Trustees

BENNO SCHMIDT, B.A. J.D., was appointed by Governor George Pataki in April 2003 as Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York. He was reappointed to the Board for a seven-year term in June 2006. Previously he served as Vice Chairperson upon his appointment in August 1999. Mr. Schmidt is Chairman of the Board of The Council on Aid to Education, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, and currently serves as the Vice Chairman of Edison Schools, Inc., having served as its Chairman from 1992 until fall, 2007. Before joining Edison Schools, Inc., he served as Yale University's 20th president, where he was best known nationally for his defense of freedom of expression and the academic values of liberal education. During his tenure at Yale, which began in 1986, Mr. Schmidt launched one of the largest building programs in Yale's history; he became Yale's most successful fund-raiser; he fashioned a model partnership between the University and the city of New Haven; and helped build a number of new interdisciplinary programs, especially in environmental science, molecular biology, and international studies. During his presidency, Yale's endowment grew from $1.7 billion to nearly $3 billion, the highest rate of growth of any private university during that time.

Before joining Yale, Mr. Schmidt was the Dean of Columbia University Law School, where he joined the faculty in 1969 and became, four years later, one of the youngest tenured professors in Columbia's history. He was named Harlan Fiske Stone Professor of Constitutional Law in 1982. He is one of the country's leading scholars of the Constitution, the history of the U.S. Supreme Court, the law of freedom of expression, and the history of race relations in America. Mr. Schmidt served as law clerk to Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren. Mr. Schmidt received both his college and law degrees from Yale University. He is a trustee of the National Humanities Center and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He was also Chairman of Mayor Giuliani's Task Force on The City University of New York.  In November 2010, Mr. Schmidt received the sixth annual Philip Merrill Award of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) for Outstanding Contributions to Liberal Arts Education.

PHILIP ALFONSO BERRY, M.B.A., M.S.W., B.A., A.A., was appointed by Governor George Pataki in June 2006 as a member of the Board of The City University of New York. He was appointed Vice Chairperson of the Board by Governor Eliot Spitzer in June 2007.

He was recently reappointed to the Board for a seven-year term by Governor David Paterson.Currently, Mr. Berry is President of Philip Berry Associates LLC, which provides executive coaching, leadership training, diversity consulting and organizational development services. Until recently he was Vice President, Global Workplace Initiatives and Corporate Officer for Colgate-Palmolive, a Fortune 500 global consumer products company, since 2004. He lead the company's efforts to attract, develop and retain a diverse workforce and is responsible for developing, implementing and evaluating diversity and inclusion strategies on a global basis, along with government compliance. From 2001 to 2003 he was Vice President, Global Employee Relations & Best Place to Work, in charge of employee relations strategy and policies worldwide, and developing the company as an employer of choice. Mr. Berry, who joined Colgate-Palmolive in 1990, served as Vice President of Human Resources for its European Division from 1998 to 2001, providing strategic and operational leadership throughout the Continent; subsequent to that he handled Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Central Europe and Asia. Mr. Berry was Vice President of Human Resources for the Triboro Bridge and Tunnel Authority prior to joining Colgate-Palmolive, and also worked for Procter & Gamble and the Urban League.

Mr. Berry received a BA in Sociology from Queens College and an Associate’s Degree in Marketing from Borough of Manhattan Community College. He holds an MBA from Xavier University of Cincinnati, and an MSW from Columbia University. Mr. Berry is Vice Chair of the Department of Education’s Panel for Education Policy. He is a member of CUNY’s Business Leadership Council and the Acting Chair of the CUNY Construction Fund. In 2004 he received the Governor's Award for Community Distinction, and in 2003 he was selected by Crain's New York Business as one of New York's 100 most influential Black business executives.

VALERIE LANCASTER BEAL, B.A., M.B.A., was appointed by Governor George Pataki in June 2002 as a trustee of the Board of The City University of New York. She was recently reappointed to the Board for a seven-year term by Governor David Paterson.

Ms. Lancaster Beal possesses in excess of 25 years of experience as an investment banker. Ms Lancaster Beal was an executive in the founding team of M. R. Beal and Company n 1988. For the past decade, M. R. Beal & Company has been ranked as one of the top twenty underwriters of municipal securities nationwide. In addition, the firm has consistently been a member of the Black Enterprise 100 List and was named BE's Finance Company of the Year in June of 2001. Ms Lancaster Beal initially served as Financial Officer of M. R. Beal and subsequently became the Senior Manager in the firm's Financial Advisory Group. The firm has served as financial advisor on a wide range of transactions, including: infrastructure financings; leaseback securitizations; privatization initiatives; stadium/ arena development and educational institutions financings. She has restructured capital budgets for various municipalities and developed alternative financing vehicles to meet their capital needs. Ms Lancaster Beal appeared before numerous governmental bodies including: state and local legislative councils; authorities; the U.S. Congress; and the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. In addition, Valerie has developed strategic and business plans for various businesses and non-profit organizations.

Ms. Lancaster Beal is currently an executive on leave to the Abyssinian Development Corporation and is responsible for developing an infrastructure to facilitate the usage of interim assessments and data to inform instruction at Thurgood Marshall Academy (TMA) in Harlem. In addition, she manages the College Readiness program at TMA. In that capacity she designs and implements college awareness programs for grades 7-10 and college planning programs for grades 11-12.

Ms. Lancaster Beal holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Georgetown University, and an MBA in Finance and Financial Accounting from the Wharton Graduate School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania.

Ms. Lancaster Beal served on the Board of Regents for Georgetown University. Ms. Lancaster Beal chairs the Board's Standing Committee on Faculty, Staff, and Administration, and is a member of the Standing Committee on Fiscal Affairs.

WELLINGTON Z. CHEN, B.S. Originally appointed by Governor George Pataki in June 2000 as a trustee of the Board of The City University of New York, Mr. Chen was reappointed by the Governor in June 2005. Mr. Chen was born in Taiwan, and lived in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Brazil before arriving in New York over 30 years ago as an adolescent. He is conversant in several languages, including Chinese (Amoy, Cantonese, Mandarin), and Brazilian-Portuguese.

Mr. Chen, a resident of Queens and a long-time community leader, graduated from the School of Architecture and Environmental Studies at City College. He was the first Chinese American in Queens to serve on a community planning board, where he chaired the cultural affairs, housing, landmarks, planning and zoning committees and helped to bring about the revival of downtown Flushing.

Mr. Chen is the Executive Director of the Chinatown Partnership Development Corporation, and in this capacity he will lead the Chinatown Partnership in implementing major initiatives in tourism, marketing and public space improvements in a comprehensive effort to improve business conditions. Mr. Chen was a Commissioner of the New York City Board of Standards and Appeals which reviews zoning variances, special permits, and other land use appeals.

Mr. Chen is Chair of the Board's Standing Committee on Academic Policy, Program, and Research, and holds membership of the Board's Standing Committee on Facilities, Planning, and Management.

RITA DIMARTINO, A.A., B.A., M.P.A., was appointed by Mayor Bloomberg in July 2003. She was recently reappointed to the Board for a seven-year term. As a former Vice President of Congressional Relations for AT&T, Ms. DiMartino assisted in AT&T's relations with the administration, congress, and with state governments. She started her career at AT&T in College Relations, where she interacted with various higher education institutions, and represented AT&T at many national higher education conferences in the United States. Previously, Ms. DiMartino worked for the New York State department of Commerce (OMBE) and visited colleges throughout the state for the purpose of starting Small Business Development Centers.

President Ronald Reagan appointed Ms. DiMartino in 1982 as U.S. Representative to the UNICEF Executive Board. Her work as U.S. Representative included increasing UNICEF's financial support and accelerating the program's assistance in the areas of child health, nutrition, water supply, sanitation, and education.

President George Bush appointed Ms. DiMartino in 1992 to a three-year term on the World Board of Governors of the United Service Organization (USO).

Ms. DiMartino was appointed in February 2002 as the Principal U.S. Delegate to the Inter-American Commission of Women, and also the Principal Representative to the Inter-American Children's Institute. She was also appointed to the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board by President George W. Bush.

In 2005, Ms. DiMartino was appointed by Secretary Elaine Chao to the U.S. Department of Labor National Advisory Committee on Apprenticeships, and served as a Commissioner on the Commission on Federal Election Reform. She has also served on twelve International Electoral Observation Missions.

Active at all levels of Republican politics, Ms. DiMartino was elected Delegate/Delegate-at-Large/Alternate Delegate to nine Republican National Conventions, served on the 1992 Platform Committee, and was elected Vice Chair of the New York Republican State Committee in 1987, where she served for eighteen consecutive years.

Ms. DiMartino is Vice Chair of the Board of Bronx-Lebanon Hospital, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and serves on the Boards of the National Endowment for Democracy, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, the Ana G. Mendez University System, and the Advisory Board of the Inter-American Foundation. She has previously served on the Board of trustees of Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry for approximately six years.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Ms. DiMartino received her B.A. from the College of Staten Island, and her MPA from Long Island University (C. W. Post Center). She holds an Honorary Doctor of Civil Law from Dowling College, and completed Business Leadership Training Programs at Harvard Business School and Executive Management Programs at the University of California at Berkeley.

Ms. DiMartino is Vice Chair of the Board's Standing Committee on Faculty, Staff, and Administration, and holds membership on the Standing Committee on Academic Policy, Program, and Research, the Standing Committee on Facilities, Planning, and Management, and the Standing Committee on Student Affairs and Special Programs.

FREIDA D. FOSTER, B.A., M.S., was appointed by Governor George Pataki in June 2006 as a trustee of the Board of The City University of New York. She serves as a Commissioner for the NYS Worker's Compensation Board where she adjudicates and processes hundreds of claims for employers' who report injuries and seek supplemental benefits while they recover from various ailments. Ms. Foster also serves on the Harlem Community Development Corporation's Board of Directors where she assists in the guidance of the organization to make the best development decisions for the growth of the Harlem Community.

Ms. Foster also worked as a PR professional with one of the largest PR firms in the world, Burson-Marsteller. She has served as Director for Governor Pataki's Office of Community Affairs; Assistant to the Governor for African American Affairs; Community Service Coordinator at CUNY's Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) and NYC Human Resources Administration Liaison and Recruiter for BMCC's College Opportunity to Prepare for Employment Program.

A lifelong Harlem resident, Ms. Foster holds a BA from Hofstra University and an M.S. from the University of Wisconsin.

Ms. Foster is Chair of the Board's Standing Committee on Facilities Planning and Management, and serves as Vice Chair of the Standing Committee on Student Affairs and Special Programs.

JUDAH GRIBETZ, A.B., LL.B., LL.M., was appointed by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg as a Trustee of The City University of New York, for a term ending June 2014. He previously served as a Trustee from June 1980 to April 1989; via appointment by Mayor Edward I. Koch.

Trustee Gribetz’ legal experience and governmental service span over five decades. He is currently of counsel to Bingham McCutchen LLP and serves by appointment of United States District Judge Edward R. Korman as the Special Master in the Swiss Bank Holocaust Victim Assets Litigation. He was responsible for proposing a plan of worldwide allocation and distribution of a $1.25 billion fund established after the settlement of this class-action litigation. Following the Court’s approval, he was asked by the Court to oversee the distribution of this fund to over 450,000 victims or targets of Nazi persecution or their heirs.

Mr. Gribetz has spent much of his career in government service. His appointments have included Counsel to Governor Hugh L. Carey (January 1975-December 1978), Deputy Mayor for Governmental Relations under Mayor Abraham D. Beame (January-December 1974), Impartial Chairman of the Rent Stabilization Conciliation and Appeals Board under Mayor John V. Lindsay (September 1969-December 1973), Regional Administrator of the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under Secretary Robert C. Weaver (August 1966-July 1969), Deputy Commissioner (January 1962-July 1965) and later Commissioner (July-December 1965) of the Department of Buildings under Mayor Robert F. Wagner, and an Assistant Corporation Counsel in the City’s Law Department (July 1958-July 1961).

He was a Member of Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan’s Committee on Judicial and United States Attorney Appointments (1980 -2000), serving as Chairperson from 1988 to 1996). He was a member of the New York State Commission on Judicial Nomination (1982-1986) and of the Law Revision Commission of the State of New York (1979-1989). He also served on the New York City Charter Revision Commission (1987-1990). He was Vice President of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York from 1980-1982 and Director of the Legal Aid Society from 1983-1988.

Mr. Gribetz has devoted himself as a volunteer to a wide range of civic and community organizations in New York City. He is a Trustee of the Mount Sinai Medical Center (1980 to date), and of A Living Memorial to the Holocaust: Museum of Jewish Heritage (1996 to date).  He was a Member of the Distribution Committee of the New York Community Trust (1981-1994); Director of the Hebrew Free Loan Society (1966-1995) and President (1995-2004); Vice President of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (1984-1992) and President (1992-1995).

In 1968, Mr. Gribetz received the Distinguished Service Award of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. In 1992, he received the New York City Corporation Counsel’s Award for Distinguished Service. In 1993, Simon & Schuster published The Timetables of Jewish History which he co-authored with Edward L. Greenstein and Regina Stein.

A retired Lieutenant in the United States Navy, he was on active duty from August 1952 until November 1955, serving as an Assistant Legal Officer at the United States Naval Receiving Station, Boston, Massachusetts and a Gunnery Officer aboard the U.S.S. Bennington (CVA-20).

Mr. Gribetz received his A. B. from Columbia College in 1949, an LL.B. from Columbia law School in 1952, and an LL.M. from New York University Graduate School of Law in 1962. In 1946, he graduated from Boys High School of Brooklyn, New York.

JOSEPH J. LHOTA, B.S.B.A., M.B.A., originally appointed by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani in May 2001 as a trustee of the Board of The City University of New York and re-appointed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2004 and 2011. Mr. Lhota just joined the MTA, assuming responsibilities for the day-to-day operations of the organization. Mr. Lhota is Governor Cuomo's nominee to serve as the MTA's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, pending confirmation by the New York State Senate. Previoulsy, he was an Executive Vice President at Madison Square Garden. From 2002 through 2010, he was Executive Vice President at Cablevision Systems Corporation.

Mr. Lhota was Deputy Mayor for Operations from July 1998 to December 2001. Previously, Mr. Lhota served as New York City's Budget Director and Commissioner of Finance. As Deputy Mayor, Mr. Lhota was the City's chief operating officer responsible for overseeing all of the City's agencies and advising the Mayor on the budget and financial management of the City. Additionally, Mr. Lhota served as the Mayor's chief liaison with federal, state and local elected officials.

Prior to his government service, Mr. Lhota was a senior investment banker with First Boston and PaineWebber. He is an expert in the development of financing programs for state and local governments.

Mr. Lhota is a cum laude graduate of Georgetown University and he received his M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School. Mr. Lhota, a resident of Brooklyn, is Chair of the Board's Standing Committee on Fiscal Affairs.

HUGO M. MORALES, M.D., DPN-P, F.A.P.A., originally appointed by Governor Pataki in June 2002 as a trustee of the Board of The City University of New York, Dr. Morales was reappointed by Governor Spitzer in October 2007.

Dr. Morales was the Medical Director of the Bronx Mental Health Center, which he established and organized in 1965 in order to provide innovative, comprehensive ambulatory mental health care services to low-income minority patients of the Bronx and other boroughs from 1965 to 1999.

Previously, Dr. Morales was Junior Psychiatrist at Elmhurst Hospital in Queens (1961-62), Senior Psychiatrist at Manhattan State Hospital in Wards Island (1963-65), and Director of the Department of Psychiatry at St. Francis Hospital in the Bronx (1966). Dr. Morales is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians, as well as the American College of Forensic Examiners. Dr. Morales received his Medical Degree from the University of Santo Domingo.

Dr. Morales was Chairman of the Dominican Board of the Governor's Office for Hispanic Affairs, from 1984 to 1992, and serves as member on the Hispanic Federation Committee, the New York State Department of Health Medical Advisory Committee, the Governor's Task Force on Rape and Sexual Assault, and the Hostos Community College Advisory Board.

Dr. Morales was a member of the Blue Ribbon Panel of the New York City Board of Education in 1987, and the President of the Bronx County Medical Society in 1985, President of A.P.A. (Bronx Psychiatric) Society, Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Society, Founder and Chairman of the Dominican-American Foundation, and recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 1996.

Dr. Morales is Vice Chair of the Board's Standing Committee on Academic Policy, Program, and Research.

PETER S. PANTALEO, J.D., B.A., was appointed by Governor David Paterson as a trustee of The City University of New York, for a term that ends in June 2015. A Partner at DLA PIPER, Mr. Pantaleo is a Joint Global Leader, Employment, Pensions & Benefits Group; and, Chair, US Labor & Employment Group. He is also a managing partner of the firm's New York office.

Mr. Pantaleo represents both domestic and international employers in labor, employment, and civil rights matters. While he has substantial experience litigating cases before courts, administrative agencies, and arbitration panels, the principal focus of Mr. Pantaleo's practice is advising employers in complex, politically sensitive labor and employment matters. He has lectured extensively at health care and hospitality conferences.

Mr. Pantaleo was inducted as a Fellow into the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers in 2007. He is a member of the Business Advisory Council of CUNY, the Editorial Board of the Gaming Law Review, and the Institute of Directors, London. He has also been named a 2007 New York Super Lawyer.

Mr. Pantaleo is Vice Chair of the Board's Standing Committee on Fiscal Affairs.

KATHLEEN M. PESILE, A.A.S., B.B.A., M.P.A. Originally appointed by Governor George Pataki in June 1998 as a Trustee of the Board of The City University of New York, Ms. Pesile was reappointed by the Governor in June 2005.

Ms. Pesile is a financial advisor and university educator with a diverse background in corporate finance, investment banking and higher education. In 1995 she founded Pesile Financial Group a financial advisory practice serving individuals, small business and non-profits. A former vice president at JP Morgan & Co. in Mergers and Acquisitions, she served as financial business manager, and also in the Treasurer's Division, where she created the global markets financial data services group and traveled extensively throughout Asia, Europe and South America. Prior to joining Morgan, she was a vice president of finance and administration with Capital Cities / ABC and was part of a special three member team formed by CEO Thomas Murphy to develop and finance the firm's substance abuse assistance program that became a model for other Fortune 500 firms. She was also a member of the Women's Advisory Committee that promoted training programs for women at Spelman College.

Ms. Pesile is an adjunct professor in Finance and International Business at The College of Staten Island and was a founding faculty of its Weekend College. She also served as an adjunct thesis advisor/examiner at the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at the University of Delaware. She started her teaching career as the only female professor in the department of Criminal Justice at Jersey City State College where she developed finance related courses for law enforcement personnel of New Jersey, and helped found its Peter Rodino Institute for Justice.

Ms. Pesile graduated summa cum laude from The College of Staten Island, and was a recipient of the President's Medal At Bernard M. Baruch College. She earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees magna cum laude, and was awarded the President's Medal and membership in the Golden Key International Honor Society. As a doctoral student she was awarded the National Security Scholarship at New York University.

An advocate for volunteerism and public service, Ms. Pesile has served as a board member with the Alzheimer's Foundation, Sky Light Center, the Staten Island Symphony, the College of Staten Island Foundation and the CSI Alumni Association, creating major fundraisers for student scholarships, the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation-Community Advisory Council, representing Staten Island.

In 2000, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani appointed her to the New York City Cultural Affairs Advisory Commissions. In 2001, she received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. In 2003, the National Coalition of Cultural Organizations presented her with the National Leadership in Education Award, she also received a pontifical knighthood as a Dame of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, invested by New York's Edward Cardinal Egan. Presently, she serves on the board of Staten Island University Hospital, the Women's Leadership Council of the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation (SIEDC) and the Staten Island Kennel Club.

Ms. Pesile was awarded the President's Medal from California State University at Stanislaus and two honorary doctoral degrees, Honoris Causa from the National University of Tumbes and National Teachers University, as well as an honorary professorship in finance and economics from Ricardo Palma University in Peru for her efforts in establishing student exchanges with CUNY.

Ms. Pesile is Chair of the Board's standing committee on Student Affairs and Special Programs, and holds membership on the Fiscal Affairs committee and subcommittee on Investments. She chairs the Institute for Effective Governance with the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA), and is a CUNY delegate and state chair for New York with the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT), both in Washington, DC.

CAROL A. ROBLES-ROMÁN, B.A., J.D., was appointed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg in June 2002 as a trustee of the Board of The City University of New York. Her professional career includes executive posts in law, business development and management. Appointed by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg in 2002 as Deputy Mayor for Legal Affairs and Counsel to the Mayor, she oversees several city agencies and advises the Mayor and the executive branch on legal policy issues including judicial selection, ethics, compliance and enforcement of anti-discrimination laws, disability and access laws, domestic violence, and immigration. Under her direction, the Legal Affairs team has overseen several public/private initiatives and operational reforms, including the establishment of the Family Justice Centers, and Executive Order 120 which requires all city agencies that provide direct public services to implement language assistance plans for limited English proficient persons.

She has held executive posts with the New York State Unified Court System, where she helped oversee a two billion dollar budget covering statewide court operations including technology, human resources, education, and training. She served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company, where she oversaw their continental U.S. operations and marketing initiatives and promoted relocation and retention of Fortune 500 companies to Puerto Rico.

Deputy Mayor Robles-Román works with several educational institutions and non profits, including the Fordham University at Lincoln Center Board of Advisors, New York University School of Law Alumni Association, the National Association of Women Lawyers Board of Directors, and the Wildlife Conservation Society Board of Trustees. She received her undergraduate degree from Fordham University at Lincoln Center and her Juris Doctorate from New York University School of Law.

Deputy Mayor Robles-Román holds membership on the Board's Standing Committee on Fiscal Affairs.

CHARLES A. SHORTER , B.A., M.A., was appointed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg as a trustee of The City University of New York, for a term that ends in June 2013. Mr. Shorter is a Senior Advisor at Davis Brody Bond, LLP, Architects and Planners. Previously he was a Director in the Public/Private practice for Ernst & Young LLP’s Real Estate Transaction Advisory Services Group, with primary responsibility for real estate project management and business development. Prior to joining Ernst & Young, Mr. Shorter held senior positions with Arthur Andersen LLP and Real Estate Research Corporation.

Mr. Shorter received his B.A. from Princeton University and his M.A. from Columbia University. Since 1988, he is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Master of Science in Real Estate Development program at Columbia University; he is also a frequent lecturer/speaker on real estate trends and economics. Trustee Shorter is a board member of the New 42 nd Street Corporation and The Studio Museum in Harlem, and is a member of the President’s Council at Cooper Union.

Mr. Shorter holds membership on the Board's Standing Committee on Academic Policy, Program and Research, and the Standing Committee on Facilities, Planning, and Management.

SAM A. SUTTON, B.A., was appointed by Governor Pataki in December 2006 as a trustee of the Board of The City University of New York. He is Chief Executive Officer of Accessory Exchange, a company that designs, manufactures and distributes quality handbags and fine leather goods, and a founding board member and current Vice President of the Education Association for Children in New York State (TEACH NYS), a broad-based coalition dedicated to assisting families in the efforts they undertake in support of their children's education.

Mr. Sutton is the President of the Sephardic Community Federation, the umbrella public policy group of the organized Sephardic Jewish community. He has been involved in extensive volunteer and community work, including serving as President of Sephardic Bikur Holim, one of the premier community-based social service organizations in New York State. Trustee Sutton chaired the Board of Education for the Sephardic High School and is a New York City certified foster parent who has opened his home to a dozen foster children, including many with special needs.Trustee Sutton is working closely with Yad Vashem, the world-renowned Holocaust remembrance institution on the development of a college preparatory program for young women.Previously, Trustee Sutton served as Chairman of the Sephardic High School Fundraising Committee from 1984 to 1987; as Chairman of its Board of Education from 1982 to 1987; and as a member of the school's Board of Directors from 1980 to 1987.

Mr. Sutton is a graduate of Yeshiva University (Cum Laude) and Yeshiva of Flatbush High School. He is a lifelong resident of Brooklyn.

Mr. Sutton holds membership on the Board's Standing Committee on Academic Policy, Program and Research.

JEFFREY S. WIESENFELD, B.A., was appointed by Governor Pataki in June 1999 as a trustee of the Board of The City University of New York. Mr. Wiesenfeld was reappointed by the Governor in December 2006. He was born in The Bronx in 1958, the son of two Holocaust survivors. He attended the Bronx High School of Science and Queens College, where he also pursued graduate studies.

After serving for four years in the foreign counterintelligence division of the FBI, Mr. Wiesenfeld served as an assistant to Congressman Thomas Manton and Queens Borough President Claire Shulman. He was then appointed as Chief-of-Staff to Mayor Koch's Traffic Commissioner where he also served for four years. Following the conclusion of the Koch Administration, Mr. Wiesenfeld became the New York Metropolitan Area Executive Assistant to United States Senator Alfonse D'Amato. As a senior staff member in the New York office, he was responsible for many of the Senator's activities and his personal representation in the eight counties comprising the downstate region. In January 1995, Mr. Wiesenfeld became the Executive Assistant to New York State Governor George Pataki for the New York Metropolitan Region. His duties included directing the New York City office, coordinating the Governor's relations with all civic, ethnic, and geographic organizations, and other general responsibilities as a senior aide to the Governor. Mr. Wiesenfeld also became the New York City Regional Director of the Empire State Development Corporation in 1999, the State's economic development agency.

His non-government board directorships include: The Washington Institute for Near East Policy (Trustee); Long Island Chapter of the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America; New York Metropolitan Region and National Governing Board of the American Jewish Congress; Berkshire Hills-Emanuel Camps; Queensborough Community College Holocaust Resource Center; Irish Studies Advisory Board of CUNY; Open University of Israel; Foksbiene Yiddish Theatre (Chairman); Jewish Community Relations Council of New York; Salute to Israel Day Parade Committee; North Shore Hebrew Academy; Great Neck Arts Center; the Advisory Board of the Rubin Museum of Art and, U.S. Presidency of the Israel Independence Fund. He is a former Commissioner of the Long Island North Shore Heritage Area Planning Commission and former director of the United Nations Development Corporation (by appointment of Governor George Pataki).

Mr. Wiesenfeld is a Principal with the firm of Bernstein Global Wealth Management. He has been active for many years in the community and is a strong voice for those causes in which he believes. Active with many local and national organizations, he possesses a high level of caring and involvement.

Mr. Wiesenfeld serves as Vice Chair of the Committee on Facilities, Planning, and Management, and holds membership on the Board's Committee on Faculty, Staff, and Administration.

KAFUI KOUAKOU, B.B.A, B.S., was elected the twenty-sixth Chairperson of the University Student Senate on October 16, 2011 .He is a native of Togo (West Africa) and is currently a graduate student at Brooklyn College where he is working on a masters in Economics.

Previously, Mr. Kouakou attended York College where he graduated with honors, receiving two degrees , one in Business Administration (2008 Magna Cum Laude, Academic distinction in Business Administration) and the other in Mathematics (2010 with Academic Excellence in Mathematics). Throughout his undergraduate life, Mr. Kouakou has been very involved in significant leadership roles starting with the African Club at York College for which he served as the Public Relations Officer (2005-06) before joining the York College soccer team (2005-07) as a player and later as captain.

In 2006, he was a member of the CUNY Athletic Conference Goodwill tour team that traveled to South Africa to promote the University, through clinics and community service. Mr. Kouakou led the York College Cardinals to a CUNYAC championship in 2007, earning a number of accolades including being named CUNYAC Player of the Year and Tournament MVP in 2007, as well as D3kicks.com and National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Regional honors. He was also named the CUNYAC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the 2007-08 school year.

Mr. Kouakou served in the York College Student Government Association (YSGA) as the Evening and Part-Time Vice President in 2007 and the University Student Senate Delegate in 2009. He was also the Vice President and Acting President of the Student Athletes’ Advisory Committee (SAAC) at York College. He is currently the Treasurer and USS Delegate for the Graduate Student Organization (GSO) at Brooklyn College.

Mr. Kouakou joined the York College men's soccer coaching staff in 2008 as the assistant coach, winning another Championship with the City University New York Athletic Conference the following year. He was recently named the head coach of the inaugural women's soccer team in 2011. He is also currently an Adjunct Lecturer in Mathematics and Physical Education, and the Co-Advisor of the National Society of Leadership and Success (York Chapter) at York College.

SANDI E. COOPER, B.A., M.A., Ph.D., is an ex officio non-voting member of the Board of Trustees and Chairperson of the University Faculty Senate. Professor Cooper has been a member of the Department of History at The College of Staten Island since 1967 and at The Graduate School and University Center since 1992. She has served in the University Faculty Senate since 1978, and has been on the Executive Committee since 1980. Professor Cooper is a specialist in Modem European History, with particular interests in European peace movements and in women’s history. She is a summa cum laude graduate of The City College/CUNY and has a Ph.D., from New York University. A founding member of Richmond College (1967), she has developed various curricula for students ranging from introductory through doctoral, has served as an outside consultant for other history departments, libraries and for publishers and has served on numerous college and university committees.  She has also studied at the University of Paris, and at the University of Edinburgh. Dr. Cooper is the author of numerous books and articles, and the editor of anthologies on international peace movements and women’s peace movements.