The Center For Career Freedom
Est. 1998
Get to Know Us
Meet the people who make this possible.
Administrative Operations
Elizabeth A. Edgar
Executive Director & CEO
Elizabeth has over 30 years of progressive experience in early 1 childhood education and healthcare. Notable is her 20 years of early childhood experience as a Pre-K Care Center Director, where she specialized in the study of functionality and cognitive abilities and how they relate to training developing minds. She also represented an Early Intervention Program (EIP), a national program for infants and toddlers with disabilities. The EIP is administered by the NYS Department of Health through the Bureau of Early Intervention. Liz also has fifteen years of experience as a Certified Dental Assistant, Medical Assistant, EKG Tech, and Phlebotomist in several hospitals and Nursing homes throughout Westchester and the Bronx. At the Center, Liz oversees all staff and students' performance as well as referrals from ACCES-VR, High Schools, One Stop, and Providers.
Cathy Frusciante NYCPS, CRPA, VSR
Executive Assistant to the CEO
Cathy is a NYCPSS, VSR, and CRPA, with her primary interest being in Veteran support. Cathy comes to The Center with a diverse background which has allowed her to acquire over 30 years. of various experience working with people and the public within the corporate, medical, real estate, and peer fields. At The Center, Cathy is the Administrative Assistant to the CEO & Founder as well as overseer of The Center's office operations and social media. In 2018, Cathy created The Cyber Seniors Program at NYP's Westchester Div. and weekly "All About Employment/Social Skills Hour" at The Center. As a Peer, Cathy provides an open door to all and is always happy, willing, and available to advocate and provide support, encouragement, and resources to & for those who may be unable to do for themselves (ie: re-entry, DV, Veterans, etc). Cathy also participates in Westchester County's Mental Health sub-committee. Fun fact, Cathy is also a hypnotist who received a Mayoral Proclamation for World Hypnotism Day and was recognized by her peers. Some of Cathy's cherished moments are of a video she was asked to participate in with MSAA & of her unwavering and continuous volunteer service to our Military Veterans whom she Wholeheartedly supports and deeply respects.
Board of Directors
Gina M. Rustici
Board Member
Gina M. Rustici holds a bachelor’s degree in business with a concentration in Supply Chain. She currently serves her local community hospital as the Senior Director of Supply Chain operations for Premier, Inc; a healthcare consultant company and group purchasing organization. She has over 15 years of experience in project management, contract negotiation, quality assurance and operational process improvement. Her and her husband, Richard, have been married for 12 years and reside in Yonkers, NY with their 2 children. She considers it an honor to serve on the Board for The Center for Career Freedom to advocate for people with Disabilities as this allows her to give back to her community. When not working, Gina enjoys tackling home improvement projects, home decorating and planning events.
Barry Harrison
Board Member
Barry Harrison owns and operates a Network and Cyber Security Consulting Firm that has been serving the financial industry for over 2 decades. In the early days of the Center, Barry helped define the teaching methodology for our students that live with Autism, a methodology that we are still using today. Barry is also a Certified Medicaid Self-Direction Broker and a strong and active advocate for the legal rights of the disabled community. Most importantly, Barry is the father of a young woman that lives with Autism and is passionate about improving not just her life, but the lives of others like her.
David Minot
Autism Spectrum Disorders Advisor
David joined his father in 2007 to launch Autism Spectrum News. Both Mental Health News and Autism Spectrum News are hardcopy quarterly newspapers that reach over 160,000 consumers, families, treatment professionals, service providers, educators, and decision makers across the country. To learn more go to Autism Spectrum News.
Dr. Don Marinaro
Special Needs Education Advisor
Dr. Don has over 35 years experience in the development, implementation and operations of Special Education Programs in the Newark, New Jersey and New York City Public School Systems. His most recent position was the Executive Director -Special Education for the Newark Public Schools where he was responsible for 7,200 students, ages 3-21, diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum, medically fragile and behaviorally challenged. With a staff of over 1,200 employees in 35 schools, Don pioneered initiatives in model educational programs including professional development partnerships with local universities, parent education and parent volunteer academies and inclusive work-study transitional programs. He increased attendance and reduced suspension rates by over 75% and, increased graduation rates by 200%. He is an Adjunct Lecturer at Fordham’s Graduate School of Education and a consultant helping to launch a charter school for students on the Autism Spectrum in New Jersey. Don earned a Doctorate Degree in Education, a Masters in Special Education and holds NYS and New Jersey certification in Administration and Teaching. Don oversees the Cybility Tutorial development, field-testing and implementation.
Instructors
Edward Pinkowski
Head Instructor
After twenty plus years in the building trades, Ed decided on a career in Computers. He had always been proficient, could troubleshoot and even build a desktop computer. With the support of ACCESS-VR in White Plains, Ed enrolled at the Center for Career Freedom where he quickly earned his online Microsoft Certificates in 2016. A natural teacher, Ed volunteered to be a Peer Instructor and found teaching to be his second career. Ed has applied for his NYS teaching license and is very popular among his many students.
Joliese Hurns-Gibson
Certified Instructor
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In 2016, Joliese began her career in computers with the help of ACCES-VR, where Gwen guided her through assessing her interests and skills. It was determined that she could pursue a career as a computer specialist. ACCES-VR recommended the Center for Career Freedom, a nonprofit where she trained to become an instructor in Microsoft Office. Joliese volunteered at New York Presbyterian Hospital in White Plains, teaching patients how to use programs like Facebook, Instagram, and email. The Center for Career Freedom has been instrumental in helping me achieve my dreams, and she is deeply grateful for the opportunity. As Jesus said, “With God, all things are possible.”
Joseph Oleskovic
Certified Instructor
Joseph is a dedicated and accomplished recent graduate from Loyola University Maryland, where he earned his Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Management and Marketing, graduating Cum Laude. He also gained valuable international experience through a study abroad program at Newcastle University in England. In addition to his academic and international experiences, Joseph is an Eagle Scout, recognized for his leadership and community service, including spearheading a local garden renovation project in Yonkers. His professional background includes experience in client services, social media marketing, and customer relationship management, having worked at Westchester County and Compass Real Estate. Joseph first came to the Center as a student. Over time, he obtained his certifications in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. He later transitioned into a role at the Center, where he trains students in the Microsoft Office suite and assists the CEO with clerical responsibilities. Joseph's strong communication and organization skills support his commitment to helping others and enabling his students to master essential tools helping them achieve their goals.
Silvia E. Sanchez
Bilingual Certified Instructor
In just eight months, Silvia earned her online Microsoft Certificates for Word, PowerPoint & Excel These hard skills, combined with her excellent "people skills," make Silvia an ideal employee. The Center was fortunate that she chose to work here. "I love to work with people with disabilities. I have lived my life with Cerebral Palsy and was fortunate to meet many talented caregivers. Now it's my turn to give back." Silvia credits Jessica Sudol her counselor at ACCES-VR, White Plains District Office for providing the opportunity to study Computer Software at the Center.
Toniqua Melvin
Certified Instructor
The Center for Career Freedom has helped Toniqua in many ways. Ever since she came here she has skyrocketed, like really. She now has certifications in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Word Expert, and Excel Expert. She was hired to be an intern helping other students with what she has already accomplished. So thank you ACCES-VR and The Center for giving me this great opportunity; I'm forever grateful. Toniqua received her NYS Dept of Education teaching license in 2019.
Jeff Woods
Certified Instructor
Jeff was born and raised in Atlanta, GA. He has lived all over the country for different jobs, but still has a fondness for the South. His family now lives in Westchester, NY and for the past eight years Jeff has resided in Yonkers, NY.
Jeff attended Georgetown University and Georgia State University, graduating in 1997 with a BBA, in Finance, Magna Cum Laude. He continued his education at Georgia State University graduating in 2001 with an MBA in Risk Management. During his undergraduate and graduate studies, Jeff interned and worked at AIG, Merrill Lynch, Marsh, GenRe, IBM and Home Depot.
Jeff’s post-educational professional career started in insurance at Chubb Insurance Company. He worked for Chubb for many years in Tampa, FL, Hartford CT and Los Angeles, CA. He left Chubb to move back to Georgia to help care for his father who had fallen ill with cancer. During his time in GA, Jeff was involved with many non-profits., St. Vincent DePaul, United Way, Habitat for Humanity and Covenant House. He also worked for the U.S. Census Bureau and Christ the King Catholic Church.
Jeff moved north to Westchester in 2018. He decided to continue his humanity efforts and looked for a job in the health care field. This led Jeff to Westchester Medical Center in Vallhala NY, where he worked in many different areas of the hospital. In 2021, Jeff combined his business acumen and his genuine interest in wanting to help others by becoming a teaching instructor at The Center for Career Freedom. He is a Microsoft (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) Certified Instructor. He has completed a web design development training course. Jeff received an award from the non-profit organization, Jawonio for his dedication to teaching his students.
Jeff enjoys spending time with his family, especially his three nephews. He was an assistant coach for his youngest nephew’s cross country team. Jeff helps to care for his elderly parents who now live in Westchester NY. In his free time, Jeff enjoys running, watching and playing all sports. He likes anything to do with cars and hanging out with his dog, “Pepper”.
Hector Vega
Bilingual Certified Instructor
Hector Vega has been working at the Center since November 2023. He teaches typing and technology literacy to English as a Second Language (ESL) teens and adult students at the Yonkers, NY Public Library and the Center for Career Freedom. He is passionate about working with technology and enjoys teaching individuals with disabilities. Hector is also pursuing his New York Certified Peer Specialist Certification to become a Peer Specialist.
Vito Desimini
Certified Instructor
Vito has been with the Center for over 3 years. He was referred to us by Access VR for training and received his Microsoft certifications in Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Following that he interned and is currently training students in the Microsoft Office Suite.
James Brignoli
Certified Instructor
James, a SUNY Purchase graduate with a B.A. in Biology, discovered a passion for computers after taking introductory programming courses in C and Java. His curiosity expanded to web design through a class in HTML, leading to further exploration in CSS and JavaScript. Today, he dedicates his time to sharing his knowledge by teaching Microsoft Word and Excel to students.
Job Development
Ivan Newfield
Job Developer
Ivan Newfield is a dynamic leader with extensive experience in, recruiting, training, and job placement. Known for his exceptional leadership and organizational skills, Ivan has successfully guided teams and individuals to achieve outstanding results in various sectors, including retail trade, building maintenance, food service, Clerical, manufacturing and CDL.
Ivan has demonstrated his leadership by placing over 120 individuals in jobs and maintaining a comprehensive database of over 3,000 contacts. His leadership was pivotal in his previous role at the Yonkers Chamber of Commerce, and the Yonkers Adult Education program (VIVE, Pathway to Success) where he coordinated the placement of 340 individuals over three years and organized numerous job fairs and training programs. Ivan is also certified as a STRIVE instructor and has spend four years working at the Yonkers DSS office helping customer find jobs.
Ivan’s leadership extends to managing On-the-Job (OJT) training programs, Welfare to Work (WTW) initiatives, and various job training programs in collaboration with local organizations. His ability to lead and inspire teams has consistently resulted in meeting and exceeding benchmarks, fostering long-term relationships, and achieving permanent results.
In addition to his professional achievements, Ivan has a proven track record in securing major contributions from businesses and corporations, developing promotional materials, and organizing large-scale events. His leadership in these areas has significantly impacted the Yonkers community and beyond, demonstrating his commitment to improving employment opportunities and community relations
Technical Support
Benjamin Lasky
Technical Support
Benjamin is an IT administrator for The Center. He has had a lifelong fascination with computers and games since he was very young. He learned to read from Pokemon Blue. He is an A+ certified technician with a Microsoft certification in Word. He has received an award for work with persons with disabilities and has a passion for computers.
Daniel Nash
Technical Support
Daniel is a dedicated technology specialist with expertise in assistive technology and IT support. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Information Security from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and an Associate of Applied Science in Cyber Security from Westchester Community College, where he was a Dean's List student and member of the Alpha Beta Gamma Honor Society.
Daniel’s technical skills include Linux shell scripting, penetration testing, and deploying secure embedded systems using low-cost hardware like Raspberry Pi. He is proficient in maintaining network security, managing devices, and scripting automated processes. His experience spans designing and implementing systems for corporate, educational, and assistive environments.
Daniel has been with The Center since July 2019, where he assists in configuring secure environments for student laptops and develops automation tools to streamline technical workflows.
