82nd Street Academics  81-10 35th Avenue  Jackson Heights  New York City  11372  718 446 0690

mrs. alice faber

 Mrs. Faber is a member of the Founding Board of 82^nd Street Academics, having joined at the time of incorporation in 2002. She is a long-time member of Community United Methodist Church and serves on several different committees within the church. Mrs. Faber’s work with seniors is a highlight of her life. She chaired “Fun and Fellowship,” a seniors group at the church, for many years, and has also volunteered as a clown at a retired seniors’ program. Mrs. Faber is also the chairmember of the Prayer Garden Committee at the church, and is overseeing the development of the garden.

 Mrs. Faber holds the position of Board Treasurer with 82^nd Street Academics, and her dedication to accuracy with fiscal policy comes from a lifetime of training and experience in finance. She holds the B.A. in Economics from Hunter College and has spent the majority of her working career as the accounts payable manager for the Bulova watch company. Her commitment to 82^nd Street Academics is fueled by her desire to share her lifetime of experience to deal with the continuing challenges of educating our youth. Mrs. Faber lives in Jackson Heights.

mr. omar almanzar

 Mr. Almanzar joined the 82^nd Street Academics Board of Directors in January of 2008. He was previously employed by Community Church as a receptionist as a summer internship while studying towards his B.S. from Cornell University. Mr. Almanzar is currently employed by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. He is interested in educational reform, and through his work with 82^nd Street Academics, hopes to help close the educational gap that exists for students with lesser opportunities. He holds the J.D. from the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law in New York City. Mr. Almanzar resides in Suffolk County.

mrs. ellen raffaele

 Mrs. Raffaele has served on the Board of Directors of 82^nd Street Academics since October of 2007. Her dedication to issues of social justice is also reflected in her political interests. She has been a Democratic District Leader for City Council District 25 since 2002 and has also worked on Hilary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign. In previous years, Mrs. Raffaele has served as Youth Coordinator for a city agency, the Chief of Staff for State Senator John Sabini, and a speech writer for Queens Borough President Helen Marshall. She was also a member of Community School Board 30 for several years. Mrs. Raffaele would like to see the early childhood programs at 82^nd Street Academics continue to impact young lives with quality education. She holds the B.A. in Human Services Administration from Antioch University. Mrs. Raffaele and her husband, Hon. Thomas Raffaele, live in Jackson Heights.

mr. vijay kolhatkar

 Mr. Kolhatkar joined the 82^nd Street Academics Board of Directors in October 2007 and accepted the position of Board Chair in January 2008. His wisdom and leadership skills have been cultivated over many years of diverse experiences. Mr. Kolhatkar holds the B.A. in Economics and Sociology from Pune University in India and the M.B.A. in Management and Marketing from New York University. In the 1960’s, he worked for the Consulate General of India, but Mr. Kolhatkar has spent the majority of his professional career employed by United Airlines. He retired from the position of Director of Customer Service in 2001.

 Mr. Kolhatkar also holds leadership positions on several committees at Community United Methodist Church, where he has been a member for a number of years. He and his wife Ushadevi, a writer, live in Jackson Heights.

mrs. evelyn adams

 Mrs. Adams is a member of the Founding Board of 82^nd Street Academics, and originally joined the Board as a representative of Community United Methodist Church, where she has been a member for most of her adult life. She has served on several committees within the church. Her passion for the school’s mission has given her a sense of duty to the community. Mrs. Adams enjoys working with the staff to make sure students receive the highest quality education in our programs. Mrs. Adams and her husband Albert live in East Elmhurst.

mr. kenji niwa

 Mr. Niwa joined the 82^nd Street Academics Board in October, 2007. As the owner of M & V Café on 37^th Avenue in Jackson Heights, he comes to the Board offering experience in business management. Mr. Niwa holds a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from the esteemed New York Restaurant School (part of the Art Institutes of New York City). Mr. Niwa’s past experience includes employment at the Zagat-rated Union Square Café. As a Board Member of 82^nd Street Academics, Mr. Niwa hopes to improve the quality of services available to the community, develop new youth programs in Jackson Heights, and assist with fundraising efforts. Mr. Niwa resides in New York City.

dr. ronald tompkins

Dr. Ronald Tompkins, Executive Director, started 82^nd Street Academics by assembling Pre-K, Universal Pre-K, After School and Summer School programs operated by Community Church into a new agency with a unified mission. He has the Ph.D. in Higher Education Policy from the State University of New York at Buffalo, and the Master's Degree in Divinity from Trinity Theological Seminary. His area of interest in the college freshman year experience heavily influenced the 82^nd Street Academics mission statement. Dr. Tompkins has extensive experience in recruiting and coordinating an effective team of professionals. He was the Regional Director for Inter-Varsity in Upstate New York and directed a team of 15 people. He has been Senior Pastor at Community Church for 13 years and has been with 82^nd Street Academics since its inception.

As 82^nd Street Academics came into being, he responded to the new corporate and fiscal management responsibilities by enrolling in the MBA program offered by the State University of New York. He has a June 2009 graduation date with a concentration in Accounting and Finance. Dr. Tompkins lives in Jackson Heights.