Linda, a founding member and the Senior Managing Partner of DeCorato Cohen Sheehan & Federico, is a strategic, incisive and a reassuring force when difficult legal conflicts arise. She combines the expertise of 20+ years defending claims in catastrophic injury litigation and an earlier career as a medical professional and hospital executive with the ability to distill and present complex issues persuasively. She specializing in Family Law including Matrimonial matters, Child Custody, Child Support and Child Protection. Counsel to hospitals, physicians and other health-care practitioners with professional liability and licensing matters.

Ziad, who was born and brought up in Dubai, UAE, visited his ethnic homeland Bangladesh every year, which shaped his current views on social movement - closing the endemic wealth gap and lack of social mobility in Bangladesh. He calls Stamford, CT his home and splits his time between Dhaka, Bangladesh and Stamford, US. He holds a degree in International Business & minor in Fashion Merchandizing. After spending almost a decade building his career in Branding @ Millward Brown, (WPP), he dived into the world of entrepreneurship, to resolve bottlenecks in the world of data analytics and marketing science.

Brooke Benjamin is a Principal on the U.S. Direct Lending team at Ares Management, where she helps lead investor relations and product management for the firm’s $190 billion platform, with a dedicated focus on its $15 billion Sports, Media & Entertainment strategy. Since joining Ares in 2017, she has progressed through roles from Analyst to Principal, serving as a senior point of contact for a global institutional investor base and driving full-cycle fundraising across flagship and bespoke credit vehicles. Brooke partners closely with portfolio managers to pitch strategies, meet with global investors, and articulate portfolio construction, risk management, and performance insights through high-impact client materials. She also collaborates across legal, compliance, finance, and investment teams to ensure consistent communication of strategy and market outlook, while contributing to product development and mentoring junior professionals. Brooke holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Bucknell University and maintains FINRA Series 24, 7, SIE, and 63 certifications. She currently lives in New York City with her husband Sam and daughter Lily.

Pasquale (Pat) Granieri is a talented and seasoned Commercial Banking Relationship Manager with over 15 years of experience in financial services advising business owners. He brings a wealth of expertise with strengths in areas such as business and commercial real estate acquisition, global trade, and managing payment process efficiencies. He has worked with a wide range of companies ranging from small scale start-ups to mid-size corporations, offering business advising services across an array of industries including manufacturing, distribution, transportation, real estate, technology, and professional services.

Pat joined Northfield Bank in 2025 with responsibilities covering the New York, Westchester/Rockland County, and New Jersey areas. Prior to joining Northfield, Pat has worked at intuitions such as Key Bank, where he was awarded the Key Signature Circle award two years in a row as the #1 Commercial Banker in the country. Pat has also worked at other firms such as JP Morgan Chase and Capital One where he has built his personal brand in the marketplace as a credible banking and lending expert. Pat participates in organizations such as the Association for Corporate Growth, NJCPA, and NMHC. In addition, Pat is active in his local community and part of his local church’s fund-raising committee.

Pat lives in Bergen County, NJ with his wife Sara and his two boys Landon (7) and Logan (4). He enjoys entertaining and cooking for friends and family, is an avid golfer, and spending time with his two boys watching and rooting for the Giants, Rangers, and Mets.

Blanche has a BA from Stony Brook University and a Masters in Social Work from Fordham University. She has worked in social work for over 29 years, with a focus on people with disabilities, children and public policy, including former Deputy Director of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities under the Dinkins Administration. She currently sits on several nonprofit boards. She is married to Peter Johnson Jr., President of Leahey and Johnson, and has two grown daughters.

Wynne is an analyst for Nomura Asset Management’s (NAM’s) Global Listed Infrastructure Funds. In this role, he is responsible for analytical coverage of global listed renewable energy developers, US regulated utilities and energy transition companies. Prior to joining NAM, Wynne worked for Macquarie Asset Management as an investment analyst covering infrastructure, and before that, RBC Capital Markets as an equity research associate covering power and utilities companies in the US. Wynne began his career at Goldman Sachs focused on financial analyses for the Commodities and Special Situations businesses. He earned a Bachelor of Economics and a Master of Accountancy from Vanderbilt University. Wynne holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation.

Jessica Riggins is the Treasury Sales Executive for Government Banking across the Mid-Atlantic region at J.P. Morgan. With over 13 years of financial services experience, Jessica has spent her last 6 years with JPMorgan Chase, working across State and Local Government clients in a wide array of consultative engagements. Her specialty is on the pay-in and pay-out processes for organizations and the efficiencies and controls necessary to drive modernization.

Jessica has degrees in Business and Psychology from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte where she ran Cross County and Track and a Master’s in Business from Wake Forest University. Jessica and her husband reside in Manhattan with their two cats.

Trip is a Director in the Securitization Group at RBC Capital Markets, responsible for the Auto and Equipment ABS vertical, and previously worked at both Deutsche Bank and Barclays Capital. He holds a BA in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania. Trip is also a member of the Executive Leadership Committee for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program. Trip lives in New York City with his wife Lottie and son Henry.

Anne Sullivan graduated from Connecticut College before enjoying a wide-ranging career in advertising, marketing and film production. She joined Bigs & Littles NYC Mentoring after graduating from Fordham University in 2013 with a Masters in Social Work. Her work at Bigs & Littles quickly became a family affair. Anne worked on the front lines as a Social Worker, interviewing families and mentors during intake for over three years. She is passionate about our agency and given her experience in advertising and branding, felt it might be time for a new look. She joined the Board of Trustees and assisted with the agency rebrand in 2018. Anne’s passion, along with the stories of our underserved population, inspired her family and ignited a call to action.

Shari Verschell is a Partner and Senior Tax Counsel at Apollo Global Management where she focuses on tax structuring for the Firm's Yield business. At Apollo, Shari also serves on the steering committee for Apollo Women Empower (AWE) and as the Corporate Secretary for the Apollo Opportunity Foundation. Prior to joining Apollo in 2012, she was Tax Counsel at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, and a tax associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP before that. Shari graduated from Brandeis University with a BA in Political Science and received her JD magna cum laude from Cornell Law School. She currently lives in New York City with her husband Mike and son Jack.

Trecia Pessoa, Vice President & Senior Managing Counsel at Mastercard is an attorney with expertise in the payments, hospitality and financial services industries, with experience executing strategic initiatives, exemplary negotiation, communication and problem solving skills & attention to detail, paired with a passion for mentoring, community uplifting and pro bono legal services. Trecia holds a BA from Tufts University and a JD from George Washington University Law School. Trecia has dedicated her professional and personal career to being a mentor to high school students and young professionals, and believes that mentoring can change the trajectory of young person’s life. As a first generation American and first in her family to reach numerous benchmarks, she was the fortunate beneficiary of one on one mentoring, that helped her become the person she is today.

Andrew is currently employed as a Portfolio Manager at MetaView Group, a platform company of Millennium Management, LLC. Andrew's experience in the financial sector is highlighted by his previously held positions at Capstone Investment Advisors, Diamondback Capital, LLC and Nomura Securities International, Inc. Mr. Bogart received a BS from Providence College in 1998 with a concentration in business management and finance. He currently lives in Brooklyn with his wife Elsa and their daughters Cleo and Stevie.

Sean is a VP in Securitized Products Syndicate at Barclays in NYC, where he has worked for the past 8+ years. He graduated Georgetown University with a double major in Finance and Management in 2015. This is his first board experience, and he is very excited to bring his passion and dedication to the mission of Bigs and Littles NYC. Sean lives in NYC with his wife, Kate.

Sebastian Herrera is a Vice President at Ares Management, where he focuses on opportunistic credit investing. In his role at Ares, he works on sourcing, evaluating, and executing investments across a range of industries, partnering with management teams and sponsors. Prior to joining Ares in 2019, Sebastian was a member of the Securitized Assets Group at BlackRock, where he focused on structured credit investing. He graduated magna cum laude from Dartmouth College, majoring in Economics and Classical Languages & Literatures. As a native New Yorker, Sebastian is passionate about expanding access to opportunity within the NYC community for young people and supporting organizations that help students build confidence, mentorship networks, and long-term career pathways.

Mr. Lipsey is a Partner at Apollo, where he is a member of the Real Estate Private Equity Group and holds responsibility for sourcing, executing and monitoring investments and overseeing Apollo’s net lease business. Prior to joining Apollo, Mr. Lipsey worked at Lehman Brothers Real Estate Partners, where he was involved in the acquisition and asset management of equity and structured debt investments across the US. Previously, he was an analyst in the Real Estate Investment Banking Group at Wachovia Securities, where he participated in advisory and financing assignments on behalf of private and public companies. Mr. Lipsey graduated magna cum laude from Washington and Lee University with a BS in Business Administration and Accounting. He is a member of the Urban Land Institute and the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Joseph is a Senior Advisor, Business Development at Popular Bank. He has served as a board member for 20 years in different roles including a term as President of Catholic Big Brothers, now Bigs & Littles NYC Mentoring. He is a graduate of Georgetown University and the David Rockefeller Fellows Program. He and his wife Maureen live on Long Island with their two children.

Krishan Singh, Chief Revenue Officer at ION Analytics, is an innovative leader in Financial Technology. Previous to the formation of ION Analytics, through the merger of Dealogic and Acuris, Krishan was the Chief Operating Officer & Head of Distribution of Dealogic. Krishan has helped accelerate innovation in key parts of capital markets through his roles at Noble (in Crypto) and the Intercontinental Exchange - ICE (one of the largest exchange and data providers in the world). Krishan is originally from India and holds a Bachelor’s degree from NYU Stern School of Business where he played on the Men’s Golf team. He has enjoyed being back in New York City since 2014 and lives in SOHO with his wife Danai and three children.

Lillian (Lily) Tillman is a Managing Director in the legal department at Atlas SP and serves as the Head of Transaction Legal. In her role, she acts as the legal department lead on all front office structured finance transactions. Prior to joining Atlas SP, Lily was the US Head of the Securitized Products Legal Team at Barclays and was in private practice at Mayer Brown LLP. Lily is a graduate of Yale University and Columbia Law School. She resides in Manhattan with her husband.

Erin Wright is a Director Equity Research Analyst at Credit Suisse Securities. Ms. Wright received an undergraduate degree from Harvard University and previously held the position of Equity Research Analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. As an Equity Research Analyst for the past 14 years, covering a broad universe of healthcare companies, Erin hopes to leverage her extensive financial experience for the greater good. She wholeheartedly believes in the value of mentorship programs as both a mentee at the beginning of her career and now a mentor and more broadly an advocate for women in finance. She resides in New York City and is happy to join our Board and contribute more to the broader community.

Sandra Addo, Associate Vice President, Corporate Audit and Assurance Services, at Merck is a risk and controls professional with over 18 years of experience in audit and risk management including Financial, Regulatory and IT risk. Her enterprise leadership covers a wide range of functional areas including Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, information technology, cybersecurity, regulatory frameworks and systems implementation. She also serves as an advisor on controls with a focus on digital transformation. Sandra is passionate about talent development and is committed to attracting, coaching and developing diverse talent to ensure each team member is able to achieve their fullest potential.

Prior to joining Merck, Sandra was at PricewaterhouseCoopers, advising clients across Fortune 100 companies in the Pharmaceutical and Technology industries. During this time, Sandra leveraged her information science education from the University of Pittsburgh and honed her technical skills in the areas of IT audit, business process transformation and the application of assurance and attest standards.

Sandra is a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and holds a B.S. in Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh.

Outside of Merck, Sandra is a proud mother of two and an active member of her community.

Chris Cox is a Co-Founder and General Partner of Population Health Partners, L.P. who was previously Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Development Officer of The Medicines Company. Prior to that, Chris was a corporate/M&A attorney for over 25 years, most recently at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, where he served as Chair of the Global Corporate Group. He has represented clients in over $200 billion of M&A transactions and related financings. Chris Cox joined the Leadership Council in 2008 and lives in New York with his wife, Sarah, and their two children.

Cathy is a graduate of Stonehill College and worked in the Equity Division of Morgan Stanley until 1993. She has been a member of the Junior League and is on the Board of the Quogue Junior Theatre Troupe. She is an active volunteer at Sacred Heart and Saint David’s school in New York City. She lives in New York with her husband, John, and their three children.

Coming soon…

Mary Claire (Bonner) Lagno is a retired Aetna executive. Mary Claire has been named to Crain's NY Top 100 Women in Business. She serves on Loyola School’s Board of Trustees as Chair and on Gettysburg College Board as Vice-Chair. She is a graduate of Penn State University. Mary Claire and her husband are the parents of two children and have resided in New York City for the past 30 years.

Judy received her BSFS from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, and her MBA from the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University. She is a retired Senior Generalist Salesperson in the Fixed Income Currency and Commodities Division at Goldman Sachs & Co., Inc. Judy currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Regents for Georgetown University, where she is Chair of the Career Committee, a member of the Student Affairs Committee, and is Class Chair for the Georgetown Scholarship Program. Previously she served on the Fundraising Committees of Saint David's School in New York City.

Nicole Lawrence is a Director at Moody’s Investor Services, bringing more than 15 years of experience in ABS investments, analytics, and structuring to her role. She has expertise in commercial and residential property assessed clean energy (PACE), as well as across other ABS markets, including timeshare, unsecured consumer, small business, subprime autos, aircraft, CLO, and equipment. Prior to joining T-REX, Nicole was a portfolio manager at B Asset Manager (BAM), focusing on investing in esoteric and consumer ABS markets. Before BAM, Nicole spent eleven years at PPM America, most recently as a vice president in the structured finance department. She started her career as an analyst for Moody’s Investor Services, where she analyzed and rated various ABS transactions. Nicole is actively involved in the Structured Finance Industry Group (SFIG). In addition to key speaking engagements, she also represents T-REX in the Issuer Committee, driving thought leadership via targeted events and workshops. Nicole has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago.

Coming soon…

Patricia Moran is the Chief Legal Officer of Vroom, Inc., an e-commerce company in the automobile sector. She previously served as Managing Director and Chief Legal Officer of Greenhill & Co. Inc., a global independent investment bank, and is a retired partner at the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP. Pat also serves on the Board of Trustees of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York and is a former Trustee and Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees of the University of Scranton.

Terence S. Meehan is Chairman & CEO of Azimuth Investment Management, LLC, a fund of hedge funds, as well as the Chairman of the Board of SupplyPro, an inventory management solutions company.

Coming soon…

Mentoring, Marie's civic and charitable associations include: Former Member of the Board of Trustees of Marymount College; Chair of Fiesta Ball & other committees of Casita Maria; Member & Former Chair of several committees of the Junior League of the City of NY; Volunteer and Eucharistic Minister at Memorial Sloan Kettering; Executive Member & Former President of Buck Hill Falls Women's Golf Club (Pa.); Executive Committee Member and Former President of Auxiliary at St. Vincent's Hospital; and Former Member of Board of NY Ear & Ear Infirmary. Marie is also a member of the Dames of Malta, City Gardens Club, Colony Club, and the Doubles Club. Marie and her late husband, William, have two sons.

John is a Managing Director at Brand New Matter, a strategic advisory and venture capital firm. Prior to BNM, he was COO and Co-Founder at 14th & Boom, a digital marketing agency for consumer brands. He's also held positions at JP Morgan and Booz & Company. John received a B.S. from Indiana University and an MBA from the University of Virginia. He's been an active Bigs & Littles NYC mentor for eight years. His Little, Sergio, is a junior at City College, majoring in engineering.

Alvaro Marrero is an immigrant from Uruguay. He received a scholarship to attend school in Minnesota and, following that experience, he relocated to New York City in 2000, where he began working at the United Nations headquarters. As part of his work experience, Alvaro lived in Sudan, working with the international community and local populations impacted by war-ravaged Darfur. Drawing from work assignments and personal trips to various parts of the world and related to his own experience as an immigrant, he developed strong interest in mentoring youth and volunteering in general, and he was among the recipients of the “Mentor New York’s 2022, Mentor of the Year Awards”. Alvaro attended the “Instituto de Psicología de la Universidad de la Republica” in his native Montevideo, Uruguay, continuing his studies at Empire’s SUNY (State University of New York), where he earned a BA in Human Development with a concentration in Psychology. In his free time, Alvaro enjoys traveling and learning more from diverse cultures, as well as spending quality time with family and friends.

Maren made the leap to the big apple in 2018 to attend New York University where she earned her Bachelors of Science in Media, Culture, and Communications complemented by a minor in Creative Writing. Currently, she works in Marketing at Datadog, where she manages strategic partnerships with technology companies to go-to-market with a joint solution. Maren has been a Bigs & Littles mentor since 2023, and loves to try new foods with her mentee bestie Miley.

Scarlett Addas is a Senior Strategic Advertising Consultant at Adobe, where she empowers brands to maximize the impact of their digital marketing investments. With a deep passion for crafting authentic brand narratives, Scarlett is committed to driving both awareness and measurable business growth through innovative advertising strategies. In addition to her consulting work, Scarlett serves on the Leadership Team for Adobe’s Women’s Executive Shadow Program, a transformative initiative that offers ambitious women firsthand insight into the daily experiences of cross-functional executives. A proud graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a BS in Advertising, Scarlett now calls New York City home, where she is dedicated to championing local organizations that make meaningful differences in the lives of others.

Vaishali is Senior Vice President at Publicis Health Group, a world's largest Healthcare Communication Company. As part of her work, she has led several projects to improve patient health outcomes in some 30+ countries across the world. As a leading expert in human behavior analysis, she consults major pharmaceutical companies to help reduce healthcare disparity across vulnerable populations and to help those living with difficult conditions manage and cope with their disease.

Ishita is a Senior Associate at Strategy&, the strategy consulting arm of PwC. As part of her role, she works with C-suite executives of some of the largest companies globally to provide strategic advice and solutions related to growth, costs, organizational structures and digitization. Previously, she was an Equity Research analyst at J.P. Morgan focused on assisting clients with investment decisions. Ishita also volunteered at Make a Difference in India, a non-profit that supports children in shelter homes. She holds a MBA degree from Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University and Electronics Engineering & Masters in Economics degrees from BITS-Pilani, India. In her free time, she enjoys going to Bollywood dance classes, running with her run club and travelling to explore new cultures across the world.

Mikhail is an investment banking associate at Macquarie Capital, where he focuses on supporting complex M&A and capital-raising transactions. Before joining Macquarie, Mikhail worked at PwC in deals advisory, building a strong analytical foundation and hands-on experience working with companies across industries. He also serves as an active leader within The Resolution Project, contributing to planning committees and supporting its mission to empower young social entrepreneurs around the world. Mikhail graduated summa cum laude from Yeshiva University with a BS in Accounting and Finance.

Brian Lafranchi holds a B.S. in Finance and Marketing from Georgetown University and is currently Senior Vice President- Event Driven Strategies at BTIG. He resides in New York City with wife Rachelle and daughter Charlotte. Brian is a former mentor and October Ball Committee member with Bigs & Littles NYC.

Elizabeth is an Associate, Americas Relationship Management, based in New York, where she supports relationship management for North American insurance companies. Elizabeth joined Ares Management from Goldman Sachs, where she was a Financial Analyst in the Private Wealth Management Group. She supported eight Private Wealth Advisors managing relationships with over 90 high-net-worth individuals. Her work focused on fostering client relationships to drive daily portfolio management activities, pitching and implementing new investment opportunities, including private investments, separately managed accounts, and structured notes. She also contributed to the establishment of new, revenue-generating relationships for the team through sourcing of new prospective clients. Elizabeth holds a B.S. in Human Development from Cornell University.

Amanda is a Senior Associate at PwC Strategy&, where she helps healthcare organizations improve patient health outcomes by strengthening their operations and processes through strategic innovation and implementation. She earned her BA from the University of Pennsylvania and moved to New York City after graduation, where she now enjoys exploring the city with friends, trying new restaurants, and listening to Taylor Swift. Amanda is driven by a passion for creating meaningful impact and is excited to help make our Littles’ lives better, one day and one moment at a time.

Riley Lewis is a Senior Manager at TG Therapeutics, a Biotechnology company focused on leveraging scientific advances in B-cell biology to develop novel treatments for patients with chronic diseases. He joined TG in 2019 after graduating from Vanderbilt University with an honors degree in Chemistry. In his free time, Riley enjoys travelling, spending time with friends and family, and exploring NYC with his little, Logan.

Karen Leiton has been a mentor to Evangeline and volunteer at Bigs & Littles NYC since 2018. She grew up in Bogota, Colombia where she volunteered at Un Techo para mi Pais. Karen currently works for the Emerging Markets team at Blackrock and previously worked at Morgan Stanley. She holds a Master in Finance from Princeton University and a dual degree in Finance and Economics from the Universidad del Rosario in Colombia.

Wesley May, originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, graduated from Kutztown University with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, and Marketing. He currently lives in Brooklyn and works as an Assistant Vice President of Wealth Management at Morgan Stanley. Wes came to the organization through a volunteer fair at his company. As a Big Brother to 12 year old Preston, Wes enjoys encouraging his Little to try new things and keep growing his confidence playing sports. Wes spoke at the Bigs & Littles NYC Annual Golf Outing this summer and is excited to join the EJB!

Mazeed Oluewu is a Management Consulting Analyst at Accenture, where he has delivered technology and strategic transformation services to financial institutions and pharmaceutical companies. With a passion for solving problems and advising clients, Mazeed is committed to driving value through strategic and operational initiatives. In addition to consulting, Mazeed serves as the New York African American Employee Resource Group Community Service Tower Lead, an role where he drives programing to build community in and outside of Accenture. A graduate of the University of Michigan, Mazeed now calls New York City home, where he brings his interests in the arts, media, and entertainment to life.

Nico originally grew up in Northern California but has lived in NYC since 2017. He has been a Bigs & Littles Mentor since 2021, and thoroughly enjoys regularly playing chess and eating breakfast at a diner with his little. He works in Renewable Energy Structured Finance at Goldman Sachs, which is the latest evolution of career dedicated to Renewable Energy in various capacities since 2015. Nico pursued both his Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering and Master degree in Business Analytics at Syracuse University. In his free time Nico is passionate about cooking, running, photography, film, traveling, and trying new things.

Molly Vannucci is an IBM Executive responsible for the Global Strategy of IBM iX as well as head of the NY office. She also services as the Chief of Staff for the Global Managing Partner of IBM's consulting business, which includes strategy, creative, process transformation, exponential technologies (cognitive, AI, blockchain, IoT, etc.) and business process outsourcing. Responsibilities span strategic and operational programs to support the growth of the business, both organic and inorganic. Molly is passionate about diversity and inclusion and is an alumni board member at W.O.M.E.N. in America and is also the Co-Leader of the Women at IBM NYC group. She led the creation and rollout of the IBM Menstrual Support Policy which offers free tampons and pads in all female and gender neutral bathrooms in IBM offices around the world.Prior to IBM, Molly worked at JPMorgan Chase and GE. She holds an MBA in International Business from Thunderbird School of Global Management, a BBA in International Business and Finance from Loyola University Maryland and completed Executive Education Programs at Harvard Business School and INSEAD. She also serves on Loyola's Management & International Business Advisory Board.When she isn’t traveling--as much for fun as for work--Molly lives in New York City, and is drawn to the outdoors, whether she’s exploring the city with her "little sister", on the golf course, or spending time with friends and family.

Grace works in technology at Sprout Social and is a mentor to her Little, Emorie, through Bigs & Littles. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, seeing live music, spending time with family and friends, and visiting Maine. She is excited to join the Junior Board and support an organization whose mission she cares deeply about.

Henry is a data and analytics lead at global real estate firm CBRE where he advises clients on data-driven decision making and digital technology. Henry is a proud graduate of the College of William and Mary where he earned a BA in Economics and MS in Business Analytics. Growing up on the beautiful island of St.Croix, Henry developed an appreciation for Caribbean culture and history but enjoys traveling around the world.

Claire Chuff is an Industrial Design Manager at Core Home, where she leads a team of Industrial Designers and designs innovative, aesthetically appealing products for the home. She joined Core Home after graduating summa cum laude from Maryland Institute College of Art with degrees in Industrial Design and Graphic Design. In her spare time, Claire enjoys scuba diving and skiing, as well as pickleball and rock climbing with her colleagues.

Gabriella is a licensed attorney in Brazil. She holds a Bachelor of Laws — L.L.B. from Mackenzie University School of Law in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Currently, Gabriella is pursuing her JD at Rutgers Law School and serving as an SEO Law Fellow at Otterbourg P.C. in New York City. Working in various programs for youth, she discovered a passion and vital aspect of her life: mentoring. At the New York City Bar Association where she serves as a member of the Diversity Pipeline Initiatives Committee, she guides and supports first-generation aspirants, students of color, students whose English is not their first language, low-income students, and underrepresented individuals in the legal community. She has been a mentor and friend to her little sister at Bigs & Littles NYC since 2019. Gabriella considers her little sister as part of her family, and their favorite activities are drawing and eating macaroons in the Upper West Side.

Daniel Kasman is a Product Manager for Deloitte Consulting. He graduated from Tulane University in 2014 with a B.S. In Psychology before returning to NYC where he was born and raised. Daniel has served as a mentor to Derell through Bigs & Littles NYC since May of 2019 and in 2021 he was awarded Mentor of the Year. In his free time he enjoys playing basketball, hanging out with Derell and exploring all of the food NYC has to offer. Daniel is very excited to continue working with Bigs & Littles NYC to help transform the lives of children through mentorship!

Bio coming soon…

Liam is Vice President and Senior Business Analyst at Citibank. In 2019, he began mentoring his Little, Kavon. He and his wife, Yibei, live in West New York with their two beloved dogs. Their charity work focuses on children and animals while promoting a more compassionate world.

Ramya Naik is a Client Solutions Manager at TikTok, where she partners with leading retail brands to drive growth through data-driven strategy and digital commerce innovation. She is a graduate of CUNY Baruch and has participated in Bigs & Littles NYC WOW Program at both Good Apple & J.P. Morgan. In her free time she enjoys anything dessert related, trying new restaurants, traveling and morning Pilates.

A NYC native, AnnaMaria joined Bigs & Littles NYC in the winter of 2018. She earned her undergraduate degree from Geneseo in International Relations & Sociology and an MS in Early Childhood Special Education from Hunter College. She is currently the Associate Dean of Instruction at Success Academy Charter Schools. In her free time, AnnaMaria enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

Justin is a highly motivated Associate for the Mosler office leasing team at Cushman & Wakefield, where he began his career almost 2 years ago. Prior to starting his role there, Justin graduated with a B.A. in Sociology from Dartmouth in ’21 and a Master’s of Management from Duke’s Fuqua School of Business in ’22. He competed on the Varsity Swimming and Diving team at both institutions, qualifying for NCAA championships and receiving All-American Honors in 2020. During his time in the city, Justin has pursued other passions, such as, starting his own Flag Football Team under Volo Sports and joining the leadership committee for The Pink Agenda (A Non-Profit supporting Breast Cancer Awareness). Justin loves children, getting active, to be social, learning about Commercial Real Estate and building strong relationships. He has been matched with his Little Liam for almost one year. In his free time, Justin enjoys hanging out with his friends, family, wonderful girlfriend, watching sports, fashion, listing to music and skiing.

Annie is currently a Senior Consultant with HRC Retail Advisory, a leading retail strategic advisory firm focused on assisting retailers optimize shareholder value and secure future profitable growth. She has previous merchandising experience at both Coach and Abercrombie & Fitch. Annie has been a mentor since 2017 and joined the Junior Board in 2018. She is a graduate of Miami University with a BS in Marketing and currently resides in Brooklyn.

Skyler is a dedicated Provider Growth Associate at Headway who moved to New York City two years ago. His role involves empowering therapists to thrive through their work and build out their practices. Passionate about fostering connections, Skyler has a history of engaging with volunteer organizations like Best Buddies and Camp Harmony. These experiences have solidified his belief in the transformative potential of genuine relationships. Currently, Skyler serves and has been grateful for every minute of the program. Beyond his professional and mentoring roles, Skyler finds joy in cooking and playing music during his free time.

Daniel “Danny” Haurey has been a Big Brother at Bigs & Littles NYC since 2023. Danny received a B.A. in Political Science manga cum laude from Colgate University and now works at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP where he is a Corporate Paralegal focused on Private Funds. In his free time, Danny enjoys fishing and listening to the music of the Grateful Dead. He is especially excited to deepen his involvement on the Junior Board of Bigs & Littles, a program which he believes has not only allowed him to give back to his community in a meaningful way, but has also brought him plenty of personal joy and life lessons.

Joe Petti is an Associate at BMO Capital Markets in its Industrials Investment Banking Group. He joined BMO Capital Markets as an Analyst in 2015 after graduating from Fairfield University with a B.S. in Accounting. Joe has served as a mentor with Bigs & Littles since September 2018 and was Co-Chair of the 2019 and 2020 Mentoring Matters Run/Walk.

Darsh is an experienced Management Consultant at Ericsson. Graduating with a Bachelor’s in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 2019, he has since worked with major clients in the TMT industry to help bring high-speed internet connectivity to the US at scale. After his move to NYC in 2022, and noticing the disparate impact of the pandemic on historically disadvantaged populations, Darsh decided to leverage his one-to-one mentorship skills gained from his time at Penn. He soon began to volunteer at StreetWise Partners, advising underrepresented college students on how to develop essential professional skills. More recently, he happily joined Bigs & Littles NYC and discovered the transformative effects of mentorship – not only on his Little and Little's family, but surprisingly on himself too. Outside of work and volunteering, Darsh greatly enjoys creative writing, meditation, exploring NYC, and traveling abroad.

Justin works in corporate finance at NERA Economic Consulting. A Michigan native, he holds a BBA from the University of Michigan and moved to New York in 2017. He currently resides in Chelsea.