John Taaffe has served as Executive Director of Carson Valley School since 1974. John will continue in that role for our new organization - Carson Valley Children's Aid.

John was born in the Bronx, New York, and received his bachelor's degree from Iona College at New Rochelle, New York. John earned a master's in social work from New York University and began his career in child care at the Joseph P. Kennedy Home in the Bronx. While there, he met his future wife, Shirley (Salak) Taaffe, who was also working as a counselor at Kennedy.

John and Shirley were then recruited by the Catholic Guardian Society to open the first group home for boys in the New York Catholic Charities system.

John moved on to serve as the Director of Child Care, and later the Director of Residential Programs, at the St. Agatha Home for Children in Nanuet, New York. John remained at St. Agatha's until 1974, and following an extensive search by the Carson Board of Directors, John was hired as the Executive Director.

John enjoys the support of a creative and responsive Staff and Board of Directors. Together they have positioned the agency as a leader in the provision of innovative services to children and families, and their neighborhoods.

The creation of this new organization, Carson Valley Children's Aid is an exciting challenge. John and his team of committed professionals look forward to establishing proof of the value of integrating services to better serve children. Integrations can only mean more and better opportunities to serve. John and the Staff of Carson Valley Children's Aid are dedicated to better and stronger services for families.

Richard Collier, Jr. - President

Marc Perry - Vice President
Gary N. Smith - Vice President

Jeffrey J. Idler - Treasurer
Stephen A. Kelbick - Assistant Treasurer

Michael S. Coulton - Secretary
Karen Hanson - Assistant Secretary

Philip R. Albright Barry Astrowsky Karl U. Bortnick Newman M. Bortnick Bernice Bricklin Lillian S. Coleman David R. Contosta Gerald M. Cope Darlene G. Davis James Elliott Benjamin F. Ellis, Jr. Taylor Fletcher Frances E. Grant - Emeritus Crystal C. Hardie Leola Hubbard Vijay Khatnani

Catherine G. Lynch Bilal M. Mansour Frances G. Martin Maris A. Ogg P. Thomas Padden John E. Quinn Artis T. Ray Michael Renzi Joseph E. Rodriguez Rosemarie Romano Margaret P. Rux Harry T. Solimeo Jean R. Smith Jonathan M. Sternlieb Brett Weisberg Glenn S. Worgan