Michael is a retired Special Education Teacher and School Administrator. He received his Masters degree in Special Education from Adelphi University and his professional diploma in Administrative Studies from Hofstra University.

Mike began his educational career as a High School Special Education teacher at Shoreham-Wading River High School where he taught for 13 years. After Shoreham, Mike took a position at Sayville School District as a Secondary Special Education Chairperson, before moving on to The Middle Country School District as a Coordinator of Pupil Personnel Services. He spent 15 years in that position before retiring in 2016.

In retirement, Mike has worked as an educational consultant, providing workshops and professional development to local school districts. A former runner, he completed over 20 marathons, including 5 New York City Marathons. An avid baseball fan, he enjoys watching and attending ball games rooting for his beloved New York Mets.

Mike was also actively involved in all aspects of parish life, both as a volunteer and as a faith formation employee. Mike hopes to combine his experience in service and ministry with his experience as an administrator, to offer guidance and support to the Lighthouse for Hope.

Maria is a skilled Certified Medical Coder/Biller with a rich background spanning over 8 years in medical billing administration. She holds an Associate of Arts in Accounting from Wood Tobe-Coburn School. Maria is committed to professional development, which is evident through her professional certifications as a Professional Biller and a Higher Education Professional in Teaching.

To share her knowledge with others, Maria is teaching courses in Anatomy and Physiology I & II with Medical Terminology at Hunter Business School, contributing to the education and growth of aspiring professionals in the healthcare field. Most evenings, Maria can be found engaging her students using a variety of instructional strategies. Her goal is to help her students obtain the knowledge they need to reach their career goals.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Maria places great importance on building meaningful relationships and excels in collaborative environments, working seamlessly with individuals at all levels, including management, team members, vendors, and customers. Her interpersonal skills and ability to connect with people underscore her success in creating a positive and productive environment.

Maria is part of a tight-knit family, surrounded by the love and support of her three sisters, her mother, a college-aged son, and her extended family. Her family bond is a source of strength, providing a network of understanding and companionship. Maria cherishes the shared moments of laughter, advice, and shared meals that come with having a large but close extended family. As she navigates the complexities of life, Maria draws strength from the unity of her family and the deep connections that tie them together.

Reina currently assists the Office of Economic Development with various operational, organizational, and communications processes. She assists with supporting operations, innovation, and early stage technology commercialization by connecting Sponsors, SBU Faculty, and Innovators.

Reina has a BA in Psychology. In NY she has also worked as an Assistant to Psychologists. In NJ she has served as a Disaster Relief Case Manager and as the Mental Health Project Lead for a grassroots community-based organization. She advocated for the rebuilding of disaster-damaged homes and helped contribute to significant funding for rebuilding and mental health services with her work.

As a Family Partner by DCF, she trained on various mental health and family-impacting subjects. She also assisted with Environmental Justice advocacy, assisting over 400 families’ diverse needs on environmental impacts from Hurricane Sandy to local industry toxic pollution. She led the creation of the Essex Long Term Recovery Group, which she co-chaired, connecting 70 plus non-profit agencies as a step to acquire future funding for disaster recovery. She contributed to the creation of NJ’s Emergency VOAD, as the Essex Long Term Recovery Group initiated by Reina, with ICC’s support, was the last county needed to establish the Long Term Recovery Group for the creation of the NJ VOAD.

Additionally, Reina has a legal assistant certification and an AS teaching degree. In the past, she has been an ESL Teacher to adults, and she worked in a Catholic school as a computer lab teacher/computer technician/aftercare teacher.

Reina actively continues to build on her skills to serve her community.