HorseAbility’s Board of Directors
Randy Montellaro, Esq., President
Randell Montellaro was a partner in the New York office of Seyfarth Shaw LLP in its Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Department. He has approximately 30 years of experience in all aspects of employee benefits law with a special emphasis on the design and administration of employee benefit plans for Fortune 500 companies and not-for-profit organizations. Mr. Montellaro’s varied experience includes: (i) qualified and nonqualified retirement plans and welfare plans; (ii) prohibited transactions and fiduciary matters; (iii) benefit law compliance under the Internal Revenue Code and ERISA; (iv) the correction of employee benefit plan defects, including Internal Revenue Service and Department of Labor remedial programs; (v) regulatory matters before the Internal Revenue Service, Department of Labor and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation; and (vi) benefit aspects of mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Montellaro has authored articles for several publications and conducted lectures on various employee benefit issues and developments. Mr. Montellaro is a past recipient of Seyfarth Shaw’s community service “Unsung Hero Award” for his active involvement with various humanitarian relief organizations. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Seyfarth Charitable Foundation.
Annie Broderick, Vice President
Originally from Mystic, Connecticut, Annie Broderick grew up as an equestrian. After graduating from Marist College with a Bachelor’s of Science, she opted to make the most of one last summer working with horses. The stable she found was a therapeutic riding facility, and she quickly developed a newfound appreciation for the endless ways horses influence positive change. She became certified as Therapeutic Riding Instructor and moved into a new role as Program Director.
After several years in the industry, Annie had the pleasure of meeting with Katie McGowan and discussing her vision for HorseAbility’s future. Katie created a role for Annie in the organization as Program and Development Director, and they quickly got to work. She spent several years with the organization developing new curriculum, expanding their fundraising initiatives and furthering the organization’s mission. She eventually relocated to Connecticut with her husband to start a family, but stayed involved with HorseAbility despite the distance.
She was asked to join the HorseAbility Board of Directors as President in July of 2019 and has welcomed the opportunity to help HorseAbility further its mission and vision in a new capacity.
Amanda Hill, Secretary
Amanda Hill is originally from Jericho, New York and grew up riding horses in Nassau County.
She received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Buffalo in 1990 and a Master of Business Administration from New York University Stern in 1997. Amanda worked for Lifetime Television in Advertising Sales Planning, Arthur Andersen Business Consulting and ABC Television Business Development. In 2005, Amanda and Judy Crabtree founded So Simply Organized, a home organizing business specializing in senior move management on the North Shore of Long Island.
Amanda began volunteering for HorseAbility in 2016. She appreciates the nurturing environment at HorseAbility and enjoys working with the incredible participants, the amazing volunteers and staff, and, of course, the wonderful horses. Amanda enjoys spending time with her husband and their daughters at their home in Port Washington and out in the North Fork of Long Island.
Mark Gutterman, CPA, Treasurer
From 1999 to 2018, Mark was the Chief Financial Officer of Starpoint Solutions LLC. a national professional staffing and technology solutions company. From 2003 until 2018 Mark was a senior partner in the company as well as being on the Board of Directors. At Starpoint, Mark had oversight responsibility for finance, legal and HR. Prior to Starpoint Solutions Mark was a partner in the accounting firm of Feldman, Gutterman, Meinberg, LLP.
Dr. Mitch Boxer
Dr. Boxer grew up in Queens, New York. He attended SUNY Albany and New York Medical College. He did his Residency at LIJ and a Fellowship at Northwestern Medical School. Dr. Boxer is an avid cook. He loves to ski, play tennis, golf and swims on a daily basis. He started piano lessons about 18 months ago. Mitch and his wife Cindy have two daughters, Jamie and Carly.
Dr. Boxer started horseback riding in college and rode at the Thomas School when he moved to Dix Hills. He had to quit when he hurt his back, at which time his daughter began to ride. Jamie became a volunteer at HorseAbility for about four years. Dr. Boxer was intrigued by HorseAbility when he would come to watch Jamie ride, and so he joined HorseAbility’s Board of Directors.
Dr. Boxer’s Allergy-Asthma-Clinical Immunology practice has two locations – Lake Success and Melville. He is also the Director of the Adult Allergy Department at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and is an Assistant Clinical Professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Gary Denner
Dr. Vincent DiCicco, DVM
Dr. Vincent DiCicco has been practicing Equine medicine as a veterinarian as graduate of The University of Bologna, Italy for close to 40 years, at Belmont Park, Aqueduct, Saratoga and Yonkers Raceway. In the late eighties, he owned and operated Red Ground Farm, an equine rehab facility in Old Westbury. Currently, he is staff Veterinarian at the ARK at JFK. In addition you can often find him at the track at the break of dawn and spending his afternoons at HorseAbility. Dr. DiCicco was introduced to HorseAbility by his lifelong friend Robbie Siegelman, also an HA volunteer, many years ago. He has been involved with the health and wellbeing of all the resident horses at HA, on a daily basis, assuring their health and soundness. He gets great pleasure, spending time at HA, enjoying the horses, people and of course the scenery. In 2018 Dr. DiCicco added professor to his resume, teaching the Equine Health Class for SUNY of Old Westbury for minor offered in Equine Therapy which is facilitated at HorseAbility. He oversees the biosecurity for the International Trot at Yonkers every October, with a purse of 1 million dollars. He has prepped students for the Veterinary Board exams and has had many foreign veterinary graduates shadow him through the years.
Robert J. Nobile, Esq.
Robert J. Nobile is a partner specializing in labor and employment law with the New York office of Seyfarth Shaw. He holds a B.A. degree from Adelphi University, and a J.D. from the St. John’s University School of Law. Mr. Nobile is in “The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers.” Mr. Nobile is also a fellow in the College of Labor and Employment. He was also rated top five percent of attorneys in New York State by New York SuperLawyers for the past five years.
Mr. Nobile is involved in all areas of client representation including: day-to-day advice and counsel in all areas of labor and employment law (e.g., employment discrimination, harassment, disability discrimination, age discrimination, reductions-in-force, WARN, policy and procedure development, etc.). Prior to commencing the practice of law over twenty-five years ago, Mr. Nobile spent 10 years working as a practitioner in the Human Resources field, in such capacities as Corporate Director of Personnel and Chief Human Resources Officer for the American Bank Note Company, and Director of Personnel/Labor Relations for Mego International, Inc., and as Compensation Analyst for the Management at St. Joseph’s College, an Adjunct Professor at Cornell University, and also has taught at the St. John’s University of Law.
Mr. Nobile has authored five books and published numerous articles covering all aspects of Human Resources and Employment Law.
Mr. Nobile first learned of HorseAbility after one of his daughters, Nikki, became a volunteer for the organization. At this time, Bob has witnessed firsthand the wonderful work that HorseAbility is doing and enthusiastically accepted HorseAbility’s offer to become a Board Member. Since becoming a Board Member, Bob has provided HorseAbility with pro bono legal advice in a number of areas and has spearheaded our fundraising efforts for the office trailer of our new facilities. Bob is actively involved in doing pro bono legal work for a number of organizations, including St. Joseph’s College, the National Council of Alcoholism and Drug Addiction and Fifth Avenue Committee, a non-profit community organization whose mission is to develop and manage affordable housing and community facilities, create economic opportunities and ensure access to economic stability, and offer student-centered adult education, and combats displacement caused by gentrification.
Juan Vasquez
Juan comes from a family that had horses in their lives as long as he can remember. Growing up in Venezuela playing polo, Juan learned how to shoe his own horses and other player’s horses while they travelled the world. After time passed and traveling started to lose its glory, he decided to call Long Island his home and he has not left since. Putting an end to his career in polo, he decided to pursue his passion of being a blacksmith full time. Shadowing fellow farriers, attending conferences and educational classes around the states, Juan’s goal was to be the top in his field, and he has accomplished it. At 21, Juan built his business, Shoe It. He loves what he does as a farrier, helping and creating comfort for each horse he comes in contact with. Juan still makes time for polo, now as a referee.
People who know Juan have nothing but positive things to say. He is an honest, knowledgeable, hardworking farrier who treats every client and horse equally with importance and care no matter what level they may be. When HorseAbility relocated to the Old Westbury campus Juan was connected to the organization though the polo club. Juan quickly became the barns resident farrier, a member of the board of directors, and an advocate for the organization. He loves being part of this special community, working alongside great people. HorseAbility has become part of Juan’s life as he appreciates what the program does for children and adults with disabilities. Looking forward, Juan hopes HorseAbility continues to grow it’s staple in the community.