Murray W. Portnoy (1923-2006) - Founder

Murray Portnoy founded PMP in 1964 and represented numerous companies in all facets of labor relations and human resources. 

Learn more about our founder.

Mark B. Portnoy - President
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As President, Mark is responsible for overseeing the development of PMP’s human resource and labor relations initiatives.  With his vast experience in these areas Mark is able to provide guidance and leadership to PMP’s team of experts that ensure PMP’s continued success in providing excellent service to its clients.  PMP’s clients have come to rely on our team approach, and our unique combination of expert consultants that have been able to provide timely, practical and effective advice and assistance.

Mark has been a labor relations and human resource consultant with the firm since 1975.  He has over 30 years experience representing companies in all aspects of labor relations, including union elections and representation hearings, grievance meetings, and arbitration hearings and has acted as the chief spokesperson in hundreds of collective bargaining negotiations.  Mark has worked with various industries in the public and private sector; among them are transportation, defense, communications, retail, municipalities, publishing, manufacturing and service industries throughout the United States and on special assignments overseas.  Mark has negotiated with all of the major and many of the smaller unions throughout the country including the UAW, SEIU, Teamsters, IAM, CWA, UNITE and many others.

Additionally, Mark continues to participate in nearly all aspects of PMP’s services including training, representation at federal, state and local agencies as well as providing daily counseling both on and off site, on a wide variety of human resource related topics. 

Mark earned his B.A. from  the University of Rochester in New York  and PhD at the University of Calgary

Alan B. Pearl - Chief Operating Officer & General Counsel
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Alan began his career as a labor attorney representing unions. Since 1976, he has represented management clients as both a consultant and in a legal capacity.  He is a  practicing trial attorney and the principal partner in Alan B. Pearl & Associates, P.C.

A graduate of Adelphi University and Brooklyn Law School, Alan has participated in the "Lawyer in the Classroom" program sponsored by the Nassau County Bar Association and is a frequent lecturer to groups and businesses on discrimination and employment law matters in the workplace.  His articles on labor and employment issues appear regularly in numerous trade periodicals such as in the heating, air-conditioning and restaurant industries. Additionally, Alan contributes articles to various chambers of commerce publications. 

Alan represents management in all aspects of labor and employment matters in the private and public sector, including regulatory compliance under FMLA, OSHA, FLSA, Title VII, ADA, and ADEA.  Alan regularly appears on behalf of clients before federal and state regulatory agencies, including the NLRB, EEOC, NYSDHR, and their state counterparts throughout the country. 

He trains management in the full panoply of labor and employment laws and regulations. 

Grace M. Conti - Executive Vice President
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Grace, Executive Vice President of PMP, has been with the firm since 1993. She holds a degree in Human Resources/Labor Relations from the State University of New York and has also taken courses at Cornell University.

Ms. Conti is perhaps best known for her expertise in Affirmative Action rules and regulations. Grace works closely with clients in developing affirmative action plans, as well as preparing for difficult affirmative action audits. Often called the "Affirmative Action guru" by her clients, she is proud of her exceptional record of successful OFCCP audits. Her thorough knowledge and experience of the intricacies of Affirmative Action regulations has made her a nationally recognized Affirmative Action specialist. Ms. Conti regularly holds training workshops on Long Island, as well as in the southeast and western regions of the country. Her clients come from a variety of industries including aerospace and/or aviation, communications, manufacturing and various service industries.

Grace guides and assists clients in complying with federal and state regulations affecting employers. She trains supervisors in all aspects of employer/employee issues, and Grace works with companies that need to establish, restructure or out-source human resource functions.

Grace was recently elected Co-Chair of the Long Island ILG. She represents PMP at various business and community events including those sponsored by the HIA and IMA as well as at the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM).

John K. Diviney, Esq. - Labor and Employment Consultant
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A graduate of Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations and St. John's University School of Law, John is a practicing attorney in the New York State and federal courts, and is a member of the school board at the Three Village Central School District in Setauket, New York.

He represents management in all aspects of labor and employment matters in both the private and public sector, including providing daily counseling on policy and regulatory compliance under FMLA, OSHA, FLSA, Title VII, ADA, and ADEA.  John maintains a very active labor practice representing management before the NLRB in representation cases and defending unfair labor practice charges, and in labor arbitrations.  He also regularly acts as the lead spokesperson in collective bargaining negotiations for companies throughout the country in many diverse industries including transportation, manufacturing, defense, communication and retail. John regularly appears on behalf of clients before federal and state regulatory agencies, such as the NLRB, EEOC, state and federal Departments of Labor, and other fair employment practice agencies.

Sima Asad Ali, Esq. - Labor and Employment Consultant
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Ms. Ali was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1997 and practices law in the New York state and federal courts. She is a graduate of Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations and George Washington University School of Law. Her expertise includes labor relations and employment law. She provides advice, counseling and training on employment discrimination, wage and hour laws, FMLA issues and employment contracts and agreements and represents management in all aspects of labor and employment matters in the private and public sector before federal and state regulatory agencies, including the EEOC, state and federal Departments of Labor and other fair employment practice agencies. Sima also represents clients at grievances and arbitrations arising out of collective bargaining agreements and/or employment agreements.

Sima is a member of the Nassau and Suffolk County Bar Associations, the New York State Women's Bar Association, the Huntington Lawyer's Club, the Muslim Bar Association of New York, and the Hauppauge Industrial Association Human Resources Committee.

Sima will assist in the continued expansion of PMP's HR/Labor services especially as they relate to assisting clients in structuring sound HR policies and procedures to help them minimize exposure to expensive litigation.

Gina Ianne Grath, Esq. - Labor and Employment Consultant
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Ms. Grath was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2004 and practices law in the New York state and federal courts. A 2003 graduate of Hofstra University School of Law, Gina's focus is on employment litigation. In addition to litigation, Gina advises clients on all aspects of labor and employment law, including employment discrimination and harassment investigations, FLSA classification issues, FMLA issues, and employment contracts and agreements. She regularly represents management before both federal and state regulatory agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Labor Relations Board, and the New York State Division of Human Rights, among others.

Gina is currently a member of the Nassau County Bar Association's Labor and Employment Law Committee and the New York State Bar Association.

Barbara DeMatteo - Director of HR Consulting
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Barbara DeMatteo's professional career in Human Resources spans 25 years working in distinguished corporations. In supporting business functions across the United States, Barbara developed her strengths in recruiting, interviewing, training, organizational design, employment law as well as employee relations. Barbara uses her experience and background as she assists clients in growing their businesses and limiting liability by developing a solid H.R. infrastructure and focusing on a company's most important assets, its employees.

Barbara acts in the capacity of a company's outsourced HR function by developing and delivering customized employee and management related training programs, writing job descriptions, developing Employee Handbooks, developing and implementing performance management programs, providing guidance on the most effective way to handle employee situations and nurturing HR professionals through on site mentoring.

Barbara's educational background includes a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice from St. John's University and a professional designation from the American Compensation Association. Barbara was the founding co-chair of the C. W. Post Professional Experience and Placement Board, currently serves on the Executive Board of Directors of the Huntington Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Directors of Girl Scouts of Nassau County as well as for (ACIT) Advancement for Commerce Industry and Technology, and on a number of community organization committees.

Lucille Mavrokefalos - Director of HR Consulting
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Lucille Mavrokefalos has worked as a Human Resource executive in prominent corporations for over 20 years.  Prior to joining PMP in 2005, she held the position of Vice President of Human Resources for a large global company overseeing Human Resources for the North American Division.  During her tenure, she has gained expertise in the field of recruitment, training, benefits, payroll, employee relations, performance management, and compensation.

Since 2001, Lucille has held the position of co-chair for the Hauppauge Industrial Association (HIA) Human Resource Committee, is a current member of the American Business Associates, Amityville School-Business Partnership Council and has been a past member of the Business Advisory Council for Community Enterprises. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Long Island Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

Lucille currently holds a degree in Accounting and utilizes her knowledge and expertise to assist clients with policy development, interactive management training, writing job descriptions, compensation analysis, developing Employee Handbooks, developing and implementing performance management programs, providing guidance on employee relations (hiring, discipline and terminations) and augmenting clients' HR departments or, where no HR department exists, providing on-site HR services.

Rita DiStefano - Director of HR Consulting
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Rita DiStefano has been a Human Resource professional for over 15 years, working for a large global corporation and involved in all facets of Human Resource functions such as employee relations, performance management, and affirmative action.

Rita served as Chair of the Suffolk County Department of Labor Workforce Investment Board after receiving an appointment for that position from the Suffolk County Executive. She serves as a Director of the Hauppauge Industrial Association. In 2001, Rita was honored to receive an award from Long Island Works Coalition for her vision and dedication to the collaboration of business and education.

As a co-chair of the C. W. Post Business Advisory Board, she supports and works with professors to help prepare young students for the challenges they will face in the future. Rita assists in the continued expansion of PMP's HR/Labor services especially as they relate to assisting and augmenting clients' HR departments or providing on-site HR services, where no HR department currently exists. As Director of HR consulting, Rita assists PMP's clients with policy development, job descriptions, constructing handbooks and all other facets of HR consulting.

Maureen Bradley - Affirmative Action/HR Consultant
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Maureen graduated from Molloy College with a degree in Mathematics & Computer Science. Her primary focus at PMP is assisting clients in the development and maintenance of Affirmative Action Plans. She analyzes all employee data before submission for Department of Labor OFCCP audits. She encourages clients to be proactive in conducting compensation analyses and, where needed, regression analysis so adjustments can be made before it becomes a serious problem during the audits.

Jill Goeckner – HR Coordinator
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Jill obtained her B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, along with a paralegal certificate from Roosevelt University in Chicago. She worked in IT for several years at UBS, before deciding to pursue a more civic-minded career, seeking the opportunity to make a difference in improving people’s lives through the legal & HR professions.

This idealistic bent, combined with her varied work experience (including an internship in Silicon Valley), led her to the Office of Associate Chief Counsel, U.S. Customs & Border Protection, where she worked for two years before relocating to Long Island and joining PMP. Her linguistic skills include native fluency in Mandarin Chinese, limited Spanish and Japanese (after living abroad in Japan for a number of years).

Her focus at PMP includes on-site HR consulting as it pertains to benefits administration (FMLA, COBRA, etc.), personnel file setup & reorganization, employee handbooks, interview skills workshops, and PMP’s latest offering – online training or e-Learning. With her technical background, she is also highly involved with PMP’s marketing, IT and website efforts and ultimately enjoys interweaving the opportunity for creative development with her work in assisting management with retaining, managing, and developing their employees.