Our Caring Staff

Matthew Fiorillo, the owner of the Ballard-Durand Funeral Group, is a licensed funeral director in New York State and Connecticut. He has earned the Certified Funeral Service Practitioner from the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice, Inc. This is noted by the CFSP acronym. Matt has committed to a program of lifelong learning to serve you and families in your community with the level of excellence expected of a CFSP. He is a lifetime member of the White Plains Historical Society, a member of the Tamarack Country Club, and is honored to currently be a Board Member for Hospice of Westchester, Selected Independent Funeral Homes, White Plains Rural Cemetery, and is the current President for Preferred Funeral Directors International.  Matt is a graduate of Lynn University in Boca Raton, FL, and is originally from West Nyack, NY. He is a long-time resident of Westchester County, where he currently resides.

I am honored to serve as General Manager at Ballard-Durand Funeral & Cremation Services, where I first began my career as a Family Care Coordinator. Over time, my devotion to this work and the families we serve led me into the leadership role that I am deeply grateful to hold.

Originally from Ulster County, I later relocated to Westchester to advance my career and am proud to now be part of this remarkable community. Earlier in my professional journey, I worked as a cosmetologist, an experience that taught me the importance of empathy, attention to detail, and personal care—values that continue to guide me each day.

It is a privilege to walk alongside families during some of life’s most difficult moments, helping them create services that reflect the lives and legacies of their loved ones. I am proud to lead a wonderful, caring team whose compassion and professionalism inspire me every day. Together, we are committed to serving this community with respect, dignity, and unwavering care.

Kaysie Mandel is a New York State licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer for the Ballard-Durand Funeral Group. In 2019, Kaysie graduated from the American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Services in New York, N.Y., and has been working in the profession since. Kaysie was born in White Plains, N.Y. and now resides in lower Westchester County with her family. She knew from a young age that this was the profession she was meant to be in. Kaysie takes great pride in taking care of the families she serves and helping them to celebrate the life of their loved ones. 

Ernest J. Carpentieri, founder and former owner of the Hawthorne Funeral Home, now proud Location Manager of Ballard-Durand Funeral Group’s Hawthorne location. He earned his degree in Mortuary Science from the American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service in 1979, and is a New York State licensed Funeral Director. Ernest has been servicing the Mount Pleasant Community with compassion since 1996.  His past affiliations include memberships of the Mount Pleasant Rotary Club, Knights of Columbus, and the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce. In addition, he is a Past President of the Westchester County Funeral Directors Association, Former Counsel Member of Holy Rosary Parish, and Past President of the Holy Name Society. A long-time active member of the Hawthorne Fire Department, and currently sits as Fire Commissioner since 2004. Most recently, Ernie was chosen as the Grand Marshall of the Mount Pleasant Medal of Honor Purple Heart Day Parade.

He resides in Hawthorne with his wife Donna, three children, and six grandchildren.

Tatyana A. Fowler joins the Ballard-Durand Funeral Group as an Advance Funeral Planner/Director of Aftercare, bringing with her a background in end-of-life care education and hospice. Tatyana is a graduate of CUNY Baruch College where she received her BS, Public Affairs and her certification as a nonprofit professional. A recipient of the Integrative Thanatology certification through NY Open Center’s Art of Dying program, Tatyana is continuing her education to fulfill her requirements as a Thanatologist and Celebrant to provide compassionate and mindful support to families. Concurrently, she is pursuing her funeral director license at the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science. She is passionate about empowering families through education on end-of-life care and preplanning arrangements to better understand the process, make clear choices that are right for them, and help alleviate financial and emotional burdens during a difficult time. In her spare time, Tatyana enjoys cooking, hiking and consuming the works of her favorite authors: Ayn Rand, C.S. Lewis, Jules Verne, and unapologetically, Nicholas Sparks.

Raquel Poveda is a Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer at Ballard-Durand Funeral Group, bringing a unique blend of artistic and scientific expertise to her role. A graduate of Hunter College (2007) with a bachelor's degree in art, she furthered her education by obtaining a degree in mortuary science from the American Academy McAllister Institute (2010). Specializing in embalming and restorative art, Raquel also shares her knowledge as an instructor of restorative art at AAMI, merging her artistic background with her professional skills in the funeral industry. Raquel, originally from Argentina, moved to New York at the age of one, grew up in Queens, NY, and currently lives in Orange County, NY. Outside of her professional commitments, Raquel enjoys nature, playing video games, sculpting, and spending quality time with her two dogs and husband.

Ms. Assumma is a highly skilled clinical social worker. Her experience in bereavement and grief counseling started in 1980’s as a coordinator facilitating groups and providing individual and family therapy to address transition and loss. She has over 20 years’ experience in Hospice and Palliative care and holds certificates in Grief; Trauma, Children & Loss, Affirmative Psychology, and Mindfulness, and is a certified Anxiety Treatment Professional and Oncology Social Worker. Her private practice focuses on Life Transitions and Challenges. She promotes understanding, acceptance, and healing in the midst of pain and loss and believes in the strength, and resilience of the individual to cope and honor loved ones.

In 2015, Lulu the golden doodle became Westchester's first therapy dog to serve families in a funeral home. Like those used in hospitals and nursing homes, Lulu acted as a source of comfort and love in times of emotional distress. Families who requested her presence could soothe their grief by stroking her soft fur or merely enjoying her supportive companionship. A fixture at the funeral home, Lulu was well-known and well-loved by everyone in the Westchester community. Her sweet, outgoing nature touched the lives of all she came into contact with and contributed a calming presence to the atmosphere of the funeral home. Though her passing in March of 2021 was unexpected, Lulu leaves behind a lasting legacy of caring for and supporting others during their time of grief. Her memory has set the standard for all future therapy dogs at Ballard-Durand. Lulu's presence will be greatly missed by both Ballard-Durand staff and the Westchester community, but the memory of her dedicated life of service will continue to live on.