WBLL CO-FOUNDERS
Liz Gannon-Graydon
Liz Gannon-Graydon is a co-founder of What Better Looks Like. Her work and world view were inspired by her parents. Her Dad was a college professor and activist who taught her the vision of Dr. King’s Beloved Community. Her mother was an emergency room nurse in NYC, who taught her the importance of caring for the person right in front of her. Her work weaves together those two important visions.
Liz taught middle school in NYC for 16 years. It was there that a young student changed the course of her life. In response to Miss Gannon’s observation that they were the future and it would be up to them to make the world a better place, her student responded, “This is how the world is. If you want me to make it better, what would better look like?” Liz has spent the last three decades of her life devoted to answering that question.
As an educator, storyteller, and public speaker, she believes that the fastest way to change the world is to change the stories that we tell and that the most important story is in each of us. Liz’s work is built around having each person tap into their story and discover what they are here to heal, create or teach that brings us closer to a vision of a world that works for everyone.
Lis is the former chairperson of The Peace Alliance and recently completed a training in Nonviolence365® Masterclass Edition through The King Center.
“For me, taking the time to notice the people around you, and treating them with kindness is what BETTER looks like.”
Marie Goretti Ukeye
Marie Goretti Ukeye was born and raised in Rwanda, where she lived through the 1994 genocide. The profound loss of family members, friends, and community left a lasting impact on her life. Rather than letting tragedy define her, Marie chose to let it shape a deeper sense of compassion, purpose, and commitment to others.
From those painful experiences, Marie learned the value of empathy, resilience, and hope. Today, she is dedicated to creating a more caring world – especially for vulnerable children – using the lessons of her past to guide her path forward.
“To help extend to orphaned children what is offered to me in the USA—the guarantee of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, to find joy in children’s laughter and to help them live in a more peaceful world,–that’s what BETTER looks like for me.”
Chris Clarke
Chris has a broad base of leadership and training experience in the educational and healthcare fields, as well as an expertise in development of program models. Her career focused on improving the lives of children and their families through work as a teacher, school administrator, college professor and foster parent. She has developed and managed several statewide quality assurance initiatives of the NY State Department of Health, including Early Intervention for very young children with disabilities and their families, School-based Health Clinics, School-based Dental Clinics, and Family Planning Clinics.
Chris loves to inspire others to explore their own new ways of seeing life. She believes we can all encourage each other to actively envision positive ways to create a better world together.
Chris has volunteered on behalf of families in crisis, children with disabilities, and those experiencing extreme poverty both locally and in developing countries. She supports citizen action organizations that promote peace, and caring for those in need.
“Connecting with spirit, and inspiring others to remember truth and joy, is what BETTER looks like to me.”
Robin Deluca-Acconi
Robin DeLuca-Acconi, Ph.D., LCSW Clinical Associate Professor, is currently the Director of School Social Work programming school partnerships in the School of Social Welfare at Stony Brook University. She has been consulting with Long Island school districts on trauma-sensitive schools, school avoidance and anxiety and the impact of empathetic distress on school personnel. She served as Assistant Dean for the School of Social Welfare from 2019 until she created the school social work program in 2024.
She was a school social worker for twenty years from 1999-2019. Dr. DeLuca-Acconi is on the board of the NYS School Social Work Association representing Nassau and Suffolk counties and serving as the University liaison.
Her research and publications surround educational equity and increasing positive outcomes for public school students. She has written a chapter in “The Art of Being Indispensable: What School Social Workers Need in Their First Three Years of Practice” and is currently writing one in “Emerging School Social Work Interventions” both published by Oxford University Press. Dr. DeLuca- Acconi has co-authored a book, “School Made Easier: A Kid’s Guide to Study Strategies and Anxiety-Busting Tools.”
She served as the Chair of the Council on Social Work Education Human Rights Committee. Her additional publications and research agenda surrounds advocacy, fair globalization, and human rights.
“For me, what BETTER looks like is a world in which we all are aware of our inter-connectiveness—a world in which we all become aware about how the choices we make impact one another, the environment and all living things . We need to use this awareness to make improved decisions.”
Eileen Ilardo
Eileen has been a health-care professional, in the field of Dental Hygiene, for over twenty years. She has trained in various modalities as a life coach, emotional release work, primary trauma recovery facilitation, non-violent communication and community advocacy. Additionally, she monitored school-based dental clinics throughout New York.
Eileen has years of commitment to women’s issues and has participated as a co-facilitator of women’s groups and retreats. She is a dedicated, motivated peace activist and is passionate about environmental issues. She has served with various teams of volunteers with Sierra Club, Habitat for Humanity and Remote Area Medical/Dental clinic.
Eileen was blessed to be the mother of two beautiful children. Having lost her son to addiction, her path now includes connecting and bonding with others to navigate the grief journey
“What BETTER Looks Like to me is connecting and finding commonality with each other by sharing our stories and strengths
Norma Loeb
Norma’s passion is in healing the disconnectedness among people. An avid activist for peace, women and the elderly, her key focus is connecting with others to discover what is most important to them as individuals and honoring them as such. An essential part of her community-based work, both locally and globally, is meeting in circles as equals to achieve vital connection and inspiration. Seeking to aid the elderly in alleviating loneliness, fear and confusion is also one of her commitments.
Affected and inspired by the caregiving to her Mom, Lillian, who had Lewy body dementia (LBD), Norma is determined to help as many people as possible. She is proud to be the founder of the Lewy Body Dementia Resource Center which has the only live helpline in the United States for LBD (a disease that is not rare but still widely unknown), facilitates support groups nationwide, and has vast resources on their website.
Norma was executive assistant to the chief financial officer of The New York Times Company where she worked for over 25 years. She also served as chairperson of the work/life committee of The New York Times Company’s women’s affinity group.
“What BETTER looks like to me is feeling the joy of a loving voice, hand, hug, or song. Most importantly, it is about having time available when someone is in need.”
Kathleen Casserly
Born and raised in Canada, Kathleen is an ordained Interfaith minister, addictions specialist, End of Life Doula, and spiritual counselor. She brings her experience in facilitation of women’s circles, team building retreats, spiritual retreats for women, Emotional Release, and other groups.
For eleven years she hosted women’s circles on Long Island, New York, in Connecticut, and in Vermont after being inspired by Jean Shinoda Bolen’s Millionth Circle. Her work combines Non-Violent Communication and various energy and body-centered practices.
Kathleen is committed to healing trauma within individuals, families, and communities, all working with a wholistic approach—body, mind, spirit, and emotions. She has hosted and facilitated fundraising events using film as a means of connecting individuals and raising awareness of issues such as sexual and domestic violence and addiction.
Kathleen is the mother of two grown children and is active in civic, beautification, and environmental projects in her new home city of Montpelier, Vermont.
“What BETTER looks like to me is balance: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual—in myself, in relationships, in my family, in communities, and globally, including a healthy relationship with Mother Earth.”
WBLL BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Liliane Gashumba
Liliane Gashumba is Deputy Executive Secretary responsible for Administration and Finance at Communauté Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs (CEPGL) – a regional organization between Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Management from the National University of Rwanda and a Master of Business Administration in Project Management from Maastricht School of Management in collaboration with Rwanda School of Finance and Banking.
Outside of her professional life, Ms. Gashumba, a survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, works with various organizations speaking out for women, victims and survivors of genocide as well as for prevention of HIV in Rwanda. Ms. Gashumba resides in Rwanda with her husband and three daughters.
Michele Gervat
Michele Gervat has been Regional Director of Special Events at the American Heart Association in Plainview, New York since 2001. She is responsible for fundraising and has continually generated new partnerships with individuals and corporations in the New York City/Long Island region. Michele promotes wellness to help improve the health of Long Island communities adhering to the 20/20 Goal of the American Heart Association: improving the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20% and reducing death and disability from cardiovascular diseases and stroke. She oversees the Long Island Heart Ball and the AHA Golf Classic, a Joel Hamroff Memorial Tribute. Prior to her career at AHA, Michele was a paraprofessional at Western Suffolk Boces for ten years and worked with emotionally challenged students ranging from third grade through high school. She is a member of the Huntington Chamber of Commerce and the Melville Chamber of Commerce.
David Goldberg
David Goldberg has held senior marketing and advertising positions at public companies including Foot Locker and Taubman Centers. Currently, he serves as a partner at G. Pirozzi Consulting – a “nouveau mom & pop” consultancy concentrating on sports, entertainment, not-for-profits, brand building, and legal marketing. In addition to traditional advertising functions, he developed and oversaw experiential marketing programs with a blue chip list of media and corporate partners including American Express, Nike, ABC/ESPN, Disney, Pepsi, Lexus, CBS, Eurosport, Sharp, Adidas, NBC and Warner Brothers. David’s teams have earned numerous and diverse recognition. A graduate of LIU-C.W. Post, he lives on Long Island with his wife and two daughters
Joseph Ledwidge
Joseph is an attorney with his own private practice in Jamaica Estates, New York. He studied business and finance and earned his LL.B. in London, UK. He is a member of the Queens County Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association. Joseph wrote and lectured on “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Litigating a Case in Probate Court,” hosted by the New York City Bar Association. Outside of his law practice, Mr. Ledwidge is active in the local community and previously served on the Board of Forestdale, Inc., a child welfare agency based in Queens.
Tom Leonard
Tom Leonard is a recently retired Vice President and tax professional from Esselte Corporation, a multinational office supply manufacturer with sales in excess of $1 billion. He worked at Esselte for 25 years and was responsible for all U.S. tax filings, compliance and audits. Tom presently has his own small tax practice with 2 corporate and 15 individual clients. He is married and has three daughters.<
Karen Messineo
Before retiring in July 2016, Karen was Divisional Controller of Finance and Insurance Solutions for Dealertrack Technologies in Lake Success, New York where she was responsible for overseeing and directing financial operations for the company’s largest revenue division. Prior to moving closer to home to work, Karen worked at The New York Times Company where she enjoyed a distinguished 32 year career. She was Vice President & Chief Financial Officer of The New York Times newspaper for many years after having served as controller. She was also Chief Financial Officer for About.com and held the positions of Chief Financial Officer at New York Times Digital and Vice President of Finance of NYTimes.com. Karen started her career at the accounting firm now known as Deloitte & Touche after graduating with honors from Adelphi University and became a New York State Certified Public Accountant.
IN MEMORIAM
Allison Hickey
Allison was a valued member of the Board of Directors for What Better Looks Like for several years before her unexpected passing on October 31, 2017. During the time she was with us she was a dynamic and skilled businesswoman and a force of energy who propelled us in positive directions on many occasions. We learned from her, were inspired by her, and will forever benefit from the guidance she gave us.
Allison was a rare individual who was able to use both her head and her heart to make decisions. At one board meeting we heard that some of the Village of Hope residents were concerned for a very aged woman – called “Mukecucu”, the Kinyarwandan word for grandmother- who was unable to work and barely subsisting. Allison immediately offered to sponsor a food delivery to her every month. She continued with this until Mukecucu passed away. Allison also sponsored a sewing program, enabling 12 women to receive vocational training as dressmakers. And she paid tuition for a young man living in poverty, to enable him to complete a four-year university bachelor’s degree.
Allison was a life-changer! She never hesitated and always stepped forward to do what she could for those in need. She believed in the value of education to help lift the people of the Village of Hope out of extreme poverty. In October 2018, because Allison continues to inspire us, we set up a memorial scholarship fund in her name. This fund will continue the work Allison so compassionately and courageously believed in.