Board of Directors

Officers:

Ryan McDermott
LGS Class of 2011
LGS Board President
Ryan is the Senior Vice President of commercial banking at M & T Bank.  He specializes in commercial middle market lending and providing client’s with a variety of financial solutions, ideas, and focused execution helping clients address day to day funding and asset management needs as well as long term strategic objectives.  He also serves as Vice Chair of Board of Trustees for the Everson Museum and Vice President of Board of Directors for Catholic Charities of Onondaga County.  He currently serves as the Chair of LGS Executive Committee and member of the LGS Finance Committee. He has been a member of the LGS Finance Committee since 2013 and Board of Directors since 2020.

Renae Rokicki
LGS Class of 2014
LGS Vice President

Renae has been with Upstate Medical University since 2005. She currently serves as the Senior Leadership and Development Coordinator within the Department of Professional Development and Learning. In her role, Renae facilitates learning opportunities for management, teams and individual contributors with a focus on leadership, organizational development, and teamwork. Renae earned her Master of Arts Degree in Adult Education from Elmira College and holds three Advanced Graduate Certificates in Project Management, Human Resources Development and Training of Trainers. She also served formerly with the board of the American Red Cross of Eastern NY and Wilderness Search and Rescue, Inc. Renae is an active volunteer and enjoys supporting many social justice causes in the community.

Joseph E. Rocco, III
LGS Class of 2021
LGS Board Treasurer
Joe is a partner with Bowers & Company CPAs. As LGS board treasurer, he leads the LGS Finance Committee. At Bowers, Joe specializes within the firm’s manufacturing, transportation, banking and not-for-profit niches. He is also heavily involved in the organization’s on-campus recruiting and internal business development programs. He joined the LGS Finance Committee immediately following his LGS graduation.

Rebecca Hoda-Slye
LGS Class of 2015
LGS Board Secretary
Rebecca has over 25 years in Higher Education and is a Human Resources Business Partner (Starting February 27th) at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Previously, she served as an Executive People Officer for SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and Associate VP of Student Engagement at OCC. She is also on the Contact Community Services Board and is active in community social justice work.

Board Members:

Kenneth Casarsa
LGS Class of 2007
Ken is a communications representative at Lockheed Martin. He also is a member of the LGS Executive Committee and chairs the LGS Marketing Committee. He previously served on the boards of the American Heart Association and the Syracuse Ad Club. He has been a member of the LGS Board since 2013.

John Daniel
John is the Director of IT Services at Usherwood Office Technology, an IT and business technology provider across the northeast. He has previously served as a member of the Manufacturers Association of Central New York (MACNY) IT Council Executive Committee. John has participated in several IT peer groups and worked in the technology sector in various roles throughout his career. He is also highly involved in the community, serving as a speaker in the Usherwood Immersive Tech Workshop for High Schoolers. As a strategic leader in the technology space, he brings over 20 years of experience to the LGS board.

Maddie DiGristina
LGS Class of 2018
Maddie is the director of diversity, equity, and inclusion and community relations at SRC, Inc., a not-for-profit research and development company. She is a member of the marketing committee and been a member of the LGS board since 2019.

Jin Gwak
LGS Class of 2015
Jin is the chief information officer for AmeriCU Credit Union. She has received extensive accreditation in a variety of leadership programs including: Emerging Leadership, Foundations of Business Leadership Program, Leadership in Action, Performance Excellence at Leadership Development Institute. She joined the LGS board in 2022.

Sarah Ioele
LGS Class of 1997
Sarah is a Certified Professional Corporate and Life Coach and serves as the Executive Director of the Father Champlin’s Guardian Angel Society. Sarah is a member of the Sales and Marketing Professional Services and Strathmore Neighborhood Association. She has been a member of the LGS Board since 2013.

Timothy Johnson
LGS Class of 2008
Tim is a partner at Anchor QEA.  He is a perceptive, strategic manager that is able to function at a high level with staff ranging from entry to executive level. Tim serves as the chairperson of the annual LGS golf tournament. He has been a member of the LGS Board since 2013.

Sarah Just
LGS Class of 2020
Sarah is the Director of Sales at Turning Stone Resort Casino. Sarah has more than 15 years of experience as an event professional. She has been at Turning Stone Resort Casino for eight years and is currently responsible for leading the Group Sales team. Sarah also currently serves on both the LGS Marketing Committee and Interview Committee. She joined the board in 2024.

Ocesa Keaton
LGS Class of 2017
Ocesa a community engagement strategist serving as an adjunct professor at Syracuse University and previously serving as the executive director of Greater Syracuse Hope. She served as a board member for the YWCA, is on the Salvation Army Young Leaders Advisory Board, a past board member of the Dunbar Center and a court appointed special advocate.

Colette Matthews-Carter
LGS Class of 1997
Colette is the director of the El-Hindi Center for Dialogue & Action at Interfaith Works. She is a diversity, equity and inclusion practitioner, trainer and facilitator.  She is also a pastor at Zion Hill World Harvest Baptist Church in Syracuse. Matthews-Carter has received numerous awards for her impact on the community and has served on several boards including immediate past president of the NAACP Syracuse Onondaga County.

Gina Rapasadi
LGS Class of 2020
Gina was hired as director of philanthropy with the Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in June 2022. She is responsible for cultivating and strengthening relationships with key stakeholders to build effective strategies and sustainable revenue for major gifts in support of the zoo’s mission and strategic plan. Originally from Canastota, NY, Rapasadi attended Plattsburgh University. After college, she began working at the Rescue Mission Alliance of Syracuse, where she spent 17 years working in the development department as the Director of Special Events and Volunteer Services.  She is on the board of Association for Fundraising Professionals and a member of the Syracuse Rotary, Liverpool Chamber and was a graduate of LGS. She resides in Liverpool, NY with her family.

William Sanford
Bill is the owner at Brown & Sanford Consultants. He is a past board member of HOPE for Bereaved. He played a significant role in the creation of Leadership Greater Syracuse and currently serves on the LGS Executive Committee. He has been a member of the LGS Board since 2007.

Stefanie Savory
LGS Class of 2021
Stefanie serves as In-house Counsel and the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Program Director at AccessCNY.  As a member of the Executive Leadership team, Stefanie engages in strategic planning, program development, and provides legal support to and for AccessCNY while leading a program dedicated to advocating for youth in foster care. She participates in the LGS Program Committee, Interview Committee, and in fundraising events. Stefanie joined the board in 2024.

Scott Schuhert
Graduate of Broome County Leadership Institute
Scott is the Dean of Students at Onondaga Community College. In this role, he serves as the College’s Senior Student Affairs Officer and Lead Student Advocate. He supports students on their path to gainful employment or transfer. As an active participant in the SUNY Strategic, Academic, and Innovative Leadership (SAIL) Institute he has been trained on numerous leadership strategies. Locally, Scott volunteers as an assistant coach for Jamesville-Dewitt Little League and an instructor for the Syracuse Obedience Training Club. Prior to moving to Syracuse, Scott was involved with the Toys for Tots Program, Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse program, The Discovery Center, and Hand to Heart. As a graduate of a sister program, he provides a unique insight on the LGS board.

Jennifer Smith
LGS Class of 2013
Jennifer is General Counsel for C & S Companies. She served as a board member and past president of the CNY Women’s Bar Association. Community service is very important to Jennifer and in addition to LGS she serves on the Board of the SUNY College Environmental Science and Forestry Foundation. She serves on the LGS Executive Committee and chairs the LGS Program Committee. She has been a member of the LGS board since 2016.

Pete Wiezalis
LGS Class of 2023
Pete is Vice President of Growth Strategy at Mower Agency and a member of the firm’s core senior leadership team. Pete works across discipline groups and with practice specialists, developing strategies and tactics that drive growth for clients, partners, and the agency. Pete has over 25 years of experience in marketing strategy, planning, execution, and optimization in both B2B and B2C sectors.