In Westchester County, where civic engagement runs deep, a new model of nonprofit board leadership is redefining what it means to serve. Beyond meeting rooms and strategic plans, board chairs are distinguishing themselves through direct, hands-on involvement in the communities their organizations serve, whether that means volunteering at mobile food pantries or reading books to children in doctors’ waiting rooms. These leaders demonstrate that effective board service isn’t just about guiding from the top — it’s about rolling up your sleeves and leading by example.
Kate Sanzenbacher, Open Door Foundation
As board chair of the Open Door Foundation, lifelong Briarcliff Manor resident Kate Sanzenbacher is dedicated to being an ambassador of the nonprofit’s mission to provide excellent, accessible, and personalized care regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. While her leadership position involves navigating funding challenges, Medicaid issues, and government policy changes, Sanzenbacher is also hands-on with her support of the Open Door Care Network.
Sanzenbacher jumped into action last year when a Port Chester school identified a critical need for toiletries during the summer months (when many students lose access to supplies typically provided by school nurses). She was able to organize a very rapid and successful fundraising effort. “We collected hundreds of items, including deodorant, shampoo, and toothpaste,” she says.
On any given day Sanzenbacher can be found assembling baby bundles full of diapers and onesies to pass out to Open Door’s new mothers or reading to children in the Ossining location’s waiting room as part of the nonprofit’s Reach Out and Read program. She also hosts a holiday toy drive every year for the organization, resulting in thousands of toys being donated over her 10 years of service on the board.
Sanzenbacher’s connection to Open Door extends back to her childhood, when her mother volunteered at the organization during its early days operating out of a church basement in Ossining. “I accompanied my mother and observed her help sign in patients and prepare them to see the doctors,” she says.
Just as her parents’ volunteer commitment influenced her, Sanzenbacher is now passing this tradition on to her four children. Her oldest daughter Anna, 23, created the Open Door’s Instagram site, while her son Matt, 19, assisted with food distribution services at Open Door’s Port Chester location. Jake, 16, has helped organize books for the reading program, while her youngest daughter Abby, 13, has participated in December gift distributions in Sleepy Hollow.
Jessica Rosh, Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley
Chappaqua resident Jessica Rosh, board chair of Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley, pointed out an important misconception about the nonprofit that she wishes people understood better. “Make-A-Wish wishes are not ‘last wishes’ for terminally ill children, but rather ‘lasting wishes’ for children with life-threatening conditions. Many children go on to live full, healthy lives, and the experience provides hope and joy during difficult times,” she says.
Rosh, who teaches bioethics at New York Medical College, can trace her connection to the Make-A-Wish back to 1988. “When I was 15 years old, my brother David, who’s two years older than me, was diagnosed with leukemia,” she says.
Rosh recounted how her brother endured everything you can imagine – surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, and a bone marrow transplant, saying, “These were very dark days for my family.”
Make-A-Wish granters visited her brother and told him to dream big. His wish was to meet the newly inaugurated president, George H.W. Bush. “The whole family went to Washington, D.C., to meet President Bush in the Oval Office of the White House. My brother was so happy, and we all felt so special; it was truly transformative,” says Rosh.
About 20 years ago, Rosh began her formal volunteer involvement with Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley. She has helped grant numerous wishes over the years, including trips to Disney World, new puppies, and even helping a child get braces.
Rosh joined the Make-A-Wish board of directors nine years ago and is currently in her first year of a two-year term as board chair. She said her wide array of responsibilities includes “supporting staff at the Wish House in Tarrytown, driving the mission and vision, developing community partnerships, and leading fundraising efforts.”
Rosh’s commitment to hands-on involvement is evident in her willingness to participate in every aspect of the organization’s work, from visiting Make-A-Wish children to cleaning up after special events. She believes this approach gives her valuable perspective as a board member, allowing her to “see how donor dollars are used and ensuring the organization maintains its focus on delivering meaningful experiences to children.”
Vinay Rao, Feeding Westchester
Scarsdale resident Vinay Rao became involved with Feeding Westchester, a food bank serving Westchester County, back in 2017. Instead of accepting gifts at his young son Rohan‘s birthday party, the family asked guests to make donations to Feeding Westchester. Rao’s engagement accelerated during COVID-19 times, when travel restrictions freed up family vacation funds for donations and led to increased volunteering at Feeding Westchester’s mobile food pantries.
Vinay joined the Feeding Westchester board in 2021 and became board chair last year. His professional background is in consulting and outsourcing, primarily with Deloitte and Publicis Media, and he lends his work experience to help with board governance and leveraging board members’ professional expertise.
When not overseeing board business, Rao’s hands-on volunteer experiences include participating in mobile food pantries throughout Westchester County. These mobile operations involved loading trucks from the warehouse and setting up temporary distribution sites at churches, schools, and community centers. “I get involved with various tasks, including table setup, truck unloading, box breakdown, and cleanup,” he says.
He noted that contributions from donors are used to secure very culturally specific and sensitive foods. “It’s monetary donations that really help us specifically target what our neighbors want versus what they just will take. The buying power of something consolidated at the Feeding Westchester level, which feeds into Feeding New York, which feeds into Feeding America, and ultimately even the USDA, is enormous,” says Rao.
