Board of Directors

Susan Bernstein, Esq. is a special counsel in the New York office of Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP. She counsels employers on all aspects of employee benefits and executive compensation and represents employers and executives in the negotiation of employment agreements. She writes frequently and speaks regularly on employee benefit and compensation issues and is a faculty member of the Public Law Institute’s annual  ERISA Conference.  Susan was a New York State Bar Association Empire State Counsel Honoree,received the WHEDco Pro Bono Leadership Award and was named a New York Super Lawyer. She received her JD from Cardozo School of Law and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania.  Susan is a Vice President of the University of Pennsylvania Class of 1991, serves on the Gift Committee, and is as an alumni interviewer for the Admissions Office. 

Laurie Mayer Boockvar B.A., M.A., is an Associate Director in the Career Management Center at Columbia Business School where she has worked for the past 16 years. As a member of the Career Education and Advising team, she specializes in assisting MBA students with the core job search skills such as self-assessment, networking, resume and cover letter development, interview preparation and managing the job search process. In addition, Laurie serves as a liaison to the Columbia Finance Association, Investment Management Club and General Management Association. Prior to joining Columbia Business School, Laurie spent 4 years as a career development professional  at Pace University and served as an adjunct instructor at NYU’s Center for Career, Education and Life Planning and in the Adult Degree Studies Division. Laurie has an MA in Counseling from NYU and graduated magna cum laude with a BA in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Kira Copperman, MSW is a certified leadership coach, facilitator and strategist.  Her expertise involves developing essential workplace communication skills for leaders to improve productivity.  Kira is the author of Send/Receive/Confirm: Optimizing Communication for the Modern Workplace, an award-winning researcher in the area of workplace communication as well as the host of a radio show, “Lessons from the Corner Office.” Kira is a frequent speaker on topics such as generational issues, emotional intelligence in leadership and executive presence. Kira received her BS, Magna Cum Laude in Business Communication from Emerson College and a Masters of Social Work from New York University.   She is certified in MBTI, HOGAN, DiSC and has an advanced certification in coaching from the Six Seconds Institute.  Kira serves on the Board of AWARE (Assisting Women through Actions, Resources and Education) and is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management.

Mindy Gray serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF) and a member of OCRF’s Executive Committee. She is actively involved with the Harlem Village Academies charter schools and sits on the Leadership Council of Peer Health Exchange, a charity dedicated to giving teens a comprehensive health education. Mindy and her husband, Jon, established the Basser Research Center at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine focused on the prevention and treatment of certain genetically caused breast and ovarian cancers.  Mindy was the co-founder of Munchmoms, a lecture series for new mothers in Manhattan that ran from 1997-2001. Previously, Mindy served as a marketing executive at Edwin Schlossberg, Inc., an exhibit design firm, and prior to that, was editor at Ziff Davis Publishing from 1992 until 1994. Mindy received her Bachelors of Arts in English with a minor in History from the University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated magna cum laude in 1992. 

Dr. Thomas M. Kelly, PhD. is head of school at Horace Mann, a coeducational independent day school in Bronx, NY. In addition to his administrative duties at Horace Mann, he is a member of the Upper Division faculty where he teaches Advanced Placement Psychology. Beyond the walls of Horace Mann, Dr. Kelly’s commitment  to the community includes serving on the boards of De La Salle Academy, Educational Records Bureau, Riverdale Senior Services, Inc. and Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy.  He is a member of the New York State Association of Independent Schools Accrediting Commission. Dr. Kelly has held the rank of Associate or Assistant Professor of Education at several graduate programs, including Teachers College, Columbia University. He holds M.A. and M.Ed. degrees in education as well as M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees in behavior disorders and research. 

Julia F. Koch is an active and generous philanthropist whose efforts encompass a variety of notable causes and initiatives including, but not limited to, the arts, education, 501(c)3 nonprofits and medical research. A devoted patron of the arts, Julia currently sits on the Board of Directors for the School of American Ballet where she chairs two of the school’s most popular and significant benefits: the Nutcracker Family Benefit and the Winter Ball. The proceeds from both events support the school’s dance facilities and a scholarship program for talented students. Julia has also chaired events for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the Food Allergy Initiative (now Food Allergy Research & Education) and the American Ballet Theater. While committed to several important charitable causes, Julia’s greatest, and most rewarding, work involves raising her three children. Julia and her husband, David, live in New York City. 

Lisa Ellen Niver, MA is a teacher, traveler, author, speaker and social media ninja. She is currently working on the new Nickelodeon television show, Bella and the Bulldogs.  She is a frequent author in the Huffington Post, USA Today, Wharton Business Magazine, National Geographic, The Jewish Journal among many other publications. She is the founder of We Said Go Travel, a global online community of over 1000 writers with articles from every continent.  As a 2012 nominee for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching, she received commendations from US Senator Barbara Boxer as well as Fran Pavley, Holly Mitchell, Eric Garcetti from California State Senate, and Assembly, and the Los Angeles City Council.  She founded in 2009 the Los Angeles Science Teachers Network with teachers participating from over 70 schools, runs the Science Isn't Scary website and operated the Simply Science camp.  She was featured on KTLA National TV on the program Career Day, a show that shares great careers for teens. She holds MA. and M.Ed degrees in education and graduated Cum Laude from the University of Pennsylvania.  She is certified in California single and multiple  subjects.

Rhonda Singer, MBA is a managing director of Sanford Bernstein where she has worked for the last 16 years.  Rhonda manages the Pan-European research sales effort, has developed key relationships in Boston, New York and London, runs Sanford Bernstein’s highly regarded training program and is responsible for sales recruitment.  Rhonda sits on the Board of Directors for Sanford Bernstein’s London business.  Prior to joining Bernstein, Rhonda spent 7 years at Goldman Sachs in the Investment Banking and Asset Management Divisions. She received her MBA from Wharton Business School and graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Pennsylvania.