BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Introducing our Board of Directors – a group of passionate individuals who generously give their time and expertise to empower women to thrive. Their enthusiasm for the Women’s Opportunity Center aligns perfectly with our mission of helping women overcome obstacles and shedding light on the complex barriers they face due to factors like gender, race, class, and sexuality. Let's break down these barriers and strive for true equality together!

While living in NYC, she completed her undergraduate work in English Literature and in 1990 moved to Ithaca to pursue graduate studies in human development.  Post graduate school, Sarah managed an infant research lab, provided technical support to users of a national database on child abuse and neglect and was active in employee affairs.  At a community college, she worked with nontraditional students enrolled in programs typically dominated by the opposite gender.

She retired after serving for more than eight years as Operations Director at the Women’s Community Building in downtown Ithaca.  In retirement, she has been an active community volunteer and continues to be interested in women’s welfare and education.  Her current philanthropic interests center around narrowing the growing gap between the rich and the poor.

She worked as a Management Consultant for McKinsey & Company and recently held a position as a Visiting Fellow at Cornell University. She has degrees from Cambridge (B.A., Psychology), Harvard (MBA), and Cornell (M.A. & Ph.D., Developmental Psychology). Susan also serves as the Treasurer for the Golden Opportunity Tutoring organization and is a member of the Village of Cayuga Heights Zoning Board of Appeals. She enjoys running, biking, playing soccer, and skiing in her free time.

She is active in the community beyond her work with the WOC, serving on the Gadabout board of directors for 35 years. Nancy is married with one daughter and two grandchildren. She enjoys the many community events that Ithaca has to offer, as well as spending time with her family and friends

She’s worked in the service industry, screen printing, graphic design, retail, fashion, construction, marketing, event coordinating, and more - currently holding the title of “Donor Relations & Marketing Coordinator” at the Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes. When she’s not at work, Carla delights in spending time with friends, creating art, and playing “Dress-up.”

He has 25 years of investment experience in portfolio management and fundamental investment research. Prior to joining Market Street Trust Company, Tamer spent 5 years with Tompkins Financial Advisors as a Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager. At TFA, he managed $4B in assets under management across a number of multi-asset investment strategies for high-net-worth clients and institutional investors. Before Tompkins Financial, he served as portfolio manager and head of research for John Ullman & Associates, overseeing $1 billion in assets under management. Additionally, he spent over 10 years with Brandywine Global Investment Management as an equity analyst for the firm’s large-cap value strategies and assets under management of $7 billion.

Starting out, she lived and worked in Manhattan as a writer for Self Magazine and freelance writing for notable publications such as the New York Times. After moving to Ithaca with her husband 30 years ago she began writing freelance—but continued her work debunking myths on women’s health. In her writing career, Janis has authored three books—Your Pregnancy Companion: Month-by-Month Guide to All You Need to Know Before, During, and After, Breastfeeding Secrets and Solutions, and The Athletic Woman's Sourcebook: How to Stay Healthy and Competitive in Any Sport. Since retiring as a journalist, she has continued her passion—writing about and advocating for women’s issues. Janis also enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren and hiking and running. Janis has been with WOC since 2023 as a part of the Strategic Planning team. She also serves on the Ithaca Health Alliance Board and is a member of the Dryden Zoning Board of Appeals.

In 2023, Deirdre taught a business law class at Cornell as an Adjunct Professor. She was President of the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York (then 4,300 attorneys) and co-founded the Finger Lakes Women’s Bar Association, which worked with WOC. As a lawyer and feminist, her most recent case was promoting the Equal Rights Amendment. Deirdre and her husband, George, have three children and a horse farm on Asbury Road in Freeville.

 Serena has spent the majority of her professional life working for those who cannot advocate for themselves by working over 15 years. in the Human Service field, specifically with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, holding various roles. Serena later entered the Human Service field working with the Aging population and helping to combat isolation and loneliness.

Outside of her professional duties, Serena is a mom of one daughter, and active in the community, especially within her church community.

Professionally, Jirah has over 10 years of experience in human services, providing case management, counseling, and trauma-informed support for individuals and families experiencing poverty, homelessness, mental health issues, substance use disorders, and justice system involvement. She is currently the Associate Director of Program Operations for a local community-based justice organization. Jirah is a self-confessed “foodie” who loves trying new restaurants and recipes. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, creative writing, and watching documentaries of all kinds.

Beyond helping women get by, she wants to help her community members thrive. Her knowledge and experience are in both advising and education. Born and raised in Vietnam, she moved to New York City with her family in 1997. She received her B.S. in Geology from Rutgers University and a M.S. in Teaching from Pace University. After graduating, she taught in the Bronx at the high school level. There, she learned a great deal about serving disadvantaged communities.