The Mercy College Board of Trustees has elected five members who will guide the College’s financial and operational growth and inspire broader investment in its students, faculty and staff. These new members have been elected over the past year and include Melissa Encarnacao Battista ’13, M.B.A. ’14, Michael Hayes ’92, H.D. ’21, Cindy Lopez ’07, M.S. ’08, M.S. ’11, Susan Maklari, and Marlene Melone Tutera CNR SAS ’71, adding a wealth of experience in the relevant fields of finance, education and accounting.
"The Board and I are excited to welcome our newest members and we look forward to our work together," said Joseph Gantz, chairman of Mercy College's Board of Trustees. "Their combined strengths and demonstrated commitment to futhering the College's mission signal a promising future for motivated students seeking to transform their lives through higher education."
“Mercy College is fortunate to have such a dedicated and diverse group of trustees and we are proud to welcome these new members who include alumni,” said Mercy College President Tim Hall. “We deeply value their commitment to ensuring our students receive a high-quality education in a vibrant, personalized learning environment. We are grateful to all our trustees for investing their time and expertise to ensuring that Mercy College will continue to thrive in the years to come.”
New members include:
Melissa Encarnacao Battista ’13, M.B.A. ’14
Corporate Vice President and Senior HR Business Partner, New York Life
Melissa Encarnacao Battista recently joined New York Life as corporate vice president and senior HR business partner. Previously, she held various positions at Morgan Stanley, including vice president, VCS chief administrative officer within Virtual Client Solutions, an organization comprised of Morgan Stanley’s leading financial advisors and service professionals. In a prior role at Credit Suisse, Battista was responsible for managing HR activities in compliance and regulatory affairs. She graduated cum laude from Mercy College in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree and went on to receive a Master of Business Administration in Human Resources Management/Finance in 2014. Her community work includes volunteering at Mercy College, White Plains Hospital, the American Heart Association/Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, and the ASPCA.
Michael F. Hayes ’92, H.D. ’21
Partner, PKF O’Connor Davies, LLP
Michael Hayes is a certified public accountant in three states at PKF O’Connor Davies LLP. Previously, he was a partner at KPMG LLP since 2014. His deep industry knowledge includes working with hedge funds, private equity funds, and endowments in areas such as financial reporting, regulatory compliance, enterprise-wide risk, internal controls, taxes, valuation, and governance. He is a member of the Connecticut Hedge Fund Association and has led industry seminars aimed at helping investment leaders stay abreast of current accounting, tax, and regulatory issues. Previously Hayes was a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP where he offered audit and business advice to investment funds and endowments for over 20 years. Hayes has served on many not-for-profit boards in the health and welfare, educational, and arts industries. A volunteer firefighter in his hometown of Katonah, New York, Hayes received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Mercy College in 1992. He was awarded an honorary degree from Mercy in 2021.
Cindy Lopez ’07, M.S. ’08, M.S. ’11
Superintendent, Charter School of Educational Excellence
Cindy Lopez is superintendent at the Charter School of Educational Excellence (CSEE) in Yonkers, New York. She joined CSEE in 2007 as a fourth-grade teacher, becoming assistant principal in 2011, and principal in 2014. During her appointment to superintendent in 2019, Lopez in collaboration with an amazing team expanded the CSEE K-8 program into the CSEE K-12 program with approximately 1200 students. With the program expansion, Lopez worked on the finance and planning of the 76,000-square-foot HS Building expansion. CSEE has been designated as a Reward School and Recognition School by NYSED for several years, and provides educational choices for families of all economic backgrounds in the surrounding communities. Prior to becoming a teacher, Lopez worked for 15 years as a health care administrator. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including Educator of the Year and the Entre Nosotras Award for her commitment to improving the lives of children through education. Lopez is a three-time alumna of Mercy College, having earned a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science in 2007, a Master of Science in Childhood Education in 2008, and a Master of Science in School District Leadership in 2011.
Susan Maklari
Senior Equity Research Analyst, Goldman Sachs
Susan Maklari is a senior equity research analyst at Goldman Sachs, where she leads the top-ranked housing and home décor consumer goods team. She collaborates globally with consumer and industrial analysts to develop insightful, accurate perspectives on sector trends that highlight companies with growth opportunities and challenges. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, she was a director/senior equity research analyst at Credit Suisse. Before that, she held the position of equity research analyst at UBS for 17 years and served as a consultant to KPMG. Maklari has a bachelor’s degree in finance from Georgetown University and a Master’s of Business Administration from Columbia University.
Marlene Melone Tutera CNR SAS ’71
Retired Education Professional
Marlene Melone Tutera spent 22 years of teaching at the Jewish Community Center’s Early Childhood Center. Prior to that, she served for 20 years as Director at Beach Point Day Camp in Mamaroneck, New York. Tutera graduated with honors from the College of New Rochelle (CNR) in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree. At CNR, she served as Director of Housing Director of Alumnae/i Relations. Tutera has twice served as president of the Alumnae/i Association and is past chair of the CNR Board of Trustees. She currently serves as a co-chair of the newly formed CNR Legacy Council. She has volunteered in the New Rochelle public education system and served on the boards of several community not-for-profits. She was honored at the Mercy College 2020 Trustees Scholarship Dinner with the inaugural CNR Legacy Award.