About Us

Marcia is the Executive Director of the Riverdale Neighborhood House in Bronx, NY.  Prior to that she was the Managing Director and COO of Pioneer Works, a groundbreaking cultural center dedicated to building community through the arts and sciences. She has extensive experience in marketing and non-profit management and splits her time between Stonington and NYC.

Phyllis retired from Red Oak Commodity Advisors, where she was Co-Founder,
Treasurer, and Compliance Officer. Previously she was at Goldman Sachs, first as an
Institutional Research Liaison and then as an advisor to high-net worth individuals.
She was a Vice President at her departure. Prior to her work in finance, Phyllis She was
an Associate Professor of the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Associate
Director of the Reading and Language Laboratory.

Phyllis Holds an MBA from Stanford University School of Business. She was awarded a
PhD in Language Communications and an MEd in Higher Education, both from the
University of Pittsburgh. Phyllis completed a BS in Education from Ohio State
University.

Phyllis has long been an active fund-raiser and philanthropist in education. After
volunteering for several years, she now Co-Chairs the Board of Directors of Yellow
Farmhouse Education Center in Stonington CT. At the University of Chicago, she was
founding Chair of the Parent and Family Leadership Council, the major gifts arm of the
Parents Program. Phyllis and husband, Gary Gerstein, endowed the Red Oak Odyssey
Scholarships at Chicago to support undergraduate students. She served on the Board of Directors of the Young Women’s Leadership Network (YWLN) in New York City, where she founded and directed the Urban Education Internship Program.

Deb is a Vice President at TJX Companies, the parent company of TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, Homesense, Sierra, Marshalls and TK Maxx. She has worked for TJX since 2005 and is currently responsible for the western region real estate team as well as the store planning and design department. Her career began in public accounting and her real estate clients were her entry into commercial real estate where she has worked both the developer and tenant sides of the business for over 30 years. Her passion, outside of her profession, is the non-profit sector, working with charities that focus on conservation, education and mentoring the next generation. She has served on the board of CASA (court appointed special advocate) that mentors and advocates for at risk youth. She has also served as an advisory board member for Farm Aid that promotes food from family farms, helping farmers thrive and take action for change. Over the years she has been a volunteer and has served on various event planning committees for several charities. She enjoys the collaboration of diverse backgrounds coming together for a common cause to make a difference.

Anthony is an internationally-renowned mixology author, educator, and consultant specializing in the history and science of alcoholic beverages. He has been the Director of Spirits Education and Research at New York’s top-ranked Institute of Culinary Education for over a decade, and authored the cocktail chapter of their groundbreaking cookbook, Recipes for Innovation.  Anthony is also the producer, playwright, and star of The Imbible series of NYC-based musicals about the history of cocktails and spirits, which have become some of the longest-running Off-Broadway shows of all time as well as high-volume bar programs.  

Kathleen Kocatas brings over 20 years of expertise in event production and marketing. As a consultant with AHC Events, Kathleen produces bespoke events for private, not for profit, and corporate clients. Prior to her work with AHC Events, Kathleen served as Senior Manager, Partnerships for W Hotels Worldwide where she managed all national and regional promotion activities and initiated several innovative charity partnership programs. Kathleen holds her BA from Hamilton College and is an active member of the philanthropic community in southeastern Connecticut and Rhode Island. 

Pete Hayes has been in the real estate business for over 30 years starting in Boston with The Codman Company and then moving to Rhode Island in 1987 to open a regional office. As a co-founder of Hayes & Sherry Real Estate Services in 1990, and now a Cushman & Wakefield Alliance Member, Pete has been involved with hundreds of tenant representation transactions and leasing and investment sales for select landlords.