Meet the Heroes who help build our community
Janet Lefkowitz: Co-founder, Program Director, Secretary
Janet co-founded HERO, Inc. in 1992. Over the past thirty-three years, HERO’s recreation programs have served over 20,000 underserved, socially isolated adults and children in the NYC metro area living with intellectual, social and physical challenges. Janet recently retired as tennis director for the Town of Greenburgh, NY in Westchester County, where she continues to participate in programs for youth, teens, and adults living with autism, multiple sclerosis, intellectual disabilities and wounded veterans. She wrote the first adaptive tennis curriculum for the USTA and is a recognized leader in adaptive recreation. She lives with her husband in Yonkers, NY.
Phone: 914-261-6761 Email: HEROJL1@aol.com
Patti Robbins: PRESIDENT
Patti Robbins is a retired occupational therapist/hospital administrator. She has worked with adult and pediatric populations in many settings. She is also an avid tennis player who loves to share her passion for the sport with everyone. Patti’s ability to adapt tennis to meet the needs of each individual helps to ensure that each participant is able to meet their potential. She is a lifelong resident of Westchester County.
Email: HEROPRES@gmail.com
Sue Plath: Treasurer
Sue is a retired special education teacher, mother of three, and grandmother of six. Sue is active in the Town of Greenburgh CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) and an active member of Hartsdale Kiwanis and Scarsdale Women’s Club. Sue is passionate about HERO’s mission to provide social connections to people with special needs through recreation.
Jerry Weil: board member
Jerry has a diverse background in community relations and program development for recreation. A lifelong tennis player and coach, he is the father of a son with an autism spectrum disability. He first met HERO co-founder Janet Lefkowitz in 2001. He was inspired to develop adaptive tennis programs for numerous community-based organizations, including Special Olympics, Riverview School, and Chapel Haven Schleifer Center. He has served on the USTA National Adaptive Tennis Committee and is currently on the Board of New Haven Youth Tennis and Education (New HYTES).
Hailey Callanan: Board Member
Hailey is a special education teacher in the Greenburgh, NY, School District. She is a 2018 graduate of Manhattanville University and in 2019, went on to earn a Master of Professional Studies in Special Education. Since 2014 she has been a HERO volunteer tennis instructor as well as Tennis Camp Director at Greenburgh Parks and Recreation. Her creativity and encouragement include everyone who joins the group.
Robyn Pasternak: Board Member
Robyn joined HERO in 2019 where she has been able to foster her love and passion for tennis by volunteering to play tennis and assist those with developmental disabilities. Robyn also works as a team facilitator at Wagon Road, which is run by the Children’s Aid Society, one of NY’s largest social service agencies. At Wagon Road, Robyn works with a diverse group of children, helping them to partake in a day of challenges and exciting recreational programs. She also facilitates in adventure training for professionals, assisting in their companies’ team-building programs. In 2009, Robyn launched Gear It Up, a custom screen-printing business out of the need to give her school district a more efficient and economical way to fundraise.
Alice Kijak: Board Member
Alice is a retired executive at Reader's Digest. She specialized in global expansion, operational best practices, and employee development. Her passion for enrichment has naturally extended to the HERO program, where she supports underserved populations by promoting tennis, one of her favorite activities. Her exceptional organizational skills and genuine warmth significantly enhance every program she is involved in, making a meaningful impact on the communities she serves.
Keith Alleyne: Board Member
Keith is a retired educator who dedicated 29 years to teaching at Fox Lane High School. He taught History, Psychology, and various other subjects. For over two decades, he also served as the Dean of Students, providing leadership and support to both students and staff.
Beyond his academic roles, Keith was actively involved in athletics, coaching varsity tennis for two years. In his final four years at FLHS, he extended his passion for sports by coaching special needs students in basketball, handball, soccer, and bowling.
Since retiring in 2023, Keith has continued his commitment to community service by volunteering with Greenburgh Special Tennis and Yes She Can, a nonprofit organization that empowers young women with autism and related learning differences to develop job skills and workplace social skills.