Head of School Search

Margaret Conklin is the Chief Financial Officer at The IDEAL School of Manhattan, where she has overseen the School’s finance and operations since 2020. Prior to joining IDEAL, Ms. Conklin spent 18 years at Christie’s Education, the global education division of Christie’s auction house, where she most recently served as Vice President, Director of Business Affairs and Student Services, and as a member of the Board of Trustees. A native New Yorker, Ms. Conklin holds a master’s degree from Pratt Institute and a bachelor’s degree from Adelphi University. She is honored to serve on the Head of School Search Committee and to help identify a leader who will build on IDEAL’s distinctive commitment to inclusive education.

Jay Eisenhofer is co-founder and managing director of Grant & Eisenhofer P.A. He has been counsel in more multi-hundred million dollar cases than any other securities litigator, including the $3.2 billion settlement in the Tyco case, the $895 million United Healthcare settlement, the $448 million settlement in the Global Crossing case, the historic $450 million pan-European settlement in the Shell case, as well as a $400 million settlement with Marsh & McLennan, a $303 million settlement with General Motors and a $300 million settlement with DaimlerChrysler. Mr. Eisenhofer serves as a member of the NYU Law School Advisory Board for the Center on Civil Justice and as co-chair for the Securities Litigation Committee of the American Association for Justice. Mr. Eisenhofer serves as an ex-officio Trustee on the Board of Trustees of the American Museum of Natural History. He is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and Villanova University School of Law.

Adrian Joseph has almost two decades of experience working with interdivisional global teams solving business problems and creating value. Most recently, he managed a data analytics team within the Treasury Services Liquidity business unit in the Operations Division at Goldman Sachs, and prior to that, he co-led the development of the Operations Enterprise Division data strategy. He enjoys traveling with his family, photography and boxing at the local gym. Mr. Joseph earned a B.S. in Accounting from South Carolina State University, an M.B.A. from Rutgers University and a M.S. in Data Science from Saint Peter's University.

Michael Lorch retired as senior vice president of Mergers and Acquisitions at Mastercard, where he was responsible for making strategic minority investments, creating joint ventures, and executing acquisitions and divestitures. In his 11 years at Mastercard, he oversaw over 85 acquisitions and investments valued at over $6 billion. Prior to joining Mastercard, Mr. Lorch spent 10 years serving as director of Corporate Development for Ingersoll Rand Company. Prior to Ingersoll Rand, Mr. Lorch was a director in PriceWaterhouseCoopers'; Transaction Advisory Services and Business Assurance practices. Mr. Lorch received an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and holds a Bachelors of Business Administration from the College of William & Mary in Virginia. He is also a Certified Public Accountant. Mr. Lorch is a Trustee of Eglise Saint Jean Baptiste, serves on the Board of the 415 E. 85th Street Coop as Treasurer, and serves on the Board of Gigi’s Playhouse NYC, an organization dedicated to serving individuals with Down syndrome and their families.

Mideyah Parker is an internationally acclaimed celebrity hairstylist, creative entrepreneur, and parent of an IDEAL student. With more than a decade of experience across fashion, television, film, advertising, and editorial, Ms. Parker has established herself as a respected leader in the beauty and fashion industries. Her work has appeared in American Vogue, British Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Interview Magazine, and The Cut, and she has collaborated with globally recognized brands including Coach, Ralph Lauren, Nike, MAC Cosmetics, Clinique, and L’Oréal. A passionate advocate for education and professional development, Ms. Parker earned her cosmetology license from the Aveda Institute in Tallahassee, Florida, and later obtained her Cosmetology Instructor License from the Aveda Institute Atlanta. She was also selected as the first Hairstylist Ambassador for Pattern Beauty, the haircare brand founded by Tracee Ellis Ross, helping to elevate conversations around textured hair, representation, and excellence within the beauty industry. In recognition of her contributions to fashion and beauty, Ms. Parker was named to the British Fashion Council's New Wave Class of 2024, honoring emerging leaders shaping the future of the global fashion industry. Beyond her professional accomplishments, she is deeply committed to mentorship, entrepreneurship, and creating opportunities for the next generation of creatives.

Matthew Steinberg is Vice President of Steinberg & Pokoik Management Corp., where he has worked for the last 21 years. Steinberg & Pokoik Management Corp. is over one hundred years old and manages four commercial buildings and one residential building in Manhattan and holds other real estate properties in New York outside of Manhattan. Mr. Steinberg received his B.A. from Columbia University and his J.D. from St. John's School of Law.

Erica Stirling is the Director of Human Resources at The IDEAL School of Manhattan, where she has led human resources operations since 2022. With more than 15 years of experience in education, she oversees the full employee lifecycle, from talent acquisition and faculty orientation to performance management and offboarding, and manages comprehensive HR operations, including benefits administration, payroll, and compliance. Prior to joining IDEAL, Ms. Stirling spent 12 years at CUNY York College, starting as an HR Assistant and advancing through progressive roles to HR Generalist. Her higher education achievements include co-authoring a university-wide onboarding system, revamping orientation frameworks for over 500 adjunct faculty, implementing enterprise software rollouts, and navigating labor relations within collective bargaining environments. A proud Brooklynite, Ms. Stirling holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from CUNY York College and earned the Senior Certified Professional designation from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM-SCP).

Ryan Zaccaro has spent more than 12 years working in education across both public and private school settings. He received his bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Secondary Education before pursuing a master’s degree in Intellectual Disabilities and Autism at Columbia University’s Teachers College. Mr. Zaccaro began his career at The IDEAL School of Manhattan in 2017 and has served as the

Head of the Next Steps Transition Program since September 2020, when he started the program. Since then, he has worked to prepare young adults with disabilities for greater independence, employment, and life beyond school. In addition to his work in administration, Mr. Zaccaro supports IDEAL’s advancement efforts, contributing to the school’s fundraising and development initiatives.

Audra Zuckerman has spent her career advocating for inclusion, equity, and justice. As an attorney, she practiced indigent criminal defense law at the Criminal Appeals Bureau of The Legal Aid Society and at the New York State Capital Defender Office, where she worked on behalf of individuals accused of capital crimes throughout the state of New York. She also clerked for Hon. Judith S. Kaye, former Chief Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals. Ms. Zuckerman is a co-founder of IDEAL. More recently, Ms. Zuckerman was the Director of Training Content at the Workplace Initiative by Understood, where she developed digital and e learning content to support the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace. Ms. Zuckerman has a B.S. in Finance from the University of Illinois and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Dr. Salsberg is a licensed clinical neuropsychologist with over 30 years of experience providing exceptional care to children and families. He specializes in neuropsychological and educational evaluations, therapy, school consultation, and advocacy for children with physical, developmental, neurological, psychological, and learning differences. His personalized approach, expertise, and keen insight empowers PALS families to help their children reach their full potential.​​ In addition to his role as Director of PALS, Dr. Salsberg served as an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor of Neuropsychology at Weill Cornell Medical College (Department of Neurological Surgery) and as a Clinical Instructor at the NYU School of Medicine (Department of Pediatrics). His previous roles include Associate Director of Pediatric Psychology and Neuropsychology at NYU Langone Medical Center's Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation and Coordinator of Psychosocial Services at the Stephen D. Hassenfeld Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. Dr. Salsberg is a renowned expert in acquired brain injury and concussion care. He has collaborated with Weill Cornell Medical College, as well as the New York Giants team physicians, to conduct annual pre-season concussion screenings for the team. Dr. Salsberg has published numerous articles and chapters, led research initiatives, and is a regular presenter at grand rounds and conferences across the country. He has been featured in: The New York Times: Science Times, New York Magazine, and PBS’s Keeping Kids Healthy.