About Our Event
The Old Westbury College Foundation's 2024 Own Your Future Gala is the first gala under President Timothy Sams' tenure, and the first since SUNY Old Westbury's elevation to university status. The Gala celebrates the accomplishments of the institution, its students, faculty and staff, while bringing together business and industry leaders from across Long Island and New York City to celebrate our dedicated honorees. Proceeds from the event will support the ongoing work of the premier institution that is SUNY Old Westbury.
Dress Code: Cocktail Attire
Honorees
John B. King, Jr. Ph.D.
Chancellor
State University of New York
Leslie and Mark Sillcox
Founders & Trustees
Tortora Sillcox Family Foundation
Nisha Kaur Sethi, M.D. and Maninder Singh Sethi
Old Westbury, New York
Emcee & Guest Presenters
Monica Morales
Emcee
Reporter/Anchor
WPIX-TV, Channel 11
Victoria Schneps-Yunis
Guest Presenter
President & Co-Publisher
Schneps Media
Donald Gelestino
Guest Presenter
President and CEO
Champion Elevator Corp. &
Trustee, Old Westbury College Foundation
Gala Sponsors
Visionary Sponsors
Leadership Sponsor
Goldman Sachs
Champions
Dr. Ravi Bhooplapur
BK9
Champion Elevator
Chartwells Higher Ed & Thompson Hospitality
Co-Source Solutions
Core Management Solutions
Dr. Dorothy A. Escribano
Flagstar Bank
Gramercy Surgery Center, Inc.
Grassi
Horn Wright, LLP
HousingPlus
Interfaith Institute at Islamic Center of L.I.
M&T Bank
Gala Committee Co-Chairs
Ravi Bhooplapur
Xavier University School of Medicine
Alexander H. Mun
Horn Wright, LLP
Board of Trustees
Dr. Timothy E. Sams
University President
SUNY Old Westbury
OFFICERS
Ms. Nora Bassett
Board Chair
Core Management Solutions, Inc.
Mr. Joseph P. Sheehan
Board Vice Chair
Colony Pest Management, Inc.
Mr. Keith R. Engley
Board Treasurer
Flagstar Bank, N.A.
TRUSTEES
Dr. Kyle Anderson
SUNY Old Westbury
Richard R. Best, Esq.
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Mr. Ravishankar Bhooplapur
Xavier University School of Medicine
Dr. Lorraine Cadogan-Cochrane
Alumni Assoc. of SUNY Old Westbury
Gary Casimir, Esq.
The Cook Group
Mr. Steven Connolly
Co-Source Solutions, Inc.
Mr. Timothy Coners
Grassi & Co, CPAs
Ms. Elizabeth Custodio
M&T Bank
Ms. Tracy L. DeAngelis-Busch
The Estee Lauder Companies
Ms. Michelle Di Benedetto
Long Island Housing Partnership, Inc.
Mr. Donald Gelestino
Champion Elevator Corp
Faroque Khan, M.B., (Kmr) M.A.C.P.
Interfaith Institute of Long Island
Mr. Larry Lawson
WBZ/CBS Boston
Rhonda L. Maco, Esq.
Nassau Community College
Mr. William King Moss, III
Lawrence High School
NAACP, Islip, NY
Alexander Mun, Esq.
The Russell Friedman Law Group, LLP
Mr. Derek Peterson
Soter Technologies
Luis F. Ras, Esq.
RAS ASSOCIATES, PLLC
Amira C.T. Richardson
SUNY Old Westbury
Student Government Association
Ms. Kerry Ruoff, CPA, CFF
Accountant
Ms. Viviana L. Russell
Dr. Eric Schwartz
SUNY Old Westbury, Retired
Dr. Magdy Shady
Renaissance School of Medicine
Stony Brook University
Janet H. Shin, Esq.
Markel
Ms. Ana Tavares
Law School Admission Council
Mr. Yiyao (Chandler) Zhang
Northwell Health
Ms. Angela Wambugu Cobb
Executive Director
Old Westbury College Foundation