The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies Dean's Board of Advisors

Gina Grillo '86SJC
President & CEO              
Advertising Club of New York   

As President and CEO of The ADVERTISING Club of New York, Gina Grillo is a champion for the industry. She leads The AD Club team, overseeing programming for over 5,000 members, and in her 15 years in this role has focused on elevating industry thought leaders, fueling creativity and bravery in advertising, pushed for greater industry diversity and inclusion, and provided professional development. Gina has helped to transform The AD Club into the modern voice of the ad industry.

Gina is a force to be reckoned with – she oversees the International ANDY Awards, leading them to hold the first ever LIVE judging event accessible to the entire industry in 2018.She also heads The Club’s Foundation, which is committed to supporting talent and education through diversity initiatives such as i'mPART. The Foundation has made over $2 million in investments towards leading diversity programs since 2012. 

She is on the NYC Virtual Enterprise Advisory Board, is a Co-Founder and Board member of Creative Spirit, Founding Member and on the Board of the ADCOLOR Industry Coalition, and is also a member of Advertising Week’s Board of Directors -- each of which focus on strengthening the industry and advocating for diversity, while driving business forward for the entire advertising and marketing industry. In 2017, the 4A’s named her to their esteemed list of ‘100 People Who Make Advertising Great.

Prior to joining The AD Club, Grillo held positions at Young & Rubicam and MTV Networks. A St. John’s University graduate, she resides in her native New York with her husband and three children.

Jenny Alonzo '87SVC
Producer | Senior Marketing & Content Executive | Consultant | Board Member | Advisor

A dynamic, proven leader in content development & production, marketing, multicultural markets, and corporate media strategies/operations, Jenny Alonzo has worked on some of the strongest brands in media including NBC, BET, Turner, The Wall Street Journal, and most notably as a founding member of Lifetime Television and the groundbreaking market positioning of Television for Women.

Alonzo is currently developing multiple transmedia intellectual properties, each with creators of color, for multiple platforms such as feature films, graphic novels/books, scripted series, video games and, of course, merchandising. She works with investors, writers, and producers to identify, package, and develop content for global ecosystems. Alonzo is now focused on the African market. Most recently, Alonzo executive produced two feature films — The Men In My Life, inspired by the life of Rochelle Aytes of White Chicks, ABC’s Mistresses, and currently on CBS’ S.W.A.T; and American Cherry, a coming-of-age feature film starring Hart Denton of Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why and CW’s Riverdale.

Alonzo is an outspoken advocate for the Afro-Latino community in the US. She’s culturally connected to one group and emotionally connected to the other and is proof positive that both communities have more in common than most people believe. Alonzo’s mission is to bridge that gap and is actively developing content to address the challenging nuance. At the top of 2021, she produced a panel for NBCU’s Telemundo network on the lack of Afro-Latino representation in Spanish networks and the impact that’s had on our youth and the Latino community at large in the US. The panel was streamed internally to all the NBCU employees, including network leaders and decision makers. Alonzo secured top talent, including Selenis Leyva of Netflix’s Orange Is The New Black, Adam Rodriguez of Magic Mike and the CSI franchise, and Singleton Beato of McCann.

From 2012 through 2013, she served as CMO and special consultant to senior management at NUVO, overseeing all marketing, digital, and PR for the network, the first English-language television channel created for the modern US Latino. NUVO embarked on a groundbreaking partnership with global celebrity and entrepreneur Jennifer Lopez to develop, produce, and market content for this coveted audience. Alonzo was directly in charge of bringing the partnership to market. In preparation for this highly anticipated partnership, Alonzo spearheaded the re-branding and re-launch of the network and managed its largest go-to market campaign in history—all of which helped set the stage for the acquisition of FUSE Media.

From 2010 to 2012, Alonzo provided counsel to various entities regarding content acquisition and distribution strategies for the LATAM market. From 2007 to 2009, she was a co-founder and Executive Vice President of Marketing & Communications at MIO.TV, a multimedia entertainment, communications, and social networking digital lifestyle brand for bi-cultural and English-speaking Latinos, featuring content partnerships with celebrity icons. The market downturn that started in late 2008 and well into 2009 prevented the pioneering team from continuing to develop the offering and take the product to market. Looking at today’s media landscape, it’s clear that MIO.TV was ahead of its time.

A founding member of Lifetime Television, Alonzo held multiple leadership roles from 1993 through 2006, including Senior Vice President of Production & Inventory Strategies. At Lifetime, she developed and managed mid-nine-figure budgets in on- and off-air media, creative, and Alonzo BIO General — 2021 production operations. Alonzo led a team of 70+ that supported all marketing and creative services efforts for three networks, digital platforms, and multiple franchises. She was also part of the leadership that launched numerous franchises including the award-winning Intimate Portrait series, the iconic and award-winning Lifetime Original Movies franchise, plus two brand extensions — sister networks LMN and LRW.

From 1990 to 1994, Alonzo held various advertising & promotion and marketing roles at NBC and WNBC. From 1987 to 1989, she worked for the account management team at Lord Geller Federico Einstein, a boutique ad agency with clients such as IBM, Tiffany, The Wall Street Journal, and WNBC.

Alonzo has served two terms with the FCC’s Advisory Committee on Diversity for Communications in the Digital Age. From 2003 to 2005, she chaired the Sub-Committee for Career Advancement and was responsible for publishing a Best of the Best Practices Report for the FCC, under Chairman Michael Powell. Alonzo was appointed to another term on the FCC Advisory Committee in 2009; she chaired the PPM Task Force. Alonzo served as the first Latina Chairwoman of the Board for the National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC). From 2005-2008, she served on the Advisory Council for Premier Automotive Group (PAG), the luxury marquee for the Ford Motor Company, representing Aston Martin, Land Rover, Jaguar, and Volvo. Alonzo is the Immediate-past Chair of The Nielsen Company's Hispanic Latino Advisory Council and is the Chair for the Board of Managers at CircleAround.com, a for-profit subsidiary of the Girl Scouts USA, where she also served three terms as a board member of the National Board of Directors. She serves on St. John's University’s Collins College of Professional Studies Advisory Council and has now joined the University’s Board of Governors.

Alonzo has been featured as a Broadcasting & Cable Fifth Estater, in The New York Times, Diversity Inc., Black Enterprise, and Hispanic Business. She is considered a subject-matter expert in content development and marketing to the growing super-consumer—the ethnic and multicultural audience. Alonzo’s been the recipient of numerous awards including PROMAX/BDA for creative excellence in show packaging, image, and branding campaigns. In 2006, she was named one of the Top 100 Most Influential Hispanics by Hispanic Business magazine. In 2004, Alonzo received the distinction of being ranked No. 13 on CableFAX Magazine’s CableFAX 100 list. In the same year, she was honored by Multichannel News with the highly coveted Wonder Woman Award. In 2003, Alonzo was named a Latinas Destacadas (Outstanding Latinas) by New York City’s premier Spanish-language daily El Diario/LaPrensa.

Alonzo is a volunteer and advocate for the handicapable community and a supporter of Young Adult Institute (YAI).

For any inquiries, pleases contact: Nidia Done, [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-alonzo-4-real/

Cristin Burtis ‘95SVC, ‘97GEd
Founder/CEO, Burtis Consulting Group & CDB Productions

Cristin Burtis is the founder and CEO of Burtis Consulting Group and CDB Productions. Burtis Consulting Group (BCG) is a Government Relations and Strategic Consulting company built on years of government experience.  BCG most recently assisted the City of New York on implementing and executing over 500 temporary vaccination sites throughout the 5 Boroughs; CDB Productions is a multi-faceted event company where which liaises between clients and City agencies in all areas from proposal review and advisement; permit expediting; logistics and operations to successfully planning and executing event productions. 

Cristin has a rich history in government, serving under three NYC Mayors, including current Mayor Bill De Blasio. Most recently, Cristin served as the Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Citywide Event Coordination and Management (CECM), where she was responsible for advising and assisting the Mayor and Deputy Mayors in Logistics and Operations, including special operations such as the Five Borough commodities distribution plan during Hurricane Sandy and assisting in the creation of the operation plan for visitor access to the 9/11 Memorial.

During her tenure, Cristin also served as the Mayor’s liaison for Super Bowl XLVIII as well as other notable major events such as 2013/2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Games; Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade; New Year’s Eve in Times Square; 9/11 Memorial Ceremony’s; various Central Park concerts; Military Events – Fleet Week, Air Force Week, Army Week and Tatzu Nishi at Columbus Circle. Cristin has a proven track record of being able to navigate the city agencies and has built her success on a direct approach to problem solving. As such, Cristin was recognized by being named to City & State’s Third Annual “Influential’s” in 2012, which recognizes New York’s most influential people in the fields of business, journalism, politics and government. In addition, she was also the 2013 Recipient of the Macy’s Legend Award.

Prior to her appointment, Cristin served as CECM’s Deputy Executive Director (2007 to 2010), as well as the Deputy Director of the NYC Department of Transportation’s Office of Special Events (2001-2005) where she served as the agency’s liaison for several high-profile events including the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Republican National Convention, and the 2004 Athens Olympic Torch Relay.

From 1999 to 2001, Cristin served as event manager in the Mayor’s Office for the Millennium (NYC2000) where she implemented the NYC2000 banner campaign, as well as several unique events including the NYC2000 Fashion Show in Times Square. Ms. Burtis is a graduate of St. John’s University and holds both a master’s and Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education and Athletic Administration.

http://burtiscg.com 

Keith Byrne '95C
Director of Security, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Global Security Leader specializing in crisis management, business continuity, and organizational resilience.

Keith J. Byrne serves as the Director of Safety and Security at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL). In this role, he oversees and directs all aspects of the Laboratory’s health, safety, and security programs, including emergency management and incident response planning. Mr. Byrne focuses on identifying and mitigating potential risks, activities, and behaviors with adverse strategic, economic, and national or international security implications for research. 
Through a risk-informed approach, he implements targeted safety and security measures that 
reinforce CSHL’s commitment to academic freedom, research integrity and compliance, open 
science, transparency, and trusted collaborations for mutual benefit.

Before joining CSHL, Mr. Byrne was a global security and law enforcement leader with nearly 
three decades of federal service. He spent the majority of his career as a Special Agent with the 
U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), where he held numerous 
domestic and overseas assignments. Throughout his Foreign Service career, he led worldwide 
security and law enforcement efforts in support of U.S. foreign policy while safeguarding 
national security interests. This included leading a wide variety of complex global programs 
from physical security risk management, emergency and operational planning, threat analysis, 
protection of sensitive information, advanced tactical operations, security coordination for 
major international events, cyber investigations, and liaison to U.S. interagency and foreign law 
enforcement/security partners. Mr. Byrne retired as the Special Agent in Charge of the DSS 
New York Field Office.

Mr. Byrne began his federal law enforcement career as a Special Agent with the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, Office of the Inspector General (USDA/OIG). In that role, he 
contributed to strengthening USDA program integrity by conducting investigations and 
enforcement operations aimed at detecting and preventing fraud, waste, and mismanagement.
A native of Long Island, New York, Mr. Byrne is a graduate of St. John’s University (’95C), 
where he double majored in Government and Politics and Criminal Justice while competing as a 
student-athlete. He and his wife, Katherine, have three children.

Juan Capdet '02 CCPS/'04 TCB
Head of Operations, Pixwel

Juan Capdet is Head of Operations at Pixwel, a post-production marketing agency, where he leads day-to-day operations, strengthens client partnerships, supports revenue growth through an extensive industry network, and drives workflow improvements that help teams deliver consistently at scale. With more than 20 years spanning both studios and agencies—and having supported more than 300 films and projects—he brings a hands-on, solutions-oriented approach that bridges creative strategy with operational rigor. Previously, he served as Director of Multicultural at The Walt Disney Studios (2016–2019), leading efforts to ensure authentic representation in marketing and film materials in collaboration with filmmakers and cross-functional stakeholders. Juan is a board member at SpEducational and an advisory board member for Exceptional Minds, organizations dedicated to empowering families and adults with special needs through education, advocacy, and career pathways—work that is deeply personal to him. A proud double graduate of St. John’s University, he earned degrees from the College of Professional Studies (2002) and The Tobin College of Business (2004) and is honored to serve on the Collins College of Professional Studies Dean’s Board of Advisors.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, Partner

Gerard Insall '87SVC
Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Avis Budget Group, Inc.

Gerard Insall is the Executive Vice President and Global Chief Information Officer for Avis Budget Group, Inc. In this role, Gerard is responsible for the management of all facets of Information Technology for all of their brands worldwide, including Avis Rent-A-Car, Budget Rent-A-Car, Payless Rent-A-Car, Zipcar and Budget Truck. This includes Enterprise Applications, IT Operations, Networks, Architecture and IT Strategy. Prior to this position, he served as the Senior Vice President and CIO for Avis Budget Group, Inc and prior to that, he served as Vice President of IT Operations where he led the IT Operations separation effort for the former Cendant Corporation as Cendant split into four companies.

Gerard has held various management positions over the last 25 years working with Cendant Corporation, Avis Rent A Car, WizCom International LTD, and Resorts Condominium International. His positions have been in the areas of application development, business systems management, project management, relationship management, and IT Operations.

Among Gerard’s accomplishments at Avis Budget Group, Gerard has led several strategic initiatives for the company and has been instrumental in forming and executing Avis Budget Group’s Connected Car strategy, implementing a Next-Gen platform supporting 125,000 vehicles connected globally with an objective of connecting the majority of their 650,000 vehicles worldwide by 2021. Gerard is highly regarded for his negotiating abilities where he has led several key outsourcing negotiations for both IT and Business Process Outsourcing services.  Gerard has a strong record of building talent, motivation, and teamwork among his staff and organizations. 

Gerard has a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Saint John’s University in New York. Gerard, his wife, and their two children reside in Huntington, New York.

Rick Jefferson '83SVC
Consultant/Media Executive

Rick Jefferson is the former Senior Vice President- News Operations, CBS News ViacomCBS. 

Mr. Jefferson was responsible for the division's technical personnel and facilities worldwide, including Hard News, Prime Time and Public Affairs. Mr. Jefferson oversaw CBS News bureaus and operations to cover events such as conventions, elections, and presidential trips. He was also responsible for exploring the latest technologies and leading the design of advanced broadcast technology for CBS News.

Mr. Jefferson is an Emmy Award-winning executive who was named to his current position in June 2017.

Jefferson has more than three decades of television production experience in broadcast and cable news, including nearly 20 years within CBS, where he's had lead roles managing and coordinating coverage of several presidential inaugurations, political conventions, award shows and other major events. Throughout his television career, Mr. Jefferson has been dedicated to innovation through process improvement, project management and producing high-performance teams.

Prior to his current position, Mr. Jefferson was director of production at CBS News, a position he started in March 2016.

Previously, Mr. Jefferson served as director of production for "CBS This Morning," the network's award-winning morning news broadcast from December 2012 to March 2016.

He joined CBS News in 2012 after holding multiple key positions at MSNBC. He was the manager of technical operations at MSNBC from 2009 to 2012, prior to which he served for nearly 13 years as senior technical production manager for the network.

While at MSNBC, he was part of the original team that launched the network, acting as the liaison between production staff and technical staff for MSNBC Special Projects and for "Hardball with Chris Matthews." He also served as lead technical production manager for major projects including the Royal Wedding, Republican and Democratic National Conventions and a variety of major breaking news events.

Before joining MSNBC, Mr. Jefferson spent a year as a production supervisor for CBS-owned flagship station WCBS (1995-1996). Earlier, he served in a variety of capacities for CBS, including broadcast distribution manager (1992-1995), supervisor, broadcast operations (1991-1992) and satellite control manager (1990-1991).

He began his television career with CBS as a Network documentation clerk in 1984.

Mr. Jefferson graduated from St. John's University, where he majored in communications arts and minored in liberal arts.

Read more about Rick Jefferson.

Margaret Lazo '88SVC
CHRO, Situs AMC
Board Director, UMB Financial

Margaret Lazo is a Chief Human Resources Officer and board member known for taking a strategic and active role in ensuring successful outcomes for highly visible companies in transition. An inclusive executive with a history of successful leadership in the US, Latin America, Europe, and Asia, Margaret is a trusted partner in establishing business strategies, ensuring compliance, managing risk, and improving diversity. She has guided organizations through complexity, including M&As, multiple CEO and ownership changes, and the creation of mandated risk and compliance standards and capabilities. As a member of the NBC Universal Board, she provided operational expertise and oversight to ensure a successful transition to Comcast.

Margaret is an accomplished human resources executive with a distinguished career spanning major media and financial organizations. At Univision Communications, she played a pivotal role in navigating leadership and ownership transitions, establishing compliance and ethics structures, enhancing employee experience, and launching strategic initiatives, including the Univision Foundation. At GE Capital Americas, she led HR during the company’s designation as a SIFI and its subsequent $100B divestiture, overseeing talent management, compliance upgrades, and business wind-down efforts. Earlier in her career, she held senior HR leadership roles at NBC Universal before and after its acquisition by Comcast, partnering with a broad range of media brands and contributing to diversity efforts across GE. She began her career at Macy’s, where she completed their Executive Training program and held various HR roles.

Margaret currently serves as an independent director at UMB Financial (UMBF: NASDAQ) and is a member of the Compensation and Risk Committees. A longtime participant in industry and community groups, she serves on the Board of Hispanic Federation and has previously served on the boards of the T. Howard Foundation and “I Have a Dream” Foundation, Los Angeles. She has been honored as a “Wonder Woman” media leader by Multichannel News (2019), Imagen Foundation’s “Most Powerful & Influential Latinos” (2011), and a “Woman of the Year” by the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation (2008), Margaret earned a BS in Communications and Business, cum laude, from St. John’s University.

Teresa Mason '79SVC '02HON
Former Chief of Staff for the Bronx District Attorney’s Office and St. John's University Board Emeritis

Ms. Mason has over 30 years of legal, corporate, and management experience with core capabilities across several platforms including (i) public sector agency management, (ii) corporate governance, and (iii) policy and strategic planning.

In 2016, Ms. Mason returned to the Bronx District Attorney’s Office as a member of the executive team. She was appointed Chief of Staff and served as a key policy advisor to the District Attorney until 2020. Ms. Mason managed day to day administrative functions for an office of approximately 500 support staff members and 500 attorneys. In that capacity, her responsibilities included: Human Resources, Communications, EEO & Career Counseling, Workplace Violence, Community & External Affairs, Detective Investigators, and Professional Development.  She was also responsible for staffing initiatives, strategic planning, and policy related matters.

Ms. Mason started her career as a line Assistant District Attorney in 1982, in the following Bureaus: Criminal Court, Supreme Court, Major Offense, and Homicide. She was later promoted to Supervisor and Deputy Bureau Chief. The Bronx District Attorney’s Office is among the largest prosecutorial agencies in the nation, serving over 1.4 million people.  

Before returning to the Bronx District Attorney’s office, Ms. Mason was a partner at BahnMulter LLP where she was responsible for business development. Before joining the firm, she was Vice President of Health Policy for Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.  In this role, she advanced legislative proposals and drug related polices for strategic planning, forecasting, and budgeting.

Prior to this role, Ms. Mason was appointed Chief of Staff to the late Delaware Attorney General Joseph R. “Beau” Biden III.  Before joining the Delaware Department of Justice, Ms. Mason served as Vice President for the Homeland Security Division of Systems Applications and Technology (SA-TECH), a professional services firm that provided logistics and engineering support to a public sector client base. Ms. Mason provided oversight to a nationwide team of background investigators assisting in the U.S. security clearance process.

Before this assignment, Ms. Mason was appointed Executive Vice President at MBNA America Bank, N.A. (since acquired by Bank of America) where she held positions in executive recruitment; personnel reporting; compliance; and government affairs. Ms. Mason was involved in MBNA’s efforts to increase diversity and inclusion.  Preceding her career with MBNA, Ms. Mason was appointed New York City’s 110th Sheriff, becoming the first woman in New York State to serve as the Chief Civil Law Enforcement Officer of five counties.

From 1988 to 2000, Ms. Mason held government positions with the the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, and the New York City Department of Finance.  

Ms. Mason graduated from St. John’s University with a Bachelor of Science Degree and received her Juris Doctor degree from Howard University School of Law.  She was awarded the degree of LL.D (Honorary Doctor of Laws) from St. John’s University in 2002.  Ms. Mason completed the “Forces of Change: New Strategies for the Health Care Marketplace” course at the Harvard School of Public Health.  She also completed the Novartis Leadership Program (global) and the MBNA America Executive Program.

Ms. Mason is passionate about education and mentorship.  The St. John’s University Board of Trustees elected Ms. Mason as a Trustees in 2005. She served as Secretary and was a member of the Executive Committee. In 2017, she became a Trustee Emeritus. She has been active in community and professional organizations including: Delaware Humanities Forum; Special Olympics; Order of Kentucky Colonels; University of Delaware Paul R. Jones Museum Collection Committee; United Way and numerous Bar Associations.  She is a founding member and past President and Board Chair of the Black Bar Association of Bronx County.  She was appointed to NYS Bar Association committees and served as the Secretary to the Network of Bar Leaders.    

Ms. Mason has spoken to numerous groups on Management Leadership, including SC Johnson: Corporate Counsel, Woman of Color (CCWC): Women Leadership Institute (WLI): Widener University School of Law, Local Leaders Series: Association of the Bar for the City of New York and the National Black Prosecutors Association “Lawyers in Transition” programs: guest lecturer at the Peter J. Tobin College of Business: and senior host for “Creating an Inclusive Environment” MBNA America Bank.

Ms. Mason also contributed to: “Emerging Intersections”, Chapter 2:  Entering a Profession: Race, Gender, and Class in the lives of Black Women Attorneys, author Elizabeth Higgenbotham and the “Association of Corporate Counsel Docket (ACC)”, Networking - The Power in Making Lasting Connections article.

Ms. Mason has been the recipient of numerous honors and recognitions including, but not limited to, The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement: Lloyd A. Sealy Award; Comunlife: Corazon Award, Wilmington Job Corp.: Excellence and Success Award, New York City Council and Westchester County Executive Proclamations, Induction into the St. John’s University Heritage Circle, and the Native Black American Women Inc. Special Recognition.

Daniel Meiseles, '88SVC
Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Producer - Lost Tribe Productions, LLC

Mr. Meiseles joined MSG Sports following more than three decades at the NBA, most recently serving as President and Executive Producer of Content, where he led the development, production and programming of NBA, WNBA and NBA G League content and events globally. This included marquee special event productions such as the All Star Weekend, NBA Finals, USA Basketball and other global events, as well as original content such as ESPN’s 30 for 30: Once Brothers and The Announcement, an acclaimed documentary about Earvin “Magic” Johnson’s HIV diagnosis.  

Mr. Meiseles also previously managed NBA Digital, the league’s cross-platform portfolio of digital assets which includes NBA.com, the NBA App, and other digital products. In addition, Mr. Meiseles oversaw the NBA’s production operations; corporate and special services functions; and managed the league’s relationships with its national, local and regional television partners. He joined the NBA in 1990 as an associate producer. Prior to joining the NBA, Mr. Meiseles began his career at NBC, where he worked as an associate producer on the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.

Mr. Meiseles graduated with a B.S. in Communication Arts from St. John’s University.

Dan Mullin '86SVC
Chief Security Officer, Fiserv

Dan Mullin is a Senior Vice President and Chief Security Officer at First Data Corporation, one of the largest financial services companies in the world. In his current role, he is responsible for the physical security of First Data Corporation facilities in thirty-three countries, oversees worldwide investigations as well as two 24/7 global command centers. Prior to joining First Data, Dan was a Senior Vice President of Security and Facilities Management for Major League Baseball (MLB) and the first head of the MLB’s Department of Investigations. He led investigations into performance-enhancing drugs, gambling and player misconduct and he also had oversight of the security and evacuation planning for all 30 Major League ballparks. While in this role, he oversaw the security planning for 10 All-Star games, 10 World Series, and 3 World Baseball Classics.

Dan served as the first chair of the Department of Homeland Security’s professional sports sub-sector and held leadership positions at the Stadium Managers Association (SMA) and the International Venue Managers Association (IVMA). Also, while in his role at the MLB, he helped train law enforcement officials in Brazil and South Africa for large event security, as part of the State Department’s Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program. In 2012, Dan was awarded the National Sports Safety & Security Distinguished Leadership Award by the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Prior to joining Major League Baseball, Dan served twenty-three years with the New York City Police Department (NYPD), retiring as a Deputy Chief. During his tenure, he held senior positions in the Narcotics Division, Detective Bureau and commanded two precincts and the Manhattan District Attorneys Detective Squad. Dan received one the NYPD’s highest awards for his contributions as a first responder during the World Trade Center attacks on 9/11 and also helped lead the recovery efforts after the crash of American Airlines flight 587 in Rockaway, NY. Dan is a graduate of St. John's University and New York Law School. He has been an adjunct professor at Syracuse Law School, John Jay College, Seton Hall University, and served as a senior fellow at the Homeland Security and Terrorism Institute at Long Island University.

Alvin Piket
Global Head of Talent at Trellix

Alvin Piket is an accomplished HR executive and talent strategy leader with over 20 years of experience in leading transformation for progressive companies. He has a proven track record of enhancing HR performance across diverse industries by implementing effective strategies, programs, and practices.

Currently, Alvin is the Head of Talent Strategy and Development at Trellix, a leading Cybersecurity company, where he focuses on driving innovative talent management strategies and enhancing organizational effectiveness. His role covers the entire lifecycle of Talent, including, but not limited to, building Emerging Pipelines of Talent through efforts such as launching the Trellix Student Cybersecurity Academy for such institutions as St. John’s University and Duke University, Leadership and Employee Development, and the full scope of Talent Acquisition.

Previously, Alvin served as the Head of HR Strategy for Saudi Aramco, the world’s most profitable company. In this role, he set the direction for people and organizational development across the HR value chain, led the HR Innovation and Future Center, and managed the HR strategic portfolio to ensure the successful achievement of the company’s transformation goals. Before Aramco, he held leadership roles at Accenture Strategy and boutique consulting firms, working with premier clients on pressing HR, organizational, and talent issues.

Alvin has successfully led comprehensive transformations, including developing talent strategies, future state designs, and operating models. He has expertise in evaluating, redesigning, and harmonizing people-focused programs, enabling HR digital transformation, building organizational capabilities, and aligning organizational culture and values with business strategy.

Alvin holds a master’s degree in organizational development from Columbia University. As an HR thought leader, he frequently contributes to Forbes and dedicates time to advising early-stage HR technology companies. He is also an invited member of the World Economic Forum's Future Skills in Cybersecurity initiative and contributed to the WEF Strategic Cybersecurity Framework.

Contact
Alvin Piket
[email protected] 
LinkedIn 

Martin Puris
Chief Executive Office, Founder of America the Possible

Martin Puris was Co-founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of Ammirati & Puris, one of America’s most revered advertising agencies.  

He is presently the founder and CEO of Puris&Partners LLC, a marketing consulting firm. 

A copywriter by trade, Martin Puris has over thirty years experience building some of the world’s most esteemed brands, writing some of the world’s great stories, including BMW (“The Ultimate Driving Machine”), Club Med (“The Antidote For Civilization”), UPS (“The Tightest Ship In The Shipping Business”), Compaq Computer, Aetna, Burger King, Four Season’s Hotels, Schweppes, and dozens more of the world’s finest companies. 

Founded in 1974, Ammirati&Puris grew to over 650 employees in the U.S. and Canada with billings exceeding $750 million, and was twice named Agency of the Year. 

After a 1994 acquisition-merger with The Interpublic Group of Companies, Martin served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ammirati, Puris Lintas. He managed one of the largest advertising networks in the world, with over 10 thousand employees, 172 offices in 54 countries, and annual billings of $7.9 billion. During his tenure on the Board of Directors of IPG, Martin was involved in the merger and acquisition of numerous companies in a wide range of disciplines. 

Martin served as Media Advisor to President George H. W. Bush in both presidential campaigns. 

He is also an accomplished author and guest lecturer at NYU, University of Chicago, and Columbia Business School Alumni, and has been recognized globally with multiple industry awards and honors. His contributions to various publications, including the Harvard Business Review, have solidified his reputation. Martin Puris was named by Ad Week magazine as one of the twenty most influential figures in advertising during the past 20 years. He has been inducted into the Creative Hall of Fame. 

Finally, outside of advertising, Martin has served as a director of several not-for-profit boards including the ASPCA, The Mystic Seaport Museum, Sheltering Arms, and The Hampton Classic.

Laura Ravo ’91SVC
Chief Operating Officer, Shine Strategy
Executive Career & Performance Coach

Laura Ravo ’91SVC is a master executive performance and career coach, speaker, and author with more than 30 years of leadership experience across retail, business transformation, and organizational development. A proud New York native, Ms. Ravo’s leadership philosophy—rooted in grit, grace, and purpose—has been shaped by her working-class upbringing and extensive experience leading high-performing teams within Fortune 250 companies.

Ms. Ravo has held senior leadership roles at iconic global brands, including Macy’s, Victoria’s Secret Beauty, L Brands, LensCrafters, Oakley, and The Body Shop. She is widely recognized for her ability to develop talent; build customer-centric cultures; and guide leaders through periods of growth and transition.

She is the author of The Power of Grit & Grace: A Woman’s Journey to Putting the Heart Back into Retail Leadership (2023) and currently serves as Chief Operating Officer of SHINE Strategy, where she delivers executive coaching, leadership development, and business advisory services focused on preparing leaders for the future of work. Ms. Ravo also serves on the Boards of Directors for City Relief, which provides mobile outreach, resources, and relational support to individuals experiencing homelessness, and Imagine1day, an organization dedicated to empowering local leaders and expanding access to quality education for children and communities in Ethiopia.

Mike Roca, M.B.A. '03CPS
Consultant/Marketing

As Executive Director of Omnicom Media Group’s cross-cultural center of excellence, Michael Roca advocates for a more equitable media and marketing ecosystem by highlighting the business imperative of leading the work with an inclusive approach.  He has helped marketers such as Diageo, Google, and P&G drive brand growth and loyalty with diverse consumers by crafting culturally relevant media strategies while also diversifying the mix of their media partnerships that unlock more investment in diverse owned, operated, and targeted entities.  His unique approach in this space has earned him a spot on AdAge’s The List, a Adweek Media All-Star, and most recently honored by NYC TV Week as for his leadership in Hispanic Television.

He holds a BA in Communications from St. John’s University and an MBA from Nova Southeastern University.  Michael also advances inclusivity on the corporate front as the executive sponsor of OMG’s Hispanic/Latin BRG while also sitting on the board of directors of the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE), Hispanic Marketing Council (HMC), The International Radio and Television Society (IRTS), and the Center for Hispanic Marketing Communication at Florida State University.

Michael resides in America’s most vibrant and eclectic city, Miami, with his wife and their three children.

Diego Rodriguez '88SVC
SVP Business Intelligence and External Partnerships, Metro Loss Prevention

Melissa Sanchez '08CPS
Attorney and Managing Consultant, Crowe, LLP

As the daughter of immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic, Melissa Sanchez knows the true meaning of hard work.

Melissa is a Legal and Compliance Subject Matter Expert. She is the Vice President of Global Financial Crimes for the Bank of Tokyo where she is responsible for mitigating the bank’s risk and exposure to federal regulatory violation.  Melissa strategically analyzes Sanctions issues and advises on proper course of action. She previously worked as a Senior Anti-Money Laundering Consultant for Deloitte, LLP and as a Senior Compliance Officer for J.P. Morgan. 

Melissa is a sought after speaker and panelist on a range of topics including: women in the workforce, diversity, and inclusion, and strategic business development. She has been featured on numerous syndicated radio shows dedicated to highlighting inspiring women in the New York City area.

She is the founder of The Sanssa Network, a groundbreaking company dedicated to fostering corporate sponsor partnerships, and supplier diversity consulting.

Melissa holds a Juris Doctor from Touro Law School where she was named Best Oral Advocate, and a Bachelor of Science from St. John’s University, College of Professional Studies. She is the 2018 recipient of the St. John’s University Distinguished Young Alumna Award.

Joshil Vitha ’03CPS 
Chief Information Officer, Kroll, LLC

Joshil Vitha ’03CPS earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Telecommunications in 2003 from St. John’s University. He is a proud member of the Gamma chapter of Sigma Beta Rho and founded RAAZ, a south Asian dance team.

Mr. Vitha began his career at St. John’s University, first as a student technologist supporting classroom systems, and later, as a full-time staff member serving University administrators and staff across the University.

Currently Mr. Vitha is the Chief Information Officer for Kroll, LLC’s financial advisory business, where he shapes business-wide technology strategy and drives digital, artificial intelligence-enabled transformation that delivers measurable business impact. Over a 20-year career spanning academia, media, corporate communications, and financial services, he has become a strategic technology leader across enterprise information technology (IT) support operations, customer service, and data-driven decision-making.

Mr. Vitha has overseen more than 30 postmerger technology integrations, consistently elevating service-level performance and strengthening operational resilience. At Kroll, he was instrumental in architecting and scaling the firm’s enterprise ticketing platform and Service Desk infrastructure initiatives that streamlined workflows, improved service level agreements, and enhanced the employee experience across a global user base.

Known for building high-performing teams and modern, customer-focused mindsets, Mr. Vitha aligns technology investments with business objectives to unlock efficiency, agility, and growth. His passion for emerging technologies and pragmatic leadership style bridges the gap between business and IT, turning technology into a sustained catalyst for innovation and competitive advantage.

Hon. Nelson A. Diaz, '69CBA 
Consultant /Corporate Board Member/ Advisor
Senior Attorney, Retired
Dilworth Paxson LLP

Danielle Gilbride '88SVC
Field Intelligence Manager United States Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration 

Steven J. Farella '77SVC
Board Member, St. John's University, Board of Governors
Chairman Emeritus of CCPS Dean's Board of Advisors
Partner, VFL Investments & Advisory
Board Chairman, MyTelescope
Board Member, Sinecure.ai
CoFounder, TargetCast tcm
Founding CEO, Havas Media USA
Past President, The Advertising Club of New York
Past Board Member and Chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association

Neil Mulcahy '81SVC
Executive Vice President, Sports Sales, FOX Sports Media Group

Ian Pinnavaia '06CPS
Managing Director, BlackRock - Aladdin Product Group 

Nicholas Plakoris '77SVC, '83MBA
Marketing and Media Professional
Automotive Industry Analyst/Adjunct Professor
 

Carlos A. Teixeira '87SVC Detective Sergeant
Task Force Commander
Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office
 

Augusta Sanfilippo '85SVC, '94MBA
Managing Director, Investment Banking Information Technology - Operations IT, Barclays Int'l

Larry Dunn '79SVC
Senior Director, Marketing & Sales Island Federal

Stephen J. Gold '82SVC
Board of Directors, World Fuel Services and Former EVP and CIO, CVS Health 

V. George Moreira '91SVC
Former Manager, Pro Tennis Operations & Tournament Director, US Open Wheelchair Championships

James Tomlinson '82SVC, '91MBA
Executive in Charge of Production, Leitrim Productions LLC