn into scholarships for young students.

As we continue to learn and work from home during the Covid-19 crisis, what have you learned from your own quarantine experience? Do you have any advice for CSF Scholars and CSF alumni who are in high school and college?

The quarantine has impacted people across the world in different ways, with many people clearly having a more difficult time than others. However, three things I’ve learned that I believe are relevant for everybody are:

  1. Always be there for family and friends especially when times are tough
  2. Don’t take anything you have for granted, as you never know how long you’ll have it for.
  3. Don’t get set in your ways. Always be ready to adapt and face adversity head on. This is especially true for the shift to working from home and online classes.