East Meadow Resident Appointed to RotaCare Board of Directors

Blanche Puglisi, president of RotaCare, has announced the addition of three new members of its board of directors, including Ellen Christie of East Meadow.

Christie utilizes 25 years of marketing communications and public relations experience as the marketing director at the law firm of Pegalis and Erickson, LLC. At the firm she directs all internal and external communications and marketing programs, including website, social media production, sponsorships and advertising. Christie also continues freelance public relations work, and in 2012 was the recipient of the International Association of Business Communications (IABC-LI) Achievement Award for Community Service, according to a press release.

She has contributed to the work of several local organizations including the Nassau County Dental Society and Academy of Dentistry, the Northeast Organic Farming Association, Touch for All and The Long Island Center for Nonprofit Leadership, the press release said.

Her background includes newspaper and public relations agency work, followed by an extensive career in the nonprofit sector. At Girl Scouts of the USA, Christie succeeded at managing diverse projects and personalities nationwide to launch re-branding campaigns, capture media attention, manage sensitive issues, leverage marketing opportunities and build successful teams, according to the release.

She currently serves on the board of directors of the Public Relations Professionals of Long Island and works on the planning committee of the 2nd Annual Long Island Imagine Awards.

Christie joins Dr. Aleta Labiento of Massapequa, a professor at Hofstra University since 1991 who teaches courses in Global Health Issues, Chronic and Communicable Diseases and Health Promotion through Disease Prevention, and Susan MacDonald of Garden City, an employee of Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty in Garden City and an active member of the Garden City-Mineola Rotary Club.

Established by members of the Mineola-Garden City Rotary Club in 1992 to address the needs of the uninsured in Nassau County, RotaCare is operated entirely by volunteers.

In January 2009, thanks to a generous donation by Nassau University Medical Center, RotaCare relocated to the A. Holly Paterson Extended Care Facility in Uniondale to a 10,000 square foot expanded facility.

Dr. Labiento, Susan MacDonald and Ellen Christie were important members of the RotaCare Caregivers Ball Committee in October 2013, RotaCare’s only fundraiser, according to RotaCare.

“We are looking forward to working with Dr. Labiento, Mrs. MacDonald and Ms. Christie in the important service work of providing preventative primary care for the community to those who need it most.” Puglisi said.

For information on RotaCare, to volunteer or make a donation visit www.rotacareny.org or call 539-9834.