Leadership

Rob has held the position of Chief Executive Officer for Gift of Life International since February 2008. He graduated from Hobart College in 1984 with a BS in Political Science. Directly out of college Rob went to work for United States Senator Alphonse D’Amato (R-New York) from 1984 to 1986. He worked for Browning Ferris Industries (BFI) from January1987 until 1999, where he held the position of Vice President. From 1999 to 2007 Rob managed his own political consulting business. As Chief Executive Officer of Gift of Life International, he has focused on the creation of sustainable pediatric cardiac surgery programs in developing countries. Presently he is working to develop programs in Panama, The Philippines, Romania, Jamaica and The Dominican Republic. Rob resides in Germantown, New York.

Abe earned his Bachelor of Arts from University of Bridgeport, and his Juris Doctor from Duke University School of Law. He has worked as an attorney before the U.S. Supreme court and for the Connecticut and Federal Court systems, and by special appointment of the Chief Justice of Connecticut is a trier of civil cases as Attorney Trial Referee. He led the Polio Plus National Immunization (NID) Program in Ghana and Togo, participating in the immunization of over 5 million children. Abe has been an involved Rotarian since 1973, and served as the Rotary International Vice President from 1999-2000, as well as the Rotary International Director from 1998-2000. He has attended 19 Rotary International conventions and conferences around the world with his late wife Marilyn, who founded the Rotary Club of Bridgeport Sunshine. Abe founded Gift of Life Program in Penang, Malaysia, which has saved the lives of over 500 children. He is a Multiple Paul Harris Fellow, major donor and benefactor of the Rotary Foundation, and has won many awards for his service and accomplishments.

Lou is a second-generation pharmacist, and owned his own pharmacy in New York for 22 years. He worked as the supervising pharmacist for CVS for over 20 years, and is currently semi-retired. Lou is a current member of the Sarasota Southside Rotary Club, the Chairman Emeritus of the Gift of Life of Florida Board of Directors, the District 6960 Secretary, and President of Gift of Life International. Lou co-founded Gift of Life of Florida, Inc. in 1994, and was one of original founders of Gift of Life International in 2003. He has been married to his wife Carol. They have two children and two grandchildren.

Fredlee Ann holds professional licenses in Clinical Social Work (New York and New Jersey), Marital and Family Psychotherapy (New Jersey), and School Psychology (New York). She has a private practice in Family Therapy in New York City. Fredlee has been a member of the Rotary Club of New York since 2007, and is honored to have served as a Director of Gift of Life International from 2011 through 2018 when she became Vice President.  She previously served on GOL Metro New York Board, and the Chairman’s Council of Gift of Life International. Since 2010, with healthcare professionals at Children’s Hospital Bloom in El Salvador, she has helped to develop a Humanized Care Program – patient and family centered care for children and their families, and teaching crisis intervention procedures and best practices in empathic care for the medical staff. Additionally, she has implemented the first-ever Humanized Care curriculum for the Professors of Adult and Pediatric Nursing at the University of El Salvador.

Bill retired from Swiss Reinsurance in 2006 after 36 years with the company in a variety of capacities from junior accountant in 1970 to manager of corporate risk insurance for the US operations at retirement.  Bill joined the Rotary Club of New York in 1988 and it was there that he first became involved with the Gift of Life program.  He coordinated the efforts of his club in hosting more than a dozen children at NYU Hospital for pediatric heart surgery.  In the late 1990’s, he was elected to the District 7230 Gift of Life Board.  Shortly thereafter, GOL District Chair, Dan Nalvan asked if he would serve as liaison to the founding GOL Board on Long Island and he served in that capacity for four years becoming more aware of the international scope of this great program.  Bill has been on his local GOL Board for almost 20 years and was the Chairman of Gift of Life Metro New York (Westchester/NYC) from 2014 to 2018.

In 2004, he assumed a larger role by joining the Board of Gift of Life International (GOLI).  In 2007, Bill became Vice Chairman and two years later became President serving four years in that role ending his term in June 2013.  He rejoined the Board of GOLI  in July 2016 and became the Secretary of the organization in 2018.

Bill is grateful for the opportunity to be a small part of the unprecedented growth of the Gift of Life program worldwide.

After obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Boston College, Kevin Bagnasco was employed by Ernst & Young and obtained his CPA in April of 1982. Since 1983, he has been a principal of Avanti Furniture, a fifty-year-old custom furniture manufacturer in Farmingdale, New York, providing services to many of the country’s prominent designers and architects. Kevin has been a member of the Farmingdale Rotary Club for thirty years, serving in all capacities within the Farmingdale Rotary Club, including twenty-five years of service on the Board. Within Rotary District 7250, he has been the District Treasurer for four years, and has also served as Treasurer of the District 7250 Foundation for seventeen years. Kevin resides in Kings Park, New York with his two college age children. Within his home community, Kevin has been involved in Boy Scouts, coached Little League and was the Treasurer for a local civic group.

Carol has spent her entire career in Sales and Sales Management in the healthcare industry across a spectrum of settings; including work in the pharmaceutical wholesale and health insurance industries, and for the Sarasota blood bank and various national pharmaceutical manufacturing companies. Carol retired from active employment in 2014. She is currently a member of the Sarasota Southside Rotary Club. She has been a board member for Rotary Gift of Life Florida since 1994, and was elected to the Gift of Life International Board in 2014 and served as Secretary until 2018. Carol continues to serve on the GOLI Board as a Director. She grew up in Queens, and raised her two children with her husband Lou, on Long Island, but relocated to Sarasota in 1992.

Janet has been a Member of the Pleasantville Rotary Club in Westchester County, NY for 29 years. She has served as Club President and served on every committee in the club.

Janet was introduced to GOL in 1995 when PDG Gilda Chirifisi introduced it to District 7230. She has attended every fundraiser that District 7230 has had for the program. Her club is a supporter of GOL and she continues to encourage other clubs to be involved in the program. She served on the Board of Directors of GOL Metro New York.

Janet has been the DRFC in District 7230 and has contributed tens of thousands of dollars to GOL through DDF and Global Grants. She has been raising money for GOL for a number of years through other districts and clubs. Janet has a number of contacts around the world that she reaches out to obtain funding for GOL.

Janet is currently the Assistant Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator for Zone 32.

Janet is a PDG 2000-01, Major Donor, Bequest Society Member, and a member of the Paul Harris Society. This year she is serving a second term as DG. The person who was to be DG had to resign the position and as the Vice Governor it came to me to serve out her term.

Janet has received the Rotary Service Above Self Award as well as RI Foundation Meritorious Service Award.

Robbie Donno was born in Manhasset, NY.  He is a graduate of La Salle Military Academy in Oakdale, Long Island and obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pa.  He met his wife, Barbara, at Duquesne and they were married in 1969.  They have two children, Jacqueline and Matthew and two grandchildren, Emma Lee and James.

Robbie was a principal of Donno Company, Inc, from 1970 to 1997.  He was Vice President of Eastern Waste of New York from 1997-1999 and since 2003 is a principal at Lemcor, Inc. of Newark, NJ.  He has been a leader in the solid waste industry for 47 years.

He joined Manhasset Rotary in 1971 and became its President in 1975.  That was the year that changed his life.  There was a plea for help from the Rotary Club of Kampala, Uganda on behalf of 5-year old Grace Agwaru who was suffering from a congenital heart defect.  Grace was brought to St. Francis Hospital where she received her lifesaving surgery and the Gift of Life Program had its start.

In 2003, Gift of Life International was formed and Robbie was elected its first Chairman.  More than 33,000 children from 80 countries have received corrective heart surgery through Gift of Life programs around the world.  His leadership in the Gift of Life was noted in the book, “Leadership by Example – The Ten Key Principles of All Great Leaders” written by Dr. Sanjiv Chopra and published in May 2012.

“I have been a part of Rotary for 46 years.  Rotary is the platform that is the foundation of the Gift of Life and it has allowed us to make positive impact on the world.  This lifelong journey in Rotary and Gift of Life has always surrounded me with good people, unsung heroes who improve the lives of people they don’t know for no other reason than their need.  I am blessed to be in their company.”

Shannon currently lives in Southern California with her husband and three children. Her parents were heavily involved with the Gift of Life for many years. Her father, Chad Everett, was the Gift of Life National Spokesman for 25 years, and her mother, Shelby Everett, was honored with the Angel Award in 2012. Shannon and her husband sponsored a child in 2007, which deepened their passion to forward Gift of Life’s mission to help children around the world. Since 2009, Shannon has organized and hosted an annual fundraiser benefiting Gift of Life International, which has raised over $300,000.

Carlos Mauricio Hernandez has been Executive Vice President of Business Operations with Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey since July 2010. He oversees Goodwill’s “industries,” including retail, temporary staffing, industrial contracts, and facilities operations. Mr. Hernandez’s division provides work for more than 1,600 employees and brings revenues of over $85 million to the 501(c)(3) not-for-profit human services corporation.

Mr. Hernandez joined the New York-New Jersey Goodwill in 1995 as Director of Retail Operations, later becoming Retail Operations Senior Vice President. In his 20-year tenure, he has helped lead the agency’s significant retail growth. The number of stores quadrupled from 10 to 40 and sales revenues shot up from $5 million to $54.5 million. Mr. Hernandez’ outstanding leadership has benefited more than the agency’s bottom line, since income from stores helps to support Goodwill programs. He also initiated a multitude of partnerships with local government agencies and nonprofit organizations to place 640 persons with disabilities annually to receive training or participate in enclaves in Goodwill stores. Partners include the New York City Department of Education, BOCES, ARC, AHRD and ACLD, to name a few.

Mr. Hernandez took time out from his work at New York-New Jersey Goodwill in 2005 to serve as Vice President of Retail Operations for Goodwill Industries of South Florida. In this senior leadership position, he helped develop the organization’s retail expansion strategy, actively participated in the merger of the Dade County and Broward County Goodwills and played an important role representing South Florida Goodwill in the handling of very complex insurance claims resulting from three major hurricanes. He continued as a consultant in these negotiations through 2006 after his return to New York-New Jersey Goodwill.

Mr. Hernandez originally came to the New York-New Jersey Goodwill from Goodwill Industries of Southern California, where he was production director from 1987 to 1995. He supervised nine departments and oversaw distribution and processing of donated goods to all Goodwill retail stores within the Los Angeles area.

Along with working for local Goodwills for almost 30 years, Mr. Hernandez has provided leadership for the Goodwill movement nationally and internationally and is a 2012 graduate of Goodwill Industries International’s Executive Development Program. GII recognized him in 2014 with the Edgar J. Helms Staff Award, presented to a Goodwill employee “who has exemplified the mission of Goodwill Industries and the founder’s values of unselfish service to people with disabilities or other disadvantaging conditions.”

In New York City, Mr. Hernandez is a trustee of the Better Business Bureau Foundation and a Board Member of Gift of Life International. He is active in ReuseNYC, which he worked with closely in responding to Hurricane Sandy. He is known for being a team player, dedicated to working closely with staff inside and outside his division, government agencies, and corporate and nonprofit partners to support persons with disabilities and other barriers to employment in their efforts to achieve self-sufficiency through work.

A graduate of Queens College, Mr. Hernandez majored in economics and minored in accounting there. He is a resident of Flushing, Queens.

Albana was born and raised in Prishtina, Kosova, but was fortunate to arrive in the United States in 1995 to pursue her education before the war began in 1998. She is currently employed as an analyst for Ambac Assurance Corporation in the Portfolio Risk Management Department. She has worked with Gift of Life International, GOL Metro New York, Gift of Life Kosova, various Rotary districts, and many fellow volunteers to help save the lives of children in Kosova and around the world.

James’ career in the fine art world started as a young man as he was inspired by his family which was made up of artists and musicians. James graduated from SUNY New Paltz with a BFA. While exhibiting his work in both New York and Long Island, he was the Gallery Director for the Amber Palette which was located on Madison Avenue in Manhattan for 5 years. At the age of 26 he decided to open LaMantia Gallery in Northport where he has been for the past 28 years.

Over the years, he has been invited to sit on panel discussions at numerous art conventions around the country. He has had articles published, has been regularly quoted in trade magazines and was proud when the gallery was voted “The #1 Gallery in the Nation for Retail Excellence” by Décor Magazine in 2005.

While successful in business, James is also involved in many community projects and is most proud of being the Chair for the Gift of Life Long Island since September 2017. He has been on the board of directors for Gift of Life Long Island since 2007. James has also been President of the Northport Rotary Club, twice. In addition to his Rotary experience, James has sat on the board of SCOPE in Northport Village in the early 90’s, as well as sitting on the Architectural and Historical Review Board for Northport Village.
James is most passionate for the Gift of Life stemming from an incident from his childhood which has led him to a life of protecting and caring for those in need.

James is best known as someone who can energize a group. He is a high energy individual, communicative and thinks creatively. From running and promoting fundraisers, to climbing Mt. Marcy, the tallest peak in New York which raised over $11,000 for Gift of Life, James gets things done!

Maurice immigrated to the USA with his wife and daughter from the UK in May 2010 and resides in SW Florida. During the last 28 years he was actively engaged in the UK as a Mason and was involved in many charitable events each year. He achieved Provincial status and was Master of his Lodge twice – in 2002 and 2005.

Maurice’s family have been main contributors to a Children’s Orphanage in Cambodia for over 16 years, working on the development of secure premises, installation of proper sanitation and clean water, and fitting out the facilities with furniture, work equipment, and school equipment for 86 children. On his many trips to Cambodia, they would always buy food and supplies and have it delivered to the orphanage. In 2008, Maurice was actually able to buy and donate farmland which the elder children could cultivate and grow their own food, helping to make them self-sufficient. Today that farm employs over 50 of the elder children. They grow a surplus of food and can sell some on the open market.

Maurice joined the Lemon Bay Sunrise Rotary Club in Englewood, FL in March 2014 and almost immediately was asked to be Chairman of International Services and also the Gift of Life Chairman for the club. Later that year he attended a Gift of Life Florida board meeting and was asked to join the board. Since July 2016, he has been Vice-President of GOL-FL, and on July 1, 2018, he will be President of GOL-FL. He is very proud to do so.

During the past two years, through my own company, I have manufactured and donated over 200 sets of doctor’s scrubs (with GOL-FL logo) and I am in the process of donating 21 sleep chairs for a parent to stay with their child in the hospital. These will go to Haiti and El Salvador hospitals.

To be asked to join the International board of GOL is an amazing honour and I will do my very best to help the future development of such a wonderful cause.

In 1986 shortly after they were married Arnie & Rose moved to Ronkonkoma and joined St. Joseph’s Parish where he is still active today as a Eucharistic Minister. He quickly got involved in the community joining the St. Regis Knights of Columbus that same year. In 1987 Arnie & Rose started their family and now have three wonderful children. Today, Arnie & Rose’s family is grown and is very much involved in Rotary. Rose joined rotary in 2011, is the STEP Chair, RFE Co- Chair and Club Secretary. His son Justin is a Past RC President and Rotaract Chair. His daughter Chelsea attended International RYLA in Canada and started the first Interact Club in Sheepshead Bay Brooklyn. His daughter Taylor participated on a Short-Term Youth Exchange and attended International RYLA in Australia.

In 1983 Arnold founded his first company, Watermatic Irrigation, over the next decade he grew the company & changed the name to TLC Lawn Sprinklers. After building the company to one of Long Island’s largest Sprinkler Companies Arnold sold it to begin a new business. In 1993 Arnold purchased a Commercial Cleaning account and started a small office cleaning business with 3 part time employees. Over the next 20 years this company evolved into Ronkonkoma Experts, with its main office located in Ronkonkoma. He holds top restoration credentials and is considered to be a Master Restorer Fire, Smoke & Water Damage. The company employs 25 people and is recognized as one of the top restoration Contractors in the North Eastern United States.

Being the son of a Deacon, the importance of faith and service were impressed upon him from a young age. Arnold has been a long time usher, and for the past 15 years a Eucharistic Minister. He was a soccer coach at St. Joseph’s CYO, he was also involved in Scouting for ten years spending for as the Chairman of St.Joseph’s Boy Scout Troop 272. He has been a member of the Ronkonkoma Chamber of Commerce 20 years and during his tenure as President he started the Ronkonkoma Street Fair.

In 2000 Arnie was invited to join the Ronkonkoma Rotary Club and he served as Governor for District 7260 (Suffolk County) 2010 -2011. Arnie and his wife Rose have taken multiple trips to India to administer polio vaccinations and oversee a grant that equipped a medical clinic. Arnie has also gone on 12 humanitarian missions to Haiti to provide much needed water wells, medical equipment, satellite communications and solar panels in 4 different villages.

After his son’s girlfriend, Andrea Giattino, was killed by a drunk driver while on her way home from a Rotary Event, Arnold and his family founded The Simple Hope Foundation to combat drunk driving & substance abuse deaths. Arnold & the Foundation work to make our roads safer by funding research, creating awareness and helping to “make drink driving matter”.

Arnie’s passion of giving back to the community, locally as well as internationally, with his whole heart, his time, his talent, his leadership and his family is an inspirational source to everyone!!

Carisa, a graduate of Cornell and Columbia Universities, has been at Syosset High School for 16 years, teaching AP Biology, for the last decade. For the past 14 years she has been the Interact adviser at her school, bringing the club from 20 members to over 200. Since 2011, she has also served as District 7250/7255 Interact Chair, visiting Rotary Clubs around the island and helping to establish several other Interact Clubs. Under her leadership, Interact has raised over $185,000 for pediatric heart surgeries for Gift of Life, Inc. and Gift of Life International. Carisa was awarded the GOLI Humanitarian of the Year for 2011. In 2015, she was named Long Island Teacher of the Year and spearheaded Syosset’s 7 in 7 Campaign. Under her guidance, her students raised over $65,000 to fund the life-saving heart surgeries for 7 kids from continents in 7 days. Carisa is married to David Steinberg and has three daughters.