MEET OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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Faith Pedowitz

BOARD CHAIR

  • Faith Pedowitz has been the Board Chair of Crossing Thresholds since June 2021. Faith received her B.S. from Cornell University in 1982, and her MBA in Finance from New York University in 1987. After working at Chase Manhattan Bank and Morgan Stanley, Faith turned her attention to the non-profit world. While serving on several boards of local organizations, Faith has been active in Crossing Thresholds since its inception. She created the Emerging Leaders Initiative (ELI) and has been committed to the young women’s empowerment effort and dance programs. Faith is the Executive Producer of Light Within the Cracks, a 2019 documentary about Crossing Thresholds. In her free time Faith is an accomplished Equestrian, animal lover, and is committed to philanthropy. She lives in Wellington, FL with her husband David and has three adult children.

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Tim Kenefick

TREASURER

  • Dr. Tim Kenefick is a pediatrician with more than 30 years’ experience treating infants, children, adolescents and young adults. He provides comprehensive and compassionate care from birth though college age with an emphasis on preventative care to foster optimal growth and development. Tim is a longtime member of Communities 4 Action, a collaboration of parents, providers, educators, clergy and law enforcement dedicated to promoting mental wellness and establishing initiatives to reduce high-risk behaviors such as substance misuse and gambling. He has served as Board Member of Crossing Thresholds for several years and also serves the role of Medical Advisor to Darien’s public schools.

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Anne Aakre

SECRETARY

  • Anne Aakre is an alum of St. Olaf College and the State University of New York, Albany. Anne has dedicated her career and her engagement as a life-long volunteer to health and education access and matters related to housing, food, and clean water insecurity. She has been an active volunteer with Crossing Thresholds since 2012 and joined the Board in 2022. She is known as a successful leader, skilled communicator, contract negotiator, and strategic manager who builds relationships, spurs growth, and achieves excellence in both the public and private sectors. ​

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Judy Foley

  • Judy Foley was born in Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia), Judy began her career in London as a Marketing Manager with Estée Lauder before transferring to New York. She later founded Ferrano, a beauty industry manufacturing company, and went on to establish her own interior design firm, Wickham Designs.

    Service has been a defining thread throughout her life. In Bronxville, New York, Judy volunteered extensively with schools, churches, and local outreach efforts, from serving individuals experiencing homelessness in Manhattan to helping establish a reading program and library for The Graham Windham School, a foster-care school in Westchester. She has also served internationally with Save the Children in Nicaragua and built homes with Habitat for Humanity in Paraguay and Colorado.

    Judy has held leadership roles on numerous community boards and is a co-founder of Roundup River Ranch in Colorado, part of the SeriousFun Children’s Network for medically challenged children. She enjoys time with her two children and four grandchildren, who bring her the greatest joy.

Lennea Healy

  • Lennea Healy has been married to her husband, Fritz, for 36 years. Together they have four children and one grandchild. After many years in Southern Pines, North Carolina, they now divide their time between Southern Pines and Delray Beach, Florida.

    Service and volunteer leadership have long been central to Lennea’s life. She has held numerous roles within her Episcopal church, including two terms on the vestry, service as a convention delegate, youth leadership, and 20 years directing the Altar and Flower Guilds. She has also served in leadership positions on school PTAs and various church and community boards.

    Beyond the church, Lennea served nearly 18 years on the Board of Directors at Penick Village, where she organized and curated an annual art show supporting benevolent care. She has also served on the boards of the Raleigh chapter of the Patrons of the Vatican Arts and Friend to Friend, a nonprofit supporting victims of domestic violence and human trafficking. She is currently serving her second term on the Board of Trustees for Episcopal Day School.

Rob Kraus

  • Rob Kraus has followed in the footsteps of his entrepreneurial father and mentor, George Kraus when he founded Nurses RX in 1990 after he graduated from Tulane University with a BS. Rob acquired a significant ownership interest in Global Financing (now Omni Medical) which incubated PayTomorrow. He continues to advance this business as well as other brands and companies. Having met Carter Via in 1998 on a mission trip to Nicaragua with his father, Rob has been a supporter of Crossing Thresholds from its inception and has gone on several trips to Kibera. He joined the Board of Directors in 2022. Rob resides in Charlotte, NC and Telluride, CO and has three sons and a daughter. He is a licensed ski instructor and is passionate about golf, tennis, mountain biking and charitable giving. ​​​

Warren Licht

  • Dr. Warren Licht has been a mainstay in the New York City metropolitan area medical community for almost three decades. Warren is an accomplished healthcare administrator with vast experience in physician practice management, operations and acquisition, clinical quality, medical education and clinical information systems. In his free time, Warren enjoys spending time with his partner on his farm in central Pennsylvania, cycling, traveling and experiencing a wide range of cultures and culinary tastes.

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Mary Mackintosh

  • Mary Mackintosh completed her MSW degree in 2014 from the Silver School of Social Work at New York University after many years as a corporate and education law attorney. Mary obtained her LMSW and LCSW certifications and currently works as Director of Missional Engagement at The Reformed Church of Bronxville. She completed post-Master's Certificate Programs at NYU in Spirituality and Social Work and in Palliative Care. She has extensive experience as an attorney and advocate working on behalf of children and families and is also a certified trainer in Restorative Justice. Mary is active in the not-for-profit sector and has acted as advocate, volunteer and board member to numerous organizations for over 30 years. Currently, Mary serves on the Boards of the East Harlem Tutorial Program, Maxwell Institute of St. Vincent's Hospital. While working with CT, Mary frequently works on issues related to childhood poverty and trauma, and social and restorative justice.

Francesco “Fran” Malagisi

  • Francesco “Fran” Malagisi is a finance professional with a strong passion for community engagement, mentorship, and service. Fran brings experience in financial operations, leadership, and strategic problem solving, paired with a collaborative approach centered on building meaningful relationships and creating opportunities for growth.

    Fran earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut and his MBA from Aspen University. Throughout his professional and personal journey, Fran has remained committed to continuous learning, leadership development, and helping others achieve their goals.

    Outside of his professional work, Fran is an avid cyclist who is currently completing a 7,300 mile virtual journey in support of Crossing Thresholds, raising funds to help send young students to high school and create opportunities that may otherwise be out of reach. The ride represents the distance between his home in Ridgefield, CT and Kibera, and serves as a way to raise awareness while reflecting on connection, purpose, and perseverance. His passion for service deepened after joining a trip to Kibera in January of 2026, where he quickly felt a strong connection to the community and was inspired by the resilience, strength, and spirit of the people he met.

Gary Morello

  • Reverend Gary Morello has been the Designated Pastor of Youth, Young Families and Community at Noroton Presbyterian Church since 2018, and also preaches and helps lead Bible Studies, Mission Trips and Recovery Groups. Gary received a B.S. in Business Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and received his Master of Divinity at New York Theological Seminary. Gary has served on the Board of Directors of Crossing Thresholds for several years. Gary’s first and greatest love is Jesus Christ. Gary has a deep passion to help people transform and find purpose through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. He and his wife Erica have three young children and live in Darien, CT.

Rachel Mwakitawa

  • Rachel Mwakitawa was born and raised in Kenya and moved to the United States for college. She holds a BA in Psychology and Early Education and a Masters in the Science of Education. Rachel is a First Grade teacher and DEI Coordinator at the Hackley School in Westchester, NY. She has served on the Crossing Thresholds Board since 2020. Her first involvement was partnering and leading a trip to Kenya with a group of highschoolers from Hackley in 2012. Upon returning, the students presented to their Upper School peers using the title "The Joy of Philanthropy." Rachel’s teaching practices have been enriched by her trips to Kibera, as she experiences the generosity, joy, and commitment to building community from the people there. She is grateful for this opportunity and for the connection to her homeland. 

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Alex Seals

  • Alex Seals is a criminal justice and anti-poverty reform advocate, researcher, author, and Adjunct Professor at Columbia University School of Social Work. She holds a Doctoral degree, an MSW, and an MBA. She has consulted for numerous nonprofit startups and organizations for over 20 years and spearheaded a program at the Westchester County Jail to provide incarcerated youth with pre-release training. She served on a Westchester Anti-Recidivism Task Force and is featured in a documentary released by the New York State Council on Community Re-Entry and Reintegration. In 2021, she received the National Association of Social Work Diamond Award, and in 2024, the President's Volunteer Service Award. Alexandra and her husband, William split their time between their NYC apartment and their happy ”blue space” on Long Beach Island.

Peter Skaperdas

  • Peter Skaperdas is Senior Vice President for Investments at UBS Financial Services. Prior to joining the Wealth Management Group, Peter was the Chief U.S. Economist for UBS. Peter joined the Crossing Thresholds Board of Directors in 2022. He is currently on the Board of Trustees of Connecticut College, and he is an emeritus Board member of the New Canaan YMCA. ​

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David Squier

  • Dave Squier is a mostly retired aerospace executive, now working part time in private equity.  He is proud to be a member of the Crossing Thresholds Board of Directors, serving as the most recent Board Chair. He and his family have made many trips to Kibera to connect with and support Crossing Thresholds’ schools there. Dave and Sue’s children and eight grandchildren live nearby them in New Canaan, CT and are a highlight of their lives. When not on grandparent duty, Dave is either fishing, biking, hiking, playing golf or tennis.