American Housing Foundation Board of Directors
Garry J. Kearns
Executive Director
Garry J. Kearns
As Executive Director of American Housing Foundation, Inc., Mr. Kearns will access his thirty years of housing design and construction experience to pursue the Corporation’s goals and objectives of providing affordable housing opportunities to the elderly, low income individuals and families, students and the physically challenged.
Throughout his professional career, Mr. Kearns has been an active member of the Community, serving many civic organizations in their various charitable pursuits. His success in the Architectural profession is largely attributed to a service-driven approach, with emphasis on working closely with his clients through all phases of each project. Mr. Kearns brings his service-driven approach to American Housing Foundation, Inc. This combined with his professional experience in the design and construction industry leaves him uniquely qualified to pursue and achieve the goals and objectives that have been set to provide affordable housing opportunities for those in our community who deserve safe, decent affordable housing.
Education
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Bachelors of Architecture 1959 B.S. Building Science 1958
Registration
- NCARB Certification
Civic Organizations
- Past Advisory Board, St. Mary’s Hospital
- Past Trustee/President, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Albany
- Advisory Board, St. Anne’s Institute
- Past Director, Troy Chamber of Commerce
- Past Director, Troy Family YMCA
- Past Director, Troy Boy’s Club, Inc.
- Past President, Kiwanis Club of Troy
- Past Director, RPI Alumni Association
- Past Director, New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority
- Director, Visiting Nurses Association Inc.
- Chairperson, New York State Empire State Gaines Opening Ceremonies
- Co-Chairperson, New York State Special Olympic Opening Ceremonies
John J. Naughter
President
John J. Naughter
Mr. Naughter is retired from the New York State Civil Service Employees’ Association (CSEA), where he was employed for thirty (30) years in various supportive, administrative and managerial positions. He is currently employed as a part-time consultant to the Nurzia Construction Corp. He is a former member of the City of Albany, Zoning Appeals Board. Mr. Naughter is a graduate of Siena College.
Jerry D. Pucci
Vice President/Treasurer
Jerry D. Pucci
Mr. Pucci is a lifelong resident of the Capital District. Mr. Pucci graduated from Siena College in 1961 with a Bachelors Degree in History and Education, after which he served in the Army in France (1962-1964) as a Transportation Officer. Mr. Pucci returned to the States and pursued his Masters Degrees in Education from Siena College and Pupil Personnel and Guidance at SUNY Albany.
Mr. Pucci coached basketball at Troy High School and Cardinal McCloskey and previously owned and operated a company with residential real estate holdings in the Capital District. In 1972 Mr. Pucci held the position of Associate Athletic Director and JV Basketball Coach at Siena College. After retiring from active coaching, he became the director of Marketing for the Siena College Basketball Program and was the radio broadcast game analyst for 12 years. Mr. Pucci retired from Siena in 1998. In the mid-80’s Mr. Pucci became a licensed Real Estate Broker and Insurance Broker associated with Mulderry Real Estate and Weller, Marcil & Greco Insurance Agency.
Jerry has two children and four grandchildren.
Judith M. Byrnes
Secretary
Judith M. Byrnes
Ms. Byrnes is currently an Investigator with the NYS Department of Corrections Inspector General’s Office. Previous to her current position, Ms. Byrnes was the Administrative Assistant for American Housing Foundation, Inc. since the company began. Ms. Byrnes was also the Administrative Assistant for The Kearns Group P.C. Architects under the supervision of Mr. Garry J. Kearns, Ms. Byrnes, who is a graduate of Hudson Valley Community College, is also active within the community, working with children involved in the youth football program for South Troy for the past 25+ years.
Olin P. Callaghan
Board Member
Olin P. Callaghan
About Olin
Olin Callaghan is a nationally certified Physician Assistant with over two decades of experience in urgent care, family medicine, pediatrics, orthopedics, and women’s health. He is dedicated to providing compassionate, evidence-based care to patients of all ages—from children to seniors. His background includes a wide range of clinical environments, including community health centers, Planned Parenthood, and hospital-based outpatient care.
Areas of Expertise
- Acute & Chronic Condition Management
- Pediatrics, Family Practice & Women’s Health
- Orthopedics (Casting, Suturing, Splinting)
- Suboxone Program Implementation
- Urgent & Emergency Care
- Patient Education & Preventative Health
Education & Certifications
Physician Assistant Program – Albany Medical College / Hudson Valley Community College
B.A. in Communication Arts – SUNY Plattsburgh
Certifications:
– National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
– Advanced Cardiac Life Support
– CPR, First Aid, Water Safety, Certified Lifeguard
Professional Experience
Community Care Physicians – Delmar Internal Medicine (Present)
Internal Medicine and Primary Care Physician Assistant
St. Peter’s Health Partners – Urgent Care & Family Medicine
Physician Assistant
Providing urgent care, pediatrics, and family medicine in a high-volume setting.
Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood
Physician Assistant
Delivered reproductive and preventative health services to diverse patient populations.
CompHealth (Locum Tenens)
Physician Assistant
Managed acute and chronic illnesses across a range of specialties and patient demographics.
National Training Center, FL
Physician Assistant
Focused on urgent care, orthopedics, diagnostics, and minor procedures.
Community Care Physicians, Albany, NY
Physician Assistant
Specialties included internal medicine, cardiology, and outpatient Suboxone treatment.
Family Medical Care, Cobleskill, NY
Physician Assistant
Delivered comprehensive care including prenatal, pediatric, and geriatric services.
Chatham Family Care Center
Physician Assistant
Provided in-office and home-based medical care for diverse family practice needs.
Affiliations
- American Academy of Physician Assistants
- New York State Society of Physician Assistants
- Capital Area PA Society
- National Association of Lipidologists
Presentations & Research
- “Group A Beta-Hemolytic Strep” – Albany Medical College Grand Rounds
- “Adult Immunizations” – Albany Medical College Clinical Sessions
- Research topics include Shaken Baby Syndrome, Sequard-Brown Syndrome, and Beta-Blockers in CHF
Honors
- Dean’s List, Hudson Valley Community College
- Dean’s List, SUNY Plattsburgh
Maureen A. Klein
Board Member
Maureen A. Klein
Mrs. Klein graduated from the College of St. Rose with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education and then received a Master’s Degree in Special Education.
She retired after 26 years as a Special Education teacher in the Albany City Schools. Presently, she serves as an adjunct faculty member at the College of St. Rose supervising student teachers and does home schooling for special education students awaiting placement.
Maureen is a past board member of St. Catherine Child Care Center and Community Maternity Services in Albany and currently serves as a board member of 15 Love.
Maureen and her husband have 3 children and 2 grandchildren.
Paul C. Reuss
Board Member
Paul C. Reuss
Mr. Reuss, is currently an Executive Assistant to the Mayor (Economic Development) in Menands, New York. Mr. Reuss has over 30 years of experience in State Government, including 24 years with the NYS Senate Finance Committee. He held various staff positions with the Committee and served as Secretary to the Committee in 1993 and 1994. In the position of Secretary, Mr. Reuss was the chief fiscal advisor to the Senate Majority Leader and supervisor of over 40 professional and support personnel. During his career, Mr. Reuss was involved in the annual State Budget negotiations between the legislature and the Governor and had primary responsibility for school finance, tax reform and capital spending issues.
Mr. Reuss served as the Deputy Mayor of Menands, New York, and was a member of the Village Board of Trustees for 21 years. He also served as President of the St. Anne Institute Board of Trustees and as Secretary to the Hope House Foundation.
Richard C. Riccio
Board Member
Richard C. Riccio
Richard C. Riccio is a retired education and human services executive with over four decades of impactful leadership across public education, juvenile justice, and nonprofit administration. Throughout his distinguished career, Mr. Riccio consistently demonstrated excellence in organizational management, program development, special education, and youth-focused services.
Mr. Riccio most recently served as Director and Assistant Director of the Capital District Juvenile Secure Detention Facility, where he was responsible for the day-to-day oversight of operations supporting detained youth. Prior to that, he served as a Superintendent Hearing Officer with the Albany City School District, bringing fairness and professionalism to school disciplinary proceedings.
In earlier roles, Mr. Riccio made significant contributions as an Interim Academy Principal at Albany High School and Principal within the Capital Region BOCES Special Education Division, overseeing specialized middle school programming and supervising special education classes within public school settings.
From 2000 to 2011, Mr. Riccio led St. Anne Institute in Albany, NY, as Executive Director, overseeing all aspects of a $17M–$19M budgeted agency focused on supporting at-risk and vulnerable youth. Under his leadership, the agency achieved eleven consecutive years of clean audits and operated consistently under budget. His negotiation skills secured over $2 million in additional funding through state rate appeals. His vision also led to the development of specialized residential units and the integration of advanced technology into classrooms through successful state grant funding.
As Assistant Executive Director at St. Anne prior to his tenure as Executive Director, Mr. Riccio spearheaded a $9 million construction project, a $2.5 million capital campaign, and led initiatives to expand the agency’s preschool and special education programming.
Earlier in his career, he held leadership roles at Capital Region BOCES, where he supervised special education programs including those at the Capital District Psychiatric Center, and worked extensively with multidisciplinary teams to implement individualized education plans. He began his career at St. Anne Institute as a teacher of mathematics and physical education, steadily rising through the ranks to become Education Director and Assistant Education Director, where he developed therapeutic academic programming, vocational training, and behavior modification systems that served as models in the field.
Throughout his career, Mr. Riccio maintained strategic relationships with state and local agencies, educational institutions, and regulatory organizations. He has been a mentor to numerous education professionals, many of whom have gone on to become superintendents, directors, and executive leaders.
Professional Affiliations
- National Association of Secondary School Administrators
- New York State Association of Secondary School Administrators
- Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
- Capital District Child Care Coordinating Council
- The Council for Exceptional Children
- Association of NYS Educators of the Emotionally Disturbed
- NYS Alliance for Children with Special Needs (School Age and Preschool Divisions)
Mr. Riccio’s legacy is marked by a lifelong commitment to educational access, youth advocacy, and operational excellence. His work has positively shaped the lives of countless students, educators, and community members across New York State.
