Leadership can take many shapes at Trail Blazers and it is our goal to offer a wide array of opportunities to lead and champion our organization. Select a role below to learn more and to meet the members.
Our Board of Directors is responsible for the governance and fiscal health of the organization. Comprised of a group of passionate individuals, Directors apply their time, talent, and treasure to guide Trail Blazers towards our strategic goals. Click here to learn more about becoming a Member of our Board of Directors.
Janell Wise stepped into the role of Co-Chair of the Board in 2021 and has served on the Board since 2020. She is Vice President
and Assistant General Counsel in the Paramount Global Law Department, where she focuses on contracts and rights and pre-publication and pre-broadcast clearance for the CBS News and Stations division. Before joining CBS, she worked as an associate in the Technology and Intellectual Property Transactions practice at Weil, Gotshal and Manges LLP. She holds a B.A. and J.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Janell lives in Brooklyn, NY. In her free time, she loves to travel the world, hike, surf, and sail.
Frank Nolan has been the Co-Chair of the Board of Directors since 2023, and has served on the Board since 2015. Frank is a partner in the New York City office of Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP, where he is a member of the firm’s global litigation group. Frank defends class action lawsuits and complex business litigation matters in federal and state courts throughout the country and advises financial services and insurance clients on issues affecting their core business practices. In his free time, Frank enjoys outdoor activities, especially fishing and hunting. He lives in South Orange, New Jersey, with his wife, Lizzie, their two young sons, and their dog, Marbles.
Eamonn is a digital transformation and IT strategy leader. His areas of focus are digital strategy delivery and customer experience excellence, organizational transformation and optimization, and program and portfolio management. Eamonn lives in New York City with his wife, Alyson, daughter, Hannah, and Simon the Cockapoo. In his spare time Eamonn enjoys running and cycling and anything that involves adventures outdoors.
Brandon has more than 12 years of experience providing assurance and technical accounting services to a broad range of public and private clients in the financial services sector. Prior to joining Mazars in August 2021, Brandon was a Director in PwC’s Asset and Wealth Management practice, serving public and private companies. Brandon received his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Accounting degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and currently lives in Mineola, New York with his wife Maral.
Lyndon is the Director of Digital Sales at Paramount, where he oversees a team of sellers specializing in the national sales of Paramount’s digital advertising inventory across platforms. This includes Paramount+, Connected TVs, Social Media platforms, and more. Prior to joining Paramount in 2018, he was previously at AwesomenessTV, and before that spent 8 years at Disney/ABC Television. He holds a B.S. in Marketing from St. John’s University. He currently resides in New York City, and in his free time enjoys traveling (40+ countries and counting), trying new restaurants, and spending quality time with friends.
Lucia has over a decade of experience in corporate finance, transaction execution and strategic communication. She is currently the Senior Director, Investor Relations at Chesapeake Utilities Corporation. Prior to that, Lucia spent five years in M&A and advisory investment banking, working with the Investor Relations Team at Sunlight Financial, the Natural Resources team at Barclays, and the Global Power & Utilities team at Goldman Sachs. She began her career at Portland General Electric in Oregon. Lucia holds an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business and a BBA from the University of Portland. Currently living in Queens, Lucia loves to be outdoors, whether picnicking, hiking, kayaking, camping, or just walking her irish doodle Apollo.
Aoife Duna is a data and analytics professional who has led technology teams at mission-driven organizations in IoT wearables and AI. She partners with executive leadership and Fortune 100 clients to build data products that drive business insights and increase operational efficiencies. As a former wilderness canoeing camp counselor in the Boundary Waters, Aoife was drawn to Trail Blazers’ mission to increase equitable access to the outdoors. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Middlebury College in Vermont, and spends her free time solo traveling, painting, and visiting museums in New York City.
Fan brings 18 years of experience in real estate finance, having built a diverse career across investment banking, advisory, credit rating, and private equity/REIT. She specializes in investment valuations, portfolio management, and business development. Fan earned her MBA from Columbia Business School and her Bachelor of Arts in Economics and French from the University of Michigan. Beyond her professional pursuits, Fan is an avid outdoors enthusiast who enjoys playing tennis, spending time with her family, and connecting with people wherever she travels. Fan is passionate about building meaningful relationships and creating lasting impact through her work.
Jesse is a partner at Sidley Austin LLP, where he has been a corporate attorney for the past 15+ years. Prior to attending law school at Fordham and after graduation from Georgetown, Jesse worked as a foreign exchange trader. Jesse lives in New York with his wife, two daughters and two dogs, and in his free time he enjoys tennis, skiing, and other outdoor pursuits.
Jacob Klein is a Private Equity Associate in Impact Investing at Apollo Global Management, where he focuses on investing in businesses that drive positive social or environmental change. Before joining Apollo, Jacob was a Private Equity Associate at Clayton Dubilier & Rice and an Analyst in the Natural Resources Group at Morgan Stanley. Jacob received a Bachelor of Science in Economics in Finance from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. Outside of work, he enjoys writing, skiing, and rooting for the New York Giants and Milwaukee Bucks. Having enjoyed ten summers as a camper and counselor at an overnight camp, he is a strong believer in Trail Blazers’ mission of ensuring that the same opportunity is available for everyone.
Erez has spent over a decade working in the online advertising industry in various sales & business development positions. In his current role at Google, he is focused on the advertising technology space and helping Fortune 500 advertisers & national web/TV publishers leverage data, technology, and partnerships to grow their businesses. He holds a B.S. in Marketing from Rutgers University and currently lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Arielle. In his free time, Erez loves to travel to far-flung parts of the world (backpacker-style), listen to audiobooks while running (two birds, one stone!), and play tennis (preferably alongside and not against his wife).
Louis is a CPA who also holds the AICPA’s Certified Information Technology Professional credential (CITP). Since 1994, as president of DeGraw Tompkins Solutions and informed by his background in public accounting and private industry, Louis has been advising clients and helping to implement custom ERP solutions.
A life-long Trail Blazer, Louis was a camper for three years and an active alumnus since. He joined the Board in 1998, has served on various committees and is currently Treasurer. A Brooklyn native, Louis has lived in Bergen County, NJ since 1984.
Colleen is a partner at EY. She focuses on Tax Technology and Transformation, leveraging her cross-industry experience to identify and implement operational process improvements, data analytics, visualization, and automation. She specializes in automating State income tax reporting processes and is passionate about saving people time so they can focus their energy on value-driving functions and personal priorities. Colleen graduated from the University of Georgia with a Masters in Accountancy and from the University of South Carolina Honors College with a double degree in International Business and Accounting. Colleen lives in Chatham, New Jersey with her husband, Mike, their two children, and dog, Bailey.
Robert is an operations executive and attorney with over 20 years of expertise leading and implementing finance, sales, call center, manufacturing, and personnel strategies to strengthen profitability, productivity, and growth. Brings significant corporate and legal experience gained through partnerships with multinational manufacturing, electronics, software, food service, and e-commerce organizations.
Proven success building and leading multi-disciplinary teams to lower customer acquisition costs, increase long-term value, strengthen revenue flow, and maximize customer retention rates. Develops financial planning and analysis tools with emphasis on maintaining lean and efficient operations. Utilizes a data-driven approach to formulate actionable insights for optimizing team and company-wide performance.
Madison joins Trail Blazers as a board member, an avid outdoor fan, and former NorCal camp-goer. Madison has built her career at the intersection of media, technology and education in Product and BizOps roles across mission-driven startups, large consultancies, and multi-national media brands. With past board and pro-bono consulting experience with education non-profits, she is excited to support Trail Blazers.
Eric is General Counsel at PineBridge Investments and is responsible for the firm’s legal matters worldwide. He has over 20 years of experience in asset management, private equity, mergers and acquisitions and cross-border transactions. Eric began his career in the Corporate Department of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. Between graduation from university and beginning law school, he spent two years teaching English at the junior high level in Ichikawa, Japan as a member of the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program. Eric received a BA from the University of Michigan and a JD from the University of Michigan Law School.
Jeannene Smith brings a life-long connection to Trail Blazers and its mission. She is a second generation Trail Blazer: her father, Eugene Smith, was a camper at Raritan and her aunt, Eleanor
Wheeler, was a camper at Mashipacong. Eugene was also a member of the Board of Directors.
Jeannene was a camper at Mashipacong for 3 years and returned to be a staff member,
serving for 3 years, as well as a volunteer at many Winter Weekends, Operation Muscles, and day trips in the city. As a life-long Trail Blazer, she also attended LL Camp (currently called Family Camp) as a child and has continued to participate in recent summers. Jeannene recently retired after a 39-year teaching career, the majority of which was spent teaching middle school math. She has sent many students to Trail Blazers and even organized a team-building day trip to Mashipacong for her Student Council last spring. Jeannene is looking forward to continuing connecting with Trail Blazers and working with the entire board.
As Vice President of Digital Strategy at McIntosh & Moon Strategies, Britt has more than two decades of production expertise for major media properties like CNN, MTV, Nickelodeon, and the FCC. She has led groundbreaking campaigns for clients including the American Cancer Society, the CDC, Dove, Pepsi, the National Wildlife Federation, the Knight Foundation, and the National Urban League. A passionate advocate for diversity in the arts, Britt founded the Tisch Black Alumni Council (TBAC) Scholarship at NYU supporting the next generation of Black creatives. Britt holds a BFA in Film and TV Production from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, completed her Master’s coursework in Public Policy at Georgetown University and earned a graduate certificate in Multilateral Governance and International Relations from the Graduate Institute in Geneva, Switzerland.
Britt is an avid traveler, devoted F1 enthusiast, adventurous skier, and passionate film producer. She splits her time between Brooklyn, NY, and Washington, DC, with her husband and daughter. A long time Trail Blazers volunteer and supporter, Britt joined the Patron Board in 2023 and the Board of Directors in 2025.
Michele Kelber is the author of How Not to Ruin Your Kids: A Practical Guide to Raising Happy, Independent, Equipped Children. She is also an Advisory Board Member of Junkyard Social Club, a not-for-profit adventure playground in Boulder, CO, as well as the founder & owner of Gantry Kids & Teens, an independent kids gym in NYC, providing programs to school-age children. Through fitness, Michele’s philosophies provide a supportive, organic environment that is “Building Tomorrow’s Leaders Today”, while fostering critical learning. She fights fiercely to allow kids to be kids, advocating unstructured play, outdoor time, physical activity, and personal agency. Michele lives in Colorado but travels frequently to NYC for work and family. A long time supporter of Trail Blazers, Michele joined the board in 2025.
Patrons can opt in to provide input and expertise to the Board and the team, while supporting the organization at a higher level. Learn more
Ryan Goodman is the CEO of Scale Microgrid Solutions, a new microgrid and distributed energy company that is revolutionizing the energy infrastructure in the US. Ryan has over a decade of experience in the energy industry, with prior stints at GE Energy, the Boston Consulting Group, and ENER-G Rudox, a company he helped grow and sell in 2016. Today, Ryan lives in northern NJ with his wife, Anne, and three daughters. Ryan earned his bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Bucknell University and received his MBA from Harvard Business School. Outside of work, Ryan enjoys spending time with his family and friends, travel, NY Giants football, and any activities that gets him outside. He has always valued outdoor education, dating back to his days in the Boy Scouts, and is a true supporter of Trail Blazer’s mission and vision.
Jon is a Financial Advisor with Stifel Financial. He has 29 years of Capital Markets and Wealth Management Experience. Jon graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics. Today, he lives in Mountainside, New Jersey with his wife, Sari, their three children and dog, Koda. Jon has proudly served for years as a mentor and on the Board of Trail Blazers. An advocate of protecting people’s health and wealth, Jon encourages people to leave time for personal fitness and fulfillment. Away from work, Jon enjoys spending time with family and friends, fitness, music, travel, getting outside in nature, photography and the personal rewards of supporting various philanthropies.
Nihad brings nearly two decades of finance and banking experience from General Electric and JP Morgan Chase and currently is the CFO for ezCater. Prior to ezCater, Nihad covered emerging and established technology companies at JP Morgan’s Commercial Bank. He also led finance teams across the controllership, treasury, audit and FP&A disciplines in a series of expanding roles at General Electric. Nihad has a BS in Chemistry and Economics from Haverford College and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
Advisors bring expertise in a specific area for the benefit and support of the Board and the Administrative team. These invitation only positions are identified by the Board of Directors. Learn more.
Helen is Principal at Bago Consulting, a Customer Service consulting firm located in New York and specializing in customer service program diagnostics, training and communications. Prior to founding Bago, she spent 16 years in the hospitality industry with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. Her career spans several industries including Consumer Packaged Good, Direct Sales, and Publishing. Throughout her career, she has focused on understanding the customer, delivering exceptional service through fully empowered employees, and optimizing customer feedback to drive continuous improvement and process change. She has served as a Director and Chair of SOCAP, a dynamic and collaborative community of Customer Care professionals. Her desire to make a difference in the lives of young people led her to Trail Blazers, where she hopes to leverage her background and passion to understand the needs of clients and support the goals of the organization.
Lee Simonson is the President of Simonson Associates, an advisory firm in New York that assists media companies and their executives in strategic planning. Lee spent 30 years of his career in the radio broadcasting industry culminating in positions as Vice President and General Manager of KISS-FM and WOR-AM in New York City and ownership of over 50-plus radio stations across the U.S. Lee earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, College Park. He is a Certified Business Mentor for SCORE, a non-profit partner of the SBA, a Walking Guide in Central Park for the Central Park Conservancy, and a volunteer for Big Apple Greeters. He has been married to Nancy for 44 years with 2 adult children, Michael and Laura, and a grandson, Jonah.
Dr. Sandra Soto is a presenter, facilitator and education consultant. She is an adjunct professor at Brooklyn College and a member of the New York Academy of Public Educators. Her work is guided by the belief that the educator’s role is to support the learner in the discovery and mastery of their gifts and talents.
Dr. Soto recently retired from the NYC Dept.of Education after 27 years of service. She held a number of roles before becoming the founding Principal of PS 705 – Brooklyn Arts & Science Elementary School in 2012.
Dr. Soto earned a B.A. from Boston College and her M.B.A. from George Washington University. After a career in retail, working for the GAP and Macy’s, she transitioned to the field she had always been passionate about, education. While teaching, she earned an M.S. in bilingual education from Long Island University and holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the Sage Colleges. Her area of expertise is school integration, particularly supporting students of color in multi-racial spaces.
Dr. Soto is a mother of three and a grandmother. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband of 30 years.
Champions help the organization expand its reach through networking, volunteering, and support. Learn more
Aloaye has been a Trail Blazer since she was a camper. She started as an Overnight camper who was afraid of the dark and worked her way up as an L.I.T., Group Leader, Program Assistant. She attributes many of her real-world skills and qualities to being part of the Trail Blazers Family for the last 15 years. She holds a Bachelors in Public Justice from SUNY Oswego and a Masters in Public Administration from SUNY Albany.
Emeritus individuals have a long record of service to the organization and are recognized for their exceptional and enduring contribution. Emeritus candidates are nominated by the Executive Committee.
Retired. Anna’s involvement with Trail Blazers spans six decades, starting with her time as a camper. Wanting to give other children the same opportunities she had as a camper, she became an active alumna, working as a Group Leader and then serving as a Board Member as well as volunteering in the office
Copyright (c) 2025 trailblazers.org
Registered 501(c)3; EIN 13-1771421
English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
French
German
Italian
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish