Staff & Board

Pictured above: Our staff gathered at Deaf New American’s Asha Laaya (Farm of Hope) in Bridgeport, NY. Not pictured: Kristi Eck and Dana Lyons-Canty.

PRESIDENT & CEO

Melanie Littlejohn, MBA

NIKKI POLES
Executive Assistant

COMMUNICATIONS

KATRINA M. CROCKER
Vice President of Communications

JULIET R. MALOFF
Director of Communications

PARIS BABERS
Events & Communications Manager

REBECCA BALARA
Communications Manager

CORY SCHAD
Digital Communications Officer

COMMUNITY INVESTMENT

FRANK M. RIDZI, PHD
Vice President of Community Investment

DANIELLE M. JOHNSON
Senior Director of Grants & Programs

DARRELL D. BUCKINGHAM
Senior Program Officer

COLBY CYRUS, CAPM
Program Officer

KATE DOWNES
Program Manager

ISABEL FOSS
Program Associate
(Through July 22, 2026)

ELISIA GONZALEZ
Grants Manager

QIANA WILLIAMS
Senior Program Officer

PHILANTHROPY

THOMAS M. GRIFFITH, AEP®, CAP®, CHFC®
Chief Philanthropy Officer

MONICA M. MERANTE, CAP®
Senior Director of Philanthropic Services

PRAGYA S. MURPHY, CAP®, MBA
Director of Philanthropy & Impact Investment

JAN L. LANE, CAP®
Director of Philanthropy

ELIZABETH GAGNÉ
Philanthropic Services Officer

TORI HART
Philanthropic Services Officer

MADELINE THIBAULT, ESQ.
Philanthropic Advisor

FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

KIMBERLY P. SADOWSKI, CPA
Chief Financial Officer

LIZ HARTMAN, CPA
Senior Director of Finance

JENNY E. GREEN
Director of Information Systems & Strategy

CARLY CHRISTIAN
Office Manager

GERIANNE P. CORRADINO, SHRM-CP
Human Resources & Operations Officer

DANA C. FIEL
Senior Finance Manager

YEISHA NÚÑEZ-DENSON
Accountant

INNOVATION & GROWTH

KRISTI ECK
Chief Innovation & Growth Officer

DANA E. LYONS-CANTY
Special Projects Officer

SCHOLARSHIPS & STUDENT SUCCESS

AHMEED H. TURNER
Vice President of Scholarships & Student Success; Executive Director of Say Yes Syracuse

DERARETU ABUBEKER
Scholarships & Student Success Manager
(Through July 28, 2026)

SALMA MUSE
Scholarships & Student Success Manager