The Montclair Public Library Foundation Adds Seven Board Members and Welcomes Back a Familiar Face – Baristanet

MONTCLAIR, NJ — The Montclair Public Library Foundation is excited to announce the appointment of seven new Directors to its Board, and welcomes back Rosemary Iversen, returning for a new term after a brief hiatus. Expanding the Board is one of the Foundation’s strategic priorities, which will strengthen and diversify its support for one of New Jersey’s premier libraries. The new Directors bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Foundation and a shared belief that the library is a vital community resource.

The expansion of the Board comes at an exciting time, as the search begins for a new Library Director and the Montclair community has become vocal in demanding more robust municipal support for the Library. The Foundation will continue to advocate for an expansion of library hours and staffing to match pre-pandemic levels and the needs of the community, while raising funds to enhance programming and support special projects.

Erica Barrett is a veteran New York City public school teacher, having taught English Language Arts and Fine Arts for twenty years before moving to Montclair with her husband and three children. Ms. Barrett currently serves as the Development Chair on the CASA of Essex County Board of Trustees.

Sheila Boyd has a long career in human resources, working previously at NPR and Microsoft. Ms. Boyd currently works at Disney, supporting ABC News Digital, and has provided diversity, equity & inclusion consulting for a variety of clients in the nonprofit space. Ms. Boyd’s nonprofit board experience also includes the Wight Foundation and KIPP NJ.

Aman D’Mello is a Montclair resident and licensed social worker with over 20 years of experience in the child welfare profession. Currently, she is the Senior Advocate Supervisor and Court Liaison for CASA for Children of Essex County. Ms. D’Mello also has extensive experience on non-profit boards, including The Children’s Law Center in NYC and the Brooklyn Young Mothers’ Collective.

Marni Jessup is a professional bookseller and lifelong volunteer, committed to the causes of mental health, public education advocacy and assisting underserved members of the community. She previously worked in the field of behavioral psychology and the fashion industry. Ms. Jessup serves on the board of directors for the Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence. She believes passionately in the power of books and libraries, and their ability to transform, educate, and nurture our well-being. Ms. Jessup and her husband, Gary, have two children, Sammy (13) and June (7).

Seo Hee Koh has worked in undergraduate admissions for almost 20 years. She is deeply committed to increasing access to college and vocational training for at-risk youth. She volunteers with New City Kids in Jersey City. She has degrees from Johns Hopkins and New York University. Ms. Koh and her husband moved to Montclair with their three kids in 2018.

Heather Moore is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at Meta, Inc. where she has led teams to building Facebook’s Oversight Board, an industry first, as well as other external governance solutions. An experienced appellate advocate, social justice and human rights attorney, Mrs. Moore most recently served at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey. Mrs. Moore is a lifelong lover of books, and resides in town with her husband Roddy and their two children.

Jason Tanz is special projects editor at Apple News. Before that he worked as an editor and writer at WIRED magazine, where he wrote several cover stories about the intersection of technology, business, and culture. He’s also the author of the 2007 book “Other People’s Property: A Shadow History of Hip-Hop in White America,” and his writing has appeared in the New York Times, Fortune, Esquire, and many other publications. Mr. Tanz and his wife Denise Cante have lived in Montclair since 2010. They have two children, ages 12 and 5.

Rosemary Iversen is President of Montclair Holdings. A teacher of ESL/Spanish and English in the 1960s and ‘70s, Ms. Iversen has long been a leader in the community. Ms. Iversen has served on the boards of Unity Concerts, Essex Arts Council, YWCA Montclair, Luna Stage, Whole Theatre, the John J. Cali School of Music Board of Advisors at Montclair State University, the Foundation Board of BlueWaveNJ, the President’s Council of the National Breast Cancer Coalition, and the Bloomfield College Board of Trustees.

“We are thrilled to have been asked to join the Foundation Board, and look forward to adding our voices to the broad support already expressed by the Montclair community for full and generous municipal funding for our exceptional library,” says incoming Director Heather Moore.

Mary Packer, Executive Director of the Montclair Public Library Foundation, adds, “The Foundation has an aspirational vision of the Library as a vibrant community centerpiece that embraces innovation. We believe that the Montclair Public Library is poised to reclaim its legacy as a model for New Jersey and the Nation. With the talent, passion, and resources of these new Board members we will continue to work and advocate for long-term investment and pride in the Library.”

For more information on the Montclair Public Library Foundation, visit https://montclairplf.org/