Board of Trustees
Hanif Abdul-Wahid- Chair, Executive Committee
Hanif Abdul-Wahid is a life-long resident of Rochester. Educated in the Rochester public school system. Mr. Abdul-Wahid’s civic and public service in Rochester spans well over 25 years.
Currently, Mr. Abdul-Wahid serves the Islamic and general Community of Rochester in many capacities as Imam. He is employed with Monroe County Department of Planning and Development’s Workforce Development Division as Community Liaison.
Mr. Abdul-Wahid is an active and founding member of R.A.I.N., President of Marketview Heights Association Board, Secretary of the Board Sector 4 Community Development Corporation, Board Vice-Chair of the Community Foundation and serves as a Commissioner on the Rochester/Monroe County Freedom Trail Commission. He is an alumnus of Leadership Rochester, Class of 1995.
His efforts for and with the Rochester community have resulted in the creation of citizen-run organizations and collaborations between city residents and public officials. Mr. Abdul-Wahid’s commitment to service is manifest in the long hours and hands-on attitude he approaches on each committee, board and collaboration with which he is affiliated. This passion and commitment is evident as Vice-Chair of the UCCS Board.
Sidney Moore- Vice-Chair, Governance Committee, Personnel Committee
Sidney Moore is a Senior Employee Relations Consultant with HSBC North America and based in Rochester, NY. Consistent with his extensive background as a Human Resource (HR) Manager and professional, he provides both strategic and tactical consultative HR services to business leaders and employees across HSBC’s Eastern Division.
Since joining the UCCS Board in June 2009, Mr. Moore has assumed roles on both the Governance and Personnel Committees. He holds an M.A. in HR Management from the University of Houston-CL and a B.B.A. in Management from Texas Southern University. Mr. Moore also holds Senior Professional Human Resources (SPHR) certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute in partnership with The Society for Human Resource Management.
Sidney is married and the proud father of three young children, which drives both his enthusiasm and passion for education and early childhood development.
Tamala Lynch-Bradford- Secretary, Executive Committee
Tamala Lynch-Bradford, a native New Yorker, was elected to the UCCS Board in 2008 and is serving a two-year term. Her son entered UCCS in 2005 as one of the first kindergarten class members. She is a parent representative on the board and serves on the Finance Committee. Since the inception of UCCS, she has volunteered as a reading mentor and has offered financial planning training to its students. Mrs. Bradford is a firm believer in education and the philosophy of UCCS.
Professionally, she has worked in the banking, life insurance and financial industry for over 15 years. Ms. Bradford is an accounting graduate of Monroe Community College and is near completion of a bachelor’s degree in business administration from SUNY Empire State College. Her plans include a career change to the not-for-profit sector and advocating for additional youth activities and programs in the City of Rochester.
Spiro Ziogas- Treasurer, Executive Committee
Spiro Ziogas has been in banking for 16 years, currently with HSBC as a Vice President & Branch Manager at the Westgate Branch on Chili Avenue.
Mr. Ziogas's parents emigrated from Greece when he was 11 months old, and Rochester has been his home ever since. A graduate of Rochester’s public school system—namely John Walton Spencer School, #16 and Madison High School—he received a B.S. from Purdue University and an M.B.A. from R.I.T.
He has served on the UCCS Board for 2 years now and presently holds the office of Treasurer. Mr. Ziogas says he is proud to serve the school, and even more proud, and excited, to be a parent of a kindergarten student at UCCS.
Michael Abraham-
Mike Abraham believes that competition will ultimately produce the highest quality service or product for the end user. He has translated that belief into an advocacy for education reform and school choice. Simply put, better schools will facilitate a better educational experience and ultimately lead to a higher quality of life for our young people. Thus, his involvement with the Urban Choice Charter School.
A Certified Financial Planner, Mr. Abraham has been in the financial services industry for more than a decade and is presently the Sales Manager in New York State for a global wealth management firm. He has an M.B.A. from Medaille College and received his B.S. in Accounting from St. John Fisher College.
Mr. Abraham and his wife, Mary, reside in West Henrietta.
Thomas Felton, Jr.- Parent, Governance Committee Chair
Thomas Felton Jr. attended Brockport Schools, St. Monica’s and Rush-Henrietta High School. He holds a B.S. in Business and Marketing from R.I.T., an E-Business Certificate, an M.S. in Business and Marketing Education K-12, and is a New York State-certified Work-Study Coordinator.
He is co-owner of Beauty by LaCassa, LLC, a beauty salon and retailer of cosmetics and hair care products. Mr. Felton is also a business, marketing and technology teacher at Thomas Jefferson High School with a passion for urban education and transition planning that focuses on strong parent, student, teacher and community relationships. He is currently preparing to enroll in the Ph.D. program in Social and Philosophical Foundations at The University at Buffalo. Mr. Felton's responsibilities on the UCCS Board include: Chair of the Governance Committee, personnel committee member, and general board trustee.
Mr. Felton is married to LaCassa D. Felton and the parent of four children, three of whom attend UCCS.
Susan Fox-
Susan Fox’s eldest child began kindergarten at Urban Choice the day the school opened its doors in September 2005. An at-home mom since 2002, Mrs. Fox immediately saw the potential for success at Urban Choice and got more involved, initially joining the Board in 2006 and becoming Board Chair shortly after. Her son began kindergarten in 2007.
Since joining the emerging Board of a young organization, Mrs. Fox has been instrumental in developing processes and protocols consistent with more mature functioning Boards. She holds an M.B.A. from the University of Texas and a B.A. from Smith College and worked in marketing at a mid-size manufacturing company prior to 2002. She is currently representing UCCS in Leadership Rochester, a year-long program for emerging leaders in the area.
Edward Cavalier-
A native of Fulton, NY, Ed Cavalier came to Rochester to attend St. John Fisher College, graduating with a B.A. in Mathematics. He has advanced degrees in Secondary Mathematics Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Administration from SUNY Brockport.
Mr. Cavalier began teaching Mathematics in the Rochester City School District at Wilson Magnet High School, was Coordinator of Special Education at Wilson, Vice Principal at Madison and East, and principal of Charlotte before moving to East as principal, before retiring in 2002.
He has been an adjunct lecturer in Educational Administration at SUNY Brockport and a supervisor of interns in the Educational Leadership Program at St. John Fisher. He also served as a substitute elementary principal and vice principal, and was interim principal of East from February until August 2009. Mr. Cavalier has been married for 39 years to Margaret Grady Cavalier, and they have two children, both East High graduates. A city resident for 41 years, he currently lives in the neighborhood close to the Urban Choice Charter School.
Gail Sklair- Parent, Fundraising Committee Chair
Gail Sklair is the parent of a fourth-grade student at the Urban Choice Charter School, who started when the school opened.
A 15-year veteran of the advertising industry, Ms. Sklair is a Senior Production Artist at Partners + Napier, where she has worked for the past six years. Born and raised in Rochester, Gail attended the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) for advertising and fine arts, which fostered her appreciation of the arts and culture. “I love the arts, outdoors, and travel. I think all kids should be inspired to follow their dreams and goals,” says Ms. Sklair.
As Fundraising Committee Chair, Ms. Sklair's focus will be raising much-needed funds for student activities, summer programs and facility needs.
- John Bliss
- Chief Executive Officer, Ex-Officio
