Board & Advisory Council

Jordan is Special Assistant to the President and Director of Strategic Partnerships at Felician University. In addition, he is the Shared Services Czar for the state of NJ reporting directly to the Governor. Formerly, Jordan was Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Community Foundation of New Jersey. For the bulk of his career, he was President and CEO of Magla Products, a $100+ million, nationally recognized household consumer products company selling to all classes of trade. A graduate of Drew University where he later served as a trustee, Jordan is a former two-term Mayor of Summit and served as an at-large councilman in the town. Volunteerism is an important part of Jordan’s life. He resides in Springfield with his wife.

David Naidu is a Partner at K&L Gates, a global law firm. He has more than 20 years of experience advising clients on environmental and land-use issues and has been recognized as a New York Metro Region Super Lawyer and by Chambers.  He has written a book on biotechnology and nanotechnology published by Oxford University Press and Lexus/Nexus. He served on Summit Common Council – including two years as Council President–  as well as on the Planning Board and Environmental Commission in Summit. David graduated from Vassar College, Cornell University and Georgetown Law School. He is the President of The Summit Conservancy and serves on the Reeves-Reed Arboretum Board.  He has lived in Summit for 20 years with his wife, Andrea, and two sons.

Clark retired in 2022 from Foresters Financial where he served as Chief Investment Officer.  He has over 35 years of experience in financial markets in senior management and portfolio management positions.  Prior to Foresters Financial, Clark worked for General Electric and American Express in investment management roles.  He graduated from Williams College with a B.A. in History and a Masters in International Relations from Columbia University. Clark joined the GSWA board in 2020.

In addition to the Great Swamp, Clark is involved with various non-profit organizations on Nantucket.  Clark has lived in Chatham with his wife, Andrea, for over 30 years.

Charlie was born in New York City and grew up in Manhasset on Long Island before attending Haverford College where he received a BA in Economics and Political Science. While living in New York City several years later Charlie attended Columbia University where he earned a MBA. After graduation he spent 5 years working in corporate finance for Irving Trust and then The Bank of New York. Throughout his career and personal development Charlie fostered his interest in small business and becoming an entrepreneur. Subsequently he was a founder of Ciao Bella Gelato Company which was a frozen dessert company based in NYC and then NJ, which was subsequently sold to private equity. He is now CEO of Sarabeth’s Kitchen which is a small retail food business with over 18 restaurants and a wholesale business that serves customers in the United States, Asia and the Middle East. Charlie’s interests outside of the food space include mentorships with several small food startups, Chair and Board Director of the Specialty Food Association and now a growing commitment to helping improve the environment and educating the younger generation about the importance of issues that include sustainability, regenerative farming and generally a balance that preserves global resources and nature for the future.
Charlie recently moved from Bernardsville, where he raised two children, to Morristown with his wife, Kathleen, who works passionately with the Somerset County Parks Commission at Leonard J. Buck Garden, and looks forward to supporting the tremendously important efforts of GSWA.

Reed has been a GSWA member since 2000 and has served on the GSWA Advisory Council for the last six months. He recently completed his tenure as a member of the Board of Trustees at Franklin & Marshall College and currently serves on the Advisory Board of Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs and the Board of the Structured Finance Industry Group. Recognized as one of the nation’s leading structured finance lawyers, Reed currently serves as the global leader of the structured transactions group at Morgan Lewis in New York City. Reed and his wife reside in Bernardsville.

Born in Morristown and raised in New Vernon, Kate graduated from The College of Charleston then attended graduate school at University College London where she pursued a degree in Environment and Sustainable Development. Passionate about her home state, she moved back to New Jersey and worked in environmental policy in New York and New Jersey. She earned her real estate license in order to work in her hometown with her father, Jim Barry. Kate currently lives in Harding with her husband and family, which includes a cat, donkey, and two goats.

Lydia Chambers, Co-Chair of Friends of the Drew Forest, has worked as an environmental organizer in the Chatham-Madison area for 20 years. Her involvement with GSWA began at her childrens’ school where she organized the the watershed demonstration for third graders. She also initiated GSWA’s successful native plant sale and has assisted since its inception in 2021. Lydia served on the Chatham Township Planning Board and Open Space Committee for over a decade. In conjunction with the Environmental Commission, she led several environmental campaigns that were later used as models for communities around NJ. In 2008, Lydia co-founded a social business called Back2Tap working with schools, non-profits, and corporations nation-wide to raise awareness about bottled water and promoting reusable bottles. With a BA in Earth Science from Dartmouth College and an MS in Geological Sciences from the University of Colorado, Lydia worked in the oil industry for 9 years as a geological engineer and hydrogeologist.

Gerry-Jo was the #1 producer at Turpin Real Estate in 2016 and consistently ranks among the top agent’s in the market area. She has a New Jersey Real Estate Broker’s license and has achieved membership in Turpin’s Million-Dollar Club/President’s Club every year since joining
the company in 1987. Gerry-Jo has been a resident of Bernardsville since 1978, moving there from Summit, and has lived in New Jersey throughout her life. Currently she is serving on the Bernardsville Historic Preservation Advisory Committee.

Marilyn Dee, a long-time supporter of GSWA, lives in Harding Twp. As a former 30-plus year resident of Bernardsville, Marilyn served that community as a member, co-chair and chair of the Town Board of Adjustment for 7 years, and as a 12 year member of the Open Space Committee.  She currently serves on the the Board of the Bernardsville Garden Club as co-chair of civic improvement. Marilyn has a Bachelor of Science degree in business from Fairleigh Dickinson University. She enjoys gardening with her husband, Michael, and reading with her book group friends.

Michael first joined GSWA’s Board of Trustees in the 1990s. He served as Board Chair 2014-2015, and as Vice Chair in 2012, 2013, 2018, and 2019. He has been an avid supporter of the organization and our annual Gala. Michael is a longtime Executive Vice President of Smarties Candy Company, performing a variety of roles in that family business. He cut his activist teeth and breathed a lot of teargas with Peace marches and precursors of BLM Marches in the 60’s and 70’s. He continues to passionately support important causes like GSWA. He is a strong proponent of eradicating invasive plants and landscaping with natives, principles he demonstrates on his own properties. Michael earned his Bachelor of Arts from Yale College, as well as a Master of Letters and Doctor of Letters from Drew University. He is very active with a wide variety of environmental, animal rights, and other non-profit groups, from Trustees of Reservations to Mercy for Animals. He also serves on the Board of the Ethos Farm Project, a regenerative organic farm in Long Valley in Long Valley, NJ. Michael and his wife Marilyn (also a Board member) now split residence between homes in Harding Township and Stockbridge, MA. They enjoy their play time with daughters and grandchildren, as well as gardening. Michael is also an avid adult hockey player.

Anthony is a partner with the law firm of McKirdy, Riskin, Olson & DellaPelle, located in Morris Plains. He has practiced eminent domain, redevelopment and real estate tax appeal law for over 35 years, and served as the Chair of the GSWA Board of Trustees in 2021 and 2022. Tony is a Certified Civil Trial Attorney by the NJ Supreme Court and is the current First Vice Chair of the Counselors of Real Estate, an international organization of real estate advisors and consultants who are recognized as thought leaders in the industry, with about 1,000 members around the world. He is also the New Jersey representative of Owners Counsel of America, an association of national property rights attorneys that limits is membership to one attorney per state.  He has written numerous published articles on property rights topics and lectures regularly on eminent domain and property rights issues in New Jersey and to national audiences of attorneys and other real estate professionals. He has served as a Trustee at his undergraduate alma mater, Franklin & Marshall College, and is also a past president of the Franklin & Marshall College Alumni Association. Tony was an officer of the Board of Trustees of the NJ Hall of Fame Foundation, as well as a long-time trustee and officer of the NJ Association of the Deaf-Blind. He and his wife, Gwenn, are the proud parents of three adult children and have resided in Morris Township for more than 30 years.

Raised in Nebraska, Carolyn graduated from the College of William & Mary with a degree in Russian/Soviet Studies and Spanish. She turned down an opportunity for a career in covert operations for the CIA for a career in the performing arts, a lifelong passion, based in NYC. She later attended the Bank Street Graduate School of Education pursuing a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education. She and her husband moved their young family to Chatham in 2001 where she works teaching music and Spanish. She has been very active volunteering in Chatham through the public schools in various roles, and in her church, serving as Assistant Minister, and being elected to serve two terms on the church council. She served on the Historic Preservation Commission and in 2018 was elected to the Chatham Borough Council, winning re-election in 2021. Two of her most rewarding efforts on Borough Council are co-founding the Chatham Community Food Distribution in April 2020 which still serves 50-60 families weekly, and her work on the Passaic Riverside Trail, which she is working on expanding and enhancing. She looks forward to serving GSWA by expanding our reach and environmental missions all along the Passaic and beyond. 

Todd, a recent retiree, spent most of his career as a corporate Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) attorney. Admitted to the New Jersey Bar and the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States, his in-house practice handled complex EHS compliance and regulatory issues and led efforts to develop and implement compliance and sustainability programs. Todd served on the Chatham Twp. Environmental Committee for six years and is a current Elks Club member. He also gives back by assisting with corporate pro-bono programs through the Legal Aid Society. In his spare time, Todd like to travel and play golf, tennis, and paddle tennis.

An attorney at Schenck, Price, Smith & King, Eric is certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney. He co-chairs Schenck, Price, Smith & King’s Litigation Department and its Commercial Litigation Practice Group. Additionally, he is the past president and current board member of the Morristown and Morris Township Library Foundation, and past president and current member of the West Morris Soccer Club. Eric resides in Mendham with his wife and children.

Ralph is a retired insurance executive. Among other notable companies, he worked for Chubb Insurance. He is currently the President of the Mars Essex Horse Trials, an annual event taking place in Far Hills, NJ that benefits the Greater Newark Life Camp. Ralph and his wife Lynn live in Tewksbury and have many ties to the Great Swamp watershed. They are avid equestrians and supporters of a clean and healthy  environment and the preservation of open space.

Susan Kessel, General Manager and Sales Manager of Chatham Print and Design, is the second-generation owner of this family business. A graduate of Cook College, Rutgers University (now known as the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences) Susan’s personal passions include the environment and animals. She is a member of the North American Butterfly Association and the Native Plant Society of NJ and is knowledgeable about and planting vegetables and native flowers, using organic growing methods for the health of her family and the environment. Susan also volunteers with her husband, Scott, at the Mount Pleasant Animal Shelter fostering special needs cats and kittens. As a personal creative outlet, Susan is a knitter and handweaver, and a member of the Jockey Hollow Weavers guild. She has several looms and enjoys the practice and creativity of weaving.

Adam is currently Director of Strategic Initiatives and a Relationship Manager for Glenmede. Prior to joining Glenmede, Adam was Principal, Team Leader and Senior Client Advisor at Bessemer Trust Company in New York.
Adam has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature from Franklin & Marshall College, a Bachelor of Arts degree in creative writing studies from Brown University, and a Master of Arts degree in liberal studies and economics from New York University. He is a graduate of the Canon Trust School and the ABA Bank Officer’s Compliance program.
Adam is an active participant in several community and charitable organizations including a Trustee and former President of the Board for  SAGE Eldercare, and a member of the Strategic Planning Committee and former Trustee of The Discovery Orchestra. He is also an active member of Vistage.
He and his wife Celia recently moved from Summit to Far Hills.

Dr. David A. Robinson is a Distinguished Professor of Geography at Rutgers University and New Jersey’s State Climatologist. He has expertise in the collection and archiving of accurate climatic data and is interested in climate change (particularly state and regional climate issues), global snow cover dynamics, and interactions of snow cover with other climate elements. As state climatologist, he works with a wide array of user communities who require climatological expertise to solve problems.  Dave has been a member of the National Academy of Sciences’ Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, is past president of the American Association of State Climatologists, has received the Lifetime Achievement award of the American Association of Geographers, and is a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society.

Carolyn’s nearly 20-year career in the nonprofit sector began in direct service to underserved populations and was the catalyst to pursue fundraising as a career. She developed her skills in institutional advancement for health and education organizations which led to the management of multi-year, sustainable fundraising and development projects. Carolyn earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Stony Brook University and a master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from Milano School of International Affairs, Management, and Urban Policy in New York City. She is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE); has a certificate in Planned Giving authorized by University of California, Davis; and sits on the Marketing and Communications Committee for Philanthropic Planning Group of Greater New York. She lives in Bloomfield, NJ.

Lisa began volunteering with GSWA in 2003 due to her strong commitment to the environment and her appreciation of the organization. When she and her husband, Wes, married in 2007 they requested that in lieu of gifts, guests make a donation to GSWA. Over the years Lisa’s passion for the organization grew so did her involvement, and she joined the board in 2010. Taking a year off in 2017, she is once again an active GSWA board member. In addition to all her volunteer work, Lisa is a Public Safety Product Support Lead at Verint Systems Inc.

Dot is a returning GSWA board member who has served several terms on the board in the past, most recently from 2012-2017. A member and active volunteer since 1995, Dot offers her institutional history of the area and the organization. In addition, Dot serves as Chatham Township Environmental Commission Chair. During the summer she works in the nature program of the Silver Bay YMCA on Lake George in New York. With a B.S. in mathematics from the University of Rochester, an M.S. in mathematics from Yale, and additional computer science coursework at NYU, Dot enjoyed a 40-year career as a computer systems consultant at Bell Labs before retiring in 2000. Dot resides in Chatham Township with her husband, Frank, who is also an active GSWA volunteer.

Stacey is a partner at Avelino Law, LLP, working with A. Jude Avelino to lead the Trusts and Estates practice group. A graduate of Colgate University and Washington & Lee University School of Law, Stacey assists individuals and families in achieving their wealth planning goals. She handles income, estate, inheritance, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax issues, and helps clients maximize the benefits of charitable giving. Stacey is a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, and the Morris County Bar Association and serves on the Board of Estate Planning Council of Northern New Jersey, the Board of the Women’s Association for the Morristown Medical Center, and the Board of the Morristown Club.

Meisha is an experienced digital strategist and social impact advocate who supports commercial and nonprofit organizations as their DEI and marketing expert with her firm Phase One Strategy, LLC. Over the last 20 years, she has honed her skills working with companies and brands such as Sports Illustrated, FOX, American Idol, Bloomberg, MySpace and United Way. A tireless women’s rights advocate, Meisha serves as Board Member for UN Women USA’s New York chapter. She firmly believes in the power of paying it forward – allowing everyone from all backgrounds to reach for their full potential.

Brett is currently Vice President of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. in New York where he manages the financial crime risk and operational risk associated with the Commercial Banking Group’s merger, acquisition, and divestiture activity.  Prior to this, Brett worked as Associate Director of Standard Chartered Bank, Newark, NJ where he co-led the Controls Operations Group. He holds a Master of Arts in International Business and Policy from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Finance from Ramapo College of New Jersey. Brett resides with his wife Stephanie and new baby, Mackenzie Grace, in Morristown, NJ.