Board of Trustees & Director’s Council

Board of Trustees

Our Board of Trustees supports school leadership with legal, financial and strategic guidance, and holds our school accountable for results.

Josh Wolfe is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Lux Capital, focusing on investments in nanotechnology, semiconductors and life sciences. He manages Lux Capital’s investments in Nanosys and Cambrios, and serves on the Board of Directors of Crystal IS and Lux Research. Before forming Lux Capital, Mr. Wolfe worked in Salomon Smith Barney’s Investment Banking group, where his experience included a $4 billion hotel merger and a defense against an unsolicited LBO. He has also worked in capital markets while at Merrill Lynch on its Financial Futures & Options/Government Strategy desk and at Prudential Securities in its Municipal Finance department.

Mr. Wolfe graduated with distinction from Cornell University with a BS in Economics and Finance. Widely recognized as one of the preeminent minds in nanotechnology and finance, he has been invited by the White House and Canadian Government to advise government organizations on funding strategies.

Mr. Wolfe is a co-founder of The NanoBusiness Alliance, a columnist with Forbes Magazine, and editor of the monthly Forbes/Wolfe Emerging Tech Report.

Jennifer Philbrick McArdle is currently a Partner at Satterlee Stephens LLP, where her practice focuses on commercial litigation and intellectual property law. Prior to joining Satterlee Stephens, Ms. McArdle was an associate at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP and spent a year as a law clerk for the Honorable Naomi Reice Buchwald, a United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York. Ms. McArdle also has a background in politics, having worked at a small electoral and public affairs consulting firm and for a national political campaign prior to law school. Ms. McArdle earned her BA in Government from Harvard University and her JD from Columbia University School of Law.

Bio coming soon!

Joe Herrera recently served as the Deputy State Director at Families for Excellent Schools, a nonprofit education advocacy organization. Joe also serves as Co-Chair of the Coney Island Anti-Violence Collaborative which seeks to reduce incidents of gun violence in the Coney Island community. He has a degree in Business from Interboro Institute and attended Baruch College’s School of Public Affairs. He began his career as a community organizer in 2009 working to improve educational outcomes and advocate for safer schools and communities. After starting a school based advocacy committee at Coney Island Prep, he went on to develop local neighborhood chapters of parent advocates in Fort Green, Crown Heights, Brownsville and Coney Island. He worked with community members to establish a Cure Violence program in Coney Island and spearheaded campaigns that has resulted in more funding and resources for public charter schools throughout NYC. Joe currently lives in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn with his fiancee, two sons and daughter.

Bio coming soon!

Director’s Council

Our Director’s Council coordinates volunteer, enrichment, and fundraising activities that support our scholars, including workplace visits, our annual non-fiction exhibition, and our famous dodgeball tournaments.

Bio coming soon!

Trial Attorney for The Legal Aid Society, Criminal Defense Practice, Brooklyn.

Juris Doctorate. Washington and Lee School of Law, 2014.

Bachelor of Arts. Queens College, CUNY, 2011.

Division II All American Soccer Player 2011.

Bio coming soon!

David Houlihan is the Senior Director of Operations at DREAM – a youth development organization that operates a Pre-K-9 school as well as summer and after-school programs. He oversees DREAM’s Information Technology, Facilities, School Operations and Administration departments. Prior to arriving at DREAM, David served as an Intern for the United States Trade Representative’s Office where he researched, analyzed and provided recommendations for President Obama’s trade advisory committee. David also worked at Coney Island Prep as a Director of Operations, where he planned and executed school expansions and improved the operations department’s ratings from 60% to 100%. David holds a Master of Business Administration from Georgetown University, a Master of Science of Teaching from Pace University and a Bachelor of Arts from New York University.

Bio coming soon!

Jonathan Smith works as an attorney under the General Counsel for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in its World Trade Center headquarters. Prior to joining the Port Authority, Jonathan spent over three years as an Assistant District Attorney in Brooklyn, New York. Outside of the Director’s Council, Jonathan serves the community through his involvement with Minds Matter of NYC, an organization that provides high achieving high school aged students from underprivileged backgrounds with mentors, tutors, SAT prep courses, and college preparation.

Bio coming soon!

Board of Trustees & Director’s Council

Board of Trustees

Josh Wolfe, Chairman

Jennifer Philbrick-McArdle

Anu Malipatil

Joseph Talia

Joe Herrera

Shona Pinnock

Nkonye Soetan

Director’s Council

Shivani Banker

Christapher Benson

Brian Buckmire

Mary Cheever

David Houlihan

Jason Kinsella

Scott Justin

Jonathan Smith

Sandrine Vorburger

Alex Katen-Narvell

Natalie Marks

Lucy Svoboda

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The Courage to Dream, the Commitment to Succeed.