Ryan Goldberg
President
Ryan Goldberg is a Partner at Rivkin Radler LLP in the firm’s Insurance Fraud Practice Group. He joined the Harbor Child Care Board of Directors in September of 2014. Ryan represents insurers in actions to recover payments to physicians, medical clinics, attorneys, and others as part of complex, large-scale insurance fraud and kickback schemes.
Ryan also counsels insurers on claims-handling practices and investigation techniques and works with them to develop fraud prevention, detection, and recovery plans. As a member of Rivkin Radler’s Pro-Bono Program, Ryan routinely represents the indigent in Landlord-Tenant Court and was previously named one of the Top 40 Rising Stars in Business under 40 by Long Island Business News.
Ryan is a graduate of St. John’s University School of Law and received his undergraduate degrees from Binghamton University. Ryan lives in Merrick with his wife Shannon and three kids, Liam, Finley, and Abigail, who all attended Harbor Child Care.
Erica Lee-Benedetto
Vice President
Erica Lee-Benedetto is the COO of Marquis Who’s Who, which is the oldest publisher of biographical profiles in America since launching the Who’s Who in America book in 1899. Erica is responsible for driving operational efficiency of the company through technology, software development, and management of the transcription, editorial, and fulfillment departments.
Erica has been active in early childhood and arts education for over 10 years. She has served on the Board of the Early Years Institute, the Summer Institute of the Arts, the Uniondale Foundation for Educational Excellence, and the Caribbean Education Foundation. Erica is currently active in the planning and marketing of events for the Long Island branch of the Yale Alumni Association of New York, in addition to the Harbor Child Care Playground Committee at RXR Plaza.
She became involved in Harbor Child Care when her daughter attended the RXR Plaza program at the age of two and presently has a son enrolled as a pre-schooler at the same location.
Erica is a graduate of Yale University with an undergraduate degree in Anthropology. She is a music lover, classically trained violinist, vocalist, and poet.
Stephen Jahelka
Treasurer
Stephen Jahelka is the Chief Business Officer of Demasco, Sena & Jahelka LLP (DSJCPA). He joined the Harbor Child Care Board of Directors in December of 2019. Graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from Harvard University, Stephen pursued his accountancy dreams at KPMG US, rising to the level of Senior Associate in just three years, where he served in the firm’s forensic department. Now as Chief Business Officer (CBO) at DSJCPA, Stephen has leading-edge ideas in mind for his contribution to the firm, which he terms a “three-bucket” plan of action: “Organic growth is a critical part of the business and is vital to our company’s expansion, so we plan on implementing technological advances that are instrumental to that growth.”
Stephen’s volunteer experience has included a background in the planning and execution of fundraising events, donation drives, and marketing strategy campaigns for special fundraising projects such as Harvard University’s Special Olympics for special needs athletes from 2012-2016. Stephen was also the program director/fundraising coordinator for a not-for-profit organization called Lax4all, where he co-founded a program designed to provide children from impoverished areas with educational opportunities through the sport of lacrosse. Stephen currently volunteers for Friends of Garden City Football as their Treasurer. Last year the group raised more than $25,000 for the town’s kids.
With eleven teachers in his family, Stephen is looking forward to giving back towards a cause he has been and continues to be passionate about.
Regina Spinazzola-Kinney, MD
Secretary
Regina Spinazzola-Kinney MD is a neonatologist at the Northwell Health system’s neonatal intensive care nurseries. Regina attended New York Medical College and then completed a residency in Pediatrics at NYU-Bellevue and a fellowship in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine at Babies Hospital-Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center.
She became actively involved in Harbor Child Care when her son attended the North Shore University site as a pre-schooler and then the Herricks site as a school-age student.
Regina joined the Harbor Child Care Board of Directors in 1993 and continues to have an interest in the special needs population and services available for early intervention within the child care setting. In addition, she enjoys teaching religious education to children with special needs and singing in the church choir.
Brad Caracciola
Board Member
Brad Caracciola is the President and co-founder of Ground Force Logistics and Ground Force Freight. He joined the Harbor Child Care Board of Directors in February of 2017. Brad oversees corporate strategy, finance, and all legal aspects of the business units, and he brings these skills along with business management experience to our board. He received a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Albany and formerly worked as an equity trader before transitioning into the freight industry. Brad is involved with several charitable organizations and focuses his attention on local organizations, especially ones like Harbor Child Care that assist families and children in Suffolk and Nassau counties.
Maureen O’Connell
Board Member
Nassau County Clerk Maureen O’Connell began her professional career as a Registered Nurse at North Shore University Hospital. Maureen holds a B.S. in Health Care Administration from St. Joseph’s College and earned her Juris Doctor from St. John’s University School of Law. She combined her knowledge of law and health administration by practicing in the areas of civil litigation, elder law, and health regulatory compliance with the second-largest law firm in Nassau County at the time.
Ms. O’Connell served as Trustee and Deputy Mayor of the Incorporated Village of East Williston from 1991 through 1998. In February 1998, Ms. O’Connell was the first woman elected to represent the 17th District in the New York State Assembly where she served as the Ranking Member of the Assembly’s Health Committee, and on the Assembly Judiciary, Insurance and Ethics Committees.
In November 2005, Ms. O’Connell was elected countywide to the Office of Nassau County Clerk and overwhelmingly re-elected in 2009 and 2013. As County Clerk, Ms. O’Connell serves as Clerk of the Supreme and County Courts and is the official registrar of records relating to real property ownership in Nassau County. Ms. O’Connell has served on the Harbor Child Care Board of Directors since November of 2014. A lifelong resident of Nassau County, Ms. O’Connell resides in East Williston with her husband Don where they raised their son.
Gary O’Connor
Board Member
A board member since 2005, Gary O’Connor brings to Harbor Child Care over 25 years of senior-level human resources executive experience from various industries including education and the not-for-profit sector. Gary brings to Harbor a solid foundation in benefits, compensation, recruitment, training, and labor relations.
Gary’s industry experience has included talent/career management consulting, healthcare, hospitality, education, and working with multi-state organizations. His record of achievement is broad-based, stressing financial management, problem-solving, dispute resolution, and proactive leadership.
As the Managing Partner for the Metro NY office of Your Part-Time HR Manager, LLC, a national human resources consulting group, Gary is responsible for the design and implementation of sound human resources strategies and practices to clients. Gary holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling Education/Community Mental Health and advanced certification in Educational Leadership/Administration and Business from Long Island University.
Additionally, Gary is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Board Certified Executive Coach, and holds the certification designations as a Senior Professional in Human Resources and Society for Human Resources Management – Senior Certified Professional in Human Resources.
Zoe Schwam
Board Member
Zoe Schwam is the Controller and Director of Operations at Portledge School where she has filled many roles since 2006. She joined the Harbor Child Care Board of Directors in June of 2016 and her three children attended our Glen Cove site. Zoe brings to Harbor a background in non-profit finance, operations, athletics and education. Zoe received her bachelor’s from Hamilton College and her master’s in Athletic Administration from Ohio University. She is currently pursuing her MBA.
Zoe is part of the executive committee of the Glen Cove Jr. Soccer organization that provides both travel and intramural programming for youth in the Glen Cove and surrounding communities. She previously founded and served on the board of the Long Island Lady Islanders where she was instrumental in the growth of the girls hockey organization on the Island.
