Leadership

YAI Network’s leadership team oversees the day-to-day operations of YAI and its affiliate agencies.

George Contos

Chief Executive Officer

George Contos is the Chief Executive Officer of YAI, a role he transitioned to in September 2015 from his position as YAI's Chairman. As a proactive change agent for the YAI Network, George restructured YAI’s senior leadership team; implemented a regional, person-centered operational model; and initiated an agency-wide culture shift toward...Read more

Kevin Carey

Chief Financial Officer

Kevin directs the financial operations for YAI and its six Affiliate Agencies with combined annual revenues of $215MM and net assets of $34MM. He also oversees the Program Development Department, manages YAI’s expansive real estate portfolio, and oversees the Facilities Department, which maintains more than 180 residences. Kevin has extensive...Read more

Marie Cavallo

Chief Quality, Compliance, & Ethics Officer

Marie oversees the YAI’s adherence to laws, regulations, and the agency’s internal policies. Before joining YAI, she spent 25 years at AHRC-NYC where she served as Director of TBI Services, Associate Director of Adult Day Services and, most recently, as Chief Compliance and Privacy Officer. From 1983 – 1994, Marie oversaw numerous research and...Read more

Ralph Coloma

Executive Director, National Institute for People with Disabilities/New Jersey

Ralph serves as the Executive Director for the National Institute for People with Disabilities of New Jersey (NIPD/NJ), a YAI Network agency that provides services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). In this role, Ralph has worked to transition the agency from a contract model of health insurance reimbursement to a...Read more

Ravi Dahiya

Chief Program Officer

Ravi manages YAI’s programs that support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) in every aspect of their lives, including residential, day, and employment programs. Ravi rejoined YAI after a decade of service at Innovative Resources for Independence (IRI), where he served as the Associate Executive Director for Program...Read more

Rae Eisdorfer

Executive Director, Manhattan Star Academy

Rae is the Director at Manhattan Star Academy (MSA), a YAI network agency and nonprofit private school that serves students with a wide range of disabilities. Rae and her team were fundamental to the founding of MSA, which began in 2011 with nothing more than two students, their families, and financial support from YAI. Prior to joining MSA, Rae...Read more

Alek Hoyos

Chief of Staff

Alek Hoyos is an avid data storyteller with a passion for international business. Over the past decade, his work has centered around strategic agendas that engage the public and private sector in addressing societal challenges and defining roadmaps for market entry for various technology enterprises. Most recently he was the Senior Director of...Read more

Hope Levy

Executive Director, Premier HealthCare

Hope is the Executive Director for Premier HealthCare, a YAI Network agency that provides primary care and specialty outpatient services to patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). In this role, she is charged with revitalizing Premier’s medical, dental, and mental health services. For more than 20 years, Hope has held...Read more

Russell Miness

Corporate Counsel

Russell brings almost 15 years of legal experience to YAI where he oversees the legal function of the organization, advises departments and staff on pending legal issues that affect the organization and the people it supports, negotiates contracts on behalf of YAI, oversees all judicial actions involving YAI, and supervises YAI’s external legal...Read more

Anthony Ottrando

Chief Human Resources Officer

Anthony oversees one of YAI’s strongest assets: its staff. Since joining the organization in 2015, he has strengthened talent acquisition and performance management, and has made dramatic improvements to systems and administrative processes throughout YAI. Anthony has led interdisciplinary teams to address retention throughout YAI’s 4,000-person...Read more

Tiffany Pendola

Executive Director, iHOPE

Tiffany Pendola values the importance of quality education. Her career spans more than 15 years in the public sector, working mainly for the New York City Department of Education as a teacher, instructional specialist, assistant principal, and principal. Her experience includes supervising a staff of more than 150, writing curriculum, overseeing...Read more

Peter Taback

Chief Engagement & External Affairs Officer

Peter has worked at some of the healthcare sector’s most effective organizations to build public understanding of health disparities, access, and new research. At YAI, he has applied this experience to disseminate core ideas about the critical need for comprehensive services that improve the lives of people with intellectual and developmental...Read more

Joshua Trinidad

Diversity and Inclusion Officer

As an activist for equity and a scholar of ethnic studies and critical race theory, Joshua has 20 years of educational leadership experience in diversity and inclusion work, serving as a professor of education at The University of Colorado and Colorado State University. Prior to coming to YAI, Joshua led D&I efforts at The Laboratory for...Read more