Ron Thomas has always been a fervent, constant advocate for the rights of the African American and Latinx communities in Northeast Rochester. He is known for his innate leadership skills and passion for putting the needs of the community first; even at the sacrifice of his personal life.
As the former Executive Director of Baden Street Settlement, Mr. Thomas has served the residents of northeast Rochester for nearly three decades. He is known as a visionary and continuously knew how to meet the needs of the Baden Street Settlement residents, regardless of economic, social and political shifts.
Mr. Thomas is a political strategist who, along with the late and legendary Assemblyman David Gantt, has had tremendous impact on the political landscape of the Rochester community for all residents. Mr. Thomas served in the Monroe County Legislature since 1983 and served as the Legislature President from 1986-1987.
Mr. Thomas grew up in Alexandria, VA where he attended St. Emma Military Academy. He graduated from Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Astronomical Engineering. Ron is an avid golfer, a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. He has been married to Elaine Thomas for over 40 years.
Affiliations:
Mr. Thomas has served on various standing committees of the Legislature: Inter-governmental Relations, Public Safety, Human Services, and Child Protective Services. He was Chairman of the Committee on Public Works and Vice-Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. Mr. Thomas has also served on various Boards of Directors including Monroe County Airport Authority, Preferred Care, PRIS2M, Monroe County Community Service Board, Genesee State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commission and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Culture Commission.
Carol Robinson is from Rockingham NC. She has lived in Rochester, NY since she was 16 years old. She started working for Baden Street in 1995 as a Toddler Teacher. Since then she has had several positions in the Early Childhood Department. Carol has had great experience working with the families in the Northeast section of the city. She attended Monroe High School and shortly thereafter decided that she wanted to work in the Human Service field, so she went on to earn her Associates Degree in Human Services at Monroe Community College. There Carol decided that she wanted to work in a community is where she would be most impactful. Carol is currently the Pre-K Director and works in the daycare center as the Assistant Director and Educational Coordinator. She is currently enrolled at Empire State College working on a BA in Early Childhood. Her hobbies are reading, hanging out with her 3 grandchildren, and traveling whenever work permits.
Hector Diaz is the Interim Director of Clinical Services at Baden Street Settlement, overseeing the organization’s Substance Use Disorder (SUD), Behavioral Health, and Mental Health programs. With over 30 years of experience in the Buffalo and Rochester areas, Hector has worked in both inpatient and outpatient SUD settings. He previously served as the Director of the SUD clinic from June 2012 to August 2021 and was promoted to Interim Director of Clinical Services in July 2024. Hector holds an Associate’s degree from Erie Community College, a Bachelor’s degree from SUNY Empire State College, and a Master’s in Mental Health Counseling from Medaille College, completed in 2016 while working full-time in the SUD Clinic. He is also a Master Credentialed Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor (Master CASAC).
Outside of his professional work, Hector is a musician, playing both electric and upright bass with the renowned band Mambo Kings, which performs across the U.S. and Canada with symphony orchestras. Hector is also a proud U.S. Army veteran, having served during Operation Desert Storm as part of the Gulf War.
Email:hdiaz@badenstreet.org
Janet Irizarry is an experienced Medical Billing professional with over 20 years of service. She specializes in working with insurance providers to ensure accurate billing data through meticulous data management and reporting, consistently achieving successful yearly audits. Originally from New Britain, CT, Janet studied Medical Billing at Tunxis Community College and later earned an Associate of Science degree from Monroe Community College in Rochester, NY. She also holds a certificate in Accounting from Cornell University and is currently pursuing the CASAC-T program through OASAS.
Janet has been with Baden Street Settlement for over 16 years, starting as Billing Supervisor/Program Manager and advancing to Billing Director. Her extensive experience and proven success in Billing and Data Management have led her to a seamless transition to the Finance Department. Outside of work, Janet enjoys spending time with her grandkids, watching motocross and football, cooking, and traveling.
Janet's dedication and expertise have made her a valuable asset to both her team and the local insurance community.
Ni-Asia McMurty has over 10 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, specializing in communications, special events, and fundraising. She has served on multiple boards and contributed to the growth of start-up nonprofits by developing marketing plans, managing digital and print publications, overseeing social media and media appearances, and leading fundraising initiatives. In 2017, she earned a double master's degree in Nonprofit Leadership from Fordham University, with a focus on fundraising, development, and communications. Ni-Asia has since supported numerous women-of-color-led nonprofits in establishing their programs, boards, development efforts, fundraising, and marketing strategies. She currently serves as the Development Manager at Baden Street.
Email:nmcmurty@badenstreet.org
Lee Harris is from Rochester, NY, and has worked with Baden Street Settlement since 2008. Lee attended East High School and is currently the IT Director at Baden Street Settlement. Lee has worked in the Rochester Community since 1987 as a private business owner utilizing his technical skills working with churches and small businesses as IT Support, computer technician, and technical consultant. Lee came to Baden Street Settlement as a reference from fellow small business owner and Xerox IT Manager Roy Williams and has proudly been with Baden Street ever since. In Lee’s free time, he loves to bowl and just be your average super nerd.
Email:lharris@badenstreet.org
Naima Hassan joined Baden Street Settlement in July 2021 and currently serves as the Director of Behavioral Health and Community Services. She holds a degree in Mass Communication from Buffalo State College and is pursuing her Master’s in Clinical Social Work.
With eight years of experience in case management and care management, Naima is deeply committed to her passion for educating, advocating, and empowering the individuals she serves.
Outside of work, Naima loves spending time with her family and friends and cherishes her annual trips to the Adirondacks each summer!
Email:nhussein@badenstreet.org
Wendy Fitzhugh is a Rochester native who has worked at Baden Street Settlement of Rochester since August of 2007. She attended Virginia State University and majored in Accounting. Wendy is currently the Human Resource and Payroll Specialist with Baden Street. Wendy has worked in the field of accounting for over 25 plus years and has spent the last 8 years branching out into the area of Human Resources. Wendy came to Baden Street when she returned to Rochester after living in theDC/Maryland area for 8 years and enjoys being part of the Baden Street family. In her free time, she enjoys reading and spending time with her lovely daughters.
Shelly Kiesel grew up in Fort Plain, NY, where, as the eldest cousin, she was often the family babysitter and knew early on that she wanted to work with children. She earned her degrees in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education from SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY Oneonta, and SUNY Brockport.
After relocating to Rochester in 1998, Shelly worked in several teaching roles, including as a UPK teacher at Baden Street Settlement, where she helped open the first UPK classroom in 2004. Over the years, she has served in various positions, including Education Coordinator, and is currently the PreK Director.
She takes pride in the growth of the PreK program, which has expanded from 1 classroom to 9 across two locations. One of the things she loves most about Baden Street is the strong sense of community—many of her former students are now bringing their own children to the program. Outside of work, Shelly enjoys reading, walking her dogs, and spending time with her family.
Email: skiesel@badenstreet.org
Dolores Rodriguez was born in Chicago, Illinois and has been employed at Baden Street Settlement for 30+ years serving the community in which she was raised. She went to Franklin High School and then attended Monroe Community College. Upon joining the Baden Street family, Dolores realized that Baden Street had a positive impact on the community and she wanted to be a part of that. Dolores began as a clerical worker then as a bilingual caseworker, eventually reaching senior caseworker status.
Over the years, Dolores conducted client interviews, completed intake and eligibility forms, provided language translation services, transportation assistance, emergency food, housing, in addition to referrals and strong advocacy to social services, SSI/SSD, medical, mental health, and chemical dependency services. Dolores is currently the Director of the Emergency and Family Assistance Department, and is grateful to Ms. Annie E. Miller and Gladys Holloman, the extraordinary ladies who taught her the meaning of giving back. In her free time, Dolores likes to sing, solve puzzles (Sodoku), and go for walks.
Yvonne Clinkscales, a native of Sanford, Florida, and raised in Rochester's Hanover Projects, is a proud product of the Baden Street Settlement culture. She joined the Baden Street team in 1987, starting in the Daycare Department and progressing through various roles, including Activities Department Secretary and Youth Development Specialist. Ms. Clinkscales led the cheerleading program until 2006, then became part of the Baden InControl Program, teaching comprehensive sexual health to teens for 15 years. Throughout her career, she worked with young people to create the Roc the Wave Fashion Shows, 15 films, 5 live plays, and a music studio program where youth wrote and recorded their own music. Ms. Clinkscales earned an associate degree in Education from MCC, driven by her passion for youth development. After 38 years with Baden Street, she is excited to serve as the new Director of the Activities Department, eager to give back to the community that shaped her.
Email: yclinkscale@badenstreet.org
Kimberly Barnes-Ellis is from Rochester, New York, and has worked with Baden Street Settlement for 17 years. She attended West Irondequoit High School in the Urban-Suburban Program and Graduated from Central State University in Ohio with a degree in Early Childhood Education and Special Education. Kimberly Barnes-Ellis is currently the director of Baden Street Child Development Center. She spent several years as the program director at South Avenue Daycare Located at the Rochester Psychiatric Center has experience as a supervisor in dietary at Highland Hospital for over 20 years and has worked for Highland Hospital for over 30 years. She came to Baden Street Settlement because of her love and passion for working with children and loves being part of the team. In her free time Kimberly loves shopping, cooking, and spending time with her family.
Email: kbellis@badenstreet.org
Noraly Leisten has served as the Program Director of Baden Street Settlement’s Counseling Center since October 2023. With 10 years of experience in the substance abuse field, she has primarily worked with Spanish-speaking populations, a mission driven by her personal connection to the community. During her senior year of college, Noraly interned with the Esperanza Latina program at Huther Doyle and was subsequently hired as a full-time counselor. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Substance Abuse Counseling from SUNY Brockport (2015) and is credentialed by OASAS as a CASAC Advanced Counselor.
Outside of work, Noraly enjoys spending time with her family, participating in church events, and relaxing with a holiday movie.
**Note:** Clinic hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
Email:nleisten@badenstreet.org
Robert Darrisaw Jr. is a Rochester native who has been with Baden Street Settlement since November 2023. A graduate of Wilson Magnet High School and SUNY Brockport, where he majored in Social Work, Robert is currently serving as the Program Director for the Metro Council for Teen Potential, a collaborative initiative focused on promoting youth health and development.
Robert developed a passion for human services during his undergraduate studies, where he was actively involved in grassroots organizing, community service, and advocacy for marginalized and disenfranchised populations. With experience as a Youth Development Specialist, he is committed to finding innovative and effective approaches to youth work and fostering interagency collaborations.
Robert is guided by two key mottos that he holds dear: “We must be accessible, available to our youth, and willing to meet them where they are,” and “Your current situation does not define your final destination; you have the ability to change or create your narrative, not society.”
Email: rdarrisaw@badenstreet.org