Our Founders 

Sheila Jaffe 

Sheila Jaffe was born in Manhattan and grew up in the Bronx. At eleven years of age, she found out she was adopted. Today, she is an Emmy winning casting director for HBO’s, The Sopranos and Entourage and films including The Fighter, Rocky Balboa, and Ted. Although casting is her profession, Sheila’s passion is helping children. As she sees it: “Felix is like my child and watching Felix grow in its reach to help these children has been an indescribable blessing.” Sheila currently sits on the board of the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation and the Advisory Board of the Savannah Film Festival. In 2013, she was honored at The Children’s Rights Gala for her work with children in foster care.

Darryl McDaniels 

For more than 25 years, Felix co-founder Darryl “DMC” McDaniels has had an influence on popular culture. The first rap group to grace the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine and the first to appear on MTV, Run DMC changed music. DMC continues to create, inspire and motivate. After discovering as an adult that he was adopted, DMC began his journey down another life path in search of his birth mother. While his struggle was captured in the Emmy-winning VH-1 documentary, “DMC: My Adoption Journey”, the process gave DMC insight and purpose, prompting him to become an advocate for adoption and foster children. He was invited to the White House by President Obama to address youth groups on responsibility and has appeared before Congress and State Legislatures in support of this cause. Along with his work as a musician, author, and speaker, DMC has been the recipient of awards including Hard Rock’s Love All Serve All Award for his philanthropic endeavors. DMC also sits on the board of directors of the JMJ Foundation, Children’s Rights, and Garden of Dreams. 

Honorary Chairs

Sal Bellino

Principal at Tri-Star Construction Corp.

Amanda Simonetta, M.S.Ed. 

Executive Director

As a former School Counselor with a Masters Degree in Education, Amanda has worked with hundreds of children in need. As Director of Institutional Giving at The New York Foundling, one of New York City’s largest social services agencies, she managed a grant portfolio of over $3 million, supporting programs to help disadvantaged youth. Perhaps most importantly, Amanda is passionate about camp. She loved her childhood summer camp so much that she eventually got married there. When the opportunity arose to start a camp for foster children, Amanda couldn’t wait to be a part of it. She became Camp Felix’s first on-site Camp Director and Program Administrator. As Executive Director, Amanda is working to expand the profoundly meaningful work of The Felix Organization. 

Myra Scheer 

Creative Consultant 

Myra Scheer's life and career were forever changed after meeting with Sheila Jaffe and Darryl McDaniels in the spring of 2006.  Since that day, she has been an integral part of realizing Felix’s mission. Myra started her career as an assistant to the owners of Studio 54, the world-famous disco, where the dance floor was the star. She says she has come full circle with Felix, where the children are the stars. Myra’s enthusiasm and passion have guided Felix since its inception and helped grow Felix's anchor fundraiser DANCE THIS WAY. She explains: "I love bringing that part of my youth to the youth of today as we celebrate dance to enrich the lives of children growing up in the foster care system.”  Myra’s not-for-profit experience includes working with the Rainforest Fund and Foundation for nearly twenty years. 

Tiffany Araya 

Program Coordinator

Tiffany has had the special opportunity to experience the full Camp Felix evolution by starting as a camper at age 12, becoming a CIT at 14, volunteering at age 16 and finally becoming a counselor at 18 years old. Her time at Camp Felix both as a camper and counselor holds a profound place in her heart. Recently graduated from the University at Albany with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Women's Studies, Tiffany is proud and grateful that she can continue to work with her Felix family beyond camp at the Felix Organization. Tiffany hopes to bring Felix's message to the world and accomplish their mission with her genuine love and care for the children and with the insight and knowledge she has gained from being part of this family. 

Alex Kelly

Executive Assistant

Alex’s experience spans online and magazine journalism, strategy and policymaking with state legislators, and a steady, applied impulse to share the joy of ideas with others. He was Associate Editor at the news and opinion website Truthdig and Senior Advisor to the Chair of the New York State Senate Banks Committee. Today he is glad to be of use to the children served by The Felix Organization.

Board of Directors 

Constantine Baris

Treasurerer, The Felix Organization

CPA, Baris Financial Management Ltd.

Laurie Parise 

Executive Director/ Founder 

Youth Represent 

Saman Behbahani

Senior Counsel at AMC Networks - AMC Studios, IFC and Sundance

Doug Herman 

Titan Advisors, LLC Partner

Larry Ryckman 

President and CEO

AfterMaster Audio Labs 

Will Tell

Hip-Hop Producer and 1/2 of 

True Wine Connoisseurs

Michael Lang 

Co-Founder of Woodstock Ventures and Founder of The Michael Lang Organization 

Laura Tufariello

President, Founder and Owner 

Design and Source Productions, Inc.

Advisory Board 

Junior Board 

Members of the Junior Board are dynamic young professionals who use their talent and experience to act as ambassadors for Felix by fundraising, becoming involved in Felix activities and engaging other young professionals (age 40 and under) to make a difference in the lives of youth in foster care.

Morgan Baker 

Designer at Omnicom Media Group

Erik Blam, Jr.

Creative Director for Run DMC

Candice Daniels

Actress, Host

Afterbuzz TV and Black Hollywood Live

Mike Dassinger 

Sr. Manager, Strategic Development & Affiliate Marketing 

Viacom

Justin Kirkland 

Basketball Coach & 

Actor 

Delon Marshall

Middle School Math Teacher

Middle School for Arts and Philosophy

Shane Walsh 

Production Associate 

Viacom

Travis Welcome 

Manager of Leadership Initiatives and Mentorship Programming

Mott Haven Academy 

Dan Casarella 

Hospitality Coordinator at Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Juliet Forde

CEO of Flawless Smiles NYC

Paloma Castillo

Restorative Practices Specialist

Mott Haven Academy

Phoebe Goldstein

Sales at CooperSurgical​

Erik Poldroo

Partnership Manager

Dynadmic

Tony Shapiro-Bey

Technical Implementation Specialist,

Unqork

Dan Wonderly 

Photographer

Wonderly Imaging