Our Board
Meet our Board of Directors: (L to R, back row) Beth Thomas-Rea, Rachel Madley, Erica Madley, Savannah Madley, Mohan Subrahmanyam, Rosemary O’Connell, Lori Norian, Jenny Wells. (front row) Sue Willemann, Keri-Ann Cavalieri, Jess Madley. (not pictured) Theresa Gallo. We get lots of help from volunteers and committee members throughout the year. If you would like to join us, please fill out our volunteer sign up sheet here.
Rachel Madley
Rachel Madley is the Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Center for Health and Democracy. She previously worked as health policy advisor to Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and in the legislative affairs office at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Rachel received her PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from Columbia University where she was also a member of the executive board of Students for a National Health Program and Physicians for a National Health Program.
Board President
Jennifer Wells
Since 2022, Jennifer has served as the Food Pantry Director, overseeing all aspects of this vital community resource. Under her leadership, the program has become an integral part of Families for Families' comprehensive approach to supporting community members in need.
Jennifer's journey with Families for Families exemplifies her commitment to addressing the holistic needs of families in our community, particularly through ensuring food security as a foundation for family stability and wellbeing.
Board Vice President
Board TreasurerMohan Subrahmanyam
Mohan has over 25 years of experience in corporate finance working for major Wall Street firms, managing a venture capital and real estate investment partnership, and now as the CFO of a technology startup. He has been living in Wyckoff with his wife and two children since 2012. Inspired by Families for Families mission to improve the lives of those in need and bonding with people from different backgrounds, Mohan looks forward to leveraging his business background to help the organization grow and continue to positively impact the community. “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.” -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Jess Madley
Jess is currently working as an English as a Second Language teacher and have been a part of Families for Families since its inception. I feel that our work is very important because we don't just provide monetary or material donations to families in need but we also build lasting relationships with families that we work with. This gives the families more of a feeling that they are important and cared about. In turn, this helps them to get in a better situation with supporters who really know who they are as well as what they may need help with
Secretary
Keri-Ann Cavalieri
Keri-Ann has spent over 20 years in the contract furniture industry helping to design spaces with the top architects and designers in the NY / NJ area. The schedule is busy in the Cavalieri house with a self-employed husband, two kids and two rescue dogs but she always felt there was time to do for others. Keri-Ann started her involvement with Families for Families by sponsoring a family for the holidays and the occasional outreach to Cristyn to see if there was anything else she could do. Now Keri-Ann is a board member and runs the Clothing Closet for Families, where she manages local clothing donations and distributes them to families in need.
“I’m so grateful to end my day with my family, in a warm home, in a beautiful town. It’s my responsibly to pay it forward and help families in need.”
Board Member
Board MemberPatty Durkin
Patty has been actively involved with Families for Families and has seen firsthand the impact the organization has on local families. Through volunteering and supporting its efforts, she has experienced how Families for Families brings people together, provides meaningful resources, and offers support to those facing challenges.
Patty brings more than 20 years of experience in human resources and organizational leadership. She has spent her career supporting people, building teams, and helping organizations grow and adapt over time. She brings a practical, thoughtful perspective to her work and is proud to apply that experience in support of Families for Families and its continued impact.
Now focusing her time on giving back, Patty is honored to support Families for Families as a board member and is committed to helping expand its mission and continue making a positive difference for families in the community.
Carol Mattessich
Coming Soon
Board Member
Savannah McCormack
I am currently an attorney at the New York City Commission on Human Rights. I became involved in Families for Families at its creation, as my mother and my three sisters and I decided to grow the Adopt A Family Holiday Program into an entire organization. My mother has always instilled a sense of community and giving back in my sisters and I from a young age and being a part of this with them is something I greatly appreciate. Families for Families is different because we focus on fostering relationships between volunteers and sponsors and the families we are supporting. I currently lead the Christmas Party event and have had great experiences throughout our events and programs, having served as Board President and having led the Thanksgiving Committee. This sense of community and giving back my mother instilled in me has led me to pursue a career in human rights and public service after law school. This organization has been a very important aspect of my life for many years and I encourage others to join us!
Board Member
Board MemberMaryBeth McGuire
It was my passion to serve as a childcare director for more than thirty years. By meeting the needs of young families, I was able to build meaningful partnerships that provided a safe, caring environment where children could thrive and develop a strong foundation for learning.
Now retired, my passion for supporting families continues through my work with Families for Families. It is a humbling experience to witness the gratitude inspired by simple acts of caring and to see how even the smallest gestures can have a meaningful impact on the lives of families working toward stability and hope.
I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of this genuine organization, where small things truly matter, and kindness makes a difference,
Gerry Messina
Gerry is a retired marketing executive with experience in consumer products and building materials. Gerry has been a resident of Wyckoff since 1997. Beginning with working in the food pantry, furniture moving and doing repair tasks, he saw the need to help his community and give back to a greater degree. On the Board, Gerry leverages his engineering and MBA business degrees to support the mission and growth strategy of Families For Families.
Board Member
Beth Thomas-Rea
It is a profound honor for me to serve on the board of directors for Families for Families. I have always admired and supported the mission of Families for Families so when they were expanding their board and looking for a social worker to strengthen their programming, I was eager to get more involved. Throughout my career as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug counselor (LCADC) I have worked in a youth shelter, an alternative high school, a psychiatric hospital and with survivors and perpetrators of intimate partner violence. My journey has led me to a deep understanding of the critical importance of community engagement and social responsibility. It is with this knowledge that I hope to make an impact with Families for Families. In the end, homelessness is not just a housing issue; it is a complex social challenge that is traumatic and can affect every aspect of a person's life. I look forward to the opportunity to continue to support the mission and vision for Families for Families.
Board Member