The Community YMCA Announces New Board Leadership

The Community YMCA Board of Directors elected Joseph Oriolo chairman and chief volunteer officer at their 141st Annual Meeting on Wednesday, June 17, at the Rumson Country Club. Oriolo replaces Patricia Whittemore, who led the board for two years.

“We are grateful for Patty’s leadership and we are pleased to welcome Joe as chairman and chief volunteer officer of The Community YMCA,” said President and CEO Rhonda Anderson. “He has been a great advocate for the Y and will continue to lead us forward to help increase our visibility as a cause-driven organization that strengthens the lives of over 20,000 people we serve in Monmouth County and beyond.”

Oriolo, of Shrewsbury, has been a member of the Y board since 2008 and most recently served as vice chairperson. He also served as chairman of the Y’s Governance Committee. A partner at Greenbaum Rowe Smith & Davis LLP, specializing in corporate law and mergers and acquisitions, Oriolo has been active with a number of community nonprofit organizations, including St. James Church of Red Bank, Big Day Out and the Youth Athletic Committee of Shrewsbury. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Georgetown University and a Juris Doctor degree from Rutgers University Law School. Oriolo and his wife Mary have three children.

The Board of Directors elected Jennifer Lakefield vice chairperson. Lakefield, of Colts Neck, was appointed to the board in 2012 and has served as chairperson of the Annual Campaign for the past three years. She is a Managing Director at ZAIS, Red Bank, where she is responsible for overall coordination of client relations. She and her husband Bryan Briscoe have two children.

John Badenhop, of Little Silver, was re-appointed treasurer. Elected to the board in 2013, Badenhop oversees the Audit, Property & Finance and Capacity Building committees. He also served two terms on the Y’s Board of Management at the Family Health & Wellness Center in Red Bank. He is a senior vice president of Wealth Management at Morgan Stanley. He and his wife Janet have two daughters.

Tahj Holden, of Tinton Falls, was appointed to a three-year term on the Board of Directors. A financial advisor at Morgan Stanley, Holden is a former University of Maryland basketball standout and Red Bank native. He played professionally in Istanbul, Turkey, and went on to a career in athletics, serving as basketball coach at La Jolla Country Day School, in San Diego, California, assistant varsity director of basketball operation and assistant coach at Monmouth University, and the assistant varsity and head junior varsity coach at Christian Brothers Academy. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from the University of Maryland. He and his wife, Carrie, have a 7-month-old son.

At a prior Board of Directors meeting, Samara O’Neill of Jackson, was appointed to a three-year term on the board. O’Neill serves as PMO project manager and HCR project consultant at Independence Blue Cross Blue Shield. She attended Drexel University where she earned an MBA, as well as Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees in marketing and international business. She and husband Daniel have two children.

The Board of Directors is responsible for establishing policies for The Community YMCA and providing leadership for financial development, strategic planning, operations and community collaborations.

Photo Captions

Photo 1: (L –R) The Community YMCA President and CEO Rhonda Anderson welcomes new board leaders: Chairman and Chief Volunteer Officer, Joe Oriolo; Treasurer, John Badenhop; Vice Chairperson, Jennifer Lakefield;
and Board Director, Tahj Holden

Photo 2: Samara O’Neill of Jackson was recently appointed to The Community YMCA Board of Directors.

About The Community YMCA

Y is a leading nonprofit charity that strengthens communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The Community YMCA serves more than 20,000 residents in greater Monmouth County through programs such as: preschool, before and after school care, health and wellness, leadership, arts enrichment, personal and family counseling and summer day camp. With a mission to serve all, more than $550,000 in reduced and free membership fees and programs is provided by the YCares financial assistance program to individuals and families in need. For more information, visit The Community YMCA.