Board of Directors
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.
Emily Hagen is an executive coach, leadership and organizational consultant and owner of Hagen Leadership Consulting. She has over 20 years experience working as a management consultant, HR leader and coach at leading management consulting, payments and financial services organizations. Emily received a MBA from Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management and a BBA from the University of San Diego. She has lived on both coasts of the U.S. and currently lives in Montclair with her husband, two children and dog.
Jared Miller is a graduate of the University of Michigan. He currently is head of Debt Investor Relations at Citadel, a financial service firm. He spent 16 years in Investor Relations at Goldman Sachs where he helped lead the firm’s engagement with debt and equity investors and research analysts. Jared and his wife, Shara, are kept busy by their three children (who attend Hillside, Nishuane and pre-school). For the past few years Jared has been involved as a recreational soccer coach for his kids in Montclair United.
Jennifer Dann Phillips earned Master’s degrees in Public Administration and Women’s studies from New York University, and a Bachelor’s degree in English and Arts History from Tufts University. Jennifer worked extensively in development, marketing, and program analysis at Clara Maass Medical Center, St. Vincent’s Medical Center, the Anti-Defamation League, St. Martin’s Press, and the NYC Equal Employment Practices Commission. Jennifer has lived in Montclair since 1999, raising three daughters with her husband and lovingly renovating and restoring a century-old home. Jennifer is a book artist of handmade books and paper. She volunteers at MPL, Temple Sholom of West Essex and Master Gardeners of Essex County.
Jennifer Amore, along with her husband and two step-sons, is relatively new to the Montclair community. Jennifer transitioned from a career in government to a prominent role in the corporate world. Originally from New York, she moved to Montclair via Washington D.C. and Brooklyn. Jennifer spent nearly a decade at the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, focusing on the protection of nonimmigrant and agricultural workers. Five years ago, she returned to New York and joined American Express, where she now serves as Vice President of Global Strategy, Enablement, and Risk. Her career is dedicated to ensuring fairness, equity, and equal opportunity.
Beyond her professional life, Jennifer is deeply involved in community service. She has served as Auction Chairperson for the D.C. Taste of the Nation event benefiting No Kid Hungry, and volunteered with D.C. Central Kitchen and Red Hook Community Farms. She currently serves on the MPL Foundation’s Lit Gala Committee. Jennifer holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Mary Washington College and a J.D. from New York Law School. Jen has been a proud library card holder in every city she has lived in and believes that books are the gateway to possibility and that libraries allow for unconditional access.
Eileen Brackenbury has worked in the historic preservation field for 15+ years in New York, Boston, and San Francisco, on projects including the Public Theater in NYC, the California State Capitol, and the Yale University Art Gallery. She previously worked in magazine publishing and as a web producer. She received a Master’s degree in Historic Preservation from Boston University and a Bachelor’s degree in History and Dance from Connecticut College. Prior to moving to Montclair in 2021, she served on the board of the Wellesley Education Foundation. Spending time at libraries is both Eileen’s job and her passion. Eileen lives in Montclair with her husband, their three children, and two cats.
Michael Cocco is a Certified Financial Planner and the Managing Partner of Beacon Wealth Partners (a platinum firm within Equitable Advisors). He has been inducted into the Equitable Advisors Hall of Fame and attended the Equitable Institute at Harvard University. Mike earned a B.S. in Economics from Penn State University and is past president of the Northern New Jersey chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association and served as an at-large director of the Penn State Smeal College of Business Alumni Society Board. He also previously was a board member of the Four Diamonds Fund, which has a mission to conquer childhood cancer, as well as board member with the Nutley Family Service Bureau, an organization that helps provide affordable mental and health counseling and social service programs. Mike currently resides in Montclair with his wife, Katie, and their children, Rosie and Charlie.
James Cotter is an educator, writer, activist, volunteer and 36-year resident of Montclair. Cotter has taught history at Columbia High School for 28 years. He is a writer and researcher for two television shows: “Talking in Circles with Clint Black” and “Austin City Limits: Country”. He is a partner and creative director for Spot On! Creative Group, a communications and design firm with a diverse roster of clients ranging from healthcare to the visual arts. Cotter sits on the Montclair Celebrates July 4 th Committee and helps mount the region’s largest July 4 th parade. He is the Ward 4 District 8 Leader for the Democratic County Committee. Cotter is a founding member of Radio Free Montclair and hosts a local politics program, “Public Comment” where he interviews civic leaders and citizens about issues and ideas that impact our community. He is a member of the Cloverhill Place/Grove Terrace Neighborhood Association, an advocacy group that focuses on pedestrian safety, sustainable development and amazing block parties. Cotter is also a volunteer for the Watchung and Buzz Aldrin PTAs and is active in the YMCA Adventure Guides program. Cotter is married to the wonderful Mary Sok and has two joyous sons, Felix and Ronan.
Aman D’Mello is a licensed social worker with over twenty years of experience advocating for vulnerable children and families. Currently, she works at the Newark Board of Education to identify and address the needs of children with disabilities. 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. She is a volunteer advocate for CASA for Children of Essex County and a member of AAPI-Montclair. Ms. D’Mello lives in Montclair with her husband and their two children.
Dagmara Domińczyk immigrated to the United States from Poland at the age of seven. Her father was a founding member of the labor union Solidarnosc which endeavored to bring down the totalitarian regime in Poland, and the family arrived in NYC as political refugees in 1983. Dag grew up in Flatbush, across from the street from a branch of the beloved Brooklyn Public Library, which she went to every day. After graduating from LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts, and subsequently from Carnegie Mellon’s prestigious School of Drama, Dagmara embarked on an acting career. For over twenty years now, she has worked in films, television, and on-and-off Broadway. Aside from acting, Dag’s other passion is writing. Her debut novel “The Lullaby of Polish Girls” was published by Random House in 2011 and she is currently working on a follow-up book. Dag lives in Montclair, NJ with her husband, actor Patrick Wilson, and their two teenage sons.
Veronica Harris learned to be a change leader from an early age. The fifth of six children in a military family, she developed adaptability and organizational skills from their frequent relocations. These traits have been instrumental in her career as an independent coach and consultant specializing in talent management, strategic implementation, and process optimization for schools and non-profits.
Starting her career as a corporate trainer, Veronica spent over a decade managing programs and systems at Fortune 500 companies in the hospitality and senior living sectors. This experience sharpened her project management skills and her ability to facilitate adult learning. In 2015, she transitioned to education by joining the Broad Residency for Urban Education, where she worked with a charter management organization in Newark, NJ. There, she led strategic projects, managed teams, and excelled in problem-solving and turning abstract ideas into actionable solutions.
Residing in Montclair with her husband and two children since 2017, Veronica enjoys reading physical books, attending fitness classes, and volunteering. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Government from the University of Virginia, a Master’s in Organization Development from American University/National Training Laboratories, and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from The Broad Center (now housed at The Yale University School of Management).
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.
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).
Susan Mellin is Director of Advancement at the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Previously she held senior development roles at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. She has held development positions in a number of cultural and arts intuitions during her over 30 year career. She earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and a Masters in Art History and Museum Studies from Case Western Reserve University. She and her family have lived in Montclair for 18 years.
Jennifer Mellish has a B.S. in Public Health and a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey. She earned her Juris Doctor from Rutgers Law School, Newark, New Jersey. Following law school, she clerked for the Honorable Melvin S. Whitken, J.S.C., (Ret'd.), Presiding Judge, Family Part, Union County. She then entered private practice. Her passion for helping families inspired her to become a CASA advocate four years ago, where she volunteers her time helping foster children. She has served on the Executive Board of the Watchung Elementary School PTA and has managed many fundraising efforts for the Montclair Public Schools. Promoting Literacy among elementary students is of special importance to Jennifer and she has led the Watchung School Book Fair since 2012. She has also served as a Girl Scouts Leader for many years. More recently, she has become an advocate in the Right to Read movement. Jennifer is an avid reader, as are her three children. She believes that books can broaden your perspectives, brighten your world and most importantly should be accessible to everyone. Jennifer has lived in Montclair since 2011 with her husband Andrew, children Henry, Mabel and Eden plus the family's two dogs.
Henry Neff is the author-illustrator of six fantasy novels, including the 5-book “Tapestry” series (Random House) and IMPYRIUM (HarperCollins). Henry’s books have been translated into twenty languages and received critical acclaim, such as starred reviews, the Texas Bluebonnet and Lone-Star lists, the Missouri Truman Award, and Entertainment Weekly’s “Middle Grade Book of the Year”. His first novel for adults, THE WITCHSTONE, will arrive in 2024. Henry is a graduate of Cornell University and lives in Montclair, New Jersey with his wife and two boys. Before becoming a writer, he taught history at a high school in San Francisco and was a consultant for McKinsey & Company.
George Oliphant is a multifaceted TV personality and skilled contractor known for his work on NBC’s Emmy-winning show "George to the Rescue." A Steamboat Springs, CO native and University of Colorado Boulder graduate, Oliphant started his career in regional children’s theater before becoming a competitive skier and extreme sports enthusiast. Early in his career, he worked as a “Gascaster” for Nickelodeon and was MTV’s first VJ, launching the channel in 2003. His work at Vail Resorts earned him the title “Face of Skier Safety,” and he later hosted MTV’s “Music in High Def.”
In 2007, he co-founded LXTV, which NBCUniversal acquired in 2008, and contributed to the show “1st Look,” showcasing his adventurous spirit through activities like skydiving and white-water kayaking. Oliphant’s engaging real estate segment on “Open House” inspired the creation of “George to the Rescue,” where he and his team have transformed homes and lives through home improvement projects. Residing in Upper Montclair, New Jersey, with his wife, four children, and dog Sugar, Oliphant has been renovating his 1914 family home since 2009.
Elizabeth Rich leads the Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship + Innovation at Montclair State University, where she works closely with both student and community entrepreneurs and small business owners to create impactful programs to support their professional expansion. In a career spanning more than 20 years in advertising, marketing and development, Liz worked at a number of major advertising and media firms as well as for A+E Networks and AOL/Huffington Post before coming to Montclair State. Ms. Rich received her undergraduate degree in Journalism from the University of Colorado at Boulder and has lived with her twin sons in Montclair since 2013. Liz served as a proud board member of the Montclair Community Pre-K, and as PTA Co-Vice President at the Watchung School. Liz is currently a Board member with the Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence (MFEE) and serves on the Executive Board of the Montclair Center Business Improvement District (BID).
Robert Tortoriello, Esq. is Senior Counsel to Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP where he was partner from 1982-2015. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at Columbia University, teaching American Constitutional History. Bob took his undergraduate degree from St. Peter's University in History and Economics within the Honors Program, summa cum laude and valedictorian. He received his law degree, magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School. Bob is a member of the Advisory Board of the St. Peter's University School of Business and serves on the boards of several other educational and community institutions (including the Montclair Art Museum). Bob and his family have lived in Montclair since 1977.
Jason Tanz is editor-in-chief at Lyft. Before that he worked as special projects editor at Apple News, and 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 13 and 5.
Max Tourtelot is a Senior Director with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) where he develops surveillance reports and leads multiple investigative teams responsible for OTC and listed option rule violations. Max was raised in Los Angeles before graduating from the University of California, Berkeley. An avid reader, Max also enjoys tennis, golf and kayaking. While always a Dodger fan, Max lived in New York City for 15 years before moving to Montclair, where he lives with his wife and two daughters.
