Nick Singer
President & Founder
Since joining his high school’s Mission Club, philanthropy has always been a part of Nick’s character. He followed that passion to obtain his Bachelor’s Degree from the Franciscan oriented Siena College. His subsequent career in financial services has led him to his current role as Executive Director of Taxable Fixed Income Trading at Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. Away from the trading floor, Nick has been a youth ice hockey official for over ten years and is a member of the Knights of Columbus in his home state of New Jersey where he lives with his wife, Nicole, and son Colson.
Jarid Colucci
Treasurer
With an in depth background in investing and business operations Jarid Colucci understands the importance of strategic planning and value creation within growing organizations. Currently, he serves as a Private Markets Portfolio Manager at BlackRock. Formerly, he held positions within Goldman Sachs Asset Management and the UBS Investment Bank. Jarid graduated from Siena College where he studied finance and received his MBA from Union Graduate College. He resides in New Jersey with his family.
Ellen Grasso
Director of Donor Relations
Ellen Grasso is Managing Director at G100 Network, a consortium of private learning communities for current and rising CEOs and C-suite leaders. In this role, Ellen oversees the management of the Women’s Leadership Acceleration program, a unique development experience focused on preparing women for C-level roles. Prior to G100, Ellen spent years advocating for the advancement of women, both as Global Director of Event Programming at the Milken Institute and at Forbes Media, where she spent more than a decade launching and managing the ForbesWoman platform.
Ellen holds a Master’s Degree in Media Studies from the City University of New York, and lives in New York City with her husband and two children. She has personally witnessed the devastating effects of breast cancer on women and their families and, thus, is committed to supporting those families through the Mena Singer Foundation.
Michael Singer
Secretary
Michael is Mena Singer’s youngest child. He is currently working as an Electrical Project Manager on one the country's largest transit projects: “East Side Access” where he is tasked with scheduling and coordinating the installation of large materials and equipment by multiple crews of workers.
If there is one thing that is important during these large tasks, it is teamwork. Michael notices more and more each day how having played hockey - his favorite sport as a child - serves as the foundation for his ability to work cohesively with team members and apply the lessons learned through the sport to his career on a daily basis. He plans to use these skills as a member of the Board of Directors for the Mena Singer Foundation.
Justine Amante
Director of Fundraising
Justine, a close friend of Mena and her family for over 30 years, is a designer and entrepreneur specializing in gardening, arts, and crafts as well as a talented fundraiser. She is currently the owner and operator of Justine’s Garden Décor & More in Ocean County, New Jersey where she and her husband have lived since 2001.
Before returning to the northeast, Justine and her family spent about a decade living in Georgia where Justine was a part of the Gwinnet County School System. There, she became a member of the Creekland Middle School’s Relay for Life- American Cancer Society team and spent time fundraising for the Collins High School Drama Club. Justine has kept her fundraising skills sharp by actively organizing fundraising activities in her local community.
Justine and her business have been proud donors to Mena’s Presidents’ Day Cup since its inception and she is honored to be serving on the board of the Mena Singer Foundation.
Nikki Singer
Vice President
After serving as the Event Coordinator for the Annual Mena Singer Presidents’ day Cup supporting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Nikki helped launch the Mena Singer Foundation. She currently works in the NYC Board of Education and uses her strong interpersonal skills to assist with the logistics and planning of our flagship event. Nikki received her Bachelors of Science Degree in Communications: Design and Digital Media from the City University of New York and holds a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education.
Greg Jacobowitz
Director of Professional Hockey Affairs
Greg knows better than anyone how hockey can be a positive influence for children. A native of Staten Island, NY, Greg first met Michael and Nick Singer more than 20 years ago in youth hockey, and like many in that community, their friendship has grown into an unbreakable bond.
Although he is a small business owner and plumber by trade, Greg somehow finds time to advance the mission of MSF by forging key partnerships with local and professional hockey organizations. Now living in Scranton, PA, this self-proclaimed “hockey nerd” understands that unleashing the power of the hockey community will be a game-changer for families struggling with breast cancer.
Alena Amante
Director of Digital Marketing
From a young age, Alena has shown a deep passion for helping others. It was when she was studying Advertising and Marketing at the Fashion Institute of Technology that she decided she wanted to work closely with nonprofits. Over the years, she has used her knowledge of advertising and marketing to spread awareness of and raise money for the charities closest to her heart.
As the Director of Events for Civic Hall, a NYC nonprofit that uses the advancement of technology for the public good, Alena became involved with local organizations in helping them execute successful events. After an international move to Glasgow, she continued to build up an extensive resume in event and hospitality management.
Alena has managed events for Blackheart Records, Fast Company Innovation Festival, Glasgow Film Festival, BBC, and COP26. She is excited to join the Mena Singer Foundation where she can combine her experience in event management and digital marketing with her passion for helping others. Alena currently splits her time between Glasgow and New York.
Joseph Ambrogio
Director of Corporate Partnerships
Joe has been involved with MSF since its inception working hard to connect our organization with Corporate Partners in the hockey world and elsewhere. An avid outdoorsman, husband, and father of three, Joe is extremely resourceful. His tactical ‘Swiss-Army knife’ set of skills come in handy in almost any situation.
After a successful high school varsity hockey career, Joe brought his talents to a local utility where he maintains the role of Operations Trainer. When Joe isn’t wearing one of his many hobby hats or working, you can find him coaching Little League baseball for his township in central New Jersey where he lives with his family and dog, Murray.