Meet Our Team

Susan Robinson

Sue has worked with CNY Quest since 2017 and is currently the Administrative Assistant for the Community Habilitation Program. Sue attended BOCES and MVCC where she gained her certification in Bookkeeping/Administrative Assistance. She is also a certified Teacher’s Aide. Sue has a strong passion for helping individuals with disabilities or as she likes to use the term “differently abled individuals” gain their independence and achieve their own personal goals.

Colleen Acre

Heather Gaetano

Ilene Smith

Ilene Smith is the Director of Quality at Catholic Charities Oneida/Madison Counties.  Prior to working at Catholic Charities Ilene was an administration providing oversight to the operations of residential programs serving people with Intellectual Disabilities in Oneida County.  Ilene has spent the last 25 years of her professional career working in various nonprofit agencies ensuring quality care if afforded to those of all abilities.  Ilene has a degree in social work.  Prior to joining the CNY Quest board, Ilene served on the board at the Neighborhood Center.

Ilene resides in Deerfield, NY and is a happily married mother of three.  Ilene enjoys attending her children’s sporting events and spending time with her family. She is motivated by helping others and believes that when people are afforded appropriate services/support they will achieve success.

Anthony LaPolla

Anthony comes to CNY Quest with a diverse background, spending the last 13 years in the Human Resources industry. He the Founder and CEO of Empower Business Strategies which is a full-service human resources consulting, leadership development, and organizational development firm. Also, for the last 15 years, Anthony has worked in the Funeral Industry, serving families during difficult times in their lives. One of his greatest passions in life is to support and serve the community, in whatever capacity he can.

Anthony holds a B.S. in Health Studies-Human Behavior from Utica University and a M.A in Organizational Leadership from Medaille University in Buffalo, NY. Prior to joining CNY Quest, Anthony served on several community boards, including the Board of Education for the Utica City School District; the Director of Scholarships and Awards for the Genesee Valley Chapter, SHRM Board in Rochester, NY; Board of Director for The ARC Oneida-Lewis Chapter as well as a committee member for The College Works Program; and Secretary for The Abraham House of Utica. He currently resides in New Hartford, NY.

Anthony Ratcliffe

Edward Barone

Edward Barone is a Business Development Officer with Empower Federal Credit Union.  In his role, he provides access to wide variety of services & solutions to local employers & their employees that are designed to enrich their personal financial well-being.  He studied education with a minor in special education at The State University of New York College at Oneonta.  He has a passion for philanthropy and currently serves on the board of directors for the United Way of the Mohawk Valley and is an Ambassador for The American Cancer Society’s “Real Men Wear Pink” campaign.  Eddie currently resides in New Hartford with his wife Trisha and his two children.  Eddie loves coffee and spending time with his family.

Aaron Sapp

Aaron J. Sapp is a Senior Accounting Manager who assists small to mid-sized businesses to accurately report and analyze their financial position. He received his B.S. in Accounting from Ithaca College in 2011 before moving to central New York. In 2012, Aaron joined FSS Group, Inc, a subsidiary of Brown & Associates, CPAs, P.C., where he has developed extensive experience in the evaluation, design, and efficiency of internal accounting systems.

Kevin Conway

Kevin is an Investment Advisor with Caruso McLean Investment Advisors. He specializes in investment and wealth management strategies for individuals and businesses. He studied mathematics with a concentration in education at Utica College. He was a four-year member of the college’s men’s lacrosse team. He is a trustee on the Clinton Central School Foundation board, and a member of the Utica Zoo board. Kevin resides in Utica with his wife Cassie and two daughters. He is an avid golfer and enjoys spending time with his family.

Cheri Citro

Mark Poczatek

Edward Wakeman

Ed Wakeman is a Fiscal Intermediary at CNY Quest. He received an Associate’s degree in Accounting from Mohawk Valley Community College. Prior to working at Quest, Ed spent six years in the Army National Guard as a Healthcare Specialist, where he developed many skills. In his free time Ed enjoys hunting, hiking, and spending time outdoors.

Kayla Bonney

Kayla has worked in the Self-Direction field for a number of years. Prior to becoming a Support Broker at CNY Quest, Kayla gained much of her experience in the field at a local not for profit agency as a Fiscal Intermediary Coordinator and a Coordinator Supervisor. She is excited to utilize her skills and knowledge to continue assisting people with developmental disabilities.

Michelle Nowyj

Connie Mattocks

Time, hard work and experience guided me to Self-Direction at CNY Quest. I am a United States Army Veteran. I had the drive early on to help people.

My overall experience includes working in an intermediate care facility (ICF) as a direct care staff, working as a 1:1 program aid, working in Community Habilitation and Respite programs as a direct support staff and working in both Supervised and Supported Apartments as a Program Manager. I later became an independent support broker for Self Direction which eventually led me to CNY Quest.

In 2019 I made the transition to Full time Support Broker with CNY Quest, Inc. Our small self-direction team is growing, and I continue to learn everyday. I look forward to assisting individuals to Self-direct their lives, they teach me something new every day. I value being part of the team at CNY Quest and am valued as an employee.

Cherie Alberski

Cherie Alberski is a Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professional with almost 25 years of experience in the field. She received her Associate’s Degree in Human Resources from Mohawk Valley Community College and her B.S. in Elementary Education from State University of New York at Oswego. In addition to 6 years as an ESL Universal Pre-Kindergarten Teacher, Cherie has spent most of her adult life working with children and adults with developmental disabilities. She has worked in a variety of programs throughout Oneida, Madison and Onondaga Counties, such as Day Habilitation, Vocational Training and Rehabilitation, Recreational Therapy, Respite, and Medicaid Service Coordination. She advocates for people with developmental disabilities and assists with their ultimate goal of independence and community integration.

Domenico Morbidini

Jennifer Dempsey

Jennifer Dempsey is the Director of Clinical Services and has received specialized training in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Jennifer received her Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.  She has been working in the field of mental health and developmental disability services for nearly fifteen years.  Jennifer has worked in several positions at Central New York Quest since 2013 and has dedicated herself to providing quality and person centered services. Prior to working at Central New York Quest, Jennifer worked on an inpatient mental health unit conducting crisis assessments in an emergency room. Jennifer has a passion for enriching the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities.

Desiree Beckwith

Desiree has worked with CNY Quest in various capacities since 2016 and is currently working as the Director of Programs. She completed her B.S. in Business Administration at SUNY Polytechnic Institute. Desiree has a considerable amount of experience working with individuals with disabilities. Prior to becoming a Director at CNY Quest, Desiree gained most of her experience working as a Residential Manager at a local non-profit. Desiree’s ultimate goal is to work with a team that shares her dedication to the growth and advancement of the clients that we serve at CNY Quest.