Meet the Board

Our Board of Directors

The Child Care Council of Westchester’s Board of Directors are a diverse group of talented, dedicated professionals. Board members understand the vital importance of quality early care and education, and volunteer their time and resources to support our mission.

Officers

President

Dr. Emily Koelsch

General Pediatrics, BCHP

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Dr. Emily Koelsch

Emily Koelsch, MD has been a pediatrician with Pediatrics of Sleepy Hollow, a division of BCHP, since July 2009. Thru her work with BCHP, she also provides patient services at Green Chimneys School in Patterson, NY which is a Residential Treatment Center for children with disabilities who engage in animal therapy as well as attend school and live on campus. She precepts first year and third year medical students in her primary office. Emily joined the Board of the The Council this past summer, and is also active with the Increase Miller Elementary School PTO and Religious Education with St. Mary’s church in Katonah, NY.

Emily has three children who also keep her busy – they are Will (11Y), AJ (7Y) and Beatrice (4Y). She attended college at Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, IN and medical school at the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo, OH.

Vice President

Sami Vecchiolla

Real Estate Agent,
Compass Real Estate

Sami Vecchiolla

Sami Vecchiolla, better known as Sami Sunshine, is a Realtor in Westchester NY and also part of the Regional Leadership for Master Networks Inc, a local business networking organization. Sami is a motivated Self Starter with an Engaging personality and a passion to help others, she demonstrates this by leading her conversations with “how can I support you?” and follows through with being a woman of her word. Whether buying or selling a home, her clients can expect knowledge of the local market, personalized attention, unique marketing strategies and dedication to their needs. Her clients describe her as attentive, honest, resourceful, and supportive.

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TREASURER

Wayne Gosnell

Partner, Clayman Rosenberg Kirshner & Linder LLP

Wayne Gosnell

Wayne is a partner at Clayman Rosenberg Kirshner & Linder LLP, where he litigates complex, high-stakes white collar criminal and civil cases in federal and New York state courts. In addition to his board membership at the The Council, Wayne is a member of the American Inns of Court at the Federal Bar Council, the Criminal Advocacy Committee of the New York City Bar, and the New York Council of Defense Lawyers.

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SECRETARY

Nicole Rebori

Vice President, Corporate Underwriting Audit, North America, Arch Insurance Group

Nicole Rebori

Nicole Rebori has lived in Ossining for over 15 years with her husband Kurt and her dog Duggy. She’s been working at Arch Insurance Group since 2002 where she has served in underwriting and governance roles. While growing up on Long Island and attending college at Fordham University in the Bronx, Nicole enjoyed various volunteer opportunities with community youth groups. The Child Care Council has provided her the perfect platform to use her past volunteer and project management experience to make a local impact. When not working, she’s always happy to travel, attend concerts, and spend time with family and friends. As a devoted and loving aunt to 2 nephews, 1 niece, and many friends’ children, Nicole recognizes the importance of quality child care and early education. This is why the Council’s mission resonated with her and why she supported this organization for several years prior to becoming a board member in September 2023.

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PRESIDENT EMERITUS

Craig Ruoff

Executive Managing Director
Colliers International

Craig Ruoff

Craig Ruoff is an executive managing director with Colliers International, where he specializes in tenant and landlord representation in Westchester County, NY and Fairfield County, CT, as well as on a national and international basis. Considered one of the market’s most accomplished brokers, Mr. Ruoff has 30 years of experience and is known for his ability to save his clients money and protect their interests by crafting creative solutions.

A recognized professional in the real estate industry, Mr. Ruoff has received numerous awards and honors over his 30-year career, including being named the “Ambassador or the Year” for 2018 by the Business Council of Westchester, “The Face Of Commercial Real Estate Tenant Representation” by 914 Inc.’s Faces of Westchester Business 2016, and receiving the distinction of being named one of Westchester County’s “40 Under 40 Rising Stars” by the Business Council of Westchester. Mr. Ruoff proudly serves as the President of the Board of Directors for the The Council. Mr. Ruoff received a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Union College in Schenectady, NY and lives in Irvington, NY with his wife, son and daughter.

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BOARD MEMBERS

Sapna Arvind

Consultant, Prenatal to Five
Fiscal Strategies

Cynthia Bolding

Owner, Blessed Beginnings
Childcare, Inc

Helaine S. Brick-Cabot

Principal, Brick-Cabot Law

Helaine Brick-Cabot

Helaine Brick-Cabot is an attorney and an entrepreneur. She has been practicing law for over 35 years. Although she has extensive experience in most civil matters, her practice is now limited to all phases of Matrimonial Law (Divorce, Custody, Support, Pre and Post Nuptial Agreements, etc.) Helaine enjoys serving as a Board Member of the CCCW and has lived in Westchester for 35 years. A mother of two grown daughters, one grandson and one granddaughter, Helaine enjoys her family and is an avid golfer and sports fan.

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Sue D’Emic

Senior Vice President / Accounting Officer and Controller, Booking Holdings

Meghan Drummond

Vice President of Research & Drug Development, CMT Research Foundation

Meghan Drummond, PhD, is Vice President of Research and Drug Development at the CMT Research Foundation, where she leads scientific strategy and the advancement of research aimed at developing treatments for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. She has more than 15 years of experience spanning human genetics, neuroscience, biotechnology and drug development. Prior to joining the Foundation, Meghan held scientific leadership roles at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, where she led programs focused on developing genetic medicines for hearing loss and other sensory disorders. Meghan earned her PhD in Human Genetics from Michigan State University and completed her postdoctoral training at the National Institutes of Health.

As a working parent of two children, Meghan understands firsthand the essential role that high-quality, accessible child care plays in helping children thrive and allowing families to participate fully in their careers and communities. She is proud to support the Child Care Council of Westchester and its work on behalf of children, families and child care professionals throughout the county.

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Pamela Finewood

Executive Director/Banker, J.P. Morgan Private Bank

Pamela M. Finewood is an Executive Director with J.P. Morgan Private Bank, where she partners with individuals and families to help them achieve their short- and long-term financial goals through thoughtful planning and comprehensive wealth management strategies. She also works closely with nonprofits, foundations, and endowments to develop investment strategies that support their missions, serving as a trusted resource to executive leadership and boards of directors on governance, fiduciary, and financial matters. With more than 30 years of experience in financial services, Pamela began her career in Manhattan and has built her career around helping clients navigate complex financial decisions with confidence and clarity.

A longtime Westchester resident, Pamela raised her family in the community while balancing the demands of a career in private banking. As a working mother, she is deeply committed to supporting quality child care and early childhood development and is honored to serve on the board to help advance those efforts. Pamela and her family are deeply rooted in the Westchester community. Her husband is a local business owner, and their two adult children have chosen to remain nearby as they begin their professional careers. Together, they value giving back to the community that has been home to their family for many years.

Outside of work, Pamela enjoys spending time outdoors, gardening, hiking, and staying active. She and her family are devoted New York Rangers fans and enjoy cheering on the team together.

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Diann Cameron Kelly, PhD

Associate Provost for Student Success, Adelphi University

Diann Cameron Kelly, PhD

Diann Kelly, PhD, LMSW is Associate Provost for Student Success at Adelphi University. She authored several articles on civic engagement and service learning. In addition to these articles, she is also the editor and author of Treating Young Veterans, a book on ways to service the veteran community. She is a former Fahs Beck Fellow, in which she explored the social components of the Civil Rights Era and the influence of these components on civic engagement. Dr. Kelly is also a member of several community organizations where she contributes her service. She lives in Cortlandt Manor, NY with her husband, Dr. Damyn Kelly, and her two daughters, Cheyenne and Chelsea.

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Bob Knight

President & CEO, Harry Marketing

bob knight, president & ceo, harry marketing

Bob Knight is the Chief Executive Officer of Harry Marketing (formerly Harrison Edwards), a powerhouse digital agency based in Armonk, New York, and one of the nation’s leading PR and marketing agencies in the broadband sector. Since joining the company in 2005, he has held leadership roles including Media Director, Vice President, Executive Vice President & COO, before being named CEO in 2022. Under his leadership, the agency has expanded into a full-service digital leader, with expertise in strategy, design, animation, video, and communications for clients in broadband, healthcare, biotech, and real estate.

Knight is recognized nationally and internationally as one of the foremost experts in broadband marketing and stakeholder engagement. He is a frequent speaker in the United States, Europe, and Canada, and is often called upon for his expertise in crisis communications, having served as spokesperson for the mayor of Peekskill, New York, and advised leading healthcare, biotech, and real estate organizations.

In the public sector, Knight is a five-term Commissioner of Economic & Community Development for the Town of Ridgefield, Connecticut, and was elected Chairman of the Commission in 2025. He also serves as Co-Chair of the Fiber Broadband Association’s Public Officials Committee, and sits on the Boards of the Childcare Council of Westchester and the Westchester Children’s Association. He has previously served on the Boards of the American Association for Public Broadband, the Westchester Coalition for the Hungry & Homeless, and PRSA Westchester/Fairfield. Earlier in his career, Knight was a popular radio personality in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco.

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Camille Failla Murphy, LCSW, ACSW

Founder & Director, Women’s Research and Education Fund

Camille Failla Murphy, LCSW, ACSW

Camille Murphy is a wellspring of determination, tenacity and creativity when it comes to equality, justice and safety for women and girls. As founder of the Westchester County Office for Women in 1980 and director until she retired in 2010, Camille made sure the voices of women were heard and included in the development of programs, laws and policies locally and on the state and national level.

Establishing the Office for Women put Westchester in the vanguard as the first centralized county office in New York State with the singular mission to serve women. It became a model for subsequent offices opening throughout the state in response to the changing and expanding rules of women. During her 30 year tenure, the county received several national awards for its programs to empower women and eradicate domestic violence.

Over the years Camille has implemented county programs and policies to increase safe, affordable child care; provide equal opportunities in education and the workplace; prevent sexual harassment; advocate for pay equity and women’s health; and address the needs of immigrant, elderly or disabled women and opening the Family Justice Center where 16 organizations are working to increase the safety of women and to hold offenders accountable.

On the national level, Camille was elected to the board of the National Association of Commissions for Women (NACW), created by President Kennedy in 1961 with Eleanor Roosevelt as the first chairperson. Camille served as president for five years. She breathed new life into the organization, an annual Legislative Lunch on the Hill for Congresswomen, building corporate partnerships to fund programs and establishing the organization’s NGO status a the United Nations. In 1995, Camille led the official NACW/NGO delegation to the Beijing International Women’s Conference.

Upon retiring from government, Camille became the Executive Director of the Women’s Research and Education Fund, a not for profit she established in 1989 and had served on its board. Her goal has been to fill gaps in essential services that exist in the county for women and children. Her major target for 2013 has been the development of services for women veterans. Pulling together other interested agencies, she held the first Stand Up for Women Veterans on the East Coast which has served as a model for similar events throughout the country.

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Lauren Rodriguez

Licensed Social Worker, New York Presbyterian Westchester Behavioral Health

Lauren Rodrguez

Lauren Rodrguez is a licensed social worker who is committed to the social, emotional, and cognitive growth of children. Her professional experience includes navigating diverse medical, psychological, and social issues, advocating for families while supporting and connecting them to beneficial resources. Her exceptional work has even named her the recipient of the Outstanding Service Award at New York-Presbyterian Westchester Behavioral Health. Lauren shares, “to be able to promote access to high-quality and affordable child care is so important, especially in today’s economically challenging world.” Lauren’s professional work, deep desire to support child care and personal experience in raising her children make her a perfect fit for our Board.

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Jeff Samuelson

Retired Senior Business Executive

JEFF SAMUELSON

Jeff Samuelson’s business career spans 46 years, having held senior leadership positions with IBM (25 years), his own consulting practice (6 years) and PwC (15 years).

In addition, he has held leadership positions with several non-profit organizations in Westchester, including Scarsdale School Board (6 years) and the CCCW (12+ years). A grandfather of four, Jeff and his wife, Wendy, enjoy spending time with family and working on their “bucket list.”

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Michelle Soto

Executive Director, Playto

Michelle Soto

Michelle Soto has more than 20 years of experience in early childhood education, Michelle has dedicated her career to advancing high-quality learning environments for young children while supporting families, educators, and communities. She began her professional journey as the owner and operator of a family childcare program, successfully leading the business for ten years before selling it and transitioning into executive leadership roles as of several large commercial childcare centers. Throughout her career, Michelle has been a passionate advocate for early childhood education and educational equity. Her commitment to strengthening educational systems led to her participation on the Yonkers Education Redesign Team, where she collaborated with community leaders and stakeholders to help shape initiatives that support student success and improve educational outcomes.

Today, Michelle serves as the Regional Director of Operations for Playto Childcare in New York City, where she oversees multiple early childhood programs, drives operational excellence, and mentors leadership teams to deliver exceptional care and educational experiences. She brings extensive expertise in organizational leadership, program development, regulatory compliance, strategic planning, and staff development.

As a board member, Michelle offers a unique combination of hands-on classroom experience, entrepreneurial leadership, and executive operational expertise. She is deeply committed to advocating for policies and practices that expand access to high-quality early childhood education and create lasting, positive outcomes for children, families, and the communities they serve.

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Julianna Flanagan Thurau

Client Consulting Senior Manager, Visa

Julianna Flanagan Thurau

Julianna Flanagan Thurau is an economist and data practitioner passionate about supporting families. Her dedication to inclusive economic growth has driven her career across the nonprofit, financial, and international development sectors. She holds a MSc in Geographical Information Systems from the University of Leeds in England and a BSc in Economics from American University in Washington, DC. She’s proud to support The Council’s crucial work serving children, families, providers, and businesses.

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