OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS – 2021 – 2022
President, Ann Lippel: During her 40 year career – first at New Jersey institute of Technology (NJIT) and then at University of Medicine and Dentistry (UMDNJ) – Ann focused her communication and technology skills toward development of the nascent distance learning educational system. She also served as Executive Director of the Eastern Educational Consortium. Serving her community as Chair of the Montclair Senior Citizens Advisory Committee for three terms and as Housing Commission member, she is now a founding member of The Gateway to Aging in Place. Ms. Lippel was a 2021 nominee for the AARP Andrus Award and in 2018 one of the recipients of the Partners for Health Community Impact Award.
First Vice President for Community Relations, Roger Terry: Retired from 35 year career in Montclair Police Force. Served as Montclair’s Deputy Mayor, 2008 -2012. Currently President of Montclair Branch of the NAACP, past Board Member of the Montclair Senior Citizens Advisory Council (SCAC) and Chair of Community Sub-committee of the COVID Task Force.
Second Vice President for Development, Frank Millspaugh: During his career, Frank was general manager of a public radio station, chief development officer of a major public television station, executive director of a New York City media access institution, and development consultant to many nonprofit organizations. He is now involved in documentary film projects and in Montclair housing issues.
Secretary, Susan Craig: Susan and her family moved to Montclair in 1980 and, except for the years when she and her husband lived abroad, has remained committed to living in this town. During the years living in different countries, she observed how communities respond to and support their older residents, a background she brings to her involvement in the G.A.P. She was an ESL teacher of adults and worked with people from diverse cultures, languages and backgrounds; after her retirement she was a volunteer tutor with Literacy Volunteers of Northern NJ. She was the Co-Chair of the Senior Citizens Advisory Committee.
Treasurer, Louella Dudley: Retired after 37 years of service as Director and /or Administrator of various health-related programs located in hospitals, e.g., Interfaith Medical Center, Baruch College, Community -based Alcoholism Treatment Centers, and New York City Department of Health. Louella developed, implemented, coordinated, and supervised service delivery and was Co-Chair of the Montclair Senior Citizen Advisory Committee. She is active in AARP, Montclair Arts Museum, Newark Museum, and other civic organizations.
Director of Public Relations, Ellie Bagli: Retired from a 40-plus year career in public relations working with top toy companies including Mattel and Fisher-Price, as well as major consumer products companies. She worked with Sesame Workshop and spearheaded the campaign that established Tickle Me Elmo as a cultural icon. She brings a history of social justice work and community organizing from her post-graduate years. Upon retirement, she joined SCAC as secretary. She also works with the UUCM Undoing Racism team. A founding member of Montclair Gateway, she has helped execute the Campaign to Vaccination, registering more than 100 senior residents of Montclair.
Director of Special Events, James Eason: A lifelong Montclair resident, Jim has been instrumental in organizing community programs like the Fourth of July Parade, African American Heritage Day, et.al. A Veteran of the Vietnam War, Jim is also an active advocate for gun safety and veteran’s rights.
Director of Client Services, Gail Abramowitz: After a long and successful career in healthcare and nutrition, Gail finds herself immersed in volunteer efforts to improve the community. She was an SCAC Board Member, and currently works with Lifelong Montclair, Mountainside Hospital, and the Medical Reserve Corps. She considers it a privilege to work with mGAP to enhance the lives of seniors by providing social, emotional, and other support services that are synergistic to those already available in our community.
Director of Research, Jeanette Jimenez: Jean is an accomplished business professional in the financial and academic industries with an extensive background in communications, training and development and proven administrative support to senior management. She worked with a technical school to teach computer skills.
Officer Annette Weis: Annette Weis was the Director of Development at Essex County College where she secured private and government funding and re-established The ECC Foundation. Ms. Weis served as Vice President for Human Resources with the Barnabas Health System for over ten years. Early in her career, she worked for Marcom, Inc., a long range strategic planning company with Fortune 500 companies and governmental agencies as clients. Currently the president of Aging in Montclair, her volunteer work includes: past president and current advisor to The American Society of Dowsers, a 3000 member international educational and scientific organization; and trustee in charge of programming for over ten years with the Metaphysical Society for New Jersey.
Officer Margaret Miele: Margaret Miele is a retired clinical social worker. For much of her fifty year career, she worked in health care settings, often with seniors in different specialty areas. She was the director of the Social Work Department at Saint Barnabas Medical Center and also had a private practice. Currently she is doing volunteer outreach with Jewish Family Service of MetroWest.
Officer Carol Schlein Esq: Carol Schlein is an attorney and President of Law Office Systems, a legal technology consulting firm. For over three decades, she has helped law firms improve their use of technology. Now she is applying those technical know-how skills to the design and implementation of the Montclair Gateway to Digital Equity project. Carol is also an active community volunteer, e.g. with the Montclair Scholarship Fund, the Montclair Film Festival, and not least as Co-President of the Montclair Women’s Club.
Officer Marilyn Graham: A resident of Montclair for more than three decades, Marilyn Graham taught Math at Passaic High School while serving simultaneously on the Passaic Board of Education. She has worked at the Social Security Administration and is both professionally and personally aware of the difficulties many retirees confront in their effort to age in place. An active member and co-founder of the Montclair Senior Housing Action Group, she is concerned that many older members of our community must “settle elsewhere due to lack of an affordable range of housing options here.” She is actively working to remedy that deficiency.
