SIERRA SCHNEIDER recently joined Nascentia Health in its Syracuse headquarters as a registered nurse, working as its community health nurse. She supervises home health aides, provides clinical triage for family and aides, and assists with incoming aid referrals. Schneider received her associate degree in nursing from Onondaga Community College and previously worked at Upstate University Hospital as an orthopedic nurse.

ALICIA MADONNA has joined Nascentia Health as its marketing-communications specialist, working on a wide range of marketing and communication tasks, including writing, graphic design, and social media. She previously worked for the Onondaga Historical Association, leading the organization’s marketing campaigns, and driving branding through design of print and digital materials. Madonna received a master’s degree in museum studies and nonprofit management from Syracuse University, a bachelor’s in graphic design from Southern New Hampshire University, and a bachelor’s in history and studio art from SUNY Oswego.

NOAH REA has come aboard as an IT-support specialist, assisting with various system issues, including creating and managing support tickets and troubleshooting computer issues. He received his bachelor’s degree in network computer & security from SUNY Polytechnic Institute and previously worked for Price Chopper Supermarkets. 

The City of Syracuse and CenterState CEO recently announced new staff to support Syracuse Build, the program launched by Mayor Ben Walsh to prepare community members for careers in the construction industry. CHRISTOPHER MONTGOMERY was named the director of Syracuse Build, which will be housed at CNY Works. He will provide key support to Syracuse Build as it aims to build a robust and inclusive construction workforce pipeline of Syracuse residents in preparation for aligned upcoming employment opportunities associated with unprecedented levels of local construction and development projects. He previously worked as staff assistant and program coordinator at the Syracuse Educational Opportunity Center (Syracuse EOC). Montgomery holds a bachelor’s degree in business, management, and economics. He also serves on several boards of commissioners & directors including chairperson of Syracuse Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, Blueprint 15, Sustainable Economies Alliance, and Syracuse Poster Project.

Additionally, EBONY FARROW has joined CenterState CEO’s Economic Inclusion team as its Pathways to Apprenticeship program manager. She is responsible for guiding the direction of the program, deepening partner relationships, ensuring success for participants, and leading day-to-day operations. The Pathways to Apprenticeship program provides construction training to prepare Syracuse residents — particularly people of color, women, and veterans — to successfully enter union apprenticeship and construction careers. She comes to CenterState CEO with extensive experience leading construction training and educational programs. 

CLAUDIA KEPLER has joined the Syracuse University women’s ice hockey program as an assistant coach for head coach Paul Flanagan. Kepler, a Verona, Wisconsin native, was team captain and leading goal scorer for Wisconsin in 2017-18, when the team advanced to the NCAA Frozen Four. Kepler played the first three years of her collegiate career at Ohio State, where she led the team in goals scored in every season. She played professional hockey for HV71 in Sweden in 2018-19, where she also coached a Swedish girls youth team to learn how to coach in a different language. In 2019-20, Kepler was a sport ambassador/professional hockey player for Women’s Hockey League (WHL) champion HC Kunlun Red Stars in China, and she also played for the Russian Hockey League in the WHL. In May 2020, she created Hockey EDU, a personal hockey-coaching business. For the past 11 years, Kepler has coached hockey skill and technique development with various organizations, including Total Hockey and Lead Hockey (in Verona, Wisconsin), and at hockey camps at Wisconsin and Ohio State

KAREN CANESTRARE recently joined Quadrant Biosciences Inc., a developer of novel molecular diagnostic tools, as controller and VP of finance. She is responsible for the Syracuse–based company’s financial and accounting activities, including long-term business planning, forecasting, and audit functions. Canestrare brings 30 years of leadership experience in corporate and operations-level finance and accounting in public and privately held organizations, as well as startups. Prior to joining Quadrant Biosciences, she served as the director of accounting and treasury at JMA Wireless. In addition to her experience in financial services and telecommunications, Canestrare actively participates in various mentorship programs for women in technology and has earned a certification for “Leadership for Success” from Dale Carnegie. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting and MBA from the Madden School of Business at Le Moyne College.

RITA MARBLE has recently joined Quadrant Biosciences as executive VP of human resources. In her new role, she will be focusing on recruitment and training, labor-cost management, and staff development. Marble brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in the field of human-resources management. Most recently, she was director of employer solutions with a high-growth professional-employer organization, where she was responsible for business development, HR infrastructure design, onboarding, and implementation of HR service plans for local and national organizations. In addition to her experience in HR, Marble holds a certification of “Senior Certified Professional” from the Society for Human Resource Management. She serves as a new-venture mentor for the Tech Garden and subject-matter resource for companies affiliated with the WISE Women’s Business Center for the Small Business Development Center. Marble earned her bachelor’s degree from SUNY Oswego.