Board of Directors
Sonya Weisshappel
President
Sonya Weisshappel is the founder of Seriatim, a relocation and transition management company that helps families and institutions navigate complex moves with empathy and precision. Dedicated to calming the chaos of Collecting, Harmonizing, Appraising assets, Organizing, and Securing what families and individuals value most, both financially and emotionally, Sonya developed Seriatim’s proprietary inventory process to help clients minimize risk and maintain control during major transitions. A Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses alum and longtime NASMM member, with over 30 years in the relocation industry, Sonya is also the author of Confessions of a Chaos Whisperer. She splits her time between Rhode Island and New York City.
Gina
Rolls
Treasurer
A Global Human Resources Director with extensive experience in Compensation, HRIS, and HR Operations. Gina has served as Senior Director of Corporate Compensation for Lowe’s Companies, Director of Global Compensation & Benefits for Marc Jacobs, Sr Compensation & HRIS Manager for Macy’s Merchandising Group and Compensation Manager for OCE Business Services. She earned her MBA in Strategic Management from Rutgers University and is a member of WorldatWork with CCP Certification.
Poonam
Gupta
Secretary
Poonam is the Founder and Principal Attorney at Summit Legal PLLC. With over 25 years’ experience in immigration law, litigation and intellectual property, Poonam possesses a unique ability to ensure compliance while aligning immigration strategies with business objectives. She specializes in developing global mobility strategies tailored to intricate immigration scenarios, offering innovative solutions that have benefited a broad spectrum of individuals, institutions, and corporations that span technology, pharmaceuticals, banking, financial services, insurance, publishing, and many other industries.
Sara
Simonetti
Marketing Chair
Since 2000, Sara has performed various roles at Interconex, managing the company’s operations, customer engagement, and business development, as well as special projects. Along with serving as Marketing Chair for NYCORP, Sara is also Secretary of the New Jersey Relocation Council and a member of their Community Outreach Committee; and sits on the Board of the Cooperative where she lives. Sara speaks three languages fluently, and holds a Master Degree (4th Dan) in Martial Arts. Sara loves traveling globally to learn and connect with friends. She is responsible for building global mobility partnerships throughout the Northeast Region and beyond.
Bob
Wallace
Events Chair
Bob is Vice President of New Business Development with HSBC’s Corporate Expatriate Banking Group. His team is a specialized group that works exclusively with multinational organizations and their international assignees to eliminate many of the headaches and solve many of the financial and credit challenges associated with overseas assignments and moves into the United States. A leading authority on Expatriate banking issues, Bob has extensive experience designing and implementing programs to facilitate cross-border compensation delivery for global companies. FEM has recognized Bob’s leadership and the success of his team, awarding the HSBC Corporate Expatriate Banking Program its Expatriate Banking Service of the Year Award for multiple years in a row.
Susan R.
Ginsberg
Sponsorship Chair
The founder and Managing Principal of SRG Advisory, Susan R. Ginsberg draws from more than 30 years of experience in global mobility and retail to advise organizations on how to integrate their vision and purpose into strategies and proven methodologies for achieving business growth. She has led teams at School Choice International, REA, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, saks.com, and Lancôme, and has developed e-learning courses on strategic business development and collaboration for Worldwide ERC® and the European Relocation Association (EuRA). Additionally, she mentors women and minority-owned enterprises with the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) and The Acceleration Project (TAP). Susan is a recent recipient of the Worldwide ERC© Award for Distinguished Services.
Brenda E.
Levis
Education Chair
Citing a void in the New York Tri-State market for reasonably priced, high-quality destination services providers, Brenda was inspired to start up her own company, NYC Navigator, in 2005. Prior to this, she served as the Global Relocation Manager for Lehman Brothers in New York City, where she managed the firm’s domestic and international relocation departments and its corporate housing program. Having lived in Switzerland, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, she has first-hand knowledge of the challenges of an international move. Brenda has been a featured speaker at numerous relocation events and is an active
Board member of TIRA (The International Relocation Associates) and the Tessa International School. She has also served on
the International Assignment Committee for the Employee Relocation Council.
Fran
Ferraiolo
Community Outreach & Scholarship Chair
=Fran has been the Director of Destination Services for Douglas Elliman since 2008. She manages a team responsible for ensuring a positive relocation experience for corporate transferees and for maintaining relationships with numerous external relocation teams, compensation and benefits, HR, assignees, and key vendors. In her time as International Assignment Manager for Prudential Relocation, Fran coordinated and managed the transition of assignees and their families to new locations. A member of the Tau Pi Phi Business Honor Society, Fran wrote her thesis on “Factors that Determine Repatriation Retention” as part of her Masters of Science in Management from Albertus Magnus College, and earned her Bachelor of Science in Management and Industrial Relations from the University of Bridgeport.
Anne Marie
Salmeri
Membership Chair
With 30 years of experience as a New York State Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker, Anne Marie has cultivated a loyal clientele who value her in-depth market knowledge, strategic insight, and genuine passion for helping people achieve their real estate goals. She approaches every transaction with the belief that no two clients—or homes—are alike, and she leads a trusted team of attorneys, lenders, photographers, stagers, contractors, and architects to ensure each sale is seamless and successful. A natural entrepreneur, Anne Marie previously owned two businesses in the health and fitness industry before channeling her energy and business acumen into real estate. She is an active member of NAR, NYSAR and REBNY.
Robert
Sanford
Website Chair
Robert Sanford is an accomplished global mobility and international education leader with more than 20 years of experience spanning immigration compliance, international assignment strategy, and global tax planning. As Director of Immigration and Global Mobility at New York University, Robert has transformed mobility operations, developed compliance infrastructure, and led strategic initiatives impacting thousands of faculty, staff, and students worldwide. A certified Global Mobility Specialist–Talent (GMS-T) and Certified Relocation Professional (CRP), Robert is known for designing scalable service models that reduce risk and optimize cost. He is a frequent speaker at national conferences and an active board leader with NAFSA and the New York Council of Relocation Professionals. Robert holds an MBA from Fairfield University and a B.S. in Business Administration from Sacred Heart University.
Peggy
Lee
Co-President Emeritus (Corporate)
A seasoned professional specializing in compensation and global mobility, Peggy is the Senior Director of Compensation & Expatriates for LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Inc. She has extensive experience across multiple industries, developing and administering comprehensive compensation programs, implementing global mobility policies, and enhancing compensation processes for such organizations as Bunge Limited, where she was Manager of Global Mobility and Manager of Executive Compensation, The Guardian Life Insurance Company, and WebMD. Peggy obtained her MBA in Human Resources from Baruch College and her Bachelor’s in Marketing and Management from the University of Oregon. Her certifications include CCP, and GRP from WorldatWork as well as GMS from Worldwide ERC®.
Christine M.
Haney
Co-President Emeritus (Service Provider)
The Executive Vice President of Global Relocation and Referral Services for Douglas Elliman, Christine designs and implements global programs focused on enhancing business opportunities and relationships with customers, corporate clients and brokers. Her previous work involved serving as Director of Prudential Referral Services for the USA, Canada and Mexico; Director of Business Development for Prudential Home Connections, USA; manager of the Northeast Broker Network; and Team Leader of Appraisal/Inspection and Real Estate Services. She also spent nine years as a Financial Manager. Christine holds a BS in Business Management from Albertus Magnus College and her designations include CRP, GMS, and SGDS. She is active in WERC and sits on the boards of NYCORP and RDC.