Board of Trustees

CO-CHAIRPERSON

Maryann McCarthy

Ms. Maryann McCarthy ’88 P ’19

Maryann Pallante McCarthy ’88 joined the board in 2016. She serves as Chair of the Governance Committee and is a member of the Executive Committee. Maryanne is Of Counsel at the Government Relations and Strategic Consulting law firm of Brown and Weinraub PLLC, spending more than two decades advising clients on environmental, energy, transportation, procurement, and economic development related matters. Her clients include multinational energy companies where she is responsible for implementing legislative, regulatory, and public policy engagement strategies. Maryann advises CEOs on strategic planning initiatives and the siting of industrial and renewable energy projects, successfully securing state agency permits and economic development incentives while in the process partnering with community leaders to achieve economic and social benefits for their neighborhoods. She brings extensive experience in energy and environmental policy to assist companies in navigating the transition to a clean energy economy. She also works to build coalitions and execute issue driven campaigns through long lasting relationships with organized labor, universities, environmental organizations, utilities, and business groups dedicated to energy reliability, affordability and a sustainable environment. Maryann is a member of Women in Energy, an organization that fosters the advancement of women in the energy sector. She graduated from Providence College and received her law degree from Albany Law. Her daughter, Kate '19 recently graduated from the College of the Holy Cross and is earning an MPA in Environmental Science and Policy at Columbia University.

CO-CHAIRPERSON

Lissa McNaughton

Ms. Lissa Smith McNaughton ’77 P ’22

Lissa McNaughton ’77 P ’22 of Graypoint, LLC, is an experienced financial advisor with more than thirty years of experience in the industry. Lissa received her Bachelor of Science in Multiple Science from LeMoyne College and a Master of Business Administration from the College of William and Mary. A life-long resident of the Capital Region, Lissa graduated from the Academy of the Holy Names, where she has been an active volunteer and board member since 2017. She and her husband, Tom, live in Albany with their three children. With a strong commitment to Catholic education, their children have attended Catholic schools since pre-K. Their daughter, Quinn AHN ’22, is continuing her education at St. Bonaventure University. Tom and Lissa are active volunteers for their church and children’s schools. Lissa also serves on the Board of Regents for LeMoyne College and Board of Trustees for the Teresian House.

1st VICE CHAIR

Chris Edwards

Mr. Christopher Edwards P ’14

Chris joined the AHN Board in 2015 and has been the Board Chair since 2019 while continuing to serve on a number of committees. His mother, Rosemary ’56, his sister Mary ’91 and his daughter Regan ’14 are alumnae. His mother taught in the Lower School for more than 30 years, and his father, Mike, and sister also worked in various capacities at AHN. A graduate of Fordham University GSB ’86 and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Chris worked for more than 30 years in the Financial Services Industry in Albany culminating as Chief Operating Officer at CL King. He and his wife Christine are longtime residents of Delmar, the parents of three adult children. Chris serves on the Board in honor of his mother and to further the tremendous contribution that AHN has made to the productive lives of young women in the Capital District for more than a century.

2nd VICE CHAIR

Heather Bennett

Ms. Heather Bennett P ’14 P ’21

Heather G. Bennett has more than twenty years of experience working with physicians and policymakers in the healthcare field. Upon graduating from Albany Law School, she began her career as Counsel in the office of former State Senator William J. Larkin (D) Hudson Valley, and thereafter served as the Executive Director for the NYS Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons (NYSSOS) for more than a decade. In 2013, Dr. Bennett commenced doctoral studies at Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, State University of New York at Albany, in political science with a concentration in public policy (healthcare) and public law. She received the Distinguished Dissertation Award from UAlbany for her research titled “Winners and Losers in the Remaking of the American Healthcare Payment System Following the ACA: A Theory of Private-Actor Policymaking and Implications for Democratic Decision Making” in 2019. From 2019 to 2022 she served as the Executive Director of the New York Chapter, American College of Physicians. Heather and her husband Jeff have two daughters who are proud graduates of Academy of the Holy Names: Elizabeth ‘14, and Katie ‘21. Heather and Jeff currently reside in St. Petersburg, Florida and enjoy coming back to the Capital Region each summer.

SECRETARY

Michelle Mahon

Ms. Michelle Mahon ’99

Michelle Mahon ’99 has served on the board since 2020 and has been a member of the Institutional Advancement Committee since 2016. She received her BS in Finance and HR Management from Boston College and her MBA from The University at Albany. Michelle has spent her entire professional career dedicated to fundraising for healthcare and educational non-profits. Currently, she is Director of Development for The College of Arts and Sciences at The University at Albany. She is a longtime member of the Junior League of Albany and served on their Board of Directors for six years. She completed a two-year term as President of JLA in 2024 and volunteers with Boston College. Michelle comes from a family full of AHN alumnae including her three sisters, aunts and many extended family members. The tradition continues, as her niece is a current student. Michelle and her husband, David, were married in the St. Joseph's Chapel at AHN in 2008 and reside in Albany.

TREASURER

Erin Shea

Ms. Erin Shea ’95

Susan Rogler Gomez

Ms. Susan Rogler Gomez ’81

Susan Rogler Gomez, ’81, has served on the Board of Trustees since 2021 and currently chairs the Institutional Advancement (IA) Committee and is a member of the Executive Committee. Prior to joining the Board, she was a member of the IA Committee. Susan is a retired bank executive and received a BA in Economics from Boston College. She is a member of the Executive Committee for her Daughters of the American Revolution chapter. She and her husband, Henry, live in Saddle River, NJ, and both are active in supporting single-sex, Catholic education. AHN has been a part of Susan’s family for as long as she can remember. She is the daughter of AHN alumna and former Lower School teacher and librarian, Kay McGrath Rogler ’55, sister of Sharon Rogler Tromp ’87, and aunt of Maggie Tromp ’23.
Brian Hannafin

Mr. Brian Hannafin P ’19 ’23 ’27

Brian Hannafin is President of BVH Solutions. He formerly served as Executive Vice President of Corporate Development for CHA, a national engineering firm based in the Capital Region. Previously, he was Director of Business Development, Science, and Research for the M+W Group, a global engineering, construction, and project management company for technology-based clients. Prior to M+W, Mr. Hannafin was the Senior Vice President of Business Development and Marketing for the Center for Economic Growth in Albany, N.Y. Mr. Hannafin earned his bachelor of science in Business/Applied Economics from Cornell University. He is a member of the 2010 class of the Albany Business Review “40 Under 40” award winners, which recognizes young business professionals for their leadership and community involvement. Mr. Hannafin was elected to the Board of Trustees of Make-A-Wish Northeast New York in January 2012, and served as Board Chairman from May 2016 to August 2018 and has previously served on the boards of St. Anne’s Institute in Albany, the M+W Group U.S. Charitable Foundation, and the Museum of Innovation and Science (miSci) in Schenectady. Mr. Hannafin and his wife Erin live in Loudonville and have three daughters, Allie ’19, Morgan ’23, and Claire ’27.
Maureen Harris

Ms. Maureen Harris P ’19 ’21

Maureen Harris, P’ 19 P’21, is a graduate of Siena College and Albany Law School. Maureen practiced law for 10 years before serving as a Commissioner on the New York State Public Service Commission for seven years. She has also held counsel positions in the New York State Attorney General’s office and the New York State Senate. Maureen is a former board member of multiple civic and professional organizations where she has held several leadership positions. Maureen has also run a successful energy and telecommunications consulting firm. Maureen previously served on the Presidential search committee in 2021 and joined the board of AHN in 2023 and is the current Chair of the Enrollment Committee. Both of her daughters Kathleen ’19 and Libby ’21 had a wonderful experience through their years at AHN and she hopes to contribute to AHN’s continued success in educating girls in a single-sex atmosphere that fosters the growth of the student. Maureen lives in Slingerlands with her husband John.
Regina LaGatta

Ms. Regina Scarano LaGatta ’70 P ’98

Regina Scarano LaGatta ’70 recently retired after a 40 year career in not-for-profit and higher education administration in advancement, external affairs, and government relations. Ms. LaGatta holds a Masters of Science in Education with a teaching certification in Special Education from the College of St. Rose. She holds the distinction as a Kevin and Mary Langan Scholar for her studies in the field of Special Education. She received her Bachelors of Science in Health from State University of New York at Brockport and an Associates of Applied Sciences at Hudson Valley Community College. She is a 1994 graduate from the Women’s Administrators in Higher Education Leadership Program at the University of Arizona at Tempe, the Regional Chamber of Commerce Capital Leadership Program and served on the SUNY Chancellor's Advancement Advisory Board. Regina previously served on the AHN board, and presided as chair in 2010. She returned to the board in 2016 and has served on the advancement, endowment, and head support and evaluation committees. She is also the recipient of the Margaret Hoffman Riley Lifetime Achievement Award. She and her husband Jim reside in Albany as does her daughter Ashley Arnold ’98.

Ms. Ann Marie Lizzi ’87

Ann Marie Lizzi, '87, who joined the board in 2024, is founder, owner and creative director of Majestic Media Group LLC; a television/film production & media company based in Albany, New York. She attended Academy of the Holy Names K-12 and received her Bachelor of Arts in English from College of the Holy Cross, '91. For the last 30 years, Ann Marie has worked in television, film, advertising and marketing. She is a multi-award-winning producer, director and editor of feature films, television shows and series, documentaries, commercials, as well as corporate and digital content. Ann Marie is also very committed to her community and has served on, and led many not-for-profit and professional Boards. As a cancer survivor, she is extremely dedicated to raising funds to support cancer patients, their families and research. Ann Marie resides in upstate New York with her husband John, and teenage children, Loughlin & Tessa. An avid traveler, she's lived abroad, loves exploring new places, and brings her family on adventures whenever she can!
Nancy Maney

Ms. Nancy Maney P ’11

Nancy retired in December 2018 after a 41-year career in New York State government. She served as Budget Director for the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA), overseeing an annual budget of $6 billion. For several years prior to her retirement, Nancy served as OTDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Integrated Family Assistance Programs overseeing several divisions focused on strategic planning and State of the State initiatives addressing Agency priorities. Earlier in her career, Nancy performed her state service with the NYS Division of the Budget in the Governor's Office. Nancy is and has served on several education-related boards, including her time as President of AHN’s Board of Trustees in 1995-1997. She rejoined the Board in 2022. Nancy is also currently on the Executive Board for the Harvard Kennedy School Women’s Network. She received her BS from Cornell University and her master’s in public administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Nancy’s daughter, Shea, graduated from Holy Names in 2011 and received her BS at Villanova University. Shea is in a management level position at a global public relations firm and works on corporate strategic communications. Nancy and her husband Gerard largely attribute Shea’s college and professional success, confidence, excellent communication skills, and leadership qualities to her exceptional Holy Names education.
Kelly Murray

Ms. Kellyanne Healey Murray ’77 P ’13

Kelly is a proud 1977 graduate of the Academy of the Holy Names, having attended the Upper and Lower schools. She received a bachelor in business administration in Accounting from Siena College and began her career as an Associate Auditor and Investigator for the New York State Deputy Attorney General for Medicaid Fraud Control. Kelly left the Deputy AG’s office after 10 years of service to begin raising her family and serving several local nonprofits in volunteer capacities. Organizations Kelly has served in leadership positions including Academy of the Holy Names where she is currently serving her second term as a Trustee, and where she served as Annual Fund Chair and as a Capital Campaign Co-Chair; Siena College where she served as First Woman Chair of the Annual Fund; member of the Northeast Health Foundation Board; Our Lady of Victory Church and School where she Co-Chaired the Re-uniting Our Faith Campaign, and served as Parish School Association President; and member of the Ladies of Charity of the Albany Diocese. Kelly is Co-Founder of the John and Kellyanne Murray Charitable Foundation which provides support for over 50 local charitable organizations annually. Kelly is a resident of the Town of Brunswick in Rensselaer County, NY where she lives with her husband John. They have three adult children; Jack (Lauren), Mike (LeeAnn) and Mary Kate '17 (Ryan).
David Noll

Mr. David Noll P ’24

David Noll most recently served as Vice President at Goldman Sachs Ayco Executive Financial Management. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, David served as a US Air Force Officer, Judge Advocate General’s Department, in Altus AFB, OK and Griffiss AFB, Rome, NY and worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers in Albany. He earned a BS in Electrical Engineering from Norwich University, a JD from Albany Law School, and an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. David and Carrie’s daughter Casey has been a student at Academy of the Holy Names for the past six years. David has been a board member for the past three years.
Sr Linda Riggers

Sr. Linda Riggers, SNJM

Linda Riggers, who currently lives in Seattle, is a member of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM), and an alumna of Holy Names Academy in Spokane, Washington. With advanced degrees from Boston College and Gonzaga University, she taught and administered in several elementary schools in the Northwest and served several times in leadership of her Congregation. Immediately before her 2020 retirement, she was Registrar at Holy Names Academy in Seattle; and she continues to find life and satisfaction in continuing work on SNJM committees and projects, and in parish volunteer ministry. During her time in SNJM leadership, Linda had the opportunity to visit SNJM secondary schools, including AHN Albany, and facilitated some board project work there in the early 2000’s. Close to her heart is the SNJM Core Value of providing a well-rounded, faith-based education to young women of all economic means and backgrounds and she is committed to working toward this inclusive vision for AHN. An AHN Trustee since 2020, she currently serves on the Enrollment Committee of the board.

Ms. Judith Smith ’70

Judith Smith ’70 is rejoining the AHN Board of Directors on which she served from 2007 through 2013. Judith attended AHN K-12 before receiving her Bachelor of Science in Physics and Mathematics from Boston College, where she is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She received her master’s in operations research from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. After starting her career at Accenture Consulting (then Arthur Andersen), Judith held senior executive positions as Managing Director in Global Technology and Operations at Morgan Stanley and Citigroup. Since retiring from financial services, she has been actively engaged as investor and advisor to fintech and edtech startups. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of L4S, a distributed ledger tech startup. In 1977 Judith and Joseph Gerstner were married at AHN’s Saint Joseph’s Chapel. Joseph passed away in 2019. Judith resides in Manhattan’s upper westside and East Hampton on the east end of Long Island.
Kristen Staikos

Ms. Kristen Smith Staikos ’91

Kristen M. Smith Staikos ’91, is the President and CEO of KStaikos Consulting LLC. She earned her BS in Business Administration from LeMoyne College ’95 and JD from Albany Law School of Union University ’98. After working as the General Counsel of WCHN (now Nuvance Health), Mrs. Staikos started her own consulting business specializing in employment support for management clients in the healthcare field. Kristen is a member of the Board of Yale New Haven Health Network’s breast center (Norma Pfriem) and has chaired its Pink Pledge campaign for multiple years; the St. Luke’s School Parents Association and prior chair of the St. Luke’s School Annual Fund (2018- 2023); an Executive Board member of The Shore and Country Club; and a member of the Parent Development Board of Clemson University. She and her husband John, live in Fairfield, Connecticut with their son Alex (Clemson University, Class of 2026), Sofia (St. Luke’s School, Class of 2024) and Chloe (St. Luke’s School, Class of 2027).
Sr Janet Walton

Sr. Janet Walton ’60, SNJM

Janet Walton, EdD, SNJM is a professor emerita of Union Theological Seminary, New York City, a worship consultant for synagogues and churches and a companion to a refugee family from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She earned her bachelor’s degree in music from Catholic University, her master’s in piano performance from Indiana University and her doctorate in education in worship and the arts from Columbia University. She is the author of books and articles that focus particularly on liturgy, the arts, and social justice. As a graduate of AHN, a former member of the faculty, and a founding member of The Arts Center, she is delighted to continue to be an ambassador who spreads the word about AHN’s long-standing reputation for academic excellence. She says it is the best place for an education which prepares girls to achieve their potential as women who contribute actively to a vibrant and just world.

Dr. Edwin Williams, III, P ’16 P ’18

Dr. Edwin Williams joined the board in 2024 and is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon. Dr. Williams established The Williams Center Plastic Surgery Specialist in Latham in 1998, following the initiation of his surgical practice in 1993 upon relocating to the area. At a peer level, he is a clinical professor at The Albany Medical College and has served as President of the American Academy at Facial Plastic and Reconstructive surgery from 2015-2016 and as a Board member for more than 13 years. Throughout his 33-year career, he has been involved in education and mentoring on both national and international levels. He and his wife Cherie are committed to supporting their local community, especially Catholic education. Their daughters Riley '16 and Lydia '18 cherished their time at Holy Names for their close-knit environment and quality experience. Riley is a Clinical Skincare Specialist at The Rejuva Center at Williams, and Lydia is in the two-year rotational program at GE Financial Management. All four of their children, Riley, Lydia, Kate Williams Lee, and son Evan attended Siena College.