Board of Directors
Robert Schaeffer - Chairman
Robert Schaeffer of Pleasant Valley, NY graduated high school, served and graduated from the United States Coast Guard.
Robert began working for D&D Elevator, Inc. of Elmsford, NY and has since taken over as CEO of the company. He was also the President of the National Association of Elevator Contractors and has created their first vocational training and education programs.
Robert decided to serve on ELF's Board of Directors and share his extensive knowledge from a business and non-profit standpoint in hopes of conducting a well-structured and successfully functioning organization to help others.
John P. Richards - Vice Chairman
John Richards, Manager of Patient Accounts/Finance, joined Hanley Center in 1997 as a Financial Case Manager. His many responsibilities span staff supervision of case management, managed care, and billings and collection to coordination of contract negotiations, and monitoring patient insurance. John also finds it important to educate patients and families about insurance coverage and the managed care process, and is an articulate and committed member of the Hanley Center patient lecture team.
John's career focus has been in nonprofits and health care. From 1990 to1997, he held the positions of Assistant Administrator and Director of Community Development for Lourdes-Noreen McKeen Residence, West Palm Beach. 
He also performed the responsibilities of Human Resources Director for a year and a half, overseeing all staff administration programs for 175 employees. Previously, John held several health care-related positions in the Westchester County, NY area, including Director of Admitting for St. Agnes Hospital.
John has also been active in his community, as Treasurer and Director of Finance for the Metropolitan Community Church of the Palm Beaches; Chairman of the Quality Assurance and Evaluation Committee Palm Beach County HIV Care Council, and Chairman of both, the Finance Committee and the Building Committee at Mary Immaculate Catholic Church, West Palm Beach. He has also been a New York State Emergency Medical Technician and a CPR Instructor for the American Red Cross.
John received a Masters degree in Nonprofit Organizational Management from Florida Atlantic University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Care Administration from IONA College. While he started his career path with an Associates Degree in Applied Science degree in Human Services from Westchester Community College, he has remained committed to his calling to help others and retains his Florida State license as a Nursing Home Administrator.
James Lanera - Treasurer
James Lanera, of White Plains, NY, studied a semester abroad in Heidelberg, Germany while attending Westchester Community college and in 1983, he obtained his Associates Degree in Business.
James manages and runs Lanera Decorating & C.D.U., a large retail/wholesale manufacturing company in Mamaroneck N.Y. 
For the past 18 years, James has been teaching religious instruction / education and is a proud supporter of the Children's Christian Fund (CCF), Save Darfur and many animal rights charities.
James is a proud father of three girls: two step-daughters and his first daughter, Jaymie Ashley Lanera. James has helped and supported Jaymie throughout the entire journey leading her to begin the ELF foundation. He even visited her while she was teaching in Ghana, so that he could get a better look into the lives of the people she talked so passionately about helping.
Nikki Collins - Secretary
Nikki Collins is a recent graduate of Saint Leo University with a degree in Marketing. 
She has worked with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society on Special Events, and spent three years fundraising for the Annual Fund at Saint Leo University. She is a National Officer for Theta Phi Alpha National Fraternity, and is an annual participant in Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society.
Nikki is currently an Account Executive for three lucrative radio stations in Connecticut, and is a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician.
Vincent Malvarosa - Member at Large
Vincent Malvarosa, of Yorktown Heights, NY has spent the last 10 years working for QSP, the largest fundraising company for schools in America.
Vincent graduated from the State University of New York at Albany with a degree in Economics, and later completed his Masters in Business Administration from New York University with dual concentrations in Marketing and Finance.
Inspired by ELF's mission, Vincent completed a half marathon in August 2010, and used it as an opportunity to raise almost $1,000 from the sale of "ELF ROCKS CHICAGO" T-shirts.
A proud father of 3, and grandfather of 1, Vincent hopes to bring insights from his fundraising and finance experiences to ELF's mission of education and awareness.
