Meet the SMILE Team

Barbara McNamara*
SMILE Director and SMILE broker.

SMILE Executive Director and SMILE broker. She supports her own caseload of SD individuals as well as supports the entire SMILE team, mentoring the brokers. She acts as backup when situations arise. The LIDDRO has an ongoing relationship with Barbara to instruct the incoming brokers in the district at the yearly trainings. Barbara continually involves herself in the latest trainings across the state. Insuring the protection of the Self Determined Life for all SMILE families.

Ann Pizano*

Ann is leading our SMILE staffing team. She keeps a small caseload of broker cases. She is committed to individuals living their optimum day and life and connecting to their community. She is a strong advocate. As the staffing leader, Ann creatively works to recruit DSPs across Long Island. She continually sets up DSP trainings and is the spear header of the DSP association. She is dedicated to the future of Self-direction and uniquely understands how supporting the DSPs is intricate to the long-term success of self-direction.

Victoria Robertson*

oVicki works as a SMILE broker in the Suffolk area. She has years of experience as a Direct Support Professional. The circles that Vicki sits on would describe her as dedicated and involved. She is a strong advocate and passionate about the Self Direction movement.

Meghan Kelly*

Ronkonkoma area works as the SMILE office manager. Meghan is in the SMILE office Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. She is available to all SMILE brokers to back them up in various areas. Meghan is available to SMILE families during these hours for any questions. Meghan supports the SMILE director in all general tasks that occur. She keeps our intakes organized and communicates with new families when appropriate.

Barbara Rentz*

Barbara works as a SMILE broker and Natural Support Liaison. Barbara has many years of DSP experience. Barbara will be supporting the team as we embark on our NSL initiative.

Brian Doscher

Brian is a great asset to the SMILE team as he supports us in organizing and filing of our documentation.

Kimberly Chicvak

Kim will be supporting the SMILE team in the area of organizing files.

William McNamara

SMILE Information and Technology support. Billy brings a life time of experience working in the above field for many big named companies. He is excited to bring his experience to our non-profit world. He is mission driven. His goal is to assist not only the SMILE team but the SMILE families in the utilizing technologies to better support our circles.

Phil Barbarello*

Phil is from the Wading River area and will be supporting SMILE families in the Suffolk area. Phil is a retired Air Traffic Controller. He brings a lot of energy and life experience to our team. Phil is excited to begin supporting SMILE circles.

John McNamara*

John is the SMILE CFO. He brings his financial background to the SMILE team. John supports the broker team in assisting in review of the fiscal reports on a regular basis. He oversees all CNBAs and amendments for the SMILE individuals. In addition, John supports the team in the ongoing area of billing and payment.

Maria Mauro*

Maria works in the western Suffolk area as a SMILE broker. She is dedicated and very involved in her circles. She brings her Special Ed background to support the SMILE team. She is a really out of the box thinker. Maria supports SMILE as we grow in the area of private consultation. Her years of experience and ability to creatively brainstorm situations makes her a great asset to our new partners.

Teresa Bomberger*

Teresa is going to be working with our families in Nassau and Western Suffolk. Teresa comes to us with years of experience, first as we Direct Support Professional. She then spent years as an MSC and then MSC supervisor. Teresa moved on to support Care Design as a Care Manager Supervisor. Teresa’s heart has always been imbedded in the philosophy of self-direction and so when she decided to join the SMILE team of brokers we were more than excited.

Gabrielle Sharp

Works as a SMILE broker in the Suffolk area. Gabrielle has many years of experience as a DSP in self-direction and is a great asset to our SMILE team. She is working with Ann on the staffing team. Gabrielle is diligent about following potential DSPs through the complicated and daunting hiring process. She is a great communicator when it comes to corresponding with the SMILE broker team the DSPS and the SMILE families.

Bridget Castro**

Bridget is a Licensed Mental Health Councilor and the Director of our Clinician non-direct dept. In addition to all her years of general professional experience, Bridget spent years working as a Direct Support Professional and a clinician non-direct in self-direction as well as offering behavior support in school districts. Bridget is creative, supportive and dedicated to the circles and staff with whom she is involved.

Jean Eyring*

Jean comes to SMILE with experience as a Direct Support Professional. In addition, Jean has had experience in the HR World. Jean will be holding a small broker caseload. Her primary task will be full time in the SMILE office supporting the SMILE team with behind the scenes work that keeps the team flowing.

Regina Giunta*

Bayport, South shore area, works as a SMILE broker and assists in the area of transition. Regina comes to us with many years of experience in the education field including an administrative background. This experience makes Regina a great support to the SMILE team as well as the SMILE families in the area of transition.

John O’ Sullivan*

Oceanside area works as a SMILE broker and DSP. He is a dedicated and compassionate member of every circle he sits on. His ability to create community connections for our individuals has resulted in invaluable experiences on both sides of the table.

Kristen Robertson

SMILE social media coordinator. She is a great support to the SMILE team in the area of getting our message of total inclusion out in the social media world.

Kristen Kopf

SMILE administrative assistant and scanner. She is a great support to the team in scanning monthly billing and other essential documents. This helps us to stay organized.

Brittany Schiavone

SMILE administrative assistance and flier. She is essential in helping the SMILE team to stay organized as the need for documentation grows
* The above team members are OPWDD certified Self-Directed Brokers.
** Director of Clincian Non-Direct
  • Point Broker: the broker working directly with you and your family
  • Staffing Broker: The broker who supports participating SMILE families with staffing needs.
  • Financial Broker: The broker that your point broker may rely on to review the monthly financial report and review CNBAs as well as amendments. This support includes all back-room activities that could otherwise keep the point broker from supporting the individual and the circle.
  • SMILE Point Broker: will be available to you for all your general and ongoing needs. This will include developing and maintaining of the hab plan. Seek out staff, and interview. Continually train staff. Facilitate circle meetings, ideally every other month, but minimally 4 times a year. Keep attendance sheet and case notes, edit and present to FI. Have an ongoing relationship with the SD coordinator to insure that all necessary documents are in their possession. Connect with the clinician and other professionals on the circle to insure the continued implementation of the behavior plan.
  • SMILE Staffing Dept:The staffing team will support all SMILE families looking for staffing support by recruiting potential staff. The staffing team will work with the SMILE point broker to assist in making appropriate connections between potential staff and individuals in need. The staffing team will support the potential staff throughout the complicated hiring process. connecting them to SMILE families and walking them through the hiring process. The SMILE staffing team works closely with the HR depts for the FIs. (Fiscal Intermediary)
  • SMILE Staffing Team: The SMILE staffing team will support participating SMILE families when there is a need for new staff or sub staff. There are 2 ways of alerting the staffing team of your needs. You can go to the smileli.org website and fill out a workorder. In addition you can email staffing@smileli.org.
  • ALWAYS INCLUDE YOUR POINT BROKER IN CORRISPONDENCE OF YOUR STAFFING NEEDS.
  • SMILE Financial Broker: will review the monthly fiscal report to insure that all lines are not being over spent or under spent. The financial broker will connect with the point broker to identify a potential need in moving money. The financial broker will assist and review the needed css11.
  • SMILE Clinician non-direct: SMILE is actively developing a dept to address the needs of our individuals in the area of clinician non-direct. Our Licensed Mental Health Councilor will support the participating circles in the areas of assessing and understanding what gets in the way of moving towards independence and then training and supporting staff for a greater yield of success.
  • Natural Support Liaison:The ever-growing question, what is going to happen to our loved one when natural support is no longer able to support. We are working with participating families who have this need for a higher level of support, slowly reducing the support that the family member is providing.