Christine Deska is the cofounder of Nonprofit Sector Strategies, a public benefit corporation dedicated to helping nonprofits maximize mission impact. NSS provides strategic planning and board management services to small and medium-sized nonprofits. NSS has also created BellesBoard, a board management software platform and mobile app that helps nonprofit boards be more efficient.
Christine brings more than a decade of in-depth experience working in, and with, nonprofit organizations, foundations and the government. At the Columbus Citizens Foundation, Christine was Director of Programs from 2014 to 2016. While at AARP from 2006 to 2014, she led initiatives around older adult hunger, financial security and volunteer management, often serving as a media spokesperson. Christine created several scalable models at AARP including a successful member discount & engagement model.
Christine sits on the board of Hunger Solutions New York, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the alleviation of hunger throughout New York State.
Ed Probst
Secretary
Ed Probst is an Employee Benefit Specialist and seasoned veteran of the Insurance industry. Ed is a founding Partner of Vanguard Insurance Agency which was established in 1999. He currently acts as President and is responsible for the strategic direction of the organization. Ed has a particular expertise and knowledge in the areas of Employee Benefits, Group Insurance, The Affordable Care Act, and ERISA. While throughout his career he has worked with clients in a vast array of professions he has carved a niche in working with the Non-Profit Sector.
Ed holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the New York Institute Of Technology. Over the course of his career he has earned numerous professional designations including Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), Registered Health Underwriter (RHU), Healthcare Reform Specialist (HCR), Chartered Healthcare Consultant (ChHC) and Registered Employee Benefit Consultant (REBC). He has also been a long-time member and supporter of the National Association Of Health Underwriters (NAHU).
Ed is very passionate about his work with charities and the community. He has volunteered his time as a youth baseball coach for over 25years and is well respected for his efforts. Currently he serves on both the Executive and Foundation Boards for the Cerebral Palsy Association Of Nassau County. He also volunteers his time for CP Nassau on their Forget Me Not Ball, 5K, and Networking Committees. Ed is also a member of TSI Cares and is currently President of the Bayside Business Association for which he has a been a member for 15 years.
Ken Cerini
Treasurer
Ken is the Managing Partner of Cerini & Associates, LLP and is the executive responsible for the administration of our not-for-profit and educational providers practice group. In addition to his extensive audit experience both at Ernst & Young, LLP, and Cerini & Associates, LLP, Ken has been directly involved in providing consulting services for nonprofits and educational facilities of all sizes throughout New York State.
Ken has won numerous awards, and has been quoted in publications such as Newsday, Long Island Business News, the Long Island Press, and the New York Times. Ken is the editor for three of the five newsletters published in-house by the firm, including: The Lesson Plan, written for school districts; The Special ED-ition, published for special education providers; and The NFP Advisor, written specifically for the nonprofit sector. He teaches a graduate level nonprofit accounting course at LIU—CW Post.
David Goldstein
board counsel
David Goldstein is the founding Partner of Certilman Balin Nonprofit/Tax Exempt/Religious Organizations Practice Group. He represents international, national, regional and local not-for-profit and religious entities across a wide variety of nonprofit sectors. He serves on the Executive Committee of the New York State Bar Association’s Business Law Section, and is the Chairperson of the Not-For-Profit Corporations Law Committee of the State Bar Association’s Business Law Section.
Mr. Goldstein counsels and advocates for nonprofits and religious organizations in a wide variety of areas, including governance, compliance, regulatory matters, ethics, conflicts of interest, risk assessment and risk management, as well as operations and commercial matters. He represents clients (both individuals and organizations) in internal disputes, regulatory investigations and regulatory actions, as well as in litigation –and continually counsels his clients on how to avoid these entanglements.
