Board of Directors
Harry Nicolaides, AIA, Vice Chairman
John v.H. Halsey, Assistant Secretary
Lloyd P. Zuckerberg, Chairman Emeritus
Rick White, Chairman
Rick White serves as the President of Softwhite, Inc., a software services company founded in 1998 to provide best practice workflow automation services to companies looking to achieve improved efficiency in their manual or semi-automated workflow processes. The company founder, Rick is responsible for providing thought leadership and direction for developing and adapting systems to meet client-specific business requirements.
Rick joined the Nassau Land Trust Board in 2013 in following his ardent passion for conserving natural environments as public places for enrichment and learning. He chairs the NLT Farm Advisory Committee.
Harry Nicolaides, AIA, Vice Chairman
Harry Nicolaides, AIA has always considered it important to serve the community he has been part of. He was Coop Board President in the coop he lived in and chaired a counsel of 14 buildings where his building shared common grounds, while he lived in Jackson Heights, NY. He was active in the Jackson Hts. Development Corp. in the early stages of securing NYC Landmark Status for that historic community.
When he moved his young family to the Incorporated Village of Munsey Park some 25 years ago, he again felt that he should participate in the community he was going to call home for his family. Shortly after moving to Munsey Park he volunteered for the Building Advisory Committee. He was asked to run for Trustee a few years after heading the committee, eventually becoming Deputy Mayor. When the mayor, he replaced, was leaving the village he was asked to run for mayor. He has served as Mayor over 15 years.
He was a member of the Port Washington/ Manhasset Office of Emergency Management and has worked to craft Inter municipal agreements with the surrounding villages and the Town. He was active in the Village Officials Asso-ciation, participated in lobbying on behalf of all Long Islanders with this organization in Albany, has sat on numerous committees negotiating waste management contracts with the Town of North Hempstead and securing grants for his community on a county, state and federal level.
He was principal in crafting cellular tower legislation that has encouraged stealth installations and has served as a model code to many other municipalities.
A former Boy scout leader himself, he has served on the troop committee of his sons Boy Scout Troop and has enjoyed seeing both his sons become leaders themselves.
He served as soccer coach and has volunteered his architectural services, to build a boat house for his son’s Crew Team.
As an educator he has participated on various juries at the Pratt Institute and New York Technical Institute. He has taught at the New York University Real Estate institute as well as digital photography at Hofstra University.
He became a member of The Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church, when he moved into the community. He was active in the church’s building committee and currently is the architect, along with his colleague Norman Glavas, in designing a 50,000 sq. ft. campus for the church, chapel and educational center in Port Washington,NY.
He has served on Diocese of Rockville Centre’s committee to evaluate restoration and adaptive reuse for their Seminary, and has provided numerous architectural services for the Diocese.
His practice has always been active in the educational and not for profit sector. Some of the notable projects in these practice areas are:
- The Executive Administration Center for Boston University - a 75,000 sq. ft. complex for the Chancellor, Provost and President of Boston University.
- The Ronald McDonald House of Long Island- A five story pavilion- addition to the House to expand it’s mission of providing a place for families who have children undergoing surgeries at the Long Island Jewish Hospital.
- New Heights Charter School-A new NYC charter school in a NYC Landmarks Building, in Washington Hts. NY.
- Family Life Academy Charter School - Charter School in the Bronx, NY. Additions and renovations to this charter school.
Brian Lewis
Brian Lewis, Jr., a fourth generation HVAC contractor, well versed in all areas of construction, has managed every aspect of the HVAC and construction industry. He has worked on many high profile commercial and residential projects throughout NYC and Long Island, including Wachovia's Headquarters, Thompson Reuters, NYU, ABInbev Headquarters (Budweiser), JCPenney Manhattan Mall, Tiffany’s, Newsweek Headquarters, McDonald's Time Square, Calvin Klein NYC, Tanger Outlets, Peconic Bay Medical Center, Goldman Sacs, MTV, Forever 21-Times Square, Warner Music, Avalon Bay, and Timber Ridge Communities. Brian is a member of the NYC Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Contractors Association (SMACNA). Brian also operates a real estate and contracting business that both rehabs and manages commercial and residential real estate from North Carolina to Upstate NY. He has designed and built houses from the foundation up.
Brian was raised and still lives in Malverne with his wife, four daughters and son. Brian attended Malverne public grammar and middle schools and graduated from Kellenberg Memorial High School. He began his career in 1999 after graduating from Stevens Institute of Technology with an Engineering degree. Brian and his wife are active members of the Malverne community. They belong to the Malverne Civic Association and the Malverne Merchant’s Association. Brian’s wife is past president of the Mother’s of Malverne organization. Brian has been a member of the Malverne Police Reserve for 15 years and holds the rank of Captain. Brian has always loved the outdoors, growing up as a Boy Scout, camping and spending many weekends visiting Upstate NY at his grandparent’s house across from a milk cow farm. He lived in Vermont for a short time and spent many weekends there visiting with his aunt and uncle who had horses on their property. Helping Crossroads has become a passion of Brian’s and his mission is to help create new farm memories with his family and the community.
Brian and his family have been the force behind many things at Crossroads farm including purchase and restoration of a hay wagon, rebuilding and donating a farm truck, securing donation of and providing labor for an HVAC system installation, refurbishing a Ford Powermaster tractor and an antique wooden dump wagon. Brian was instrumental in helping move new animals to the farm from their previous home in Islip and recently installed new security cameras throughout the barn. Brian prides himself on being the farm “go to” person and serves on the Farm Advisory Commitee.
Carl Prizzi, Treasurer
Carl Prizzi is a highly accomplished and customer-focused technology management professional with over 15 years of digital experience in delivering award winning web applications. Carl has been a Vice President for his company Bridgeline Digital for a number of years where he has gained significant expertise in managing cross-functional teams and driving multi-million dollar revenues. Carl has assisted in building out the new Crossroads Farm website.
Carl not only has tremendous technical and business skill-sets, he is also a "weekend warrior" where he spends much of his time away from the computer getting his hands dirty by volunteering with various infrastructure-related projects at the farm. Carl has put in countless hours in the planning, coordination and execution of the drip irrigation project for the farm. He was heavily involved in building the year round hoop house, assisted in prospecting swing-set donations and assembling our large playground as well as just recently built out the new animal pen along with Brian Lewis. Carl also helps in the planning and execution of many of the large annual events we have at the farm. In addition, Carl and his wife Jennifer are actively managing and coordinating children's birthday parties at the farm.
Carl is a local Malverne resident and is an active leader in the community where he has served for a number of years as Cub Master for the Pack 24 Cub Scouts, CYO Soccer Coach, Malverne Civic Association Member, committee member of the Village of Malverne Traffic Commission as well as the Independent Party of Malverne. Carl serves on the Farm Advisory Committee in addition to the Nassau Land Trust Board of Directors.
Marilyn Cranin
Marilyn Cranin is a landscape architect.
John v.H. Halsey, Assistant Secretary
John v.H. Halsey is founder and President of the Peconic Land Trust, a non-profit land conservation organization serving Long Island. The Trust's professional staff identifies and implements alternatives to development that result in the perpetual protection of working farms and natural lands on Long Island. Since it was founded in 1983, the Trust has completed more than 400 projects. In partnership with landowners, communities, municipalities, and like-minded organizations, the Trust has protected approximately 10,000 acres. The Trust is currently engaged in over 100 pending projects comprising several thousand acres that are key to defining the communities of Long Island and to preserving its rural heritage.
John serves on the boards of the North American Land Trust, Nassau Land Trust, South Fork Land Foundation, and the Southampton Youth Association. He is former Chair of the Land Trust Alliance/New York Advisory Board and board member emeritus of the Long Island Community Foundation.
Raised in Southampton, Mr. Halsey earned a B.A. in Sociology and Education at Dartmouth College and a M.S.W. degree in Organization, Planning and Administration from the School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley. In 1993, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Long Island University for his work protecting the heritage of Long Island, and also received the University's "2004 Distinguished Citizen Award." In 2005, he was honored by the non-profit "Promote Long Island, Inc." with their "Spirit of Long Island" award for his work on behalf of Long Island's environment and preservation. In 2006, the Long Island Farm Bureau awarded him its Citizen Award for his on-going contribution to farm
Mary Jean McCarthy is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Adelphi University’s Ruth S. Ammon School of Education. Her strongest interests are in science inquiry and responsible environmental stewardship. She values experiential and service learning. She was honored as the recipient of Adelphi University’s Adjunct Professor Teaching Excellence Award in 2007. Mary Jean taught science for three years at South Woods Middle School. Additionally, she was the science lab teacher at St. Anne’s for ten years. She is involved in several environmental education organizations.
Mary Jean earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education (with Highest Honors) (1984) and Master of Education in Science Curriculum and Instruction (1985) from the University of Virginia.
She was born in Kirtland, Ohio and has been a resident of Nassau County for 27 years. She is married to Bob McCarthy and they have four children.
Leonore Russell, the founder of Understanding and Managing Change, works with Eurythmy in the Workplace in non-profits, intentional groups and businesses. She has facilitated and co-directed seminars in leadership training and organizational consulting for a wide variety of organizations in North America, Mexico and Brazil. These include universities, Waldorf Schools, nonprofits and businesses large and small. Among these are Proctor and Gamble, Braun Brush Company, Campaign for Baltimore’s Children and Youth, the Association of North American Waldorf Schools.
Leonore teachers both at Adelphi University, School of Education and College of Arts and Sciences as well as Antioch New England University. She directs and teaches in two educational programs: the Crossroads Farm Education Program and The Winkler Center for Adult Learning.
She excels in program development and using experiential learning in both the sciences and the arts, She won the Teaching Excellence Award ?at Adelphi in 2008. She has also received the Franz Winkler Leadership Award from ?the Waldorf School of Garden City in 2009. An avid gardener she has developed a hands-on program for students and adults at Crossroads Farm in Malverne, NY.
She has an M.A. from Adelphi University and a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College.
Lloyd P. Zuckerberg, Chairman Emeritus
Lloyd P. Zuckerberg is the founder and former Chairman of the Nassau Land Trust. Lloyd formed the Nassau Land Trust in response to finding few informational resources in Nassau County on alternatives to outright development of vacant land. Through his own real estate investment company, Samson Investment Partners, Lloyd has used the tools of land conservation to create limited development plans for an historic estate in Old Westbury and on a number of farm properties on the East End of Long Island. Prior to establishing his own company, he was a Vice President with LaSalle Partners, a multi-national real estate services firm, and deputy project manager for the redevelopment and renovation of Grand Central Terminal. Before that, Lloyd was a senior executive with Grand Central Partnership and its sister companies, 34th Street Partnership and Bryant Park Restoration Corporation, which have been recognized for their success by organizations such as the American Institute of Architects and Time magazine. Raised in Lawrence, Lloyd is a second-generation native of Long Island. He is a graduate of Harvard Business School, Tufts University, and The Hotchkiss School. He is a President's Council member of the Peconic Land Trust, and serves on the boards of the New York Landmarks Conservancy and Old Westbury Gardens. Lloyd is a member of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and is the publisher of José M. Allegue: A Builder's Legacy and of Hotchkiss, The Place, an architectural history of The Hotchkiss School.
