Clarke’s Board brings together business, academic, philanthropic and community leaders.
Michael Budner
Chair
Plymouth Meeting, PA
Mike Budner, parent of a Clarke alum, joined the Clarke Board of Trustees in 2020 and was elected as Board Chair in October 2023 after serving in various leadership positions. Mike has seen firsthand the profound impact that a Clarke education can have on a child with hearing loss and her family. Mike is a partner at the firm of Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky P.C. where his practice focuses on catastrophic personal injury cases across the country resulting from construction accidents, propane and natural gas explosions, and other complex matters. Mike also serves on the Board of Directors of Philadelphia VIP, a non-profit that provides pro bono legal services to individuals, small businesses and non-profit organizations with civil legal issues, and volunteers his time as an attorney providing pro bono legal representation. Mike lives with his wife, Jen, and daughter, Olivia, in the suburbs of Philadelphia.
Lara Zaroulis Mattina
Vice Chair
Jacksonville, FL
Lara Mattina is the mother of a Clarke alum. A career prosecutor, she joined the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office as Chief Strategic Advisor in November 2022. In her current role, she serves as an appointed member of the Sheriff’s staff, advising the Sheriff and executive staff members on agency priorities and strategic communication to the public.
Previously, Lara served as the Director of Circuit Court for the State Attorney’s Office for the Fourth Judicial Circuit of Florida, and she was the first woman to serve in this position. In this role, Lara oversaw all of felony prosecution for Duval County, Florida. In addition to her supervisory duties, she served as both a member of the homicide rotation and the Officer Involved Critical Incident Review Panel. She previously served as a Special Victim’s Unit Division Chief and Circuit Court Division Chief. She was awarded “Rookie of the Year” in 2008 and was honored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving with the Bob Conner Memorial Award in 2010.
Andrew S. DeCastro
Treasurer
Duxbury, MA
Andrew DeCastro joined the Clarke Board of Trustees in 2020 and was elected as Treasurer in 2021. Andrew is the Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategic Alliances at American Residential Services, a leader in the residential HVAC, plumbing and electrical space. He is responsible for all mergers and acquisitions and channel partnerships for the Company. Andrew lives with his wife, Lauren (Clarke alum), daughter, Hannah (Clarke alum), son, Wilfred, and dog, Penny, in the suburbs of Boston. He enjoys coaching youth ice hockey, playing golf, skiing and going to the beach with family as often as possible.
Robert I. Glassman
Clerk
Parkland, FL
Bob Glassman is the father of Jeremy, a Clarke alum and cochlear implant user. Bob is a retired Ernst & Young partner now enjoying his free time in Parkland, Florida, and Boston, Massachusetts. Bob brings his career experience and expertise to the Clarke Finance Committee. He was also active in the A.G. Bell Association, Massachusetts Chapter.
Mitch Benton
Trustee
Avondale, PA
Mitch Benton brings a wealth of experience and dedication to the Clarke Board of Trustees. A long-time, active member of the Greater Philadelphia community, Mitch has been a regular volunteer and supporter of child development. He holds degrees from Pennsylvania’s Bucknell and Villanova Universities and has held director and executive positions at SEI Investments and Cloudvisor Wealth. Passionate about advancing the mission of Clarke, Mitch is committed to ensuring that all children have the resources and support they need to thrive.
Robert J. Bush, CPCU, CPIA
Trustee
Ft. Washington, PA
Bob Bush is a Senior Vice President with HUB International, the fifth largest insurance broker in the world. Bob was previously the President of Robert Bush & Associates, a strategic business development and consulting firm to the insurance and finance industry and was an executive vice president and chief advisory officer of publicly traded Beneficial Bank. Bob also sits on the boards of the Saint Joseph’s University, Maguire Academy of Insurance & Risk Management, the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing, Manufacturers’ Golf & Country Club and is a life member of The Union League of Philadelphia. Bob and his wife Marie have two married children and five grandchildren.
John F. Danahy
Trustee
Belmont, MA
John Danahy is a Boston native and sibling of a Clarke alum. His sister, Anne, attended Clarke in the early 1970s, and regards her time at Clarke as life changing. John joined the Clarke board in 2017 and serves as chair of the Audit Committee. He is senior vice president at Fidelity Investments and is responsible for the firm’s digital managed advice offering, “Fidelity Go.” When not working with Fidelity or Clarke, John and his wife Alexandra, enjoy travel and keeping up to speed with the many activities and athletic events of their five children.
Siobhan Handley
Trustee
New York, NY
Siobhan Handley joined the Clarke Board of Trustees in 2021. Siobhan’s passion for Clarke’s mission was inspired by her experience as the parent of a Clarke alum. Siobhan saw how the gifted educators and specialists at Clarke provided the very best foundation for success for her child with hearing loss. Siobhan is the chief talent officer (CTO) at the law firm of Orrick LLP. Prior to becoming Orrick’s CTO in 2015, Siobhan was a litigator in the firm’s product liability and mass tort group.
Siobhan lives with her husband, Will, and children in New York City. She enjoys spending time with her family, watching and playing tennis, and traveling (including for sports with her children).
Adriene Hobdy, EdD
Trustee
Willow Grove, PA
Adriene Hobdy, EdD, is a professional with extensive expertise in talent management, human resources, higher education and finance. She holds a doctoral degree in leadership and innovation, along with master’s degrees in human resources management and an MBA in finance. Her fervor for education was sparked during her tenure at Rosemont College, where she successfully restructured the business curriculum in the School of Professional Studies, and developed comprehensive training programs for small businesses in the Greater Philadelphia area.
Dr. Hobdy has been honored with numerous accolades, including the prestigious Baird Finance Achievement Award. Her steadfast commitment to excellence and her inspirational leadership have solidified her reputation as a highly respected figure in her field.
Caroline D. Linz, JD
Trustee
Haverford, PA
Caroline Linz, parent of a Clarke alum, joined the Clarke Board of Trustees in 2016 after serving on the Steering Committee and Philadelphia Leadership Council since 2009. Caroline has witnessed how her son’s life was profoundly changed by the support and education he received from Clarke.
Caroline started her career as a lawyer and now serves as the Director of Development at The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, as well as the Executive Director of her family’s foundation. Raised with a strong sense of giving back and philanthropy, Caroline’s involvement spans volunteer work, board service and committee participation with organizations such as The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, The Haverford School, The St. George’s School and the Professional Ski Instructor Association.
Caroline lives with her husband Brian, four sons, Charlie, Teddy (Clarke alum), William and Harry. She delights in watching her boys chase their passions through theater, skiing, football, hiking, lacrosse and surfing!
Bruce R. Maddern
Trustee
Jacksonville, FL
Bruce Maddern is a longtime supporter of children who are deaf or hard of hearing, an initial advisory board member for Clarke Florida, pediatric otolaryngologist and founder of a regional cochlear implant program.
Julie (Biron) Maletz
Trustee
Gladwyne, PA
Julie (Biron) Maletz, parent of a Clarke student, joined the Board in 2020 and is an independent designer specializing in industrial and user experience design. Julie was previously a senior industrial designer at Comcast where she was the lead designer of the award-winning XR15 and XR11 Voice Remotes. Julie has earned an Emmy Award, six iF Design Awards and five Red Dot Awards for her projects. She holds 10 patents for design and technology products. She has also chaired the Clarke Philadelphia Leadership Council and is very active in volunteering for Clarke. Julie is passionate about both design and accessibility and strives to bring the two together. Julie lives with her husband, two children, Jordan and Joey (Clarke student), and their dog.
Theodore Mason, MD
Trustee
Springfield, MA
Ted Mason began practicing in the field of Otology & Neurotology in Springfield, Massachusetts in 2002, specializing in medical and surgical disorders of the ears and hearing, in particular the diagnosis and treatment of children with hearing loss. He has performed over 500 cochlear implant surgeries, many of which have been for Clarke students and alums. He has been a member of the Clarke Board of Trustees since 2006.
Elizabeth Shingler
Trustee
Richmond, VA
Elizabeth Shingler joined Clarke’s Board of Trustees in 2019. Elizabeth is the parent of a Clarke alum and knows the value Clarke provides to its students and families. Elizabeth has seen first-hand how Clarke changes lives and wants to bring this opportunity to all interested families.
Philip Stefano
Trustee
New York, NY
Phil Stefano resides in New York City with his wife and two children. Their daughter is a Clarke alum, having participated in speech therapy services and preschool instruction. Professionally, Phil has over 20 years in the insurance and financial services industries. His goal in participating on the Clarke Board of Trustees is to raise awareness of the organization’s mission, support with development opportunities and help to make Clarke more sustainable in hopes of ensuring that many future generations of children who are deaf or hard of hearing get the foundation they need to transition to mainstream schools.
Michael Straubel
Trustee
Collegeville, PA
Mike Straubel, parent of a Clarke student and a Clarke alum, joined Clarke’s Board of Trustees in 2017 and went on to serve as Board co-chair from 2020 to 2023. As a current member of the Executive and Finance Committees and chair of the Investment Committee, Michael continues to dedicate his time to furthering Clarke’s mission of helping children who are deaf or hard of hearing develop the listening and spoken language skills they need to succeed.
Mike is a vice president for Victaulic before which he held key roles in corporate strategy, portfolio management and business development for several prominent publicly-traded and privately-held businesses throughout the United States and Europe.
Mike lives with his wife, Darragh, and their three children in the suburbs of Philadelphia. He enjoys spending time with his family, golfing and traveling.
Brett Trevett
Trustee
Jacksonville, FL
Brett Trevett was born and raised in Jacksonville, FL. He is the founder and President of Point Properties, a full-service residential construction company and sales brokerage serving Northeast Florida. He and his wife, Patty, have three daughters and their oldest is a proud Clarke alum who is thriving in the hearing world.
- Partner, Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky P.C.
- BA, History, Emory University; JD, Temple University Beasley School of Law, LLM, Trial Advocacy, Temple University Beasley School of Law
- Parent of a Clarke alum
- Chief Strategic Advisor, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office
- JD, BA, Boston College Law School, Wellesley College
- Parent of a Clarke student
- Senior Vice President at American Residential Services
- MBA, Babson College; BA Hamilton College
- Parent of a Clarke alum; spouse to a Clarke alum
- Retired Ernst and Young Partner
- MBA, NYU; BS, NYU
- Parent of Clarke student
- Chief Customer Officer, Cloudvisor Wealth
- MS Computing Sciences, Villanova University; BS Mathematics, Bucknell University,
- Parent of a Clarke student
Mitch Benton brings a wealth of experience and dedication to the Clarke School’s Board of Trustees. A long-time, active member of the Greater Philadelphia community, Mitch has been a regular volunteer and advocate for child development. He holds degrees from Pennsylvania’s Bucknell and Villanova Universities and has held director and executive positions at SEI Investments and Cloudvisor Wealth. Passionate about advancing the mission of Clarke School, Mitch is committed to ensuring that all children have the resources and support they need to thrive.
- Senior Vice President, HUB International
- BS Insurance, Pennsylvania State University; CPCU, The Institutes; CPIA, AIMS Society
- Parent and grandparent of Clarke alums
Bob is a Senior Vice President with HUB International, the fifth largest Insurance Broker in the world. His focus is on Mergers & Acquisitions and Strategic Partnerships in the Property & Casualty, Employee Benefits and Retirement & Private Wealth sectors. Bob joined HUB through their acquisition of COSAINT Insurance Partners, a regional roll-up of Insurance Brokerage firms, where he was the President & COO. Bob was previously the President of Robert Bush & Associates, a strategic business development & consulting firm to the Insurance and Finance Industry and was an executive vice president and chief advisory officer of publicly traded Beneficial Bank. Bob was also the chairman, president & CEO of Paul Hertel & Co, Inc., a large regional property & casualty and employee benefits broker, with national and international expertise. He acquired the company through a management buy-out, and ultimately sold it to Beneficial Bank. Bob also sits on the boards of the Saint Joseph’s University Maguire Academy of Insurance & Risk Management, the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing, Manufacturers’ Golf & Country Club and is a life member of The Union League of Philadelphia. Bob and his wife Marie have two married children and five grandkids.
- Senior Vice President Fidelity Investments
- MBA, Kellogg School at Northwestern University; BA, Harvard College
- Sibling of a Clarke alum
John is a Boston native and sibling of a Clarke alum – his sister, Anne, attended Clarke in the early 1970’s, and regards her time at Clarke as life changing. John joined the Clarke board in 2017 and serves as chair of the Audit Committee. Professionally, he is senior vice president at Fidelity Investments, and is responsible for the firm’s digital managed advice offering, “Fidelity Go.” When not working with Fidelity or Clarke, John and his wife Alexandra, enjoy travel and keeping up to speed with the many activities and athletic events of their five children.
- Chief Talent Officer, Orrick LLP
- JD, New York University; BA, College of the Holy Cross
- Parent of a Clarke alum
Siobhan Handley joined the Clarke Board of Trustees in 2021. Siobhan’s passion for Clarke’s mission was inspired by her experience as the parent of a Clarke alum. Siobhan saw how the gifted educators and specialists at Clarke provided the very best foundation for success for her child with hearing loss. Siobhan is honored to be a member of the Board and to help Clarke continue to provide the critical services and support that are so crucial during the early years of a child’s hearing loss journey.
Siobhan is the chief talent officer at the law firm of Orrick LLP. She is responsible for developing and executing talent and human resource strategies to advance the firm’s strategy and serve its clients. In collaboration with the firm’s leadership team, she focuses on designing and implementing programs to recruit, inspire and advance the best legal and staff talent. Prior to becoming Orrick’s chief talent officer in 2015, Siobhan was a litigator in the firm’s product liability and mass tort group.
Siobhan lives with her husband, Will, and children in New York City. She enjoys spending time with her family, watching and playing tennis, and traveling (including for sports with her children).
- Director of Development, The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education
- JD, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law; BA, Colby College; Deerfield Academy
- Parent of a Clarke alum
- Retired, Physician
- MD, Tulane University; Otolaryngology Residency, Tulane; Pediatric Fellowship, University of Pittsgurgh
- Consultant Otolaryngologist, Advisory Board, Clarke Florida
- Independent Designer
- BFA, Industrial Design from Savannah College of Art and Design
- Parent of a Clarke student
- Physician and Surgeon. Ear, Nose, and Throat Surgeons of Western New England
- BA, Cornell University; MD, University of Vermont College of Medicine
- Physician specializing in hearing loss and cochlear implantation
- President & CEO, Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech
- BA, Psychology, University of Denver; MA, Public Administration, Strayer University
- Senior manager, KPMG
- JD, Brooklyn Law School; BA, Dickinson College
- Parent of a Clarke alum
Elizabeth joined the Board of Trustees for Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech in 2019. Elizabeth is the parent of a Clarke alum and knows the value Clarke provides to its students and families. Elizabeth has seen first-hand how Clarke changes lives and wants to bring this opportunity to all interested families.
- Vice President, Investor Relations — Essent Group Ltd
- MBA, New York University; BS, Temple University
- Parent of a Clarke alum
Phil resides in New York City with his wife and two children. Their daughter is a Clarke New York alum, having participated in speech therapy services and preschool instruction. Professionally, Phil has over 20 years in the insurance and financial services industries. His goal in participating on the Clarke Board of Trustees is to help raise awareness of the organization’s mission, support in development opportunities, and help to redefine the business model to make Clarke more sustainable in hopes of ensuring that many future generations of children who are deaf or hard of hearing get the foundation they need to transition to mainstream schools.
- Vice President, Victaulic
- BA, History. Gettysburg College; MS, Financial Services Services, Saint Joseph’s University
- Parent of a Clarke alum
- Owner, Point Properties of Florida
- MBA, University of North Florida; BA, University of Florida
- Parent of a Clarke alum
Brett was born and raised in Jacksonville, FL. He is the founder and President of Point Properties, a full service residential construction company and sales brokerage serving Northeast Florida. He and his wife, Patty, have three daughters and their oldest is a proud Clarke alum who is thriving in the hearing world.
