Board of Directors
Eileen Benthal, Founder & President
Eileen is the Founder and Director of Johanna’s Hope.
Eileen is a freelance writer, speaker, and the author of the book, “Breathing Underwater; a Caregiver’s Journey of Hope”. Eileen speaks at conferences and events to share the lessons she has learned about finding hope amid ongoing trials. She writes a monthly column for RiverheadLocal.com entitled “Life on Purpose”; which often highlights the joys and triumphs of “perpetual motherhood” and advocacy for people with disabilities.
Eileen is a fierce advocate for respecting the dignity and rights of all people, most especially those with disabilities. She has a heart for the families like their own who are raising and caring for children and adults with cognitive and developmental disabilities and understands those special needs.
Eileen coordinates and runs the bi-monthly “Arts on Jo’s Farm” program, which is supported through donations to Johanna’s Hope. In addition to the projects they do together, Johanna’s Hope programs help build community and networks for participants, caregivers, and their families.
Eileen is a wife and mother of four young adults, the youngest of whom is a woman with disabilities and a rare disease, Johanna, who is Eileen’s inspiration and the true founder of Johanna’s Hope.
Sara Phillips, Vice President
Sara Phillips spent nearly 20 years working as a fundraiser for arts and education non-profit organizations including The New York Public Library, The Juilliard School and NYU School of Social Work.
A Master Gardener, she is passionate about organic gardening, no till farming, utilizing native plants and supporting pollinators. She is also a trained singer and was a 15 year member of Essential Voices USA, a choral group in residence with The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall. Sara and her husband fell in love with The North Fork after a visit to celebrate their first wedding anniversary in 2007. They and their two sons live in Cutchogue on their own mini farm complete with goats, chickens and bees.
Sara also serves as a Board member for Hallockville Museum Farm where she coordinates the Educational Bee Yard. We are all so grateful to have met Sara at the Bee Yard.
Sara worked with our Johanna’s Hope participants to partner together to paint pallets that provide that fencing around the Bee Yard at Hallockville.
Laurie Faivre Nigro, Recording Secretary
Laurie comes to Johanna’s Hope with over 25 years of experience in the non-profit world. Laurie began as an intern at the Women’s Sports Foundation in their events department.
After becoming a mother, Laurie spent years volunteering for La Leche League International. Laurie is also the co-founder of River and Roots Community Garden in downtown Riverhead and dedicated over a decade to the creation and growth of this community resource.
Laurie recently completed her term as the President of the North Fork Chamber of Commerce and retired after a nearly ten year run on their board. Laurie joins Johanna’s Hope as our recording secretary.
Liz Yorio, Corresponding Secretary
While a resident of New Jersey, was a founding member of the Access for All Commission in Mahwah, NJ. The Commission was established in 2016 and has continued to successfully enhance the quality of life for individuals with disabilities in the town and surrounding communities. One of the highlights of her tenure on the Commission was planning and coordinating the social activities for the children and young adults with disabilities. The robust turnout at these events underscored the tremendous desire to participate in such activities as well as the lack of such activities available in our community prior to the founding of Access for All.
Liz has experience and a special interest in advocating for the needs of children and young adults with disabilities. She is the mother of three young adults. One of them is a young man with disabilities.
She has been a frequent visitor to the North Fork for years and currently resides in Aquebogue.
Marianna Garcia, Treasurer
Marianna Garcia is our Treasurer and a regular visitor to Jo’s Farm! She is a professional educator, a financial entrepreneur in local small businesses, and an advocate for individuals, families, and children- especially those whose lives have been impacted by the chaos of addiction.
Marianna is a single mom to a beautiful 7-year-old daughter who was also recently diagnosed with a serious rare disease. Her daughter is a farmhand for Jo’s Farm who helps collect eggs and feed the goats!
Through all these challenges, Marianna has grown deeper in her faith and the wisdom of life experience which she readily offers to others.
Her non-profit experience also includes coordinating the treasury for the Suffolk County Chapter of Magnificat Ministry to Catholic Women and the entire Northeast region of the United States.
Shelby Coleman, Board Member
Shelby Coleman is a wonderful friend of Jo’s Farm as well as a creative entrepreneur with a long history of living on Long Island’s East End and in Manhattan.
Her late husband, Cy Coleman was a prolific American composer and songwriter whose music still plays on Broadway to this day.
In addition to many other endeavors, Shelby and her daughter Lily run Sunny Shore Farms- the only certified Nigerian Dwarf Goat Farm on Long Island. Their farm is a little piece of heaven on earth and they are just 3 doors down from our house!
Johanna’s Hope groups are regular visitors to their farm- especially in the spring when we go to hold baby goats!
Two of our goats, Jack and Billy, were born on their farm and joined our herd last fall.
Shelby is an amazing entrepreneur who offers great business advice and encourages us to move Jo’s Farm and Johanna’s Hope forward to achieve our potential to do more good in this crazy world.
Madonna Registrato, Board Member
Madonna is affectionately known as Jo’s Fairy Godmother!
We met Madonna and her husband Joe in 1999 when we were preparing for a large gathering of Christians at Nassau Coliseum- Jesus Alive 2000! Steve Benthal recruited them to lead our 500 people choir for the 8k believers who gathered on that magical evening.
We quickly became friends and spent a lot of time together laughing!
Madonna works professionally as a teaching assistant for students with special needs and is a gifted artist as well as a musician and vocalist.
She also works with Jo as one of her community hab aides. We LOVE summertime because Madonna comes here 2 days a week!
Madonna makes Johanna laugh!
She has also been a very helpful support and creative force behind the development of the “Arts on Jo’s Farm” program at Johanna’s Hope.