NYN Media’s Webinar Series: Nonprofit Resilience Through the Coronavirus Pandemic

Michelle Yanche is the Executive Director of Good Shepherd Services, a leading youth development, education and family service agency that serves over 30,000 individuals each year. Previously, Ms. Yanche served as Good Shepherd Services’ Associate Executive Director for Government and External Relations, overseeing the agency’s work in the areas of compliance and risk management, fundraising and development, government and community relations, public policy and advocacy, and communications and marketing. Ms. Yanche serves on the boards of directors of the New York State Network for Youth Success, the New York State Partnership for Children, Youth, and Families, and the National LGBT Cancer Network. She is a member of Government Affairs Professionals and has served as a member of a number of governmental advisory groups, including the Department of Education’s Middle School Success Advisory Group, the New York City Council Middle School Task Force, the Commission on Economic Opportunity’s Education Workgroup, and the Mayor’s Out-of-School Time Advisory Group. Ms. Yanche received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fordham University and a Master of Public Administration, with a specialization in public finance, from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, where she has also served as an adjunct faculty member.

Marco Damiani is Chief Executive Officer of AHRC New York City, a familygoverned $300,000,000-plus non-profit organization promoting social justice for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). AHRC NYC provides vital supports to over 15,000 children and adults with I/DD and their families. Staffed by over 5,000 talented and highly committed professionals, AHRC NYC is one of the largest non-profits in the nation serving this population. Marco has progressive non-profit and government experience in the fields of I/DD, behavioral health and general healthcare as an agency executive, clinician, and consultant. He has also engaged in research and program evaluation. He was previously the CEO of Metro Community Health Centers, a network of 5 Federally Qualified Health Centers with a focus on people with disabilities. Prior to his work at MCHC Marco was Executive Vice-President at YAI Network where he oversaw award-winning healthcare, mental health and community-based family support, information and referral programs, staffed by 1,500 employees serving over 13,000 children and adults with I/DD and their families. He was also responsible for enterprise innovation as well as YAI’s Research activities. Marco is a Mayoral Appointee of the NYC Community Services Board I/DD subcommittee and a Board Member of the Inter-Agency Council of I/DD Agencies, Care Design NY, an I/DD Health Home and New York Disability Advocates, a state-wide Provider Association. He is also an appointee to the NYU College of Dentistry Dean’s Strategic Advisory Council and is a recipient of the NYU College of Dentistry’s Kriser Medal, the College’s highest honor, for his leadership and advocacy in promoting innovative healthcare models for people with disabilities. Marco was previously Chair of the Manhattan Developmental Disabilities Council and Chairman of the Alliance for Integrated Care of New York, the first Accountable Care Organization in the nation focused on individuals with I/DD. He was Assistant Executive Director at United Cerebral Palsy of New York City, and has held positions in state government and at FEGS Health and Human Services. He has a Master’s degree in Developmental Psychology from Columbia University, a BS in Psychology from Manhattan College and is ABD in doctoral studies in Educational Psychology at NYU. Marco was has been selected as recipient of the Excellence in Autism Leadership Award by Autism Spectrum News, and was also recently appointed to Mayor Bill DeBlasio’s COVID-19 Sector Re-opening Council for Public Health and Healthcare.