Rev. Shirley Coleman Hensford
Founder and Board President
Committed to advocating for and aiding the underserved, Rev. Shirley began a mission over ten years ago to support needy local NYC families through a variety of informal and voluntary grass-roots projects. Vigorously connecting with local schools, churches and businesses with much success, she coordinated with a team of volunteers to take her informal gifts to the next level. In November 2011, Rev. Shirley founded Heart To Heart Empowerment, Inc. “A real lover of people,” she embraces two listening and compassionate professions, which she considers to be a calling from God. She is a social work therapist and an ordained minister. In addition, she is a workshop leader, facilitator of women’s support groups and a pastoral counselor.
Rev. Shirley holds a Masters of Social Work degree from Rutgers University and a Masters of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary.
PELA SELENE TERRY
Treasurer
Pela joined the Board as a founding director in November 2011. She leverages non-profit leadership and organizational development experience in her board of director role from a diverse array of management experiences spanning from 1990 to the present. She has worked in education, health, and human services leadership roles overseeing program development and operations, organizational development, revenue diversification, compliance, and quality improvement, and performance outcomes. Pela has directly and indirectly volunteered in nonprofit governance for a variety of non-profits since 1992. Pela currently serves as the Executive Director of Atlantic Street Center in Seattle, WA. Prior, she served in Chief and Corporate Compliance Officer roles at various Hudson Valley (NYS) nonprofit organizations. Pela feels that her calling is to support individuals who are at-risk, traditionally marginalized, and most vulnerable. Pela holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and Spanish from Coe College, a Bachelor of Science degree in biology/health sciences from Roosevelt University (Chicago, IL). Pela continued her education with a focus in human services administration at The College of New Rochelle where she earned a Master of Public Administration (MPA.) degree in 2014. Dr. Terry conducted dissertation research on executive succession planning for nonprofits to complete her Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) degree in Executive Leadership at St. John Fisher College in 2018.
Anne Marie Greco
Director
Anne Marie Greco joined the Board of Directors in the spring of 2012. She is currently Director of Global Medical Affairs for Early Portfolio, encompassing clinical development and research in dermatology with biologic therapies and in rare diseases. In her roles during >15 years in the pharmaceutical industry within medical affairs, she collaborated with experts and researchers internationally and locally across multiple disease areas. Prior to this, she practiced in Critical Care as a Clinical Manager at the NewYork Presbyterian Hospital – Weill Cornell Medical Center in Manhattan and was on faculty teaching pharmacology for Columbia, NYU and Hunter nursing and Cornell physician’s assistant programs. Through Healing the Children, Anne Marie made 5 medical missions to St Petersburg, Russia to work at patients’ bedside with cardiac surgeons and cardiologists to educate and counsel on current practice standards while modifying them within the confines of their resources. Interacting with healthcare practitioners and caring for patients from very diverse backgrounds and cultures have provided the opportunity to learn and to address and navigate these differences in administering care and researching new therapies. Anne Marie holds a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy as well as a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Rutgers University, College of Pharmacy (now Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy) in New Jersey.
JACQUELINE ESTUPIÑAN
Director
Jacqueline Estupiñan worked in healthcare for more than 15 years before discovering her true passion as an educator. Jackie holds a Bachelors of Psychology degree from Hunter College, and is presently pursuing a Masters in Adolescent Education at Pace University.
Jackie has always loved working with children of all ages, and is currently teaching science at a middle school in Brooklyn. She finds it challenging, yet rewarding, as she explores a myriad of ways to bring science lessons to life through fun and games.
Jackie has been on the Board of Directors since 2017. In addition, she volunteers at her church and for her teen-age son’s school activities. In her leisure, she participates in health walks – especially for breast cancer, and she enjoys kickboxing.
Dawn Marie Stull
Board Secretary
Dawn Marie joined the Board of Directors in the spring of 2012. She is currently a Global Scientific Director at Takeda Oncology. Previous to working for Takeda she worked as a Clinical Oncology Pharmacist at the New York Presbyterian Hospital – Weill Cornell Medical Center in Manhattan. While working in healthcare in New York City Dawn Marie interacted with patients and caregivers from diverse ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. Dawn Marie holds a Bachelors degree in Pharmacy from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Maryland at Baltimore. In addition she completed a Pharmacy Practice Residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital and an Oncology Specialty Residency at the University of Maryland.
David Shamoon
Technology Advisor
David Shamoon has held leadership positions in both the private and public sectors, focusing on innovation, technology, and business strategy. He is currently Manager of Operations at the New York City School Construction Authority where his emphasis is on using technology to streamline processes for regulatory review and approval. He has a Bachelor’s degree from Northeastern University and a Masters of Science degree in Technology Management from Columbia University.
Rita Hill Esq.
Legal Advisor
Rita Hill is passionate about supporting non-profit organizations like Heart To Heart Empowerment Inc. Since 2001 she has been practicing law in the Greater New York City Area and takes time to understand the specific legal and business needs of her clients. She earned a Doctor of Law (J.D.) from Touro College’s Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center in 1995. Besides litigation, her interests include home decorating, creative writing, and traveling.