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ABOUT US: Our Team
National Staff
Elisabeth Stock,
Chief Executive Officer and Co-FounderJanice Goldfarb,
Chief External Affairs OfficerLouis Edwards,
National Technology DirectorBill Janes,
National Finance DirectorBill Rappel,
National Director of the Affiliate NetworkKallen Tsikalas,
National Director of Research & Learning ServicesNicole Wierzbicki,
National Program DirectorChristopher Booth,
IT ManagerKristina M. Silbajoris,
Manager of Development InitiativesChristine Newkirk,
Research & Program AssociateNelson Perez,
Assistant Help Desk ManagerJesse Lehrer,
Executive Assistant
CFY-New York City Staff
Kavita Singh Gilchrist,
Executive DirectorJohn Espinosa,
Technology DirectorCindy Menz-Erb,
Program DirectorLeyvan Jones,
Program ManagerJuan Caro,
Technology AssociateFrancisco Fuentes,
Technology AssociateLeonard Wilson,
Technology Associate
CFY-Philadelphia Staff
Medina Rashid,
Program ManagerDeavon Church,
Technology ManagerRyan Davies,
Program Associate
CFY-Atlanta Staff
Jeanne Artime,
Program ManagerRichard Hicks,
Technology Manager
Elisabeth Stock
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder
Elisabeth Stock built Computers for Youth from a nascent non-profit in 1999 to a national leader in improving the home learning environment of low-income families. CFY has been recognized by the Drucker Foundation and by the Tech Museum in San Jose, California for its innovative use of technology in education. Recognized as an expert in her field, Elisabeth has served as an advisor to both the NYC Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She was also appointed to serve on the New York City Broadband Advisory Committee. She has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and on National Public Radio and has published a policy paper with the Benton Foundation. Prior to her work at CFY, Elisabeth served as a White House Fellow (1996-1997), where she was the principal architect of a program that enables Federal agencies to donate surplus computers directly to needy schools. She also worked at the Vera Institute of Justice and helped the Open Society Institute start the After-School Corporation. She was a high school teacher for two years while a Peace Corps volunteer and later worked for the World Bank on appropriate technology in Africa, traveling extensively and publishing numerous articles. Elisabeth served as a member of the MIT Board of Trustees (1997-2002) and is the youngest individual ever to be appointed to the MIT Executive Committee (2000-2002). She was honored by
Crain's New York Business
in 2001 as one of 40 New Yorkers under 40 shaping the city. Elisabeth holds four degrees from MIT: two bachelor's degrees—one in engineering and one in writing—and two master's degrees—one in urban planning and one in technology and policy. She also holds a patent for a medical device.Janice Goldfarb
Chief External Affairs Officer
Janice Goldfarb joined Computers for Youth as its first Chief External Affairs Officer in August 2006. Her role is to oversee all development and communications activities such as major gifts, direct mail, grant writing, planned giving, events, branding, marketing, press and public relations, CFY’s newsletter, and CFY’s website. Janice brings to CFY two decades of non-profit fundraising, marketing and public relations experience, preceded by a stint in sales. Janice has represented many organizations with missions as varied as women’s advocacy, bias toward gay and lesbian students, homelessness, birth defects, and Jewish communal services. She has been the Director of Development for several national and New York-based local organizations including the National Council of Jewish Women; The Partnership for the Homeless; and the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network. She ran a walkathon program for the March of Dimes, and executed a capital campaign for the Arts Council of Orange County, NY. Her longest tenure was at the United Jewish Appeal of New York where for 8 years she was responsible for community fundraising campaigns and ultimately the Young Leadership campaign. Janice holds a Bachelor of Arts in communications from New York State University College at Oneonta.
Louis Edwards
National Technology Director
Louis Edwards manages all the technical components of CFY’s programming. His responsibilities include soliciting businesses for used computers and then converting them into CFY
home learning centers.
Louis is also responsible for building CFY’s software prototype each year (the “guts” of thehome learning center
), overseeing all the technical needs of CFY’s Saturday Family Learning workshops, and supervising the ongoing technical support to all family participants. Since joining CFY in 1999, Louis has grown the Technology department to one of the largest of its kind in the nation, successfully soliciting and refurbishing thousand of computers each year. Louis has extensive expertise in hardware and software as well as programming skills. Prior to CFY, from 1997-1999, he directed an initiative at the Technical Career Institute (TCI) that solicited and repaired donated corporate computers for use by disabled children. Prior to TCI, Louis worked as a sales associate with Macy’s East in New York and as a Petroleum Inspector for the Ministry of Energy, Trinidad and Tobago (the country where he was born and raised). Louis holds a degree in Electronic Engineering Technology from TCI and a diploma as a Mechanical Engineering Technician.Bill Janes
National Finance Director
Bill Janes oversees CFY’s finance and accounting operations with a particular focus on budgeting and cash flow analysis in support of CFY’s national expansion. Prior to joining CFY in the fall of 2007, Bill worked for many years in banking at EAB where he was a Group Vice President in charge of financial systems development. Later he worked for five years at CitiBank where he set up financial management reporting systems. He also has 10 years experience as a volunteer accountant at Hour Children, a Long Island-based non-profit organization. Bill has a BS in business administration and two master’s degrees, one in finance and one in accounting.
Bill Rappel
National Director of Affiliate Program
Bill Rappel is responsible for building CFY’s affiliate network and directing CFY’s legislative affairs efforts. Prior to moving to CFY’s national office, Bill served for six years as CFY-NYC’s Program Director, during which he increased CFY’s school partnerships more than six-fold; built a robust application process for selecting schools; and successfully built a strong relationship with the New York City Council, from which CFY receives significant funding each year. Prior to CFY, Bill worked at Organic, an Internet consulting firm, and was a consultant for a Rockefeller Family Fund project where he conducted site visits for the America Online Foundation’s Digital Divide Initiative. Bill has a master’s degree in urban planning from Columbia University.
Kallen Tsikalas
National Director of Research & Learning Services
Kallen Tsikalas directs CFY’s Research & Learning Services department where she is responsible for using internal and external research to improve CFY’s work; building CFY’s professional development courses; providing oversight for CFY’s Student Software Team; supervising CFY’s Community Corner website, and identifying educational software to include on CFY’s
home learning centers.
Many of these initiatives Kallen built from the ground up after joining CFY in April 2000. Prior to CFY, from 1993 to 2000, she worked with the Education Development Center’s Center for Children and Technology where she supported and evaluated a number of education technology project and teacher training initiatives nationwide. Kallen also worked with Hunter College School of Social Work, Columbia University’s Institute for Urban and Minority Education, and the NSF's Center for Innovative Learning Technologies. Kallen has received several distinguished honors and awards including being selected as an NSF Evaluation Fellow; receiving the Trude Lash Fellowship from the New York City Fund for Social Change; receiving a Graduate Student Research Award from the City University of New York; and winning the B. Altman Merit-based Fellowship for Doctoral Study. Kallen has served as Graduate Student Representative on the CUNY Research Foundation Board of Directors since 2004. Kallen holds a master’s degree from Columbia University in instructional technology and is pursuing a Ph.D. from City University of New York.Nicole Wierzbicki
National Program Director
Nicole Wierzbicki is responsible for the quality assurance of CFY’s programs in all the cities in which we operate. She directs the training of all new programmatic staff, leads CFY’s organizational planning effort and directs the effort to refine and improve CFY’s programs, including CFY’s Family Learning Workshop curriculum, the Master Teacher Program and Professional Development. Prior to becoming CFY’s National Program Director, Nicole worked in CFY’s Research & Learning Services department where she built CFY’s Master Teacher program and helped develop and deliver curricula for CFY’s Family Learning Workshops and professional development courses. Prior to joining CFY in 2005, Nicole was selected by the prestigious New York City Teaching Fellows program to become a public middle school teacher. She spent two years teaching English, computers and drama to 6th, 7th and 8th graders in East New York, Brooklyn. Prior to teaching, Nicole spent five years working for Nordstrom’s in Seattle as their data warehouse developer, assistant to project manager and sales associate. Nicole holds an bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Washington and a master's degree in education from Brooklyn College.
Kavita Singh Gilchrist
CFY-New York City Executive Director
Kavita Singh Gilchrist leads the operations of CFY-New York City with a focus on fundraising and building the local visibility of CFY’s work. Kavita has 13 years experience using information technology to strengthen education in schools, homes and community-based organizations. She has led numerous local and national programs providing IT access and training; grants and nonprofit technical assistance; events and volunteer management; and accessibility for people with disabilities. Prior to joining CFY in 2008, Kavita served as Executive Director of the Community Technology Centers' Network (Washington, DC); Director of Programs at the Marcus A. Foster Educational Institute (Oakland, CA); Program Officer at New Visions for Public Schools (New York, NY); and as a Human Computer Interface designer for Computer Sciences Corporation. Kavita holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Information Systems from Drexel University and a Masters in Education with a concentration in Technology from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education.