Copyright 1999 Newsday, Inc.
Newsday (New York, NY)
December 6, 1999, Monday NASSAU AND SUFFOLK
EDITION
SECTION: EXECUTIVE EDITION; Page C10
LENGTH: 1491 words
HEADLINE:
DOING BUSINESS WITH: / LONG ISLAND'S UNITED WAY / KEY PLAYERS
BODY:
After a nationwide search, Willie Edlow Jr.
was named president and chief executive in March, 1997. He manages a staff of
40. Edlow juggles his time between administrative activities and raising funds
and networking in the community. He credits his success to having developed a
solid staff that works together to resolve most issues. Since coming to Long
Island, Edlow has overseen a 16 percent increase in fund-raising, reduced
administrative overhead costs to 12.5 percent, amassed more than 200 community
leaders to support a restructured Success By 6 initiative, a program for
children 6 and under, and restructured Project Blueprint Initiatitive to recruit
and train minority leadership to serve on nonprofit boards of directors. He has
also guided United Way to become the administrative support agency in
distributing $ 6 million in government funds to help people with HIV/AIDs. Edlow
can be reached at 631-595-6444.
Theresa Regnante, executive vice
president of community and agency services, has been with the United Way for 13
years. She oversees the community and agency services division staff experienced
with health and human service organizations and she maintains relationships with
Island United Way member organizations. She works with more than 100 volunteers
to make funding and membership decisions. Regnante also serves on the board of
The Coalition on Child Care. She is an American Humanics graduate of High Point
University in North Carolina. She can be reached at 631-595-6406.
Julianna K. Sparacio is senior vice president of marketing and
communications.
Since she joined the organization in 1996, Sparacio has
been responsible for strategic planning in all aspects of marketing,
communications, public relations and special events. Sparacio oversees and
manages the organization's marketing department and guides implementation of
marketing and advertising strategies for new programs such as United Way's
Success By 6 and Project Blueprint initiatives. Sparacio also cultivates
partnerships with Island businesses, including supporting companies, new
businesses, town government, New York sports teams, celebrities and United Way's
member agencies. She manages marketing and publicity for industry-related
communities, including the Long Island Insurance Gala, partnerships surrounding
the Human Care summit, the National Association of Letter Carriers and U.S.
Postal Service Food Drive and educational programs through corporations,
including IBM and Suffolk County National Bank. Before joining the Island's
United Way, Sparacio was director of public relations at Welch, Neh
len&Groome Inc. in Garden City. She is a member of Toastmasters
International's Brookhaven and Hauppauge clubs, International Association of
Business Communicators, Long Island Coalition for Fair Broadcasting, Public
Relations Professionals of Long Island and the Long Island Association. Sparacio
can be reached at 631-595-6473.
Mary R. Curtis is senior vice president
of the division of planning and grants management. She supervises the planning
and the expenditure of $ 5.6 million in federal funds distributed across Long
Island under Title I of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources
Emergency Act. The United Way is the support agency for these funds
that are administered by Nassau County, which receives the grant. Curtis also
supervises the CARE network staff, funded through Title II of the CARE Act. The
CARE Network is a consortium of more than 200 individuals representing at least
150 organizations responsible for planning for the needs of HIV-positive
individuals in the region. Curtis is also responsible for overseeing the
administration of the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS program for
the Town of Islip, the grantee. The program has established more than 25 safe
and affordable homes for people who are HIV-infected and their families. Curtis,
who has been involved in health and social services planning for 12 years,
received her doctorate in applied research in psychology from Hofstra University
in 1993. Curtis can be reached at 631-595-6449.
Marsha C. Marksheid,
senior vice president of gift planning and special markets, has been with the
United Way since 1995. She has been managing the planned giving and major gifts
programs and has assumed new responsibilities that include new markets
development, residential giving outreach as well as the soon-to-be-inaugurated
capital campaign. Marsheid's background includes serving as director of
development at United Jewish Ys of Long Island for six years. She has also
worked for the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, Winthrop-University
Hospital and United Way of New York City. Marksheid also lectures and serves as
a mentor for the National Society of Fund-Raising Executives and the JCC
Association of North America. She is treasurer of the board of the Long Island
chapter of NSFRE and is also involved with other committees related to
philanthropic advancement such as the Charitable Consortium of Long Island's
Association of Professional Financial Consultants. Marksheid can be reached at
631-595-6495.
Patricia M. Raifer is vice president of the Success By 6
initiative. Raifer, who joined the organization in 1996, is responsible for
developing and managing the program, which promotes the healthy development of
all children, prenatal through age 6. The program addresses issues such as
reducing the number of uninsured children, decreasing the number of women who do
not receive prenatal care, identifying the skills necessary for a child to enter
school ready to learn and developing a resource guide on services available for
children and parents. Raifer has worked in the nonprofit field since 1992 and
has been a volunteer since 1987. Her background includes serving as director of
development for the Working Organization for Retarded Children and Adults, as
area director for the American Cancer Society's Queens division and as special
events coordinator for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of metropolitan New York.
Raifer's experience includes conducting fund-raising campaigns in the
workplace, working with volunteers, conducting special events, community
fund-raising, marketing and educating the public. Raifer received her bachelor's
degree in liberal arts from Hofstra University. She is a member of the Long
Island chapter of the National Society of Fund-Raising Executives, the National
Association of Mother's Centers Corporate Committee and the Hofstra Alumni
Recruitment Team. Raifer can be reached at 631-595-6420.
Sheila O'Connor
is managing vice president of workplace campaigns and is responsible for United
Way's annual fund-raising drive. This year's goal is to raise $ 11.5 million.
O'Connor leads a team of staff and volunteers who manage employee-giving
campaigns in more than 800 businesses, nonprofits and government agencies on
Long Island. O'Connor, who has 15 years experience in fund-raising and campaigns
with grass-roots community organizations, has been with the United Way for three
years. Under her leadership, the 1997 Combined Federal Campaign for Long Island
was recognized nationally and the Long Island United Way was presented with an
award for having the largest increase, 40 percent, in the nation for campaigns
under $ 1 million. O'Connor received her bachelor's degree at the State College
at Oneonta. She can be reached at 631-595-6424.
Cori Feldman, vice
president of internal operations, has been with the organization for 12 years
and reports to Edlow. Feldman oversees the organization's day-to-day operations,
including human resources and staff recruiting. She also is liaison between
United Way board of directors and management staff. Feldman's involvement with
the board of directors includes organizational planning with United Way's
chairman of the board, strategic planning, board development and new facility
management. Feldman can be reached at 631-595-6440.
A CLOSER LOOK In the
past 35 years, Long Island's United Way has gen erated more than $ 250 million
to help local charities. Run by a 40-member board of directors, United Way
raises funds to support the health and human services on Long Island and has
established specific programs to address problems. This includes helping
children in the early years of development, providing outreach through
information and referral programs, training citizens to participate on boards of
directors, and administering food, shelter and utility assistance during
emergencies.
Key Volunteers: Darrel Reed, 1999 United Way chairman of
the board and vice president. He is chief financial officer of AIL Systems Inc.
Lawrence J. Waldman, United Way finance chairman. He is managing partner
of KPMG.
Joseph Purcell, 1999 United Way campaign chairman. He is
division executive of Chase Manhattan Bank.
Local headquarters: Deer
Park Employees: 40 Web Site: www.unitedwayli.org
GRAPHIC: Photos - 1) Willie Edlow Jr. 2) Theresa
Regnante 3) Julianna K. Sparacio 4) Mary R. Curtis 5) Marsha C. Markshield 6))
Patricia M. Raifer 7) Sheila O'Connor 8) Cori Feldman
LOAD-DATE: December 6, 1999 
