Meet our Board!
CARMELA NEWMAN, PRESIDENT
Carmela holds a BFA in Music Education from Hofstra University and a MFA in Continuing Education with an emphasis in Theater and Music from Stony Brook University. She celebrates a thirty year career as a proud music educator; having served on numerous NYS public school music organizations including NYSSMA, SCMEA and MENC. Throughout her career she has continued to teach all genres of music to her voice and piano students, as well as direct, musically direct and costume countless productions for Long Island theaters and schools. She has had the good fortune to perform in numerous musical productions on various stages across Long Island, in which she met life-long friends and the love of her life, her husband, Michael. She cherishes the time she spends vocally coaching her children, nieces and nephews. From 2014 – 2019 Carmela dedicated herself to her son and nephew’s boy band, Forever in Your Mind, as a vocal coach and music arranger in Los Angeles. In 2018, she was thrilled to work on another family project in NYC,” Pizza and Wine” as the set designer. At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Carmela founded and coordinated a volunteer organization “Operation Headband”. Operation Headband serviced and provided hospitals, medical centers and nursing homes with the proper PPE’s needed all over Long Island, NYC, nationwide and abroad. Carmela is the proud mother of her children Liam and Emily, Adam, TJ and Candy, and loves being grandma to Remy. She is happy to have continued her mother’s passion of theater, music and education and feels blessed to give back to the community.
Thomas D'agostino, Vice President
Thomas J. D’Agostino is a retired electrical engineer with over 25 years of experience working at Underwriter’s Laboratories, Inc. Currently, he is a professional engineer, consults and provides expertise in the areas of Forensic and building structures – commercial and residential. He has been a professional home inspector having inspected over 12,000 properties throughout the Long Island and New York metropolitan area. Mr. D’Agostino has also been a public speaker in a congressional subcommittee (Aluminum Wiring) and Presidential Forum. Currently, he is healthy, enjoys spending time outdoors and working on his newfound career of acting and producing. He is also a proud Grandpa of 10! He too has graced and shared many of the Long Island theater stages with his wife, Millie and grandchildren in The King & I, South Pacific, and 1776 to name a few!
JoAnna kellY, TREASURER
JoAnna has her Masters degree in Social Work and Psychology with 20 years experience specializing in behavioral health counseling, management and administration with families and adolescents afflicted by substance abuse. Currently, she acts as Business Manager; dedicating the last 6 years facilitating the professional careers of her 2 children. She was an Active Board Member and Treasurer of Kids for Kids Productions Inc, a nonprofit children’s community theater on Long Island while she watched her children on the stage. Their unwavering talents and determination are inspiring and have continued her love for the arts.
Maria Capp, Secretary
Maria has served the arts community on Long Island, NY and in Los Angeles for over 20 years. Her multi-disciplinary expertise includes work as an award-winning writer, director, producer, entrepreneur, and acting coach behind the stage, on the stage, behind the camera as well as in front. ACTION is one of her many favorite words! She has served as an advocate, speaker, committee and board member for such organizations as Women In Media, The Millie D’Agostino Scholarship Fund, Breaking into Hollywood, Youth Biz Alliance, NYSTEA, EdTA, BOCES – Arts in Education, and Kids for Kids Productions. Maria strives to be an example to others entering the entertainment industry specifically that age and gender DO NOT matter. As a woman over 40, and in partnership with the Cappricielli team, she continues to create content, writing, directing and producing while aligning with other like minded content creators taking projects from development through sales in film and television. Motivated by the multi hyphenated talents of her three professional actor children, Raffaela, Natasha and Steven Thomas, Maria is inspired to create stories that resonate and advocate their voices!
Diane Marmann, Legal Counsel
Diane Pacifico Marmann is an attorney in private practice in Mineola. She graduated with a BA from the University of Richmond and a JD from St. John’s School of Law. Her primary fields of practice are Real Estate, Matrimonial Law and Estates & Wills. Diane is the past president of the Mineola Garden City Rotary Club and remains an active member of the club as well as District 7255. She is the treasurer of the RYLA Committee and a former Assistant Governor. In addition, she is house counsel for the Cultural Arts Playhouse and has been directing, stage managing and acting at CAP for over 20 years. She currently runs the Children’s Theater program at CAP providing many young children with their first theater experience. Diane is married to Peter Marmann and is the proud mother of Samantha and Michael.
Emily Attridge, Executive Board
Emily Rose Attridge is thrilled to be sharing her grandma Millie’s love for the arts alongside her family as a board member of The Millie D’Agostino Scholarship Fund. She has her Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Musical Theater from the Boston Conservatory and her NYS License in Cosmetology. She currently works as a professional hair and stylist on Broadway and a freelance Hair and Makeup Artist around the NYC/Long Island area for theaters and bridal parties. Musical Theater played a huge role in shaping Emily into the woman she is today and she is happy to be a part of something that helps a fellow thespian bring their dreams to life.
THOMAS D'AGOSTINO JR., EXECUTIVE BOARD
Tom D'AGOS
Thomas D'Agostino was a child actor who was seen on the Long Island stages with his sister Carmela in Carriage House Player's South Pacific, his mom, Millie and sisters at the Sayville Musical Workshop's Gypsy and under the direction of family friend, Rick Grossman on the Airport Theatre stage a few times! Although, his acting career was short, many of the skills have served him in his professional life. Today, Thomas is a New York State licensed and insured Home Inspector servicing Long Island for over 28 years, both residential and commercial properties. He also has over 20 years innovative experience in home design, construction and contracting. As a licensed home inspector, Thomas strictly adheres to the states established home inspection code of ethics and standards of practice. He prides himself in customer service, flexible scheduling and comprehensive inspection reports, that enable sound decision making. These qualifications provide assurance that you are working with a certified professional with expertise to provide an inspection report of the highest caliber. When he’s not inspecting homes or building things, Thomas enjoys spending time with his wife and three beautiful daughters.