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Meet our Board
Eric Murphy
President
Eric works as a Project Architect at MCWB Architects.
Eric holds a BARCH from Syracuse University with a minor in Landscape Architecture from SUNY ESF. Eric also holds an AS Architectural Technology from State University of New York at Delhi where he Graduated Summa Cum Laude and was a Phi Theta Kappa scholarship recipient. Eric graduated from RHEMA Bible Training Center with a concentration in youth ministry.
Eric has worked extensively with higher education clients on both new construction and restoration projects. He has overseen adaptive reuse projects from their original conception through completion. He helps facilitate design and working drawings for civil, cultural, and commercial projects.
Eric has served the Connect Center for Youth Board of Directors as a two-time president, as well as vice president and secretary. Additionally, Eric serves as the associate pastor at the Good Ground Family Church.
David Wallack
Vice President
David is a strategy and operations leader who works with organizations navigating growth, change, and increasing complexity. He partners with leadership teams to improve how decisions are made, how work gets done, and how organizations stay aligned as they evolve.
David has supported the Connect Center for Youth for several years, contributing to its development and growth. He has been involved in community outreach efforts and played a role in the expansion of the Center’s physical space, helping increase its capacity to serve youth in the Cohoes community.
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As Vice President of the Board, David focuses on strengthening governance, clarifying structure, and supporting long-term direction. He is particularly focused on ensuring the organization’s growth is intentional and sustainable, reinforcing its core work while thoughtfully shaping where and how it expands.
He believes strongly in creating environments where young people are recognized, supported, and can see and pursue opportunities they may not have otherwise imagined.
Jael Mancino
Secretary
Jael is an accountant and partner at DiCocco & Associates, managing business bookkeeping accounts, maintaining financial records and preparing tax returns. She is an Enrolled Agent, licensed to practice before the IRS.
She graduated with an AA from Hudson Valley Community College and went on to earn her BS from the University of Albany.
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For over ten years, Jael has actively volunteered with inner city youth through various humanitarian organizations. Her passion and vision is to apply her education in accounting to propel forward and support nonprofits focused on serving at-risk and underprivileged youth.
Shavonne Slaughter
Treasurer
Shavonne Slaughter is a purpose‑driven leader who believes in the power of strong governance, compassionate service, and community‑centered change. With more than 18 years of experience at PwC, she brings deep expertise in financial oversight, audit, organizational transformation, and inclusive team leadership. Her work is guided by a simple conviction: when organizations operate with integrity and inclusivity, they create lasting impact.
Rooted in her commitment to social justice and economic equity, Shavonne dedicates her time, talent, and treasures to uplifting youth, families, and underserved communities across the Greater Albany region. She has served in roles such as treasurer, financial secretary, and program director, and continues to volunteer, support and champion efforts that provide dignity, stability, and hope to those in need. She is especially inspired by the Connect Center for Youth, whose programming sparks imagination, expands what young people believe is possible, and empowers them to step boldly into futures they may not have even dreamed yet.
Shavonne brings heart, expertise, and a deep sense of responsibility to every space she enters—working to strengthen nonprofits today so they can transform communities tomorrow.
Noelle Gilchrist-Cook
Board Member
Noelle Gilchrist-Cook is a seasoned Payments Advisor with over a decade of experience in the banking industry. Based in Albany, NY, she is known for her strategic insight and commitment to optimizing financial operations.
In addition to her professional role, Noelle serves as Co-Chair for Key4Women, a national initiative focused on empowering women in business through advocacy, education, and networking. Her leadership reflects a deep commitment to fostering inclusive growth and supporting women entrepreneurs and professionals.
Outside of work, Noelle lives in Schodack Landing, NY, with her husband and daughter.
Simone A. Brooks
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Board Member
Simone A. Brooks is health care leader with over 15 years’ experience in wealth management, program development, and corporate retail in regional and global organizations across multiple industries. In her most recent role as Innovation Strategist at MVP Health Care, Simone facilitated consumer studies using qualitative research as well as quantitative survey data. She advanced the culture of innovation throughout the organization to uphold customer-centricity and led the charge on developing a comprehensive health equity strategy.
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Simone is passionate about driving health care equity and ensuring all populations receive fair health care, regardless of their ethnicity, income, gender, or otherwise. Prior to joining MVP, Simone was pivotal in driving partnerships between community-based organizations (CBOs), skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, and private practices to improve care for the Medicaid and uninsured populations. Additionally, she developed a certified training program for community health workers in collaboration with local community colleges and designed a value-based payment training program which educated dozens of executive leaders of local social care organizations.
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Simone holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics, with a minor in Information Technology, from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She also holds an Executive Master of Business Administration from University of Rochester’s Simon School of Business. She is a dual member of Toastmasters International, Inc., serves as a Club Mentor to the Stratton VA Toastmasters club, and is an active member of her church. Simone is married to her high school sweetheart and they have three children.
Tamara McCallum
Board Member
Tamara McCallum is a proud native of Mount Vernon, New York, a first-generation college graduate, and the daughter of Jamaican immigrants. She brings over 15 years of experience in education and nonprofit leadership, with a focus on advancing equity in postsecondary access and success for historically underserved students.
Tamara currently serves as Director of Programs at 518 ElevatED (formerly Capital Region Sponsor-A-Scholar), where she leads initiatives that support high school and college scholars across New York’s Capital Region and nationwide. She is also an Adjunct Lecturer in Multicultural Studies and Liberal Arts at Siena University, where she fosters inclusive, student-centered learning environments through her Race & Identities and Crochet for Self-Care courses.
Her career began at her alma mater, Mount Vernon High School, and has been grounded in building programs that empower young people to navigate and succeed in higher education. As a non-traditional student, Tamara earned her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from SUNY Purchase College while working full-time and raising her family—an experience that continues to inform her commitment to access, persistence, and self-advocacy.
Tamara is passionate about community building, equitable access to higher education, and supporting individuals in developing confidence and agency. She lives in Troy, New York, with her three children.