Skip Navigation

Junior Achievement of New York Announces New Additions to the Board of Directors

New York, NY- January 29, 2026 – Junior Achievement of New York (JA New York) is pleased to announce the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors: Michelle Luk and James M. Griffin.

Michelle Luk serves as the Senior Vice President and Corporate Treasurer at Voya since joining the firm in 2022 and oversees critical functions including liquidity management, capital allocation, enterprise FP&A sourcing, corporate real estate, and corporate insurance. Prior to her current role, Michelle worked at Goldman Sachs, where she served as Managing Director of Treasury Interest Expense Strategy and Analytics. Before that role, Michelle was the Head of Exotics U.S. Interest Rate Derivative Trading. She joined Goldman Sachs in 2005 as an Asset and Liability Derivatives Marketer and holds a bachelor's degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Michelle is excited to join and support financial literacy initiatives at JA New York. She notes “JA New York plays a critical role in expanding opportunity for students across our state, and I am excited to contribute in support of its mission to empower the next generation.”  This commitment reflects Michelle’s personal values and Voya’s purpose to fight for everyone’s opportunity for a better financial future.

James M. Griffin is Executive Vice President, Head of Consumer Banking, and a member of the bank’s Executive Management Committee at Webster Bank. He is responsible for the company’s consumer banking line of business with over $80 billion in assets. This includes oversight of the bank’s consumer network, residential lending, small business and business banking, digital banking strategy and consumer products throughout Webster’s footprint which spans the Northeast from the New York City metropolitan area to Rhode Island and Massachusetts. A graduate of Adelphi University, James has also served on the Board of Directors of the Child Center of New York and was a member of Junior Achievement of New York’s Long Island Regional Council.

“I am thrilled and honored to serve on Junior Achievement of New York’s board of directors and to support their educational work, especially when it comes to financial literacy for students,” said Mr. Griffin. “Webster Bank has long had a commitment to strengthen communities, drive economic vitality, and support the well-being of cities and towns. We have worked with community partners to create opportunities for students to gain the skills needed for economic empowerment and financial success.”

“We are delighted to welcome Michelle and James to the Board.” said Betty Garger, President and CEO of Junior Achievement of New York. “Both Michelle and James bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in the financial sector and have a strong commitment to youth development and community partnerships. Voya Financial and Webster Bank have been steadfast supporters of Junior Achievement USA and New York, and their joining the board will help deepen our relationship and strengthen our volunteer engagement with their firms.”

In addition to the two new members of the Board, Junior Achievement of New York announced that Pervez Bamji, formerly of Pitney Bowes, will step away from the board after 20 years of service and join the Chair’s Circle. JA New York’s Chair’s Circle is an invitation only membership comprised of former board members who have demonstrated exceptional dedication and commitment to the organization. Members serve JA New York in an advisory capacity and support JA New York by leveraging their expertise, connections, and experience.

About Junior Achievement of New York

Junior Achievement of New York (JA New York), an affiliate of Junior Achievement USA, is the leading non-profit organization in Greater New York dedicated to creating pathways to economic empowerment for local youth. With a mission to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in the global economy, JA New York provides experiential, interactive programs that teach and inspire young people to understand the economic world around them, plan for their financial futures, and reach their full potential.

For more information about JA New York, visit newyork.ja.org.

CONTACT:

Wendy Eng

Junior Achievement of New York
weng@jany.org

Download PDF

Select a button below to see how you or your organization can get involved with Junior Achievement of New York, Inc..

Donate Volunteer Request A Program

Any questions? Contact us!



We use cookies to provide you a personalized experience. How we do this is by analyzing user behavior on our site and sharing data with our advertising and analytics partners. You consent to our cookie policy if you continue to use this website.

I understand