WHO WE ARE

Our mission is to provide life-changing support to people who have lost their housing or are struggling to meet other basic needs. We partner with those we serve to build a more secure future for themselves and their families. 

Our Team

Senior Leadership

Anahaita Kotval

Chief Executive Officer

“Just like anyone who is struggling, people experiencing homelessness and hunger need to have a sense of hope. They need to know they’re not in it alone - that people understand them and what challenges and obstacles brought them to this experience. They need to understand that their confidence and self-esteem may have been lost.  I became the Chief Executive Officer of Lifting Up Westchester in 2017 because I believe that having a safe, stable, and affordable place to live is the foundation on which all other economic and social advancements can be built.”

  • Anahaita began her career as a prosecutor for the Enforcement Division of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and then spent 13-years at the Royal Bank of Scotland ultimately serving as Managing Director and General Counsel of its investment bank in the Americas, RBS Greenwich Capital. Her experience on various nonprofit boards helped her to realize she wanted to make a bigger impact in the community and she transitioned to the non-profit sector in 2011 as the Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel at Inspirica, Inc., a Stamford, CT based nonprofit focused on serving the homeless.

    Anahaita is currently on the Board of the Pro Bono Partnership and Non-profit Westchester and has served on the Board of My Sister’s Place, the Westchester Community Foundation, the Fairfield County Community Foundation, the Women’s Bond Club of New York and the Legal and Compliance Division of the Securities Industry Financial Markets Association. She received a B.S. magna cum laude in Applied Math and Economics from Brown University in 1988 and a J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1991.

Carl Williams

Chief Financial Officer

“I am normally comforted by the incessant pursuit of the accuracy and smooth operation of Lifting Up Westchester’s financial systems and to know that I have a small hand in the assistance of individuals to restore their wellbeing.”

  • Carl Williams joined Lifting Up Westchester as Controller in October 2005 and was made Chief Financial Officer in 2022. He began his career in the financial service industry by working as a tax shelter commissions auditor/adjustor for Prudential-Bache Securities and later worked for AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company. In pursuit of his CPA (Certified Public Accountant) license, Carl performed various financial audits for a variety of nonprofit organizations while employed by Mitchell Titus & Co. LLP.

    Subsequent to fulfilling his public accounting experience, Carl accepted a fiscal position with Promesa Inc., a nonprofit community service organization located in the Bronx where he later became the Assistant Controller of its nursing home facility for patients with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

    Carl earned his MBA in Finance from Long Island University in 1990 and his B.S. degree in Accounting from Binghamton University in 1982. He received his Certified Public Accountant License in 2004.

Willa Brody
Chief Operating Officer

“What resonates with me is how Lifting Up Westchester taps into the community to utilize every resource possible to help people experiencing homelessness and hunger to restore their lives through creating new programs and services to better meet their needs.”

  • Willa Brody joined Lifting Up Westchester in July 2018 as the Director of Neighbors Home Care Services and now serves as the agency’s Chief Operating Officer. Willa has enjoyed a varied professional background as a leader in healthcare, social work, public policy, and public education. She spent the last 19+ years working for New York-Presbyterian Hospital in various roles, including directing government, community, and external affairs. Willa served on the Board and Executive Committee of the Westchester Business Council for 14+ years; the Boards of the YWCA of White Plains and the YMCA of White Plains; and as a Business Advisory Member of New York- Presbyterian Hospital's Project Search Program which provides comprehensive vocational training for autistic youth 18 years + who are seeking employment after high school. Willa was also a trustee of the Eastchester School Board from 2004-2017, serving as Board President and Secretary, and chairing the Community Relations and Finance Committees.  

    Willa has a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology/English from Queens College, CUNY; a Master’s Degree in Social Work and a Post-Master’s Certificate Degree in Aging from Hunter College, CUNY; and a law degree from Pace University.

Jessica Timms
Chief Development Officer

“I am honored to contribute to Lifting Up Westchester’s mission, providing life-changing programs and services to people experiencing extreme poverty and homelessness, so they can build a more secure future. I feel especially connected to the organization because I am committed to supporting the unmet needs of people in our community.”

  • Jessica Timms serves as Lifting Up Westchester's Chief Development Officer. She brings more than 20 years of experience as a nonprofit leader - inspiring supporters, growing philanthropy, and helping individuals build a more secure future for them and their families.

    Jess earned a master's degree in education, with a focus on literacy, language, and diversity, from Manhattanville College, and a bachelor's degree in English from Roanoke College. She actively contributes to the nonprofit community by serving on the Board of Directors for the Association of Development Officers (ADO) and participating in the marketing committee of Nonprofit Westchester.

Carolyn Kihm
Human Resource Director

“Every day we all work together toward a common goal; to create a meaningful connection with those who need a hand up. Our work is more urgent than ever and our staff are there each and every day to see that our clients know they are valued and not forgotten. I am proud to work with such a dedicated group of people and grateful for the opportunity to contribute in a small way to this important mission.”

  • Carolyn Kihm has served as the organization’s Human Resources Director since 2017, bringing with her more than 30+ years of experience in the field. Prior to joining Lifting Up Westchester, Kihm served as Director of Human Resources with Guiding Eyes for the Blind for 14 years. Carolyn also spent 15 years in the corporate arena in various roles in Human Resources and Operations and was a former English teacher. Carolyn holds a B.S. in Education & Psychology from SUNY Brockport.

Eileen Torres
Director of Youth Services

“Working in the Yonkers School District for more than 30 years, I see the barriers and challenges that kids experiencing homelessness and poverty face every day. I joined Lifting Up Westchester because I knew I could do more to help these kids have a fighting chance for a better future for themselves and for future generations. I’ve stayed with LUW because I see the difference we are making.”

  • Eileen Torres is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Bilingual Counselor, Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Licensed Teacher in the Yonkers School District. She has coached basketball and softball in the Yonkers and Mamaroneck (NY) school systems and is active in Special Olympics. Eileen has been Director of the Summer Day Camp program since 1988 and Director of the Next Generation Educational Programming since its inception in 2004. Eileen has developed a unique series of Next Generation Educational Opportunities serving children from five years old through college that helps the kids gain confidence, skills, and advance academically with compassionate adults supporting them every step of the way.

Board of Directors

Lifting Up Westchester’s Community Council is a group of leaders raising awareness about our mission and providing ideas, advice, and recommendations to help reduce homelessness in Westchester. In addition to sharing their strategic thinking, Community Council leaders act as ambassadors in the community to advance LUW’s impact and serve as advocates in the private and public sectors to effect meaningful solutions.

George Kontogiannis, President*
Tesser, Ryan & Rochman LLP

Michael DiNizo, Treasurer*
Peapack-Gladstone Bank

Diane Aparisio MSW
Westchester County Government (Retired)

Kacy Brady
Inspirica, Inc.

Robert Brown
Hudson Valley Credit Union

Dr. Dana Bryant
White Plains Hospital

Calvin Chin
C Glory Investments

Janine Daughtry
Gartner, Inc.

Elena Gallo
Wells Fargo

Steve Groth
Commercial Credit Corporation

Ex Officio
Anahaita N. Kotval, CEO
Lifting Up Westchester

Despina C. Kartson, Vice President*
Baker & Hostetler LLP

Max Gaujean Esq., Secretary*
Benvenuto & Slattery LLP

Andrew Heath
Co-founder of Bombas

Adil Mistry
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.

Dr. Mamta Mamik
Albert Einstein Medical Center

John E. Morrison, IV
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management

Hannah Nelson
Hospital Executive (Retired)

John Sabalja
World Cup Enterprises

Neal Siena
QuantumView Wealth Management

* Denotes a member of the Executive Committee

Community Council

Kristin Ashman
First Republic Trust Company

Mayo Bartlett
Young & Bartlett, LLP

Matt Darnall
Element Capital Management

Hans Dorsainvil
Hybrid Media

Louis Gallo
Wells Fargo

Kathleen Kiernan
LUW Supporter

Will Malpica
Martin LLP

Ravi Mittal
Capital Markets
Chris Porcelli
Vertical Capital (Retired)

Naomi Proctor
LUW Supporter

Larry Ruggieri
Newmark Knight Frank

Adam Rodriguez
Bleakley, Platt & Schmidt, LLP

Harri Taranto
Symphony Capital

Penelope Yates
Licensed Clinical Social Worker