Board Member Biographies
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NYFPR President: Jessica Shanahan
Jessica C. Shanahan graduated from Our Lady of Mercy High School in 1985. In 1989, she graduated from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia with a B.A. in Spanish and a B.S. in Marketing. Immediately after college, Jessica was an intern with Senator Daniel P. Moynihan (D-NY) in Washington, DC. From 1989-1991, Jessica was a staff person for Congressman John J. LaFalce (D-NY) in Washington, DC. She later earned a Master’s degree in Higher Education from American University (1994) where she administered the International Law Program at the Washington College of Law. In 1994, she moved back to her hometown of Rochester, NY and earned a Master’s degree in Hospital Administration from Rochester Institute of Technology (1998). She was employed at the University of Rochester (Medical Center) from 1994-1998 as the Administrator of Otolaryngology and promoted to the Associate Director of the University of Rochester’s Health Service (1998-2000).
Jessica is currently a Trustee of the Genesee Country Village & Museum in Mumford New York. The GCVM is the third largest living history museum in the nation. Jessica is also a one of seven members of the Seton Catholic School Advisory Committee and is responsible for “Networking.” Jessica is the Secretary of the Charles and Mary Crossed Foundation, a foundation that is dedicated to protecting and preserving human life, especially that of the unborn.
Jessica now stays at home with her four young sons who attend Seton Catholic School and Trinity Montessori School. Her husband Tim is a Vice President at Clover Capital, a money management firm. Tim is on the Board of the Memorial Art Gallery and several other not for profits in Rochester. He was awarded one of the Rochester Business Journal’s “Forty Under Forty” in 2003. Tim and Jessica are the major gift underwriters of the Annual Dinner Gala for the Rochester City Fire Department.
Jessica served on the Mercy High School Alumni Board from 1997-2000. She has served on the Catholic Family Center Annual Gala Tribute Committee from 1999-2005.
From 1990-1994, Jessica served on the Board of Directors of Feminists for Life of America, a pro-woman, pro-life organization headquartered in Washington, DC. Jessica is a past President (1998-2005) of Feminists for Life of New York, a state chapter of Feminists for Life of America. She has been nominated for the Leo Holmsten Human Life Award.
Currently, Jessica is spearheading the Task Force to Stop RHAPP (Reproductive Health and Privacy Protection Act NY S.B. 5829 introduced by Governor Spitzer.) She is President of New Yorkers for Parental Rights, a corporation established for the purpose of fighting this legislation.
Jessica Crossed Shanahan
(585) 957-1617
E-mail: shanahans@frontiernet.net
Director: Leslie Ivette Diaz
Leslie Ivette Diaz was born Leslie Ivette Sanchez on November 10th 1955, on the Island of Puerto Rico in the small conservative town of Lares. Leslie was born to Primitivo Sanchez Alverlo, and Margarita Gonzalez Rivera. Leslie was the sixth child of eight children.
At the tender age of eight months Leslie’s parents left the Island of Puerto Rico and relocated to the United States making the City of Hartford, Connecticut their permanent residence. At the age of six the Sanchez Family relocated again to the City of New York where Leslie and her siblings were raised and educated for the most part of their lives.
In 1975 Leslie attended and graduated with honors from the Jane Addams High school for girls where her major course of study was in nursing.
In 1977 Leslie continued her studies at CUNY’s City College in Manhattan studying Psychology with a minor in Sociology. Leslie was forced to temporarily suspend her studies to raise her only child Margaret Ivette Caban and to work to help support her family.
In 1978 Leslie began working as a State Senatorial Assistant to Senator Israel Ruiz Jr. In 1981 Leslie began working at The Christian Community Benevolent Association, which was founded and incorporated by Rev. Ruben Diaz. Leslie worked as the Administrative Assistant of the organization. Throughout the years Leslie occupied several positions in this organization. For example Leslie worked as a Personnel Specialist ( a supervisor to the Home Care Workers), as the Director of Betances Senior Center, Director of the Ambulette Program, and today Leslie occupies the position of Director of Field Operations for the Home Attendant Program.
In April 1990 Leslie became a Born Again Christian, accepting Jesus Christ as her Lord and Saviour. Today, she serves the Lord beside her husband the Pastor to the Christian Community Neighborhood Church Inc.
On April 14th 1993, Leslie Sanchez Caban, and Rev. Ruben Diaz were united in holy matrimony. This year they will be celebrating their Fourteenth Wedding Anniversary. Leslie has expressed that every day she gives thanks to God for her husband because he has been a great blessing, as a loyal husband, good provider and more importantly a loving father. He has accepted Margaret as one of his own children, especially when Margaret, at the age of 17, lost her biological father to illness.
In 1998 Leslie continued her college studies in psychology. In the year 2000 Leslie graduated with honors from the College of New Rochelle, acquiring a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a minor in Counseling.
Leslie expressed that God has never abandoned her, in the most difficult times of her life. Today she gives honor and glory to God for the abundant blessings He has bestowed upon her, her marriage, family, church and her home.
Director: Alice Lemos
Alice lives in Woodside, Queens, New York. She graduated from Brown University with a Ph.D. in Hispanic Studies, is active in local politics, and is a cancer survivor. Alice is the mother of Jesse, who is a freshman in high school. She is fluent in Spanish, Portuguese and Italian; has been published in Human Life Review and on the website Jewsforlife, and ran as a Huckabee delegate this year.