Heather Murray, Chair
Heather Murray is the Managing Attorney of the Local Journalism Project at Cornell Law School’s First Amendment Clinic. She previously was a litigation associate in the New York offices of two international law firms. While there, Ms. Murray co-founded a housing clinic to keep low-income women from being evicted and represented pro bono clients seeking asylum. She is a graduate of Cornell Law School and Duke University. She joined the Forestdale Board in 2017 to make a long-term commitment to helping improve the prospects of disadvantaged children in New York City.
Chip Smith, Vice Chair
Chip Smith joined the Forestdale Board because he learned about Forestdale's outstanding work in his Forest Hills community and wanted to be a part of it. He brings to the Board work experience in general business and entrepreneurship from his experience founding and running Restoration Medical for 15 years. He studied pre-law and business and has a BA from Fordham and an MBA from the Stern School of Business (NYU). His board experience includes being on Forestdale's Executive Committee, The West Side Tennis Club, and Forest Hills Men's Club boards.
Jared Averbuch, Treasurer
Jared Averbuch joined the Forestdale Board in 2017. Jared is passionate about Forestdale’s commitment to the well-being of children and supporting families when they need it the most. Mr. Averbuch is a Senior Managing Director at Guggenheim Securities, the global investment banking arm of Guggenheim Partners, representing companies across the energy value chain. He graduated from the University of Michigan and the University of Michigan Law School. Jared currently resides in New York City with his wife and two daughters.
Elsa Gigante, Secretary
Elsa Gigante joined the Forestdale board in 2020. She is passionate about Forestdale’s mission of keeping families together, providing resources to heal intergenerational trauma, and breaking the cycle of urban poverty. Ms. Gigante brings experience and expertise to the board from a 10-year career in finance at Citi, specializing in credit risk analysis and the structuring of various fixed-income products. Before the Pandemic, Ms. Gigante volunteered in programs to develop the financial literacy of underprivileged students in the Bronx.
Sheryl Kurtis, Executive Committee Member at Large
Sheryl Kurtis is an entrepreneur and founder of Kurtis Consulting LLC, which helps professionals accelerate their leadership journey through executive coaching. Before starting her firm, Ms. Kurtis spent 30+ years in executive-level roles at UBS, Barclays, and Wells Fargo. Ms. Kurtis brings work experience in change management, business management, operations, and strategy development to the Board. She received her B.A. in Economics and MBA from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. Ms. Kurtis’s desire to help children have a brighter future brought her to the Forestdale board.
Danna Wei, Executive Committee Member at Large
Danna Wei is the SVP of Corporate Strategy and Corporate Finance at Privia Health, a national physician practice management and population health technology company. Prior to joining Privia, she was an investment banker at Goldman Sachs, covering healthcare clients in the investment banking division. Ms. Wei received her MBA from Harvard Business School and her Bachelor of Science from NYU’s Stern School of Business.
Greg Babeendran
Greg Babeendran is a Managing Director in Deloitte’s Banking and Capital Markets practice. He has over 20 years of consulting experience with Deloitte and has assisted Fortune 500 companies in addressing strategy, operations, and technology challenges. Mr. Babeendran has an MBA from Columbia University and a BS from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is passionate about supporting children through education; in addition to his board member role at Forestdale, he has started a youth mentoring program called Game Changers – aimed at helping high school and college students identify and develop ways to differentiate themselves.
Jessica Baquet
Jessica Baquet is an attorney and a partner at Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, P.C. For nearly fifteen years, she has devoted her practice to representing clients in contested proceedings concerning trusts and estates, complex commercial disputes, and labor and employment matters. She graduated from New York University and St. John’s University School of Law and received academic scholarships at both institutions. Ms. Baquet joined the Forestdale board in 2023 to further her commitment to helping children and families in need.
Melissa Basu Gordon
Melissa Basu Gordon joined the Forestdale Board to work with local children and families with a specific interest in childhood development and special education. She has worked in various marketing, operations, and management roles in financial services, most recently as Vice President & General Manager - Global Client Group at American Express. She holds a B.S. from New York University and an MBA from Columbia Business School. Melissa lives in New York City with her husband and two children.
Jenee Benjamin
Jenee Benjamin joined the Forestdale Board in 2022 to help with the mission of serving children and families in New York. She was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, and enjoys mentoring young adults interested in STEM. Ms. Benjamin graduated from Columbia University with a B.S. in Computer Science and Boston University with her M.S. in Software Development. She is currently a Senior Software Developer at Amazon Web Services, where she builds scalable solutions for customers interested in data analytics.
Joseph Blatt
Joseph Blatt is a partner at Forvis LLP and serves clients in multiple industries, including nonprofit, government, and health care. He is the firm’s New York Nonprofit industry leader and heads the firm’s private school practice. He has over 30 years of experience working on audits and consulting projects for nonprofit clients. Mr. Blatt is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants (NJCPA), and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA). He is a graduate of Queens College, New York.
Janice Desir
Janice Desir is a community nephrologist who has been practicing in the Bronx for over ten years. She holds a B.S. from Cornell University, an MPH from Boston University School of Public Health, and an M.D. from Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine. She is involved in clinical practice, community work, and medical education. Dr. Desir joined the Forestdale board because of a desire to support our mission of advocating to keep children and families together.
Hilary C. Feshbach
Hilary Feshbach has been a board member since 2015 and has been the co-chair of the annual Gala for the past few years. A graduate of Tulane University and with an MSW from Columbia, she is currently a managing partner for Algin Management Co. LLC. In addition to supporting Forestdale’s Scholars program, Ms. Feshbach is on the board of the Public Theater.
Kim Gibson
Kim Gibson joined the Board of Forestdale in 2019. She is the Global Head of Risk Management and Independence for Grant Thornton International Ltd. and a partner with Grant Thornton LLP in the US. Ms. Gibson provides policy, guidance, and training relating to independence matters and risk issues impacting the GTIL network. She also participates in the GTIL Board of Governors’ Enterprise Risk Management Committee, the GTIL Risk Management Committee, and the global crisis management team. Ms. Gibson is a member of the International Ethics Standards for Accountants Board (IESBA) and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Mohit Gupta
Mohit Gupta's career combines building and managing large PNLs, transforming businesses, venture building, advising, and investing. He built two studios and several products spanning food, agriculture, HR, mobility, water, gig economy, and mobility spaces. Mr. Gupta spent 15 years at Cargill as a commodities trader and a manufacturing operator. At One Step Consulting, he helps companies with their sustainability and growth journeys. Mr. Gupta has worked worldwide with people in low-income areas and is passionate about contributing to a better future. He believes in helping children today for a better future.
Alexander Harvey
Alexander is a Senior Manager at FORVIS, LLP, who serves public company clients in the technology, telecommunications, media, and life sciences industries. He is experienced in performing audits of governmental and nonprofit entities. Mr. Harvey is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants. He received his MBA and Bachelor of Science from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He joined the Forestdale board in 2023 to further its mission of improving the lives of children and families, having witnessed firsthand the positive impact Forestdale has on the community.
LaToya Jordan
LaToya Jordan joined the Forestdale board in 2021. She is a writer at the New York City Housing Authority, where she helps tell the stories of the residents, employees, programs, and policies. Ms. Jordan has 15+ years of experience in internal and external communications in the non-profit, higher education, and government sectors. She is a published poet, fiction writer, and essayist. She holds a BS in public relations and journalism from Utica College and an MFA in creative writing from Antioch University Los Angeles. Ms. Jordan is passionate about volunteering with organizations serving young people. She is a foster parent and lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children.
Jennifer Kumar
Jennifer "Jen" Kumar is a Senior Client and Market Growth Manager at Deloitte. In her current role, she focuses on expanding Deloitte's footprint in the marketplace with new and existing clients, focusing on deal strategy and risk evaluation/reduction. Ms. Kumar also serves as a leader in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion space, focusing on hiring and retaining diverse talent. She attended the University of South Carolina-Columbia, where she completed her undergraduate studies in Finance and Economics, and the University of Richmond, T.C. Williams School of Law, where she completed her JD.
Susana Lee
Susana Lee is a Director of Strategy and Business Operations at Zillow, leading initiatives across the company's corporate functions. Before, she was VP of Artificial Intelligence Strategy at JPMorgan Chase and held several roles focused on business transformation. She also worked as a Manager in Grant Thornton’s Business Advisory practice, specializing in strategy and operations consulting for the nonprofit industry. She joined the Forestdale board to support the organization’s mission of building strong, stable families in New York City. She holds an MBA from the Yale School of Management and a BA in Politics from New York University. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and children.
Tara O’Neil
Tara O'Neil serves as Senior Director of Investor Relations at Breakthrough Properties. Ms. O'Neil directs and manages investor relations and communications with the firm's partners. Before joining Breakthrough, she was a vice president within BlackRock Real Assets, responsible for product strategy and investor relations. Ms. O'Neil previously worked in investor relations at The Carlyle Group and was a member of BlackRock's Global Consultant Relations group. Ms. O'Neil earned a BS in Commerce with Special Attainments in Business Administration from Washington and Lee University and holds an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Charles Owo
Charles Owo is a passionate advocate for ensuring the well-being and development of all children. With a diverse background and extensive experience in leadership roles, he joined the Forestdale board to contribute actively to its mission. Mr. Owo has spent the past 13 years with Groupe SEB, where he has held various positions in the USA and Europe, including VP of Business Controlling/CFO for the USA market. He has co-founded multiple entrepreneurial ventures in tech and retail start-ups. Mr. Owo is a member of the Forbes Finance Council and sits on the Advisory Council of the Harvard Business Review. He holds an MBA from the University of Cambridge, U.K., a Certificate in Organizational Behavior from the IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain, and a BSc in Banking and Finance from Lincoln University, PA.
Aiola Tufa
Aiola Tufa is a Director at Deutsche Bank and is responsible for Core Banking Technology in the US. She has over 16 years of experience in Financial Services across Corporate and Investment Banking and leverages technology to deliver customer value, meet tight regulatory demands, and improve operational process efficiency. She enjoys building high-performing teams and is passionate about supporting and developing young talent. Ms. Tufa is originally from Albania and currently resides in New York. She graduated from Baruch College, CUNY, with a degree in Finance & Investments (summa cum laude).
David Weber
David Weber joined the Forestdale Board in 2019 to contribute to an organization he values for providing critically needed services to the community. He has over 35 years of experience in finance, working at Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank. His executive responsibilities included managing compliance with SEC Customer Protection Rules, Global Risk Management, and Tax Transfer Pricing Advisory. He served as a Chair for the US Financial Industry (SIFMA) in specialized regulatory topics for ~20 years. Mr. Weber is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and volunteers for on-site disaster recovery efforts through a non-profit organization. Mr. Weber has a BS in Finance from the SUNY Albany School of Business and an MBA in Accounting from St. Johns School of Business.
Robert Whiteford
Robert "Bob" Whiteford is a veteran of nearly 40 years in the financial services industry. He is also a Trustee and former head of the Audit and Investment Committees, as well as a member of the Executive Committee at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. He is a former chairman of the Brooklyn Chapter of the American Red Cross.