Chris Petermann, Board Chair, is pleased to welcome four Trustees to the Partners for Health Foundation Board. “We’re delighted to have the expertise and diverse perspectives of these new Board members and are confident their contributions will enhance our work.”
Lisa Amato returns to the Partners for Health following a two-year hiatus, having previously served on the Foundation Board from 2008-2015. She is also on the Boards of the Montclair Art Museum and KIPP New Jersey. KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) is part of a non-profit network of college-preparatory, free, public charter schools educating elementary, middle and high school students. In addition, Lisa is working with Claire Panke as a producer on the documentary film, “Light Years,” a work in progress that profiles three people and offers an antidote to outdated notions about aging. Lisa is a graduate of Pace University, where she earned a BBA Degree in Accounting. She and her husband, Joe, have three children and they live in Essex Fells and New York City.
Katherine M. Kelly is an advocacy and public policy professional with more than 15 years of experience working to end homelessness and build stronger communities. She is currently an Associate with Monarch Housing Associates in Cranford, NJ. Kate previously worked as the Reaching Home Campaign Manager for Partnership for Stronger Communities in Hartford, CT. She holds a BA Degree in Government from the University of Notre Dame, and she graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Social Work, where she earned her Masters of Social Work. Kate is active in her hometown of Verona, serving as a Trustee of the Verona Public Library, a Brownie troop leader, and a fundraising volunteer for the Brookdale Avenue School SCA. She and her husband David Ten Broeck, have two daughters.
Beverly M. Riddick is Executive Director of the Ready To Work Business Collaborative (RTWBC), an employer coalition that develops hiring best practices targeted at ready to work talent, with a focus on those who are overlooked despite being re-skilled or up-skilled to meet the needs of today’s evolving economy. She previously served for 20 years as the Executive Director of Homes of Montclair Ecumenical Corp (HOMECorp), where she was responsible for the development and implementation of community revitalization programs and initiatives for low, moderate and middle income families. Prior to this, Beverly was a real estate/workout banking specialist at First National Bank of Boston (now Bank of America) and later at Chemical Bank New Jersey (now PNC Bank). She is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College where she majored in Urban Studies. Following Mount Holyoke, she was awarded a twelve-month fellowship to the Coro Foundation. She later obtained a Master’s Degree in Public Policy Analysis at Claremont Graduate University. Beverly and her husband Ron have 2 children; they reside in Montclair.
Tekeyah S. Sears, EdD, MPH is an Adjunct Faculty member in the Department of Public Health at William Paterson University in Wayne, and at Montclair State University in Montclair. Her teaching focus is on helping students make healthier decisions in key areas including mental health, stress management, sexuality, addiction, diet, weight management and fitness. She is also the Founder and CEO of the I “AM” Project, which creates a space where young women can be inspired and empowered on the values of leadership, mentorship, self-love and sisterhood. Her previous jobs include positions with Public Health Solutions and the AIDS Service Center of Lower Manhattan, both located in New York City; and ASPIRA, Inc. and St. Michael’s Medical Center, both in Newark. Tekeyah holds a Doctor of Education from Columbia University, Teachers College; and two degrees from Pennsylvania State University: a Master’s in Public Health and a B.S. in BioBehavioral Health. She lives in Orange.
