Women of Achievement 2023 Tribute Journal

Thursday, April 20, 2023

Welcome

Pledge of Allegiance and Girl Scout Promise

Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey

Greetings

Sandra A. Kenoff

President/Chief Executive Officer, Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey

Shanna Jafri

1st Vice Chair, Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey

Caroline Fairchild, CFRE

Chief Development Officer, Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey

2023 Honoree Award Presentation

Dr. Jabeen Ahmed

Colleen Fay, CPA, MST

Danielle Nebres, Mitzi Golbek Spirit of Girl Scouting Award

Samantha Plotino, Elinor J. Ferdon Young Woman of Promise

Presentations by Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey

Mission Moment

Thank You

Sandra A. Kenoff

President/Chief Executive Officer, Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey

Post-Awards Celebration

Coffee, Cocktails, and Desserts in the Main Lounge

A Message from the Board Chair and President/CEO

Welcome Girl Scout friends and supporters to our 43rd Annual Women of Achievement gala. We are honored to recognize these phenomenal women for their contributions and leadership in their fields of work and their communities, and for being role models to our future generations of leaders. Now, more than ever, it is important for us to honor individuals who are doing extraordinary things during extraordinary times.

Today we are privileged to recognize:

Dr. Jabeen Ahmed Medical Director

Sheefa Pharmacy & Wellness Center

Samantha Plotino Executive Director The Provident Bank Foundation

Colleen Fay, CPA, MST Tax Partner Withum

Danielle Nebres Girl Scout Volunteer & Entrepreneur

Thank you for joining us at the Westmount Country Club as we celebrate these incredible women. We are thankful for your support of Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey. On behalf of the Board of Directors, we congratulate our honorees and thank them for their leadership.

We are also grateful to our sponsors and guests for supporting our annual Women of Achievement gala, which allows us to expand the impact and reach of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience across northern New Jersey.

Together with your support, we will continue in our mission to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

Invest in Girls. Change the World.

With Sincere Appreciation,

Bette M. Simmons, Ed.D. Board Chair

Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey

Sandra A. Kenoff President/CEO

Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey

A Message from Bonnie Barczykowski, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA

Dear Friends,

Role models and mentors have never been more important for young girls. In this time when girls are facing a wide range of challenges and obstacles in their day to day lives, role models and mentors offer valuable guidance on how to navigate the world with confidence, open them up to new experiences, and give them insights into the possibilities and opportunities that are out there to be seized.

Every year, Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey’s Women of Achievement event celebrates honorees who embody the spirit of mentorship that is embedded in the Girl Scout mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

On behalf of the entire Girl Scout Movement, I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to this year’s Women of Achievement honorees:

Dr. Jabeen Ahmed, Colleen Fay, Samantha Plotino, and Danielle Nebres.

These women are all exceptional leaders within their fields and amazing role models. They reflect the vision and values of the Girl Scout mission and are breaking barriers and making an incredible impact in their communities across northern New Jersey. I am so grateful for their leadership.

Yours in Girl Scouting,

Bonnie Barczykowski

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Innovator Level Sponsors

Leader Level Sponsors

Dr. Jabeen Ahmed Medical Director

Sheefa Pharmacy & Wellness Center

Dr. Jabeen Ahmed is a public healthcare professional with 29 years of experience in community healthcare and outreach, clinical pharmacy practice, and pro bono substance abuse counseling and rehabilitation. She is a commissioner on the Board of Social Services of Passaic County, appointed to the New Jersey State Board of Pharmacy, advisor to the Paterson Coalition Against Substance Abuse and serves several other boards and organizations.

She is the co-founder of Sheefa Pharmacy & Wellness Center, a community-based pharmacy, serving the pharmaceutical, medical, social, and educational public needs of Northern New Jersey and surrounding areas. Her work provided critical pharmacy services to patients during Covid, including the donation of PPE, personal protection equipment, free Covid testing and a vaccination program assisting the city of Paterson to reach a 95% vaccination rate in 2021.

She is also an entrepreneur, the founder of Fit Female, an allwomen’s fitness center, providing a safe and healthy environment for women to focus on their health. Part of the proceeds of the membership funded organizations abetting antihuman trafficking, anti-domestic violence, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and several other women and children focused organizations.

Jabeen is a partner at Antika Grill, a Lebanese restaurant in Montclair, NJ, committed to serving the needs of food scarcity issues in collaboration with Toni’s Kitchen, a local food bank. She has provided over 1000 meals to homebound seniors during the pandemic and continues to address the inner-city food deficits.

She is dedicated to the healthcare needs of the public in a diverse manner, covering a multitude of facets of healthcare, including preventative testing, psychological counseling, and pharmaceutical and social needs.

Colleen Fay, CPA, MST

Tax Partner Withum

Colleen Fay has 20 years of experience in accounting and focuses in the alternative investment industry. Her expertise is in tax compliance and consulting for hedge funds, private equity funds, venture capital funds, funds of funds, general partners, and management companies.

Actively involved in the firm’s internal best practices and continuing professional education program, Colleen develops course curriculum and provides instruction for national and local training seminars. As the firm’s Women in Financial Services Group leader, Colleen oversees networking events and educational seminars for women entrepreneurs, providing opportunities for professional development and further empowering women within the financial services space. Colleen is passionate about this initiative because it provides the opportunity to advocate for our women team members and colleagues across the industry and supports them as they grow into the next generation of leaders.

Colleen channels this same passion for developing the next generation when it comes to her family. She is the Troop Leader for her daughter Lilly’s Junior Girl Scout troop and her daughter Hannah’s Girl Scout Brownie troop. She enjoys the time spent with the girls working together to tackle challenges, increase their confidence, and look to a future without limitations.

Outside of the office, when she’s not spending time with her family, Colleen enjoys training for races, reminding her kids how far she ran that day and wearing the race participant finisher T-shirts. But her favorite sport is her women’s soccer team, the Mambas, a team of moms from her children’s classes. Colleen is the Cricut Queen of the team and can be found using it to make the team merch. The Mambas play soccer weekly but more importantly, support each other endlessly on and off the field.

Colleen is fortunate to have the support of her family, friends, colleagues, and teammates to help her in pursuing her goals personally and professionally.

Samantha Plotino Executive Director The Provident Bank Foundation

Elinor J.

Ferdon Young Woman of Promise

Samantha Plotino is a respected leader and visionary in philanthropy and nonprofit funding, and has served as Executive Director of The Provident Bank Foundation since 2020. Pioneering the philanthropic efforts of The Provident Bank Foundation, Samantha oversees a tristate foundation that funds a total of $1 million–$2 million in grants annually, investing in nonprofit organizations that impact communities across Provident Bank’s New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania markets. Utilizing the principles of trustbased philanthropy combined with high standards of due diligence, Samantha implements the Foundation’s vision and strategies to make smart funding decisions that result in long-term, measurable, and sustainable impact.

Samantha’s pragmatic spirit and creativity, combined with her passion to serve others, makes her an invaluable partner and colleague in the nonprofit sector. A believer in the power of giving back, Samantha is thrilled about

supporting community impact not only by investing in diverse organizations that educate, enrich communities, promote health, and empower youth and families, but by connecting her 1,200+ colleagues at Provident Bank, Beacon Trust, and Provident Protection Plus with meaningful volunteer and engagement opportunities.

Samantha earned her bachelor’s degree from the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia and her master’s degree in Administrative Science from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Samantha has obtained several executive certificates in nonprofit leadership and strategic frameworks from Rutgers University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, and the Harvard Kennedy School. She is also an alumna of AmeriCorps.

The Elinor J. Ferdon Young Woman of Promise Award was founded in 2014 to pay tribute to the former Girl Scouts of the USA National President (1996-1999) and former Girl Scout Council of Bergen County Board Chair (1974-1980). Celebrated for her outstanding leadership of Girl Scouts, Ellie is dedicated to the mission so all girls may reach their full potential. Through this award, we honor Ellie Ferdon’s vision by highlighting an exceptional young woman with a very promising career ahead of her.

Danielle Nebres is a resident of Madison, N.J. and a member of the Girl Scout organization for 15 years both as a leader and as a Girl Scout. She is a member of the Juliette Gordon Low Society and served as a Council Delegate for the Girl Scouts of the USA National Convention.

Danielle earned her B.A. in Political Science and enjoyed work in television before working for her family full-time. She is a wife and mother of three, a son and two daughters, for whom she serves as a troop leader. Danielle describes the Girl Scout program as a blueprint for raising her daughters and believes strongly in the confidence and skill-building experiences fundamental to the organization. She has seen that the benefits of being a Girl Scout increase as girls get older and that

Danielle Nebres

Girl Scout Volunteer & Entrepreneur

Mitzi Golbek Spirit of Girl Scouting Award

the opportunity to explore, create, and lead in all-girl spaces is vital at every stage. It is her personal mission to amplify the message that Girl Scouts is for girls and women of all ages.

As an active member of her community, Danielle has also enjoyed volunteering with the Madison Rotary Club and Historical Society. She serves on the Board of the Chautauqua Dance Circle, a role that speaks to her passion for dance and the arts. Danielle enjoys engaging with lifelong learners and finding ways to advocate for equity in the arts. When not volunteering, she enjoys preparing and sharing heritage foods from her parents' native country of Trinidad. She has taught classes on Caribbean cuisine and hopes to one day write a cookbook that examines the intersection of food, history, and culture.

The Mitzi Golbek Spirit of Girl Scouting Award was founded in 2007 to memorialize the former Girl Scouts: Lenni-Lenape Council executive director, who led the council from 1989-2002. Celebrated for her innovation in programming and council growth, Mitzi was an advocate of good food shared with friends and family. Through this award, we honor Mitzi Golbek’s vision and her 39 years as a Girl Scout.

Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey Media Girls

These Girl Scouts represent our council at events and in interviews and provide communications support in sharing our stories with the media throughout the year.

We thank them for being a part of Women of Achievement and for bringing the spirit of Girl Scouting to our gala.

www.gsnnj.org/MediaGirlsInAction

Katelyn Bowers Kalia Cheung

Madeline DeJager Faith Feldman

Isabella Krepps Vera Murray-Same

Charlotte Nebres Libby Nebres

Emma Ohnegian Nicole Pelish Sofia Scoropanos Anhad Singh

Emi Southgate Natalie Torres

lead others higher

Great leaders continue to raise the bar — inspiring and empowering others to push to new heights.

Colleen Fay, CPA, Partner and 2023 Women of Achievement Honoree, continues to advocate for all aspiring leaders — supporting their continued growth and success.

withum.com/women-of-withum

Colleen Fay, CPA, Partner

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2023 WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT

R&J Strategic Communications supports the Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey and their mission to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

Making a difference is ingrained in our DNA, and we’re proud to partner with not-for-profits to help promote valuable services that improve the lives of others and create positive change in our community.

Silent Auction Conditions of Sale

All sales are final. No refunds of exchanges on any items. Goods and services have been donated to GSNNJ and are sold by GSNNJ – not the donor. Please do not ask the donor for refunds, exchanges, or adjustments.

Everything is sold “as is.” GSNNJ assumes no responsibility for the validity of the description, authenticity, or condition of any item offered for sale. Values indicated are those given by the donor and are not warrantied by GSNNJ for any purpose.

The highest bid at the close of the auction on Friday, April 21, 2023, at 8:00 p.m. will win the item. In the event of a dispute, the CEO’s decision will be final.

Following the conclusion of the auction, the highest bidder for each item will be awarded that prize and their credit card will automatically be processed.

Pick-up and Item Distribution: Upon confirmation of payment, all winners will receive an email from GSNNJ regarding their items on Friday, April 21, 2023.

a. Digital certificates will be sent by email.

b. For all physical items and hard-copy certificates, you will receive an email to select a pick-up location for your item(s) at our Randolph, Riverdale, or Paramus Service Center. Item pick-up will be available starting Thursday, April 27, 2023. Please note that items are housed at the Riverdale Service Center, and allow 1-2 business days for an item to be available for pickup in Randolph or Paramus. Pick-up is available during normal shop operating hours, which are viewable at www.gsnnj.org/shop.

c. Shipping will be made available upon request, and all costs associated are the responsibility of the winner based on the item and shipping preference. Some items may be excluded from shipping and will be noted on the package listing.

d. Items will be held until Friday, September, 29, 2023. Any remaining items will be donated to Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey.

Unless specified, all services are to be fulfilled at a mutually convenient time to both the buyer and the seller. Item descriptions have detailed restrictions and/or expiration dates as indicated by the donor. Please read certificates carefully.

Please do not resell these prizes on eBay or any internet marketplace, as doing so will void some of them and is not in keeping with the spirit of this fundraising endeavor.

Thank you to this year's VIPs

Atlantic Health

Delta Dental of New Jersey

Linda Hanlon

Jessica Hoffman

Inserra Supermarkets

IT Radix

Shanna & Rafi Jafri

Kearny Bank

Sandra & Eric Kenoff

Krista Korinis

Jane Kurek

Germaine Lacqua

Lakeland Bank

Matthew Lamb

M&T Bank

Medcore Health Group

Morgan Stanley

Palmer & Cay

Joe & Karen Pennisi

Provident Bank

Provident Bank Foundation

Mikele Simkins

Bette M. Simmons, Ed.D.

Withum

*At the time of printing

Thank you to our Women of Achievement Committee

Alexis Kiefer

Shannon Knowlton

Krista Korinis

Jane Kurek

Karyllan Dodson Mack

JoAnne Madalena

Kathryn Marsh

Sarah Molnoski

Jennifer Pressman

Doris Sanders-Headley

Farhanna Sayegh

Mikele Simkins

Bette M. Simmons, Ed.D.

Get involved and become a member of our 2024 Women of Achievement Committee. Contact Kelsey Anderson, Director of Individual Giving & Special Events at kanderson@gsnnj.org.

Thank You to Inserra Supermarkets for the table centerpieces and to Jill Robins and Three Dimensions Productions.

Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey Board of Directors

Bette M. Simmons, Ed.D., Board Chair

Shanna Jafri, 1st Vice Chair

Veronica Ross, 2nd Vice Chair

Krista Korinis, Secretary/Interim Treasurer

Sandra A. Kenoff, President/Chief Executive Officer

Leslie Achter, Jill Andersen, Delia Blackler Perretta, Karyllan Dodson Mack, Leslie Franklin, Danielle Furze, Pia House Walker, Germaine Lacqua, Matthew Lamb, James M. McCreedy, Christyl Lucille Murray, Joe Pennisi, Nashira Spencer, Nikki Sumpter, Lisa Torres, Ed.D.

Girl Representatives

Lula Duda, Bodhi Mathur, Madeline Tubbs

Board Development Committee

James M. McCreedy, Chair

Elisa Buckley, Tevra Francis, Shanna Jafri, Christyl Lucille Murray, Cindy L. Taylor

Fund Development Committee

Krista Korinis, Chair

Delia Blackler Perretta, Karyllan Dodson Mack, Shanna Jafri, Matthew Lamb, Sarah Molnoski, Bette Simmons, Ed.D., Nashira Spencer, Nikki Sumpter, Lisa Torres, Ed.D.

Fund Development Staff

Caroline Fairchild, Chief Development Officer

Kelsey Anderson, Director of Individual Giving & Special Events

Leigh Anne Soroka, Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations

Olivia Timmons, Executive Associate of Fund Development

Women of Achievement

Honorees 1980-2022

1980

Barbara Abney Bolger, Rita Cohen

Margaret Cook, Eleanor Menditto

Sophie Werner

1981

Elinor J. Ferdon

1982

(Special 70th Anniversary Event):

“Broadway in Bergen” At John Harms Theatre

1983

Katharine Auchincloss

Myra Greenstone

Joan I. Thomas

1984

Kay Koplovitz

Ellen R. Levine

Elaine Zayak

1985

Anne Donovan

Carol Martin

1986

Ann Applewhite, Nell Bassett, Kent Manahan

Sylvia Porter, Carmel Quinn, Marge Roukema

Catherine Spears

1987

Eleanore Pettersen

Denise Richardson

Kay Ritta

1988

Leanna Brown, Violet Cherry, Felicia Jamison

Sara Lee Kessler, Norma Krajczar, Ruth Krawitz

Anne Philips, Bree Walker

1989

Toshiko d’Elia

Theresa Shank-Grentz

Cheryl Toussaint-Eason

1990

Elizabeth Christopherson, Mary Higgins Clark

Margaret Domber, Julia Kersey

Jewell Jackson McCabe, Mary Mulholland

Marge Roukema

1991

Paula L. Cantor

Arlene Howard

Peggy Noonan

1992

Barbara Abrams, Esq., Jane Francis Brady

Shirley DeLibero Donna Marie Farrell

Martha Green, Sister Patricia Lynch, C.S.J.P.

Maria Magda O’Keefe, Karla H. Risdon, Dr. Joan S. Specht

1993

Dianne Keel Atkins, Marion Barnett

Barbara C. Hauke, Jean E. Hoysradt

1994

Kathleen A. Donovan, Elinor J. Ferdon

Pearl B. Herring, Ruth J. Miller, Edna Black Teague

1995

Betty and Raymond Wells

1996

Deborah Aronson, Patricia Dunn, Toni Fay

Arlene Locicero, Sandra Ramos, Arline Simpson

Mary Ann Stanek, Charlotte VanderValk

1997

Debra Lennon

Virginia Wentz

1998

Carol Bamesberger, Emmy Bledsoe, Cesarina A. Earl

Patricia Rado, Sandra Siroky, Lynda S. Smith

1999

Rosemarie Arnold, Esq., Linda Brobst, Chrisena Coleman

Tom D’Angelo, Deirdre K. Kane, Virginia L. Laughlin

Mary Jane Owens, Linda Robinson, Susan M. Zellman

2000

Elizabeth “Libbie” Lindsay

Sandra Ann Robinson

Joan M. Wright

2001

Teri Duda, Alexis M. Eckert, Miriam Lopez

Pamela T. Miller, Esq., Patricia A. Nichols

Naomi Pagano, Ruth C. Parker, Irene Sterling, Barbara Utz

The Valley Hospital Breast Center, Ethel J. Williams

2002

Dorothy Leung Blakeslee, Donna Dieterle

Violet Merle McIntosh, MD, Barbara Saunders-Adams

JoAnn Vozech

2003

Dr. Janet Denlinger, Kathleen Laurent

Lisa Peterson, Corethia V. E. Scheurer

Westfield Shoppingtown/ Garden State Plaza

2004

Michelle Brauntuch, Jean Fox Csaposs

Susan DeGennaro, Sister Theresa Mary Martin, C.S.S.F. Evelin Potts

2005

Kyung Hee Choi, Betty Fetzer

Tamara Schwartz, Lori Stokes

2006

Dr. Traci Burgess, Gail DellaFave

Janet Sharma, Frances I. Sundheim

2007

Dr. Jennifer Ashton, Donnett Barnett

Maxine Frampton, Carol W. Greene, Elaine Walsh

2008

Dr. Afriye Amerson, Amelia Gold, Sheila James

Melissa L. Klipp., Virginia “Gina” Wilson

2009

Bonnie Hodge, Jane Kurek

Assemblywoman Nellie Pou

Assemblywoman Holly T. Schepisi

Dr. Katherine Houghton Zatz

2010

Sister Mary Elizabeth Lloyd, M.P.F.

Margaret Nordstrom, Marlene Bauer

Doris Sanders-Headley, Wendy Shen

2011

Evangeline Gomez, Esq., Julie Kampf

Wanda Maltese, Patricia Milley

Deborah Zastocki, DNP, RN

2012

Lourdes Cortez

Mrs. Frederick Frelinghuysen

Tammie A. Horsfield, Norma Tempel

Camelia M. Valdes, Toni Zimmer

2013

Kimberly Burnett, Natasha Maximoff Chandler

Linda Spradley Dunn, Odette D. Valdez

Barbara von dem Hagen

2014

Poonam Alaigh, Lynne Harwell Algrant

Jane Bainbridge, Essence Harris

Collette Liantonio

2015

Dr. Alicia Abella, Angela Margolit

Jessica A. Jansyn, Lizette Parker

Gigi Regolizio, Marnita Robertson

2016

Katherine Bickerton, Linda Bowden, Gina Bruzzichesi

Malaak Compton-Rock, Lindsey Inserra-Hughes Dr. Ursula Parrish Daniels

2017

Antje Ballin, Shacara N. Delgado

MaryAnne Faschan, Shannon Lazare

Women of Mountain Development Corp.

Elizabeth Lieb, Irene Fitzgerald, Denise Gonzalez

2018

Elisa Buckley, Mary Ann Deacon, Linda Hanlon

Ellen Kim, Amrit Walia-Zaidi

2019

Lisa Brady, June Bray, Martha De Young

Balpreet Grewal-Virk, Janet Henry Cash

Amber Sabathia

2020

Charlotte Abella, Megan Lunde

Jean Myers, Nikki Sumpter

BD Women's Initiative Network

Monica Council-Miles, Luba DeGroat

Jennifer Singelyn Dietrich

2021

Kay Du Fernandez, Nicole Licciardi

Erika Liles, Donna Watridge

2022

Betty A. Garger, Pia House Walker

O'Kneeka I. Roberts, Farhanna Sayegh, Carol A. Vargas

Our Mission

Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

Girl Scout Promise

On my honor, I will try: To serve God* and my country, To help people at all times, And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

Girl Scout Law

I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout.

* Members may substitute for the word God in accordance with their own spiritual beliefs.