Bronxville School Foundation Announces New Board Members for 2015-16

Pictured from left to right: Bobby O’Hare, Jane Skinner Goodell, Charles Preusse, Eileen Marshall, Holly Gordon, Angela Seminara. Not pictured Jon Atkeson, Board of Ed representative. 

Entering its 25th year, the Bronxville School Foundation starts the school year with six new board members and a slate of new and returning officers. The non-profit organization has made more than $7.5 million in grants to the Bronxville School to enhance the quality of education by funding new curriculum, technology, faculty training, facilities projects and special materials and equipment.

Jonathan Atkeson joins the Bronxville School Foundation as the representative from the Board of Education. Jon is a Managing Director at Fortress Investment Group LLC where he has worked in the private equity group for the last twelve years. He currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Fortress Transportation and Infrastructure Investors LLC. Prior to Fortress, Jon worked at JH Whitney & Co. and Credit Suisse First Boston. He received a BSPH from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a law degree from Yale Law School. Jon is active in a number of community organizations including the Bronxville Youth Lacrosse Association and the Bronxville School Board of Education. He is also on the Board of Achievement First Brooklyn, a charter school network based in Brooklyn, NY. Jon and his wife Amy have been Bronxville residents since 2006 and have four children who attend the Bronxville School.

Jane Skinner Goodell has lived in Bronxville for the past decade, raising twin daughters with her husband Roger. (He and his four brothers are Bronxville School alums.) Jane spent 20 years as a television reporter and anchor, most recently for the Fox News Channel in New York City. Prior to Fox, she worked in several local television markets, including Portland, Maine and St. Louis, Missouri. As an undergraduate, she attended Brown and Northwestern Universities, and holds a Masters degree from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism.

Holly Gordon is the co-Founder and CEO of Girl Rising, a campaign using the power of storytelling and partnerships to raise awareness and investments in girls education around the world. Girl Rising has reached 200MM households, has raised millions of dollars for girls’ education programs, and has influenced policy leaders to recognize girls’ education as vital for global development. Prior to Girl Rising, Holly was the Director of Content at the Tribeca Film Festival and a producer and booker at ABC News. Holly also advises on a fellows program for The Nantucket Project and serves on the boards of Culture Relay, All in Together, the Gleason Project, and the Mariposa DR Foundation. She is a member of the inaugural class of Presidential Leadership Scholars. Holly graduated from Brown University with a BA in International Relations and moved to Bronxville with her husband, Peter, and two children, in 2012.

Eileen Casey Marshall graduated from Fairfield University with a B.S. in Finance and Accounting. Eileen is a CFA® charterholder and is an inactive Certified Public Accountant. Eileen worked at AIG Investments for twelve years, most recently as a Managing Director and Head of Hedge Fund Research. Prior to that Eileen worked in various roles at financial service firms and began her career at Arthur Andersen. Eileen has been active in the community since moving to Bronxville in 2003. She has served as class parent at the Bronxville School, Treasurer for the PTA sponsored Memorial Day and member of the Athletic Council. Eileen has been a catechist at St. Joseph’s since 2005. She serves on committees at the Bronxville Field Club and is a past president of the Boulder Ledge Garden Club. Eileen and her husband Jeff have two children who attend the Bronxville School.

Robert A. O’Hare Jr. Robert is an attorney who litigates a variety of business, commercial, and insurance matters, and represents clients in securities and regulatory investigations, arbitrations, and enforcement actions. He also represents clients in serious personal injury, medical negligence, and wrongful death cases. Robert earned a B.A. in economics from Fordham College at Lincoln Center, and his law degree from St. John’s University School of Law. He is active in a number of professional, alumni, and community athletic organizations. Robert and his wife Dr. Jessica Sessions have lived in Bronxville since 2002. They have four children in the Bronxville School and are members of St. Joseph’s Church.

Charles Preusse is a Partner at Ridgeway Partners a global advisory firm specializing in executive search, board appointments and succession planning for multi-sector, domestic and international companies. Prior to joining Ridgeway in 2009, Charles spent twenty years in investment banking. He was a Managing Director, member of the Investment Banking Operating Committee and Head of Equity Capital Markets at Cowen and Company. Prior to joining Cowen, Charles was a Director in the investment banking group at Prudential Securities. He began his career at Merrill Lynch & Co. Charles received an MBA from the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College and a BA from Columbia College, Columbia University. He is currently a member of the Tuck Annual Giving Executive Committee, a member of the Economic Club of New York, and is on the Board of The New York Landmarks Conservancy. He, his wife Mary and their three children have lived in Bronxville since 1996.

Angela Seminara joins the Bronxville School Foundation as the PTA representative for the 2015-2016 school year. Previously, she worked for ten years as a commercial insurance broker before settling in as a stay-at-home mom and currently works for Elide Building Corp in Eastchester. Angela has served on the board of the Junior League of Bronxville as Communications V.P. and Placement Chair, has been a Book Fair Co-chair, Dollar Raffle co-chair, Grade Chair, Middle School Council Chair, School Tour Coordinator, and just ended her term as High School Council Chair. She is also currently a Co-Chair of the Maxwell Institute Advisory Board in Tuckahoe. Angela is the PTA President – Elect for 2015. She and her husband John have three boys that attend the Bronxville School.

“These six new board members are all deeply committed to and knowledgeable about the Bronxville School. I look forward to the ideas and energy they will bring to the Foundation,” said Ashley Hanrahan who returns for a second year as Chair of the Foundation. Other directors and officers for 2015-2016 are: VP Development: Christine Fitzgibbons; VP Grants: Jennie Thomas; VP Alumni: Steve Thomas, VP Public Relations; Lisa Smith Barr, VP Nominating: Laura Pettee; VP Finance: Chris Scotti; VP Legal: David Reilly; Secretary: Joella Lykouretzos; Executive Director; Peggy Williams.

Returning board members include: Matt Burnell, Romy Coquillette, Kelly Dolan, Nancy Kochansky, Tim McGrath, Helena McSherry, Priscilla Newman, Christopher Palermo, Michael Sands, Briscoe Smith, Ed Sulimirski, Jennifer Thomas and Matthew Wetty.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the Bronxville School Foundation, please contact Peggy Williams, Executive Director at 395-0515, any Board members or visit www.BronxvilleSchoolFoundation.org.

Article written by Lisa Smith Barr, Member of PR Committee, The Bronxville School Foundation

Photo courtesy of Helena McSherry