Executive Board and Staff

President

Skip Voorneveld has taught social studies and special education and has been a special education administrator. For over twenty-five years he worked as a high school and middle school principal on Long Island. Mr. Voorneveld served as a CAS unit president for more than twenty years and has been a member of CAS Executive Board since 2004. Currently he is the CAS President and is on the Empire State Supervisors and Administrators Association (ESSAA) Executive Board as Executive Vice President.

President

Tony Laurino brings a lifetime of professional experience and knowledge to CAS. He has been an elementary and secondary teacher, department chairperson and building administrator in both the New York City Public Schools and the Smithtown School District. In 1974 the Smithtown Administrators Association joined CAS and in 1975 he was appointed to the CAS Executive Board as the Suffolk Director. In the ensuing years he has served as Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President, Executive Vice President and President since 1995. Presently he serves as ESSAA Legislative Liaison.

John Nocero has been a successful music teacher and building principal in the Smithtown Schools for over thirty-seven years. John served as President of the Smithtown School Administrators’ Association from 2006 to 2012. Currently CAS Executive Vice President, he has also previously served as Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary. As a delegate for the Empire State School Administrators Association he facilitated the development of the Annual Performance Plan Review for Principals and has been recognized with both the SCOPE Administrator Service Award and the ESSAA Administrator of the Year Award for Region1.

For over twenty years, James Kassebaum has served as an administrator at HB Thompson Middle School in the Syosset Central School District, and recently celebrated his fifteenth year as Principal. He has also been a guidance counselor and teacher in other districts on Long Island, Westchester and New York City. Mr. Kassebaum is currently the co-president of the Nassau County Middle Level Principals’ Association. Jim is currently serving as CAS Treasurer and has served as a CAS unit president for several years.

Since 1993 John Zampaglione has worked in several secondary schools in Levittown where he has been a successful Science teacher, Science Department Chair, Assistant Principal and Principal. He brings a wealth of secondary experience to our organization and is currently the Principal of the Jonas Salk Middle School. John has been an active member of the Levittown School Administrators Association and ably serves on the executive board as Vice President.

Dr. Michele Gode has been an administrator in the William Floyd School District for 13 years, spending 3 years as an Assistant Principal and the past 10 years as the Principal of William Paca Middle School.  Dr. Gode has served as an Executive Board Member, Vice President, and current President of the William Floyd Council of Administrators and Supervisors.  Prior to serving as an administrator, Dr. Gode taught English in the Riverhead and Roosevelt School Districts.  Dr. Gode is also serving her second term on the NYSED’s Commissioner’s Advisory Panel for Special Education.

Sean is the President of the South Country Administrators Association (SCAA). During his 20+ year tenure as an administrator at South Country, Sean has served terms as President, Vice President and Treasurer for SCAA.   He has been Principal of Kreamer St. Elementary School since 2005.

Sean’s first major action taken as Unit President 14 years ago was to move the SCAA under the CAS banner, as he recognized the value of having access to local expert legal counsel. The transition has proven to be beneficial to the SCAA membership, as they have successfully negotiated several contracts and APPR plans during difficult conditions and have been able to protect members’ rights when needed during those times.

Sean is honored and excited to serve the CAS membership in the position as Vice President.

Sean believes in the value of collaboration and unity across professionals and is eager to represent his colleagues.

Dr. Dionne Wynn is currently the Director of Pupil Personnel Services and RAA President for the Roosevelt Union Free School District. She has over 30 years of experience in education . Dr.  Wynn began her teaching career in the NYC Department of Education as a Special Education Teacher. She later served as an Assistant Principal and Assistant District Administrator for Special Education. In 2003 she joined the Roosevelt UFSD.  She has been recognized by SCOPE as Administrator of the Year.  She is committed to providing excellence and equity in and out of the clasroom.

Chris is currently the Director of Mathematics and Business in the Bay Shore School District. Previously, he served 10 years as the Assistant Principal at the Bay Shore Middle School. Chris began his career as a middle school math teacher and Math Coordinator at the Horace Greeley Jr. High School in Long Island City. Later, Chris taught middle school mathematics in the William Floyd School District. He has been an active leader in the Bay Shore Administrators Association as a member of several contract negotiations teams, Treasurer, and now President.

Dr. LaQuita Outlaw has been a public school administrator on Long Island for over 15 years and is currently the principal of Bay Shore Middle School located in Suffolk County. Dr. Outlaw is the Co-president of the Suffolk County Middle Level Principals’ Association and a former President of the Long Island Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (LIASCD). She has been an active member of the Bay Shore Administrators Association and has served on several CAS committees designed to provide support and assistance for local administrators.
Dr. Outlaw earned her Doctoral degree in Educational Technology from St. John’s University and has been the recipient of recognitions from the National Council of 100 Black Women (Suffolk County Chapter), the Town of Islip, St. John’s University, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Terry Nigrelli is a musician, webmaster/editor and technology consultant. Terry Nigrelli held the position of Director of Cultural Arts for the Bay Shore School District (Bay Shore, NY) from 2000 to 2017. He began teaching Band, Jazz Ensemble and Music Theory at Bay Shore in 1987.

Since 2003, Demetria has been the cheerful voice on the other end of the phone or an email in the CAS Hauppauge office. In her position as Office Manager, she is always willing to capably assist all CAS members with administrative information such as billing, membership data, member benefits, workshop registration and upcoming CAS events. Demetria graduated from Hofstra University with a B.S. Degree in Professional Studies/Political Science in 2005 and is a board member on the Long Island Chapter of Tourette Association of America.

During his time with CAS, Brad has successfully litigated cases on behalf of the membership in both federal and state court. As counsel for CAS, Brad has successfully represented members in various disciplinary proceedings brought pursuant to Education Law 3020, Civil Service Law Section 75, as well as part 83 hearings before the Commissioner of Education. In addition, he has successfully represented members before the Commissioner of Education and Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). Brad has negotiated nearly 100 collective bargaining agreements and countless grievance, disciplinary and separation settlements for members.

Before joining CAS, Brad was a labor attorney with the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA). In his capacity as a federal labor attorney, Brad prosecuted Unfair Labor Practices and operated as a Hearing Officer over unit representation hearings. While with the Federal government Brad was twice recognized for his ability to resolve complex labor disputes and received certification in mediation.

Brad holds his undergraduate degree from Villanova University and his law degree from St. John’s University. He is admitted to practice in the Eastern District Federal Court and Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Brad is a frequent guest presenter before local education associations having presented on issues ranging from APPR to school district realignment and/or reorganization.

Michael Starvaggi is a Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Fordham University, and holds his Juris Doctor degree from Fordham Law School. He is counsel to over five hundred public school administrators affiliated with the Empire State Supervisors and Administrators Association [ESSAA]. In that capacity, he has handled collective bargaining negotiations, Article 78 proceedings, trial court litigation, impact bargaining, contract grievances, arbitration and PERB claims. He has been successful in settling favorable contract terms in difficult negotiating environments and obtaining winning results for administrators in disputes with their employers.

Prior to becoming counsel to ESSAA, Mr. Starvaggi represented students and parents in a range of matters involving school district liability and student discipline matters. His career has also included transactional and litigation work at large and small New York City based firms, as well as acting as legal editor to some of the nation’s leading treatises on commercial law.

Mr. Starvaggi is admitted to the practice of law in New York and New Jersey. He also teaches Education Law at Manhattanville College in Purchase, NY.

Paul is the newest Counsel to join the Long Island Council of Administrators and Supervisors. He brings with him eight years of legal experience throughout New York State, primarily focused on labor law working closely with clients to ensure compliance with historical and emerging laws, acting as an advocate in alternative dispute resolution procedures i.e., mediation and arbitration, and litigating cases in State and Federal Courts. Before joining the CAS Legal Team, Paul was a litigation associate representing clients on labor and employment issues and handling a wide range of commercial litigation. Paul earned his Juris Doctor from St. John’s University School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University, where he studied in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. He is admitted to practice in the State of New York and the U.S. District Court, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.

Paul’s impressive legal credentials and experience, combined with his strong interpersonal skills and enthusiasm for the mission of public education make him a perfect fit for our organization. Paul lives on Long Island and will be working directly with CAS members throughout the Island. We are excited about all that he brings to his new role with CAS. Be on the lookout for upcoming opportunities to meet Paul and welcome him to our world of school leadership.

For more than 21 years, Robert A. Ungar Associates, Inc., has provided its’ clients with strategic advice, political consulting, lobbying and advocacy services in New York City, surrounding counties and New York State. The firm also provides related media and public relation services. Robert A. Ungar (Bob) is an attorney admitted to practice in New York, Connecticut and federal courts including the United States Supreme Court. He is also the principal of Robert A. Ungar P.C., a law firm serving the New York metropolitan area.