SIPCW Staff

Adrienne Abbate, MPA

Executive Director

For over 25 years, Adrienne Abbate has been advocating for public health and social justice issues in a career that spans the private, public, and government sectors. Adrienne is the founding executive director of the Staten Island Partnership for Community Wellness (SIPCW), a nonprofit working to create a healthier Staten Island through cross-sectoral partnerships that address emerging health needs. Under her leadership, SIPCW has flourished as a dynamic public health organization addressing critical issues including chronic disease prevention, mental health, substance misuse, and health inequities. SIPCW currently oversees several collaborative projects including the Child Wellness Initiative and Tackling Youth Substance Abuse (TYSA), a coalition that has driven systems-level change and has been heralded by state and local governments and public health policymakers as a model for communities around the country.

Adrienne has been appointed to advisory committees at the local, city, and state levels to inform topics ranging from opioids to COVID-19. She is currently an executive board member of Nonprofit Staten Island formerly the Staten Island Not-for-Profit Association.

Her interest in systems-level work and passion for education and public health have allowed Adrienne to align her professional and personal interests to show the interconnectedness of health to educational outcomes. Since 2018 she has served as a Curtis High School Community School Advisory Board member. Adrienne holds a Master of Public Administration degree in Health Policy from the NYU Wagner School of Public Service and is a doctoral candidate in the inaugural Community Based Leadership EdD program at the College of Staten Island, CUNY.

Maralie Deprinvil, MPH

Director of Operations & Contracts

Maralie Deprinvil works as the Director of Operations & Contracts, where she helps to manage project strategies and contract deliverables across the organization. Through the Behavioral Health Infrastructure Project (BHIP), Maralie worked closely with the Staten Island Performing Provider System (SI PPS) and various community partners to build the capacity of clinicians to handle behavioral health issues, reduce the stigma of mental health and substance use, and build and strengthen the peer workforce across Staten Island. As a public health professional, Maralie manages projects that seek to strengthen communities, reduce health disparities, address the physical and behavioral health needs, and raise awareness on the many issues impacting Black and Brown communities.

Prior to her role at SIPCW, Maralie worked with children and adults with mental health and developmental disabilities for five years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in public policy with a concentration in health care from Hobart and William Smith Colleges and a Master in Public Health Degree (MPH) with a concentration on health policy and management from New York Medical College.

Steven Chan, MPH

Senior Lead for Evaluation & Special Projects

Steven Chan serves as the Senior Lead for Evaluation & Special Projects at SIPCW, working across projects to strengthen and support SIPCW’s data & evaluation capacity. He has a range of experiences in quantitative and qualitative research design, data collection, data analysis, and dissemination of findings to wide audiences. He is passionate about applying evidence-based learnings that inform best practices to improve the health and well-being of marginalized communities. Steven has a strong non-profit background, having previously interned with various non-profit organizations including the New York Academy of Medicine, Sesame Workshop, and Global Health Corps. Steven earned his Masters in Public Health at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health with focuses in the Sociomedical Sciences and Comparative Effectiveness Outcomes Research. Steven earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Vassar College with a major in Science, Technology, and Society, and correlates in Molecular Biology and Chinese Language.

Sean Ghazala, MPA/MA

Behavioral Health Manager

Sean Ghazala (he/his) is the Behavioral Health Manager. His background is in providing college preparedness instruction, and interpreting public history with a focus on serving New York City youth and people of color. Sean obtained a Master of Public Administration at Baruch College Marxe School of Public and International Affairs, and a Master of Arts in Labor Studies at CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies. His interests include public history, cycling, and worker-owned cooperatives. As cofounder of Plea for the Fifth, he is active in uplifting stories that empower Staten Islanders.

Lorraine Mejias, MPA

Manager of Maternal & Child Health Initiatives

Lorraine Mejias serves as the Manager of Maternal and Child Health Initiatives at the SIPCW.  She has a strong background in research and nonprofit administration.  Lorraine is passionate about health care reform and equity, especially for black and brown birthing people. She is a doula, and owns an agency that serves families throughout NYC and NJ.  She also holds a Master in Public Administration and a Bachelor in Science in both Psychology and Criminal Justice, with a minor in Cognitive Neuroscience, all from Rutgers University.  Lorraine enjoys solo traveling, hiking, and eating seafood.

Shanice Rodriguez

Special Projects Assistant

Shanice Rodriguez is the Special Projects Assistant for SIPCW where she helps with projects and strategizes ideas for campaigns. She graduated with her Bachelor’s in English Writing from the College of Staten Island, and is anticipated to start graduate study to be an English Teacher in the Fall of 2022.