Geoff Rogers
Director
Geoff Rogers has more than two decades of professional experience helping individuals and organizations learn, manage, change, and seize new opportunities. Prior to joining the Learning & Development Projects, Geoff was director of operations for the New York City Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). He has also worked in advertising, publishing, and marketing, and served as a director of special projects, director of training, and director of operations for New York City Adult Protective Services. Geoff’s unusual background spanning creative industries, public administration and management consulting informs his work at L&DP to develop learning opportunities that engage a diverse array of human services professionals. Geoff has a BA in European history and English from Colby College.
Jerry Antonatos
Director of Finance and Administration
Jerry Antonatos has been a CUNY staff member since 1988. Before joining L&DP, Jerry was director of finance for the Research and Evaluation Center at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Prior to that, he held various finance positions within the Research Foundation of CUNY. His long-standing contacts within CUNY and deep knowledge of the university’s systems make him a valuable member of the Brookdale team. Jerry is an active member of the Army National Guard unit 4th Financial Management (Fighting Finance). He was called to serve in Afghanistan in 2008-2009, and again in 2014. As deputy disbursing officer of Jalalabad in the East and disbursing agent of Kandahar in the South, he controlled all financial activities in those regions of Afghanistan. Jerry received his BA in accounting from Hunter College. He also holds an MPA with a specialty in fiscal policy analysis and oversight from John Jay College.
Desiret Colón
Project Manager
Desiret Colón is a dedicated and detail-oriented Project Coordinator at the Silberman School of Social Work. With a strong background in project management, client relations, and financial services, Desiret thrives on organization, collaboration, and continuous learning.
Earning a Masters’ degree from Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business with a 4.0 GPA, Desiret is committed to excellence in every aspect of her work. Before Silberman Desiret Worked as a Relationship Banker at JPMorgan Chase as she pursued her financial licenses. Later, she started at Silberman as a Project Assistant, and she quickly took the initiative, seeking opportunities to learn beyond her role, which led to her being promoted within the organization.
Currently, Desiret Colón coordinates and manages two major contracts: one for the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) and another for Weill Cornell Medicine’s Center for Elder Abuse Solutions (CEASE). In this role, she oversees statewide training projects, conferences, logistics, budgets, and various moving parts to ensure seamless execution.
Passionate about making an impact, Desiret brings a proactive approach to every project, leveraging her skills to drive efficient and meaningful outcomes.
Julia Larcenaire
Project Assistant
Julia Larcenaire has a varied background in health and wellness, arts administration, and creative arts education. She graduated magna cum laude from Goucher College with a B.A. in Psychology and Dance. Working as a private Pilates instructor and running her own business since 2016, Julia brings these customer service skills to the team at the Learning and Development Projects. As a performing artist, Julia has been involved in large-scale productions at institutions such as the Park Avenue Armory, as well as producing her own shows, and serving on the production side for small theaters throughout New York City. Julia has taught dance and co-developed multi-disciplinary arts classes for youth at studio and after-school programs for Dancewave and has worked as administrative support at various arts non-profits including Gallim Dance, and Dances for Solidarity. Julia’s diverse background, spanning client-facing roles as well as organizational experience in production and administration, enables her to effectively support educational opportunities for frontline service providers at The Learning and Development Projects at Silberman.
Jesan Sorrells
Curriculum Developer
Jesan Sorrells has a twenty-year background designing curriculum for adult learning, deploying and facilitating training and development solutions, and designing, managing and leading teams in higher education, private enterprises, and in government. Jesan is currently the Curriculum Developer for Learning & Development Projects at the Silberman School of Social Work of Hunter College. Jesan has a BFA in Fine Arts from Bemidji State University in Bemidji, MN, and an MA in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation from Abilene Christian University in Abilene, TX . He is a Texas State Certified Divorce and Family Mediator. Jesan is a Certified DiSC Provider and trainer through Wiley and Sons©. Jesan has published three books Marketing for Peace Builders: How to Market Your Value to a World in Conflict (2016), My Boss Doesn’t Care: 100 Essays on Disrupting Your Workplace by Disrupting Your Boss (2019), and 12 Rules for Leaders: The Foundation for Intentional Leadership (2021). Jesan’s background informs his curriculum development work for Silberman to design learning tools for human services professionals.