Meet the Team
Meet the Board
Stephen Verrone
Board Chair
Assurance Managing Director, EY
John Nardulli
Board Vice Chair
Assurance Partner, PwC
Board Secretary
Professor of Social Work, Chair, and BSW Program Director at Niagara University. Inaugural Endowed Faculty director Rose Bente Lee Ostapenko Center
Dr. Rolanda Ward
Board Treasurer
Principal, Blackstone Private Wealth
Katya Skoufalos
Linda Armyn
President & CEO, FourLeaf Federal Credit Union
Chabe Acosta
Director of Global Talent Strategies and Operations
Andrea Elder-Howell
Managing Director, VP-Legal, PSEG Long Island
Pamela Danbusky
Dunkin' & Baskin Robbins Franchisee
Keisha Forbes
CB IB Regulatory Cross Product - Governance and Control, Deutsche Bank
Steven G. Santino
Senior Vice President,
Retail Banking, PeoplesBank
Fred Skolnik
Partner, Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP
Morgan Slade Doyle
Director of Product Marketing, PERSUIT
Matt Spero
Partner, Rivkin Radler LLP
Desi Smithen
Senior Branch Manager
Bryant Park | M&T Bank
Brian Ziegler
Partner-in-Charge, Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP
Team Bios
Brenda Jimenez
For the past 25 years, Brenda's expertise in executive leadership, fund development, board development, and organizational management has supported nonprofit executives and boards to transform their organizations and increase their reach and impact.
She was appointed CEO of MENTOR New York in December 2019 and led the organization through a time of pandemic and racial unrest — pivoting to expand services to those in need while continuing to support longtime partners. Under her leadership, Brenda has increased partner engagement and developed resources, tools, and services that have allowed mentoring programs throughout New York to serve more than 80,000 young people.
Born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, Brenda was raised in a military family stationed in Germany, Texas, and five other states. In her adolescence, her family settled in the Bronx, where she attended the prestigious Cardinal Spellman High School. Brenda received a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Seton Hall University and later pursued a master's in Public Administration with a Non-Profit Management concentration from New York University. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Executive Leadership from The Center of Leadership at The University of Charleston, WV.
Since her college days, Brenda's commitment to women's and children's issues has driven her service in the community and professional choices. From 2011-2016 she was Board President for AllCare Provider Services, Inc. and is the former Board Treasurer for Latinas United for Political Empowerment Political Action Committee (LUPE PAC). She currently has the honor of serving as co-chair of the MENTOR Affiliate Advisory Council (MAAC).
Prior to joining MENTOR New York, Brenda worked for Big Brother Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) as an Associate Director of Agency Development; Girl Scouts of the USA as a Volunteer Development and Diversity consultant; and United Way of Essex and West Hudson as a Director of Public Campaigns, where she provided organizational development support to their local affiliates.
Brenda has received numerous recognitions for her work, including four Stevie Awards for women in business and a Comité Noviembre, “Lo Mejor de Nuestra Comunidad”: “The Best in Our Community” Award.
Brenda is happily married and has three daughters: Leilah, 34; Bianca, 17; and Sofia, 15. She currently resides in Jersey City, NJ.
Erica Friedman Coburn
Erica Friedman Coburn is a seasoned leader in youth development, higher education, and nonprofit strategy, with more than 20 years of experience driving program innovation, building partnerships, and strengthening organizations. Her career reflects a deep commitment to mentoring, workforce development, and creating high-quality systems that positively impact and support both individuals and institutions.
As Director of Partnership and Training Development, Erica works closely with the CEO to shape organizational strategy with a focus on program innovation, partner engagement, and high-quality training. She leads the design of professional development offerings—including cohort learning, roundtables, and curriculum development—while collaborating with funders and partners to strengthen mentoring programs and advance best practices across the field. Erica is especially proud of expanding partnerships across New York state and working with organizations to create meaningful opportunities to elevate youth voice. Her career progression within the organization reflects a deep commitment to continuous improvement and meaningful impact.
In addition to their leadership role, Erica has extensive experience as a consultant and educator. She has provided technical assistance to mentoring programs across New York State, taught as an adjunct instructor at Rochester Institute of Technology and Drexel University, and supported diverse learners as a public speaking coach and English language instructor. Across these roles, she focused on equipping individuals and organizations with the tools they need to succeed.
Earlier in her career, Erica held leadership roles at Drexel University and Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence Region, where she oversaw operations, student services, and large-scale volunteer recruitment initiatives. She also built a strong foundation in human resources at Whitman-Walker Clinic in Washington, DC and The Inn at Penn, A Hilton Hotel in Philadelphia, PA, leading recruitment, compliance, and workforce development efforts. These experiences continue to inform her approach to leadership, with an emphasis on people, systems, and sustainable growth.