Mark J. Kator is President and Chief Executive Officer of Isabella, a not-for-profit organization serving the elderly since 1875.  Under his leadership, Isabella, once chiefly a large nursing home, has expanded its programs to include a host of home and community-based services. Mr. Kator has spent forty years in the field of health care, over twenty of which were in New York City’s public health care system, where he had a longstanding interest in developing and improving models of care for underserved and vulnerable populations.  For this work, he was awarded the Sloan Public Service Award in 1989.   In June 2011 Mr. Kator, received the Lawrence E. Larson Memorial Award of Honor, the most prestigious award bestowed annually by the New York Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (NYAHSA) for outstanding contributions to the care and service of the elderly in New York State.

These accomplishments, among innumerable others that would fill volumes, prove that Mark Kator is a heavy-duty amd super-sized link in the aging services chain.

OSCAR STRAUS III has been the Director of the VOLS Elderly Project providing free legal information and services to senior citizens residing in Manhattan since 2000. He conducts up to 12 monthly walk-in legal clinics where seniors can obtain legal information, advice and referral to pro bono attorneys. Through VOLS he also conducts information seminars on topics of interest to seniors and senior center staff throughout Manhattan, providing case consultation and training to staff of various social service agencies.             

A graduate of Brooklyn Law School, he has a long history of working in and partnering with non-profit agencies in the city, and an impressive legal resume that includes time out for meeting life head-on through inclusions like this: "June, 1978 - July, 1979, fulfilling a life-long dream, I traveled throughout the United States in a motor home covering over 21,000 miles, while teaching my then twelve-year-old son a complete sixth grade curriculum."

Oscar Straus III is an original and shining link in our chain of essential and protective community services.

For almost ten years, Nelson Gutierrez has worked for Volunteers of Legal Service as a paralegal in its Elderly Project. Prior it this, for over 15 years, he was a paralegal at the Williamsburg, Brooklyn “A” office of Legal Services for New York City as a government benefits specialist.

Nelson has been an important addition to the monthly legal consultations at Riverstone, as his smile and bilingual English-Spanish communication puts nervous seniors at ease.

Nelson Gutierrez provides a necessary and very welcome link to the chain of volunteer services that benefit the seniors of our community.

Maria Rios, LCSW, Administrative Supervisor at
the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services Dr. Eugene D. Glynn/YCL Counseling Center, started her professional career in the early 90’s.  She has vast experience in the areas of health and mental health services. Her rich professional experience has allowed her to form a solid foundation in the areas of clinical services, health and mental health services, consultation, concrete services / systems, professional development and in administration / management.

In addition to meeting with seniors one to one, an important accomplishment at Riverstone was establishing a support group for teens living with a parent or grandparent struggling with memory loss.

Maria Rios truly is a standout and brilliant link in the field of mental health services for all ages in our community.