Board of Directors

You Gotta Believe has a strong internal network of relationships among our staff and Board members. In fact, many people on our team have been around since the beginning. It was Board President, Joe Prestino, who shared the original vision of agency homeownership with the Board of Directors in 2008. In the same year, the You Gotta Believe’s Board of Directors established a Capital Campaign Committee and made a decision to hire a part-time Campaign Manager.

Since that time the Committee has gained momentum and members, and continues to be the driving force behind the scenes. As indicated in their personal statements, each member has a direct connection to adoption, which informs their passion and commitment to the agency:

Board of Directors

Joe Prestino
YGB Board President
Commercial Realtor

“We’re moving You Gotta Believe to the next level. I’m honored to give my time, talents and treasures to the agency as Board President. I’ve been involved with other organizations, but here I see a different kind of results for my efforts. Things are getting done and the inspiration is contagious. You see good work and you become part of it- there’s nothing better than that.”

Pat O’Brien
Founder and Exec. Director
Adoptive Parent

“It’s a joke to think that kids can be discharged from care by themselves and make it. The answer is unconditionally loving families- everyone needs one. Every child deserves one. You Gotta Believe is move than an agency — we are building the army for the teen adoption movement.”

Paul Brown
Board Member
Adoptive parent

“I had been trained by You Gotta Believe! that adoption was for keeps, but that didn’t mean it was easy. I was Rey’s,13, seventh parent. You Gotta Believe! has stayed with us. They made it possible – in good times and bad – for us to be a forever family. I want others to know that adopting an older child can be among the richest of life’s gifts.”

Regina Calcaterra
Board Member
Barrack, Rodos & Bacine
Managing Partner
Aged out of Foster Care

“Regina’s passion for You Gotta Believe stems from her youth. Regina and her four siblings  grew up largely in and out of homelessness and foster care which ultimately led to Regina aging out of foster care parentless.  Thus, Regina clearly knows first hand how easily she could have ended up homeless. As a result, since 2006, she has been a committed board member to You Gotta Believe where she tirelessly speaks about the need to prevent homelessness through older foster children adoption at global, national and local forums through out the year. Regina serves as a partner at Barrack, Rodos & Bacine where she prosecutes corporate fraud and as a hobby provides commentary on domestic and international politics and policy on national and local media outlets.”

Susan Grundberg
Board Member
Child Welfare/Human Services Consultant
Foster/Adoptive Parent

“Susan has more than 20 years of experience in the major urban child welfare systems of Chicago and New York City. Until 2009, she served as the Associate Commissioner for Child Welfare Programs in NYC, where she spent much of her time advocating for permanency and supportive services for older youth. You Gotta Believe! played an integral role in our work there to find permanent families for young people. Along the way, I became the mother of two of those young people—two amazing young men who had been written off by our system. I am amazed at the joy that has come into my life, and more importantly, the hope I see sneaking into the hearts and minds of my sons. Our family story is just one of many, but there are still far too many young people aging out alone. They deserve better. We must do better.”

Diggi Thompson
Chief Connector
The Dot Connectors

“After more than a decade at Unilever, Diggi heads his own marketing and strategy consulting firm, The Dot Connectors, building international brands including Axe, Johnnie Walker, Lipton, and Dove among others. He lends his marketing expertise to YGB as an ongoing consultant through the design and communications planning and execution of the Capital Campaign.”

Mark Ralston
Treasurer

Madeline Castillo
Former Youth in Care

Marion Cleaver
Chair Community Board 13

Kevin Green
Social Worker
Child Welfare Field

Christina Smith
Former Foster Youth & Birthmom

Renee Harris
Adoptive Parent of Teen

Gina Smith
Former Foster Youth

Henrietta Jones
Foster Parent of Teens

Eddie Mark
Local Sign Business Owner

Jim Walker
Adoptive Parent

Ligia Rivers
Vice President
Retired