2025 Counselors, Administrators, Parents (CAP) Conference

This year’s annual CAP Conference “Foundations for the Future: College and Career Readiness at Every Stage” will explore strategies for preparing students for success from early education through to post-graduation. Gain practical tools and insights to help students build the skills and mindset needed to thrive in their academic and professional futures.

This event is free to attend. As is our NCA/CAP tradition, raffles and giveaways will be awarded at the closing of the conference.

Conference Schedule

Time	Activity
8:00am – 8:45am	Check In and Breakfast
8:45am – 9:05am	Welcome Remarks and NCA General Membership Meeting
9:05am – 10:25am	Keynote Speaker featuring Elaine Boylan
10:25am – 10:40am	Coffee Break
10:40am – 12:10pm	Panel Presentation with Oceanside School District Counseling Staff “Empowering Futures: Collaborating with Community to Build District-Wide College and Career Readiness Programs”
12:10pm – 1:10pm	Lunch and Networking Information Fair
1:10pm – 2:10pm	Workshop Session with Jerilyn Marinan “Bridging the Gap: Equipping Students with Career Readiness and Professional Skills for Success”
2:10pm – 2:30pm	Closing Remarks, Raffle and Certificate of Attendance

About the Keynote Speaker

Elaine Boylan

Elaine’s career in higher education spans 25 years, beginning at Adelphi University, where she initially planned to pursue a career in speech pathology before discovering her passion for student support. She spent several years in financial aid before advancing through progressively senior roles in career services and employer engagement at both Adelphi University and Long Island University. Currently, as Director of Alumni and Employer Engagement at LIU, she continues to foster meaningful connections that enhance career prospects for students and alumni.

Elaine finds deep purpose in actively contributing to the professional growth and success of others.Whether administering career assessments, analyzing and interpreting career outcomes data, facilitating workforce preparation programs, or cultivating employer partnerships, the career readiness initiatives she has designed equip students and alumni with the skills, resources, and strategies needed to navigate the job market effectively.

While leading the vocational arm of the Bridges to Adelphi Program, she took a proactive approach to supporting neurodiverse individuals, ensuring they had access to professional growth, mentoring opportunities, and workplace pipelines. In this and other roles, Elaine found that enhancing students’ and alumni workplace readiness to be her true domain. Through managing on-campus recruitment programs, career panels, and job fairs, she discovered her niche: providing practical tools, skills development, and networking opportunities to thrive in the workplace. She remains committed to mentoring neurodiverse individuals as they navigate their professional growth. Elaine holds a master’s degree in psychology with honors from Adelphi University and a bachelor’s degree in communications from St. John’s University. Passionate about relationship-building as it relates to career readiness and workforce development, Elaine seamlessly blends these elements to bridge
academia and industry. She has also served on many panels and committees, including those related to university accreditation.

With a knack for written and verbal communication—including a series of articles for career websites—Elaine holds out hope that the work she does empowers others to succeed. The impact of that work can take years to surface, as career paths are rarely linear, and we often draw on knowledge gained long before we put it into practice. Elaine’s research interests include the future of work, AI, child literacy, and language acquisition. In today’s world, literacy has expanded beyond traditional reading and writing to encompass digital, financial, media, and emotional literacy. She believes that these foundational skills are essential for the modern job seeker and, in turn, contribute significantly to a dynamic and resilient workforce.

Panel Presentation: Oceanside School District Counseling Staff

“Empowering Futures: Collaborating with Community to Build District-Wide College and Career Readiness Programs”

Kevin Carbonetti

Kevin Carbonetti has been with the Oceanside School District for over fifteen years, beginning as a high school counselor before serving four years as Lead Counselor. He is now an Associate Principal at Oceanside High School where he oversees the counseling team, Registrar, Attendance Office, Homebound Instruction Office, Career Prep Office, and Office of NCAA Advisement. Kevin holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Scranton, a Master’s Degree from LIU Post and a Certificate of Advanced Studies in School Leadership from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.

John Emmerich

John Emmerich is an experienced School Counselor at Oceanside High School. He began his career as an intern at Oceanside Middle School and later worked as a School Counselor in the Oceanside elementary schools, where he helped develop a Health and Wellness curriculum. After teaching and providing support services at the elementary level, John transitioned to high school counseling and now has the privilege of witnessing the K-12 comprehensive plan in action at all three levels.

Samantha Jannotte

Samantha Jannotte is a dedicated school counselor with a passion for supporting students in their social-emotional growth and overall wellness. With 7 years of experience, Samantha focuses on fostering an environment where students feel safe, valued, and empowered to be their best selves in and out of school. Samantha has had the privilege to develop and deliver Oceanside’s Health & Wellness curriculum to 4th-6th grade students. With a deep commitment to giving students the tools to empower their future endeavors, Samantha collaborates with all stakeholders to implement effective programs and interventions through counseling and universal instruction.

Conor Dorney

Conor Dorney is an experienced School Counselor with a passion for supporting students’ emotional, social, and academic growth. With 5 years in the field, he has worked with students at the middle and high school levels, providing guidance in areas such as mental health, career exploration, and academic achievement. Conor is dedicated to creating a safe and inclusive environment where all students can thrive. As a skilled communicator and advocate, he works collaboratively with parents, teachers, and school staff to ensure every student receives the support they need to reach their full potential. Conor holds a Bachelors in Psychology from SUNY University at Buffalo and a Masters in School Counseling from Mercy College. Outside of counseling, he is passionate about coaching Basketball and Lacrosse and believes in empowering students to become confident, resilient individuals.

Workshop Session

“Bridging the Gap: Equipping Students with Career Readiness and Professional Skills for Success”

In today’s ever-changing job market, students are facing an increasingly complex path to career success. School counselors and parents play a pivotal role in preparing students for the world beyond the classroom but are sometimes unaware of the professional skills gap that exists between academic learning and the workplace.

During this workshop, participants will gain insights into the essential skills new professionals need to thrive, including communication, adaptability, and problem solving. Through various valuable resources including learning sessions, presentations and hands on experiences, SUNY Old Westbury’s Office of Career Planning and Development is empowering students to build professional networks, gain real-world experience and develop the critical skills needed for success. By the end of the session, participants will be ready to support students in developing a career-ready mindset, preparing them for success in their professional journeys.

Jerilyn Marinan

Jerilyn Marinan, Director of Career Planning and Development at Old Westbury, is a fifteen-plus year higher education professional, assisting students, alumni, and parents throughout the career planning process. Her office delivers career counseling, major and career exploration assessments, and various types of workshops to provide students with essential tips and advice as they transition into the job market. Additionally, she serves as the Assistant Women’s Soccer Coach for the SUNY Old Westbury Panthers.

Jerilyn has been a member of the Division of Student Affairs at Old Westbury since 2013, lending her skills and experience to various committees and initiatives on campus including Orientation, workplace readiness and Homecoming. She has most recently received the award of Senior-Level Professional from the Long Island Council of Student Personnel Administrators and was recognized at the Fall 2024 annual conference in November.

Jerilyn earned a MS in School Counseling from Long Island University and is a graduate of Hofstra University with a BA in Sociology, and a minor in Speech Communications while playing for their Division I Women’s Soccer team and serving as a Captain.

CAP Co-Chairs

Jade Frevola
Associate Director of Admissions
Adelphi University

Jill Eddings, MSED, LCAT, ATR-BC
Post Secondary Counselor/Testing Coordinator
Fusion Academy Long Island

Seeta Ramprasad
Associate Professor
Nassau Community College

For additional information or questions regarding the CAP Conference, please email capconference@adelphi.edu.

This event is graciously sponsored by the Nassau Counselors’ Association.