Leadership

Tom McDermott

Board Co-Chair

Tom McDermott is an investment banker, advisor and former global operating executive, and Managing Director at Cambridge Wilkinson. He has a track record for raising equity and debt capital from $25 million to $500 million for companies with proven growth potential. He focuses on various sectors, including Lending Finance, Fund Finance, Financial Services, Real Estate, Technology, and ESG-focused companies. Before joining CW, Tom had a 30 career as a global marketing, sales and general management operator in fintech, specialty finance and consumer products for companies including Capital One, Western Union, Nabisco and Reckitt.

Gerri Alfino

Board Co-Chair

Gerri Alfino has been an EF member since 2014. She has prior Board service as Secretary from 2019 – 2020. In addition, she served on the MIT Experience Committee. Gerri also has a wealth of non-profit board experience, serving as a former Board member of the Financial Women’s Association, former Chair of its Business and Government Affairs Committee, former Trustee of St. Patrick’s Parish, Bedford, NY, and is currently Co-Chair, of the Parish Council. Gerri is a financial services attorney with over 30 years of strong governance experience and active involvement in clients’ Boards of Directors.

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Jessica Perry

Vice President

Jeff Fiarman

Secretary

Robyn D'Elia

Treasurer

Jessica Perry is principal of Six Doors, providing strategic consulting and advisory services to media, technology and trade associations seeking digital transformation and growth.  Perry brings more than 25 years of success in brand and performance marketing, business development and product development in leadership roles at Dow Jones & Company, Conde Nast, Atlantic Media and the Society for Human Resource Management, and as a consultant and board member to the American Marketing Association and Software & Information Industry Association, specializing in companies with membership, subscription and annuity revenue models.  Most recently, Perry was Chief Marketing Officer for private equity-backed Modern Hire, a SaaS platform providing interview technology and AI-based hiring assessments.  

Jeff Fiarman is a commercially-minded attorney whose extensive depth and breadth of corporate legal expertise, coupled with strong strategic and general management experience, is a natural fit for a growth-focused, entrepreneurial-minded company -- private or public.

I possess a proven track record in enabling new business opportunities, negotiating complex commercial contracts, leading capital market and M&A transactions, protecting global IP, implementing corporate governance best practices, and resolving costly litigation.

Robin Delia is a versatile and collaborative CFO with progressive experience leading all areas of finance within a fortune 500 public company. She thrives and delivers in fast-paced transforming environments, leading by example.  While she was a vital member of the leadership team at iconic retailer Bed Bath & Beyond (NASDAQ: BBBY), the company grew from a single brand with 108 US-based stores to a complex multi-brand omnichannel retailer operating over 1500 stores in the US, Canada, and Mexico and revenues grew from ~$800M to over $11.5B, with digital revenues representing ~$2B. Robyn has expertise in strategic planning, financial planning & analysis, M&A, process improvement, risk management, corporate governance, and treasury.  In addition, Robyn has experience in the board room on various corporate governance, topics including executive compensation design, say on pay, board member selection & onboarding, business transformation, enterprise risk management, cybersecurity, and M&A.

Alexandra Aleskovsky

Membership

Alexandra Aleskovsky has been a member since 2018 and is currently the Founder and President of DigitalShop, an advisory business. She brings over 30 years of strategic and operational leadership expertise across diverse industries, including Internet/Digital, Consumer, Education, Health/Wellness in private, public, and not-for-profit companies. Her career includes CEO, President, CGO, and CMO roles at Weight Watchers, Scholastic, the American Kennel Club, Colgate-Palmolive, and Citibank.p>

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Carol Yvette Thorney

Technology &
Digital Strategy

Carol Yvette Thorney, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Thorney Advisors, is an innovative, profit-oriented executive. Her track record includes increasing revenues, expanding market share, and improving client satisfaction. With over 20 years of experience, Carol has enabled organizations in various sectors—healthcare, finance, retail, BPO, and IT—to drive seamless customer experiences through reimagined business models. She also champions Agile and Lean enterprise strategies, fostering profitable growth and supporting industry benchmarks. Carol holds an MBA and is an active alumnus of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where the vision of “Why not change the world?” drives her mission.

Her areas of expertise include Start-Up Commercialization, Strategy & Growth, Digital Transformation, Change Management and Coaching & Training. Carol’s impact extends across industries such as technology, banking, financial services, insurance, healthcare (payer and provider), digital health, life sciences, manufacturing, and the public sector. Carol embodies the spirit of transformation, driving organizations toward success in an ever-evolving landscape.

Lisa Rosenberg

Brand & Marketing

Lisa Rosenberg is a creative instigator who believes brands must live at the intersection of culture and commerce. A seasoned client counselor, Lisa is a hands-on strategist with expertise in leading global brand initiatives and has been the creative force behind many successful brand journeys. Currently, she is Partner + President of Consumer Brands at Allison+Partners, having previously held executive leadership positions at Havas PR and Porter Novelli. She has spent her career developing award-winning campaigns for major consumer brands and has launched every shaving innovation for Gillette from Sensor to Fusion ProGlide, helped M&M's put the color purple in the bag, was the creative spark behind Driscoll's Rosé berries, and most recently drove Budweiser's success at Super Bowl LV. Lisa has 20+ years of big agency operational leadership experience including strong financial management expertise and a reputation for recruiting, mentoring, and developing talent. She loves the thrill of the hunt and is a highly effective business developer with persuasive selling skills. A noted industry leader, Lisa is often quoted on brand and marketing trends and has served on numerous award juries, including Cannes Lions, The Clios, Brand Film Festival, Sabre Awards, Silver Anvils, Snackable Content, and PRWeek Awards, among others. She has been recognized by PRovoke Media as an Innovator 25, by PRWeek as a Hall of Femme, and a Champion of PR, and has won more than 50 awards on behalf of her clients.  Lisa holds a Bachelor of Arts in history from Johns Hopkins University and resides in New Rochelle, NY.

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Michael Epstein

Independent
Career Track

Michael Epstein is an entrepreneurially-spirited Business Services sector Executive who transforms company cultures and leads fiscally responsible growth by articulating a strategic vision and set of values to be embraced at all levels of the organization. Most recently I was appointed Senior Vice-President of the New Jersey office for Cresa Global Inc. -- the world’s largest occupier-only commercial real estate firm – representing occupiers exclusively — no landlords, no developers – to provide unbiased, conflict-free advice. At Cresa I bring over 20 years of Business Services experience to the company providing integrated real estate transaction services. Previously I served as CEO and President of CoWorx Staffing Services, a privately-held business providing a suite of HR solutions from temporary staffing, on-site services, direct hire and payrolling with revenue up to $350MM ~400 employees and ~50,000 temporary employees and over 90 offices.

Kelly Christiano

New Member
Programs

Kelly Christiano Kelly is known for being a C-suite change agent and innovator. Her successful 30-year career spans multiple industries where she has earned a reputation for driving revenue and executing flawlessly for both start-ups and Fortune 500 firms, including Sallie Mae and Navient. Kelly succeeded by devising new products, launching new sectors, creating new service delivery models, and leading unprecedented growth that landed an organization on the Inc. 500. At Revelocity, she brings this wealth of experience to help her clients drive growth. The first in her family to attend college, Kelly earned a BA in Economics from Harvard College and an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Outside of work, she values spending time with her husband and extended family.

Richard Gellman

New Member
Programs

Richard Gellman Richard is a forward-thinking leader with a strong performance history in talent acquisition, marketing, and merchandising. He has spearheaded merchandising, branding, print, and promotional advertising efforts to implement sustainable business models, improving top and bottom-line gains. He excels at creating strategic partnerships and thrives as a collaborative leader who builds and equips team members to exceed business goals in rapidly changing markets.

Phil Grabfield

Strategic
Partnerships

Phil Grabfield has held multiple marketing leadership positions throughout his career, including his last position as the SVP Marketing at E&I Cooperative Services, a group purchasing organization focused on education. Prior to E&I, Phil led marketing organizations at Teladoc, Staffing Industry Analysts, and Mercer. He began his marketing career at Kraft Foods where he worked on the Philadelphia Cream Cheese, 100% Natural Cheese, and Polly-O brands. He was transferred to Japan as Marketing Director across brands. Phil also worked as a strategic brand and marketing consultant at Marketing Corporation of America and FutureBrand.

Phil currently consults companies on strategic marketing and branding issues, serves on various non-profit boards including Young Life and Executive Forum (Strategic Partnerships), and fills in as a substitute Spanish teacher in the Weston School District. He graduated from Trinity College with a B.A. in Economics and Spanish and from The University of Pennsylvania with an M.B.A. in Marketing from The Wharton School and an M.A. in International Studies from the Lauder Institute. He lives in Connecticut with his wife (and dog Joe Cocker) and has two children that are out of the nest. He is a jack of most sports and a master of none.

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Heny Gabay

Leadership Conference
& Events Co-Chair

Heny Gabay is a senior marketing executive adept at leveraging digital technologies and analytics to derive insightful consumer and business trends to drive consumer loyalty and profitable growth. She has global expertise working for companies including Procter & Gamble, Standard & Poor’s, McGraw-Hill, Wyndham Worldwide and Foot Locker. Personally, Heny considers herself a citizen of the world. Born and raised in Brazil, a descendant of Bulgarian parents, who went to British schools in both Brazil and England.

Julie Staudenmier

Leadership Conference
& Events Co-Chair

Julie Staudenmier is a successful HR/Talent Management executive who is passionate about developing talent and teams to achieve dramatic transformations. She has extensive experience in creating and implementing integrated talent management, performance management, leadership development, diversity and inclusion and employee engagement practices. She has held global roles at American Express, Pfizer, and Sony, and currently serves as Global Search Lead for HXWize, a consulting firm focused on creating friction free work experiences to enhance performance and build competitive advantage.

Helayna Minsk

Board Journey

Helayna Minsk is a Senior Executive and experienced Independent Board Director who brings the unique perspective of 30+ years of marketing and general management experience to branded and private label businesses, in the Consumer Products, Consumer Healthcare, and Retail industries, in North America and Asia. She has transformed brand portfolios, businesses and organizations at Unilever, J&J and Walgreens, to achieve their potential and accelerate profitable growth. In addition to pursuing corporate board roles, she provides consulting and advisory services focused on branding, marketing, innovation, go-to-market, operational and growth strategies to enable value-creation to consumer-facing businesses. She and her husband live in Evanston, IL.