Board of Directors

LaVonne Bost-Barksdale is a real estate agent with eXp Realty and has been since 2019.  In that capacity she also mentors new agents joining the company and teaches Matrix classes for OneKey MLS.  She has closed on 29 properties and has 4 currently listed for sale.  She is also an employee of 30 years by the Human Resources Administration (HRA) with the Homelessness Prevention Assistance (HPA) unit as the Director of the Landlord Management Unit (LMU), both which are very rewarding positions.

Ms. Bost-Barksdale enjoys helping people to reach their goals whether it is helping to purchase or sell a home or helping them to remain stably housed after experiencing homelessness. She prides herself on being able to work with everyone and her leadership and expertise in starting up new programs or initiatives which she has done on several different occasions in her capacity as a director.

Ms. Bost-Barksdale holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Bernard Baruch, CUNY as well as a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Fordham University. She is in the process of obtaining her broker license and certification in Property Management to be able to better assist her clients in all facets of the real estate process. And she will soon be a published author.

Ms. Bost Barksdale loves to crochet elaborate graphgans in her spare time and she is an avid reader.  She is the proud mother of two a son, 34, a Navy Veteran and a daughter, 33, a licensed mental health counselor.  She is responsible for payroll for her church and was a member of the board at the same church for 2 years, which was an extremely rewarding experience. In addition to being a board member she was a head usher and was responsible for counting and accounting for all offerings collected each week.

Diana Rivkin is a member of the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Garden City, NY. For the past 5 years, she has been employed full-time by Resurrection as the Director of Youth and Family ministry.

Ms. Rivkin graduated from the University of Virginia in 2011, with a Bachelors of Arts. During her time at Uva, she served as the Vice President of her sorority, Delta Zeta, as well as the President of the Sexual Assault Peer Advocacy (“SAPA”), through which she met with all the sororities and fraternities on Grounds to train them in bystander intervention and how to support survivors of intimate partner and domestic violence.

During the summer of 2010, Ms. Rivkin was granted a 100-ton US Coast Guard’s Master Captain’s license, which awarded her the opportunity to meet with the Executive Board of the Semester at Sea program at Uva and was subsequently asked to create a curriculum for a mandatory sexual assault training program for the entire faculty of the Semester at Sea program (over 200 members across 10 countries). The process of writing and creating this curriculum allowed her to explore many aspects of maritime law, including jurisdictional complications and injury to passengers.

Directly after undergraduate school, Ms. Rivkin was enrolled in the Hofstra University School of Law where she was elected the President of Hofstra Law Women and was a Dean’s List student. She was accepted as a summer law clerk for the Hon. Arthur D. Spatt, in the Eastern District of New York Federal Court system. Ms. Rivkin was selected for membership to the Hofstra’s Family Court Review journal and served as the article’s editor. During this time, she submitted her note for publication on the current state law loopholes pertaining to marital rape. In addition, she was chosen to serve as a research assistant for Professor Herbie DiFonzo, and their collaborative research on the legal standards for child custody was published in an academic journal.

Upon graduation, Ms. Rivkin passed the New York State Bar and was admitted to practice law in the state and federal courts in New York State. She then began practicing full-time as a litigator, focusing on insurance fraud and federal RICO violations. She was also recognized by Hofstra Law School as one of their “Outstanding Women in the Law.”

Despite a promising legal career, Ms. Rivkin knew that something was missing in her life. After much prayer and consideration, she quit her job as a litigator and began working full-time at the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Garden City, NY. She has since been installed as a lay deacon and continues to seek ways to advance her impact within the church.

Mr. Harrison Oellrich is the founder, president and managing principal of Ottauquechee Risk Consultants, created to leverage the risk management communities’ expertise by facilitating its accessibility to both the private and public sectors. He served as the managing director of Guy Carpenter, LLC, and Marsh, Inc., where he was employed for over 30 years. He coordinated the risk management communities’ contribution to the “National Plan for Cyberspace Security,” released by President Bush. He is a consultant to members of the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. government.

Mr. Oellrich is also a commissioned, installed deacon of the Atlantic District/LCMS. He is a member of Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Garden City, NY, and The LIFE Lutheran Church in Old Westbury, NY. Mr. Oellrich has served in numerous leadership positions, including congregation president. He chaired call committees and is the lay delegate to the Atlantic District/LCMS. He led Resurrection’s assimilation of Redeemer in Old Westbury, NY, and the planting of The LIFE Lutheran Church there. Mr. Oellrich has a B.A. in political science from Hofstra University, and an M.B.A. in management and marketing. He and his family reside in Garden City, NY, and Quechee, VT.

Since 2018, Laura Bauer has been the Manager of Corporate and Foundation
Relations for God’s Love We Deliver in New York City. She previously worked as
a patent attorney at Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto in New York City, as well as a site developer/administrator at The LIFE Lutheran Church in Old Westbury, New York. Ms. Bauer obtained her Juris Doctor at St. John’s University as well as a Masters degree in Public Administration through the Executive Program at the Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College. She has had extensive experience serving on boards of Lutheran organizations including The Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Garden City, New York; The Long Island Lutheran Middle and High School (LUHI) in Brookville, New York; and the Lutheran School Association (LSA).

Daryl Goodwin is Vice President, Global Technology Portfolio Manager at Chubb
Insurance, where he manages multiple IT portfolios in support of the CIO's
business objectives. Daryl is specifically focused on human resources technology
projects in the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. He has a long and illustrious career in
IT project management and development across various industries. At New York
Life Insurance, Goldman Sachs, Honeywell, and Wakefern Food Corporation, he
was responsible for managing large-scale, technology-focused projects and
implementations across the globe.
Daryl received his bachelor's degree from New York University and his MBA from
Pace University. He resides in West Orange, New Jersey and enjoys photography.

Jennifer Smith is the principal partner in the law firm of Jennifer Smith, PLLC,
where she represents small businesses, union members, and religious institutions.
Prior to starting her own firm, Ms. Smith was a partner in the firm Robinson Brog,
PC.
She also serves as Treasurer of the Grenfell Association of America, an 18 million-
dollar charitable organization providing health, education, and community
wellness grants.
Prior to her election to the board of LSSNY, Jennifer served on the board of the
Related Entities of LSSNY, and the board's program and finance committees.

A board-certified physician in practice in New York State, Dr. Georges
Ramalanjaona serves as Regional Medical Director for a multistate healthcare
organization. He is currently a member of both THE LIFE Lutheran Church in Old
Westbury and the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Garden City. Dr.
Ramalanjaona is a past member of the mission committee of The Atlantic District
and Lutheran Church of the Resurrection and member at large of the Malagasy
Lutheran Church in Madagascar.
At the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Garden City, Dr. Ramalanjaona
launched a CPR/AED course. He is involved in special mission projects at a school
for the deaf and the blind in Madagascar.
He is married and a father of three children who have been baptized and
confirmed in the Lutheran faith.

Samantha Williams currently serves as Commercial Counsel at Colgate-Palmolive.
Prior to moving to New York and working in her current role, she practiced as an
associate attorney at two large law firms in Washington, D.C. and Houston, Texas.
A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Ms. Williams obtained her bachelor’s degree in
International Relations from Brown University and her Juris Doctor degree from Vanderbilt University Law School. Her communication and legal skills, attention to detail and organization, and eagerness to work with all types of people are all competencies she will bring to her position as a member of Lutheran Social
Services of New York’s board.

Rachel founded the Reagan and Jax Cohen Memorial Fund with her husband, in April of 2014 after the unexpected passing of her two children and her mother in an accident.  The purpose of the Fund is to raise money to benefit the health and welfare of children.  To date, the Fund has raised over $1 million dollars.  Sample beneficiaries include St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Alex’s Lemonade Stand, Save the Children’s Early Education initiative and The Brooke Jackman Foundation’s literacy and healthy food initiative. Most recently, LSSNY was the recipient of $60,000 from the foundation. 

Mrs. Cohen says of her passion for serving on LSSNY’s board; “Having witnessed the work of LSSNY, via my role at the Church, I can think of no greater honor than to play a small part in the incredible effect that it is having on those in need.  After experiencing great loss, my heart’s desire is to minister to those who experience suffering of any kind – especially children and families.”  

She earned a Citation of Merit (Feb. 2003) for leadership in the NYC public school system from Adolfo Carrion, Bx. Borough President, and the Sojourner Truth Meritorious Service Award (2002) from the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club, Inc.

During her retirement, she has continued to hold leadership positions as President of her church based Federal Credit Union (now merged) and is currently President of her Co-op Board of Directors.  She is the recipient of an Outstanding Discipleship Award from the Black Pastors’ Group of the Metropolitan New York Synod (MNYS) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).  She has received in 2019, Certificates of Recognition from Bronx Community Board 9 -Senior Symposium, Certificates of Recognition from Senator Luis Sepulveda, Senator Alessandra Biaggi, and Citations from Assemblyman Hon. Marco A. Crespo and City Council Member Rev. Ruben Diaz for her community leadership and involvement.

Barbara A. Johnson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University (N.J), a Master of Science in Education from Hunter College, New York City, (1974) and an Advanced Certificate in Education in Supervision and Administration (1993) also from Hunter College, NYC.

In 2003, Steven joined Project Renewal, Inc., a 53-year-old homeless services organization that touches the lives of over 15,000 of New York City’s most vulnerable men and woman a year.  Project Renewal’s mission is to end the cycle of homelessness by empowering individuals and families to renew their lives through health, homes, and jobs. Steven is the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer and is responsible for the financial operations that include seven homeless shelters that total approximately 1,000 beds a night.  In addition, there are 239 transitional housing beds, 459 permanent supportive housing beds and a Federally Qualified Health Center program consisting of 3 brick and mortar clinics and a mobile medical program. The organization’s annual budget is over $120 million.

Steven’s commitment to Christian service has continued through the years. He remains an active member of Trinity’s Men’s Organization, serves as the Treasurer of the Board of Trustees and he represents the congregation as a member of the Lutheran High School Association of New York. In 2008, he became the first president of the newly formed Martin Luther School and continues to serve the school in that capacity.

Mr. Darrel W. Upson has been the Managing Partner at Hudson Peak Wealth Advisors, one of the nation’s top planning practices at Ameriprise Financial, since 2003. Every year, since 2009, he has had the distinct honor of being awarded a Westchester Magazine Five Star Wealth Manager Award. Mr. Upson has helped his clients define and pursue their vision of financial success.

He is a former Chairman of the Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens Progress of Peoples Affordable Housing and Development Group, the organization that created over 3,400 units of affordable housing in Brooklyn and Queen. He dedicates time to several causes, including Calvary Hospital, Life’s WORC, Lifting Up Westchester and Phelps Memorial Hospital.

https://www.ameripriseadvisors.com/team/hudson-peak-wealth-advisors/financial-advice-team/darrel.w.upson/