Meet the Chappaqua School Foundation Board of Directors
Hidenao Abe
A graduate of the Cornell School of Architecture and alumnus
of several prestigious New York
architecture firms, Hide has been a stay-at-home father since 2003, caring
full-time for his daughter – now a Roaring Brook kindergartener. During his
career as an architect, Hide was involved in volunteer work for Habitat for
Humanity and Canstruction, a design/build food charity event.
Hide has been involved with his daughter’s education from
day one. He was Board Vice President of her cooperative nursery school in Ossining
for two years, and was then elected as a trustee. During his term, he took a
leading role in committee assignment, facility maintenance, event preparation
and other projects.
Hide has been an extremely active parent at Roaring Brook,
participating in projects including designing and installing the proscenium
decoration for the kindergarten presentation, creating classroom teaching aids,
and taking part in CSF’s kindergarten
bookpack program. Hide notes, “During my first year as a parent in the
Chappaqua school system, I have seen firsthand the powerful impact that
community involvement can have in supporting and enriching our schools. I
believe that successful and meaningful education comes from a ‘symphony’ of
teachers, support staff, students and families committing deeply to promote the
love of learning.”
Hide was educated in Japan,
the UK, and the
United States,
which gives him a unique perspective on learning. He is bilingual in English
and Japanese.
Marjorie Becker
An alumnus of the Chappaqua schools, Marjorie has been
actively involved in the schools since moving back here in 1994. She has
co-chaired Westorchard’s cultural enrichment committee, volunteered in the publishing
center, and served as class parent numerous times. Currently, Marjorie serves
as a parent member of the Westorchard BPT. Marjorie’s volunteer work extends
beyond our community. For the past 13 years, she has served as a Board member
of the Food Bank for Westchester, and in that role
chairs their annual fundraiser that attracts over 600 guests. Marjorie also
serves on the Board of Northern Westchester’s Parent Child Group, a nonprofit
organization providing classes for parents and young children.
Professionally, Marjorie worked for seven years as an
investment banker at PaineWebber Inc. in their Muncipal Investment Banking
department. There she worked primarily with nonprofit institutions seeking
financing through municipal bonds.Marjorie’s three children include a daughter in 4th grade at
Westorchard, a daughter in 7th grade at Seven Bridges and a son who will be
entering kindergarten in September.
Scott Berman
As a commercial litigator for 25 years, Scott's practice
involves sophisticated and complex business disputes involving hedge funds and
other industries. His skill set includes managing teams of lawyers, complex
analysis and extensive client interaction. Scott is very appreciative of the
opportunities afforded his children in the Chappaqua School System and he would
“like to give something back by serving on the CSF board.” Scott has been
active in a number of other organizations, including bar associations, alumni
associations and other not-for-profit groups outside Chappaqua.
Dana Stein Dince
Dana has done a tremendous amount of volunteer work in the
classroom and for the PTAs at the schools her children have attended over the
course of nine years. This led to her recent appointment as Vice Chair and
Chair of the Bell School PTA. In these capacities, Dana has developed a rapport
with school and district personnel and has worked together with them on many
projects, events and initiatives that have benefited Chappaqua students. Being
a CSF grant recipient herself (2006 outdoor game tables at Bell),
and having served on the Bell School Building Planning Committee for two years,
she is familiar with the grant process and what CSF is interested in funding.
Dana is also a volunteer with the Chappaqua Volunteer Ambulance Corps (CVAC).
Dana's two children are currently in the 2nd and 9th grades at Grafflin and
Greeley.
Rhea Finkelstein
Rhea has been actively involved in a number of community
related projects in both Jericho,
her previous residence, and in Chappaqua. . Since moving to Chappaqua in 1996,
she has been involved in a myriad of committees. She brought the Parents as
Reading Partners (PARP) program to the Roaring Brook School when her family
moved here, and she has served on or ran committees such as Learning to Look,
The Roaring Brook Directory, The Roaring Brook Yearbook and Parent Networking
at Seven Bridges. She has been a class parent and grade coordinator many times.
Rhea has also served on the Citizen’s Nonpartisan Nominating Committee for the
Chappaqua School Board. In addition, she has done volunteer work at her Temple
in various capacities including the annual Blood Drive,
Midnight Run and multiple Sisterhood positions. Rhea has also worked with The
Jacob Burns Film Center in the See, Hear, Feel, Film program for several years.
Rhea currently has a 6th grader at Seven Bridges, an 11th grader at HGHS and a
sophomore in college.
Julie Gerstein
A longtime supporter of CSF,Julie has lived in Chappaqua for
9 years and has been actively involved in PTA committees at Roaring Brook. In
her experiences as a class parent and volunteer, Julie witnesses firsthand the
many benefits of projects supported by CSF. “I recognize that there is always
room for improvement which involves securing additional funds and participation
from the community. I have supported CSF for many years by attending their
functions and in the past, I have been one of the few participants at the gala
with preschool aged children.”
Julie has been instrumental in organizing a variety of
charitable events, the most recent one benefiting a school in Tanzania
for underprivileged students whose goal was to raise enough money to install a
clean water system. Today, that water is used for drinking, bathing and
sustaining vegetation grown by the students and teachers.
Professionally, Julie worked at Price Management Consulting
Services and Citibank Funding Desk where she has analyzed and advised on
business issues and implemented solutions to improve the efficiency of clients.
Her daughter will be a 3rd grader at Roaring Brook, and her
son will attend 5th grade at Seven Bridges.
Jackie Glassman
Jackie’s desire to serve on the CSF Board is rooted in both
personal and professional interests. As
an educational writer and consultant, Jackie has worked in the educational
publishing industry for most of her career and has been keyed in to the needs
and interests of students and teachers for more than 15 years. For example, Jackie has witnessed how schools
and teachers have grown from being intimidated and overwhelmed by technology to
recognizing its value and embracing ever-growing number of tools wholeheartedly
to help students grow and learn in new and exciting ways.
Jackie believes that “all schools can benefit from finding
new and innovative ways to help different types of learners. Back when I was a
student, there was an assumption that all children learn in the same way. Today
we know this is not the case. Research reveals there are all kinds of learners
- visual, aural, kinesthetic, etc. Yet, even in our excellent school district,
I see that in an effort to get through the very packed curriculum, the time,
energy and materials required to meet varying types of learners, falls by the
wayside.” Jackie has a kindergartner and fourth grader at Roaring
Brook School.
Robert Gursha
After serving three years on the School Board of the Chappaqua
Central School District,
Rob is committed to “staying involved in our community by helping to make a
difference in ensuring that all the children of our school district continue to
receive the high quality education they deserve.” Rob’s experience on the
School Board has provided him with a thorough understanding of the policies,
operations, and educational needs of our district, as well as a familiarity
with the school district’s infrastructure and facilities. Prior to his CCSD
term, Rob served two years as Chair of the School Board’s audit committee, and,
as a result, he has gained a deep understanding of our school district’s
financial workings.
Professionally, Rob is Executive Vice President, Chief
Marketing Officer of Time/Warner Retail Sales & Marketing (TWRSM), a wholly
owned subsidiary of Time Inc., and North America’s
preeminent national magazine distributor, providing a full range of sales,
marketing, and promotional services for the most prominent publishers and
magazine brands. These include more than 600 Time Inc. and client publications
which represent one-third of all magazines sold at retail, and that reach
nearly 400 million readers monthly across every consumer category.
Rob has three children, including a son in college, a
daughter graduating Greeley this
year, and a son entering sophomore year at Greeley
in the fall.
Ingrid Hershman
Ingrid and her husband Jack have been long-time supporters
of CSF, serving on the Gala Dinner Committee since its inception. Ingrid is
ready to “work hard to best serve our community’s strong interest in providing
top quality education” by “investing her time, energy, input and skills to help
CSF continue to reach its goals.” She would bring many important assets to CSF,
not the least of which is her infectious enthusiasm. Ingrid has chaired the
Phelps Memorial Hospital Center’s Annual Champagne Ball for 12 years, and is
familiar with all of the facets of planning a large event, including
fundraising, marketing and “how to work with donors and honorees to achieve the
best results for all.” Professionally, Ingrid left a career in the financial
world to take the position of Office Manager for her husband’s local medical
practice. She enjoys working in the area because it affords her the opportunity
“to better understand the desires of our community.”
Ingrid has been a Chappaqua resident for 20 years. Ingrid
has three children. Her oldest daughter is a now a junior at the University
of Pennsylvania. Her younger
daughter is a junior at Greeley and
her son is a 7th grader at Bell.
Ingrid is “very proud of the Chappaqua school system and all the opportunities
that it has provided [her] family and others.”
Michael Kaufman
Michael Kaufman is founder and president of Pond Hill
Ventures LLC, an advisor and investor in ventures in the hospitality segment.
Until September 2003, he served as president of the $1.3 billion (system sales)
Dallas-based Metromedia Restaurant Group, comprising the well-known brands of
Bennigan’s, Steak and Ale, Bonanza and Ponderosa. Prior to joining the
restaurant group, Mr. Kaufman had served as a managing director of Kluge &
Company, the acquisition and investment banking arm of Metromedia Company, and
a lawyer with the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison in
New York City.
Mr. Kaufman serves as Treasurer of the Board of Directors of
the National Restaurant Association, and as a member of the Board of Trustees
of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the Board of
Trustees of the Culinary Institute of America and the Board of Trustees of the
Chappaqua School Foundation. Mr. Kaufman is a graduate of Harvard
College and Harvard
Law School.
He is married to Barbara Alpert MD and, with two sons and a stepdaughter,
resides in Chappaqua, New York.
Leslie Pechman Koch
Leslie is currently serving as President. She joined the CSF Board in August 2006,
after chairing the CSF Gala in May, which was held at Crabtree’s Kittle House
and recognized the Honorable Hilary Rodham Clinton. Leslie has worked in the non-profit sector
for over fifteen years, most recently as the Director of Development for the
National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), a position she held
for seven years. Leslie continues to work for NFTE on a part-time basis, where
she manages the Annual Awards Dinner, the organization’s major fundraiser,
which raises over $1 million annually. Leslie is also a consultant to the New
York City-based Bound for College, for which she does grants management. Leslie
and her husband have two children, the older of which is a first grader at
Westorchard. As education has always been an interest of hers, Leslie is
thrilled to be involved in an organization which views educational innovation
as one of its main priorities, and is clearly having a direct impact on our
community’s wonderful schools.
Ellen Miller
“Working with fellow Chappaqua parents to publicize/promote
the great work of CSF, assist with fund-raising and help to allot grants
enabling these innovative programs to enrich our children^s education will be
an honor,” says Ellen Miller. “To contribute and participate in programs that
make an impact on a district-wide level will be an extremely rewarding
experience.” Ellen has been in the field of public relations for 20+ years
where her primary focus has been to develop strategic and creative plans to help
clients accomplish their marketing goals. During her career, she has worked
with various non-profit organizations to create unique programs to distinguish
them for other, similar organizations. Ellen currently manages Biosector 2, a
full-service medical communications company that specializes in biotechnology,
biologic and specialty pharmaceutical products. Ellen not only employs her
strong verbal and communication skills in her professional life, but she has
put them to work in her PTA/school involvement. She is the current Nutrition
Committee Chair for Bell and the
current Co-Chair for the Health and Nutrition Committee at Grafflin. She has
served as an editor for the Grafflin Griffin and the Grafflin Grapevine and has
volunteered to assist with other school fund-raisers, publishing committee,
book pack committee, etc.
Rachel Rader
Rachel Rader has lived in Chappaqua for almost ten years.
She has been actively involved in the schools, co-chairing Westorchard’s
Cultural Enrichment Committee, serving on Westorchard’s Building Planning Team,
volunteering in their publishing center, and serving as a class parent. Prior to moving to Chappaqua, Rachel had a
decade-long career in publicity and marketing for a number of top book
publishers, including Little, Brown & Company and Simon & Schuster. She
has also worked as a freelance writer and editor, creating press and marketing
materials for the publishing industry.
Rachel has done alumni interviewing as a member of the Yale
Alumni Schools Committee since she graduated in 1987, and has been a Yale Class
Agent since 2003. This year she was also invited to be a member of her 20th
Reunion Gift Committee. In addition, she has been a board member, fundraiser
and volunteer for several non-profit agencies that service underprivileged,
at-risk children, and for the Food Allergy Initiative. Rachel's three children
attend Seven Bridges
and Westorchard schools.
Karla Shepard Rubinger
Karla Shepard Rubinger has been a board member of CSF since
2004, and brings experience in management consulting, philanthropy, health and
education. Currently she is Director of Professional Education Development for
Mary Ann Liebert Inc, publisher of 60 peer-reviewed biomedical journals (and
the Westchester WAG!). She has served on the board and staff of major
foundations working in the fields of education, health, and child development,
and for 12 years was a Research Associate at Educational Testing Service. Her
graduate education was at the London School of Economics and Princeton
University, in sociology. She lives
in Chappaqua with her husband Michael and has three sons, the youngest of whom
just graduated from HGHS!
Morgan Rutman
Morgan Rutman founded Harvest Capital and Harvest Management
in 1993. In addition, Morgan is a Managing Member of Harvest Management L.L.C.
and Harvest Advisors, L.L.C. Morgan believes that “CSF is an extremely
important and effective organization that helps to bridge the funding gap that
is prevalent in our school system.” As the father of three daughters currently
in grades 5, 10 and 12, he has watched as CSF has made significant
contributions for the betterment of our schools. Morgan has been active in the
community as a director of the Rosenthal JCC and the Chappaqua Youth Soccer
Club, and has recently agreed to be on the capital campaign committee for
Temple Beth El. Morgan graduated from the Whittamore School of Business and
Economics at the University of New Hampshire and is a member of the Board of
Directors of the University of New Hampshire Foundation.
Susan Schwartz
Susan is actively involved in the Chappaqua Schools. She served as Chair and Vice Chair of the
Grafflin Elementary School PTA and has participated on several PTA committees.
Susan has been a parent representative on the Grafflin and Bell Planning Teams
and taught a computer class in the After School Enrichment program for several
years. A member of the Chappaqua School
Foundation board since 2004, Susan currently serves as the Corresponding Secretary
and participates on the marketing and grants committees. She especially enjoys
seeing first hand the grants CSF has funded in action in our schools!
Professionally, Susan worked at IBM for over 16 years, in
Sales, Marketing and Information Systems. Susan graduated from University
of Michigan with an honors degree
in Computer and Communication Sciences.
Jane Shepardson
A Chappaqua resident of over 11 years, Jane has been an
active member of the school community. Her volunteer activities include
participating on the PTA, chairing After School Enrichment at RBS, serving as a
class parent, and acting as PTA recording secretary at Seven Bridges for three
years.Jane’s appointment to the Board is a logical extension of her volunteer
work in our school district.
Professionally, Jane worked as an attorney both in private
practice and as an Assistant Attorney General in Manhattan.
These experiences have strengthened her skills in the areas of research,
organization and critical thinking—all of which will be beneficial to our work
at CSF.
Jane has appeared in national TV commercials, soap operas,
plays, and corporate videos, which have provided her with a unique perspective
on evaluating creative endeavors that may best benefit our children. Her acting
experiences have made Jane an effective public speaker—a skill that CSF often
requires at events including the Gala, Wizards, and other community outreach
programs.
Jane has three children including a soon to be 2nd grade
daughter at RBS, 6th grade son at Seven Bridges, and her oldest daughter will
be a high school freshman this fall.
Debbie Potash-Turner
Debbie has lived in the community for 15 years and has
already gone through the entire K-12 school system once, with her second child
graduating this year and her third attending the Bell
School. Debbie became attracted to
CSF after many years of involvement in our schools^ PTA. Through the PTA and
her own children’s experience she became familiar with many of the exciting and
innovative programs that CSF had funded over the years. “As the Foundation
serves to further enrich the educational experience of the children, what
better way to show gratitude and support of our community and its quality
educational system than to be involved.” Debbie currently serves as Treasurer,
bringing her 25 years of financial expertise to the organization.
Debbie’s career has primarily focused on the accounting and
finance areas in the Broker"Dealer and Asset Management Industry. Currently she
is a Senior Vice-President at AIG SunAmerica Asset Management Corp. Debbie graduated
with a B.S. in Economics from the University
of Pennsylvania, Wharton
School, majoring in Accounting and
Decision Science. Debbie holds a C.P.A. license.
Lenny Stern
A founding partner of the pioneering strategic
communications firm SS+K, Lenny has more than twenty years of business
experience, crafting marketing communications solutions that drive clients
through times of dramatic change and competitive challenges. Lenny counsels
clients in highly competitive categories, such as technology, media,
transportation and hospitality, and creates strategies to inject brands into
American popular entertainment culture. Among the clients for whom Lenny has
lent his talents are the Delta Air Lines, ExxonMobil, CitiGroup, Coca-Cola,
Harley-Davidson, Time Warner, Viacom, The Lance Armstrong Foundation, Starwood,
TiVo, Polo Ralph Lauren and the Obama for America campaign [SS+K was a member
of the campaign’s media team] among several others.
Previously, Lenny worked for the Sawyer/Miller group, a
political consulting firm, where he established its corporate advertising
division. Lenny also worked at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison,
where he was a practicing attorney.
Additionally, Lenny has been a Visiting Professor at Yale
School of Management for the past fifteen years, teaching competitive strategy
and non-traditional marketing.
Lenny currently sits on the National Board of Communities In
Schools, the nation’s largest and most effective drop-out prevention program.
Consequently, he spends a fair amount of time thinking about education issues,
and evaluating which practices, approaches, and resources are most
effective.
As an owner of a creatively driven marketing communications
agency, Lenny has tremendous experience in helping raise awareness for
organizations and brands—an issue he is looking forward to helping CSF tackle.
Lenny’s three daughters are entering grades 5 and 8 at Bell,
and kindergarten at Grafflin.
Bruce Weinreb
Bruce Weinreb and his wife Andrea have been residents of
Chappaqua for over 21 years, moving in just two weeks before their first child
was born. Their two older daughters are proud alumni of Westorchard ES, Bell
MS and Horace Greeley HS. Their youngest
daughter is a proud member of the first graduating class of Seven Bridges MS
and is now enjoying her sophomore year at Greeley.
Bruce & Andrea have operated their own advertising agency, Weinreb
Partners, in Chappaqua for the past 15 years. Besides the CSF, Bruce has served
on the Executive Board of Bet Torah in Mount
Kisco and has coached over 35 New
Castle softball and basketball teams. With the opening
of Hudson Hills Golf Course in New Castle,
as well as working and living here, Bruce seldom leaves town anymore!
Jan Wells
Jan co-founded the Chappaqua School Foundation in 1993
following a 12-year tenure on the Board of Education (1981-1993) where she was
vice-president, then president for an
unprecedented four terms. She served as
CSF president for nine years, until 2002. “Seeing the growth of CSF and the
impact on children’s learning is one of the most rewarding parts of my life,”
says Jan. After serving on the school board, Jan served three years of her five
–year term as president of the Board of Putnam/Westchester BOCES, and at the
same time turned to local government. Currently, Jan is in her third year as Supervisor of the Town of New
Castle, after fulfilling 10 years of service on the
Town Board.
In 1991, Jan was designated New Castle’s
“Citizen of the Year.” She also received honorary life membership in the New
York State Parent Teacher’s Association (1993). In 2003, The Chappaqua Rotary
honored Jan in recognition of founding CSF, and bestowed both the
Annual Community Service Award and the Paul Harris Fellow. Jan has lived in the
community for 36 years and raised two children who went through the Chappaqua
Schools K-12. A graduate of Grinnell College,
she pursued a career in education as a teacher and administrator prior to her
election to the Board of Education.
Diane Wendel
Diane and her family take great pride in living in
Chappaqua, and are involved in many community organizations and programs since
moving here in 2002. Diane is currently serving as PTA Chair for Roaring
Brook School,
where she has introduced numerous new initiatives including:
School Supplies fundraiser (now being offered by Bell
and Seven Bridges PTA)
Playground Cubs—structured playgroup for incoming
kindergarten families to meet current kindergarten families. This program has
been highly successful in making new families feel part of the community and
has raised new volunteers into our PTA programs.
Reading, Writing
& RecipeCookbook fundraiser—favorite recipes from Roaring Brook families,
friends, teachers, staff and local restaurants
Created and worked in conjunction with NCCTV to develop
Grade Level Music Performance DVDs that are chaptered with lyrics, actual music
performance, montage of photographs, etc.
Initiated Principal/Parent grade level coffees
Designed Roaring Brook’s new web page
As a breast cancer survivor, Diane is actively involved in a
variety of fundraising efforts and has personally raised over $100,000 to find
a cure for breast cancer in the last five years.
Professionally, Diane has worked in all aspects of real
estate, specializing in marketing, development and facilities management, and
later as an asset manager.
Diane has a daughter in Roaring
Brook School
and a son in Seven Bridges.
Allison Wintner
Allison is currently completing her term as Chappaqua PTA
President. Previously, she served as Chappaqua PTA Vice President for one year,
and one year each as Chair and Vice Chair of the Westorchard PTA. During her service, Allison has learned about
the operation of the school system, from both an educational and a budgetary
viewpoint. She also worked closely with
teachers at all grade levels, as well as district administrators, school board
members and building administrators.
During her almost full-time work in PTA executive positions,
Allison’s time and energy has been focused primarily on school policy, budget
issues and projects within the schools. Prior to her work on the PTA, Allison was chair and co-chair of the
Beginning Years Parent Association. Allison feels that serving on the Board of CSF will provide an
opportunity to continue to work on improving and enhancing our schools.
Professionally, Allison was a corporate tax attorney and
worked on a variety of large transactions. She explains that her work experiences
enables her to look at issues from a legal perspective, and that during her
year as Chappaqua PTA President, she was able to use her legal expertise to
formulate policy, and expects that this perspective will be helpful to the CSF
Board as well.
Allison has two daughters, one entering sixth grade at Seven
Bridges and the other will be a freshman at Greeley.
