Board Members

Carmen Fernandez Goldman is known for viewing life from a higher perspective. She was a trial lawyer in New York City and volunteered during the weekends in a Pro Bono legal clinic in Manhattan’s Washington Heights Community.  She mentored college students who wanted to pursue law school and was a frequent keynote speaker at her undergraduate alma mater. As a highly intuitive person she practiced law until she knew it was time to move on. When her first child was diagnosed with autism she delved into researching the fields of nutrition, behavioral health, medical journals and spirituality. She worked with and was trained by a brain scientist and The Autism Treatment Center of America. She recruited, trained and supervised volunteers in a home-based program for her son.  She also worked as a peer counselor to other mothers and caregivers of special needs children and adults. As a peer counselor, she saw the lack of services and continuing education programs for adults on the autism spectrum who still need one on one support in their daily lives.  Via her nonprofit, Consciousness In Motion, she is creating a “post 21” program in collaboration with her local community college. She believes it’s part of the mission of community colleges to extend opportunities to ALL of their local residents.

Fernando Munoz is the Director and Liaison Of Trading Floor Operations at NYSE, Greater New York City Area. He is in the financial industry with a background in Account Management, Project Management, Business Development and Operations. He has worked with several large banks, hedge funds and buy side firms in implementing new software. He has also maintained and increased revenue with new and existing clients. Fernando has worked with customer in forming relationships to oversee the company most important clients. In addition he was also responsible for obtaining and maintaining long term key customers by comprehending their requirements. Fernando provides team updates on NYSE Environments Market Share and Volumes. He is responsible for managing a customer service team in a high pressure environment. Ensure Trading Floor Issues are documented via Service Now (CRM). He manages and coordinates with internal business and technology groups, trains all Trading Floor Brokers and DMM’s on new releases and industry initiatives and coordinates Trading Halts with DMM’s, Brokers, Trade Desk, Senior Management and Regulatory Compliance. He is the Liaison between NYSE and Algorithms Vendors and serves as Liaison between C Level Management, and Trading Floor Community on pricing changes, system issues, communications and new initiatives. He is manager and coordinator of Exchange Error Account (Rule 18) with C Level Management and FINRA, and provided updates on Rule 18 Ruling. Fernando is responsible for ensuring department policy and procedures are updated on a quarterly basis.

Mercedes Avello, Global Account Director at Choice Hotels International is a creative and strategic Global Sales Account Director in the hospitality industry focused on achieving the best results for customers by maximizing value through developing cost-effective business plans specific to each client’s needs while maintaining total customer satisfaction for one of the largest hotel franchisors in the world, Choice Hotels International. Throughout remarkable 30-year tenure as a solution-based sales rep for Choice Hotels, designed and executed multiyear development plans for an extensive list of domestic and international clients from a wide range of corporate market segments always driving value and maximizing savings. Mercedes has combined impressive hospitality sales experience with an unwavering customer-centric approach to help clients find the best hotel rates and attain the maximum value from their hotels while consistently achieving and often surpassing budget goals. She is highly networked in business and leisure travel, handle the largest volume of accounts for the Northeast United States to develop and implement tactics that match each valued customers’ business economics and growth patterns. She puts her strong knowledge of Choice products, rates and marketing programs to good use at trade shows and within selected teams at Choice Hotels International. Mercedes has proudly completed the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business Leadership Program in 2012. Her specialties include: Sales; Marketing; Account Management; Hospitality; Hospitality Sales; Customer Relation Marketing; Global Sales; Corporate Sales; Strategic Account Management; B2B; Hotel Planner.

Jane Vitolo is a professional in the field of Human Resources with a career spanning over 20 years. She is a strategic problem-solver who envisions smart solutions and quickly executes them. A hands-on leader with extensive experience working across diverse industries and disciplines who is able to keep focused organized and prioritizes work in high-pressured environments. In this capacity she has tackled a multitude of issues with personnel including working with neuro – diverse individuals amongst others. Jane believes that there is a place for everyone where they can thrive be accepted and belong. She has intimate insight into the challenges of autism. Her deep compassion, love and understanding has led her to a path of trying to find a better way to help hundreds of thousands of young adults thrive after the post 21 challenge. Jane brings a sense of creativity along with a touch of reality when dealing with intellectually challenged individuals. She understands the issues they confront and is committed to address and meet head on.

Paula Portner is an out-of-the-box, forward thinking marketing professional with over 25 years of experience in professional services and non-profits. She has a unique way of bringing people together for a common cause, is expert at taking an idea and bringing it from concept to completion and has a strong network that she’s cultivated over her professional career. Paula has held leadership positions in many organizations and is considered a leader, mentor and advisor by employees, employers and personal connections. Her passion for helping those who are ‘differently abled’ started as a child where she experienced first-hand the challenges of having an older brother that was bullied, taken advantage of and then attended a ‘sheltered workshop’. The devotion she saw from her parents and the rest of the family, to helping her older brother achieve, is what has been the cornerstone of her outlook to believe that anything is possible. Her brother (not labeled autistic in those days but was considered developmentally challenged) went on to hold a basic job until his passing a few years ago. Paula always considered herself his advocate in his later years as he struggled with significant health issues. Considered a “producer” by her peers, she is wise, intuitive, flexible and creative. She understands concepts, thinks analytically, presents creatively and can make things happen. Paula recognizes the intense need for a Post-21 year old program and is devoted to supporting the efforts of Consciousness in Motion.

Maribel Quiala is an unconventional, onward thinking, award winning, bilingual mental health professional with 19 solid years of experience. She has been actively working with networks across the country on building a foundation to help change the nation’s mental healthcare structure. Quiala has become a sought-after spokeswoman for her thought-provoking commentary on critical contemporary health issues that challenge Latino and immigrant families. Quiala was named a “Hispanic Woman of Distinction” for her Latina leadership by Latina Style Magazine, one of the nation’s leading publications for Hispanic businesswomen. Quiala holds national recognition as an expert in mental health, specializing in socially diverse women’s health issues, domestic violence, conflict resolution, victims’ rights and empowerment. Her expert advice has been featured at the local, state and national level on radio, television and in print media interviews. Her focus on advancing culturally appropriate health care services is gaining credence as critical for families that are bridging two worlds. Quiala is a proven team builder and leader who commits teams to action with clear responsibility and accountability.

Nicole DeVault teaches French, Art and Ethics at the Alexander Robertson School in New York City. She holds an M.S. Ed., in Multi-Cultural education, and an M.S. in Leadership and Administration from Fordham University. A harpist, lyricist and vocalist, Ms. DeVault enhances and supports her instruction with music and art to facilitate a multi-sensory approach in her teaching practice. She is the winner of the 2014 Blackboard Awards for teachers, in recognition of her outstanding work for New York City students.  She was a prominent former member of the Open Music Ensemble, an evolving cooperative of versatile professional music improvisers.  Ms. DeVault was also on the faculty of the Music Institute of New York.  She is currently collaborating on writing and developing an inter-spiritual curriculum for children.