Laura Achkar has worked for Lower Hudson Valley Perinatal Network (LHVPN) since 2017 and served as Program Manager and overseer of LHVPN’s PREP-D.R.E.A.M. Project, a preventative program (funded by the NYSDOH) designed to address risk behaviors among youth, by offering youth alternative positive choices and the motivation to make healthier lifestyle decisions.

Ms. Achkar has 20 years of experience in the non-profit sector creating sustainable frameworks and providing quality services to vulnerable populations and constituents from economically-challenged backgrounds. She specializes in program planning and implementation, strategic planning, positive youth development work, and advocacy initiatives. Ms. Achkar has a proven track record of building successful collaborative relationships with community-based organizations, schools, and funders. She has been successful in getting new and existing initiatives off the ground and flourishing. She has experience with working with various funding streams (federal, state, foundations), analyzing statistical data to meet grant requirements and to improve overall program operations), leading teams, and grant writing assistance.

Ms. Achkar has over 15 years of administrative experience and years of experience providing supervision and oversight of program staff. Ms. Achkar earned her Bachelor’s degree from SUNY Purchase College and holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership (Business Degree) from Mercy College, and has graduate level education in Social Work from both Fordham University and Hunter College. She is currently pursuing a Life Coaching certification from iPEC (Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching) and holds a certification in: 

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ELI-MP (Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner) from iPEC and Leadership Training from Leadership Westchester, a MBA-level advanced training program under Volunteer New York. Ms. Achkar served as a Board member for the Westchester County Youth Advisory Board for three years and has occupied the following leadership positions as: Advisory Board Committee member for the Dr. Martin Luther King Legacy Awards Committee, in collaboration with The African American Men of Westchester; Advisory Board member for Judge Kathie Davidson’s Youth Advisory Board  (9th district) for foster care youth, and Advisory Board member and Co-Director for Camp Viva,  a program under Family Services of Westchester, which provides respite for individuals and families infected and/or affected by HIV and AIDS.

Nicholas Palumbo is the founding partner and managing director of Opus Advisory Group, LLC, located in Purchase, New York. Nick has dedicated his nearly thirty-year career to providing expert financial counsel and resources to help client partners build wealth and reach financial independence. He brings considerable wealth building and corporate benefits experience to the Opus team. 

Robert Braumuller is a Partner at Bleakley Platt & Schmidt, LLP, where he heads the Health Care Practice Group and is a member of the Corporate Practice Group. 

Robert has represented health industry clients on corporate and regulatory matters for over 15 years and counseled senior management and directors on multiple boards within the system on diverse legal issues.

Robert graduated from Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, DC, J.D. cumlaude in May 1995 and received his M.A. in 1991 and his B.A. in 1984 from Georgetown University.

Michele is a partner at Marks Paneth LLP.  As a CPA, she has more than 20 years of public accounting experience to clients in a variety of industries.  

Dr. Dunbar is a native New Yorker. She earned a B.S. degree from New York University, M.A. degree from Hunter College, and her M.D from the historic Women’s Medical College of Philadelphia (Medical College of Pennsylvania), now known as the Drexel University College of Medicine. 

At present, Dr. Dunbar is a member of the Board of Directors of the Westchester Community Foundation. She has also held positions on the Board of Directors of the Visiting Nurse Services of Westchester, Inc. as well as the Community Advisory Board for the Health Services Management Graduate Program at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry. She was a member of the Blue Ribbon Task Force for the Elimination of Healthcare Disparities in Westchester County. She is and/or has been a member of a number of national and local medical and wellness related associations and has been a member of a pharmaceutical sponsored speaker’s bureau.

Martin Gorman is a highly skilled and experienced business law attorney, with extensive knowledge of corporate governance and compliance matters. 

He received his LLM from New York University School of Law, his JD from Syracuse University College of Law, and his B.A. from Syracuse University.

Mr. Villucci is an accomplished, visionary leader in the field of health care and has nearly 30 years of executive, operations and finance experience in hospitals, health systems and physician practice management. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He has served as CEO of BCHP for over 11 years and has led the dramatic growth of the practice as well the transformation of its quality programs and infrastructure during his tenure. He has also served as a Senior Vice President at both Westchester Medical Center and Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center / Montefiore Health System.

Mr. Villucci, holds an MS in Health Services Administration from Iona College where he was awarded the achievement medal at commencement, a BS in Accounting from Fordham University where he was a member of Beta Alpha Psi. He presented his Master’s Degree dissertation at the Fourth Annual Conference on Business and Ethics at St. Catherine’s College, Oxford University, the proceeds of which were published by the Oxford University Press. He has further served on many boards and advisory boards related to health care, education and business, including the Westchester County Laboratory Board of Managers, the Archdiocese of New York Pension Board of Trustees and the Iona College Health Care Program Advisory Board.