Top row (L to R): Immediate Past President Jeremy Price, President Barrie Rosen, Secretary Melissa Banks; bottom row (L to R): New board members Mark Silverstein, Bob Boroujerdi, and Martina Sze.
The start of the new fiscal year is a time of transition at The Westport Library, bringing with it new programs, priorities, and goals — and this year, a new president and three new members to the Library’s board of trustees.
Starting with the board’s July meeting, held July 19, Barrie Rosen has been elected as the new president of The Westport Library board, taking over for Jeremy Price, who will remain on the board as immediate past president.
Rosen is a longtime advocate for the Library and has served on the board since 2020. A communications executive, she currently leads marketing communications at Consumer Reports after earlier stints at YP (formerly Yellowpages.com), Fox News, News 12 Connecticut, and multiple public relations agencies. She also serves on the board of Staples Tuition Grants.
Before rising to president, Rosen was the secretary of the board. Assuming that role for the current term is Melissa Banks, who joined the board in 2022.
“Barrie’s work since joining the board has been outstanding and exemplary,” said Westport Library Executive Director Bill Harmer. “She knows the community and the library so well, providing advice and feedback that are routinely brilliant and always on point. I am incredibly excited to work with her and the other members of the executive committee and the board at large as we continue to grow the Library over the next year.”
Said Rosen: “The Library has always been a special place for me and my family, even before we moved to Westport. It is the only place where you can simultaneously connect with friends, get a private room to work, flex your creative muscle, and enjoy the serenity of the Saugatuck River. It is my honor to give back to an institution that has offered so much to me, and so many others.”
Price steps down after serving two years as president of the Library board, a tenure that featured the full-time return to in-person events as well the fourth and fifth editions of StoryFest; the launch of VersoFest, the Library’s annual music and media festival; two successful BOOKED for the evening programs; and the return of the Malloy Lecture in the Arts — plus Camp Explore, Summer Learning Programs, and this year’s debut of Verso Records, Volume One, the first vinyl record ever recorded, produced, and released by a public library.
“Jeremy has been an indispensable ally in our efforts over the past year, and I cannot thank him enough for all that he has done,” Harmer said. “He is a true partner and a trusted friend, and I’m very glad that his important voice will remain on the board for the coming term.”
The Library’s fiscal year runs July 1 to June 30 each year. Board terms run four years, with each member eligible to serve two terms. The Library board is made up of 20 members in total; 10 are selected by the Library board, and 10 by the Representative Town Meeting (RTM), the town’s legislative body.
Joining the board for the coming term are Bob Boroujerdi, a former partner at Goldman Sachs who most recently served as a managing director at Third Point LLC, an alternative asset manager; Mark Silverstein, an internet technology and media executive who has worked at Spotify, Luminary, and HuffPost; and Martina Sze, the chief development officer at HealthVest, a behavioral healthcare company with a mission of treating all patients, regardless of income.
They replace departing members Rob Haroun, Jenna Markowitz, and Meena Pellerin, all of whom made marked contributions to the Library during their years of service on the board.
“We’re very excited to welcome our three new board members, though that comes with the sadness of saying goodbye to three members who have selflessly dedicated their time and talent to us over the years,” Harmer said. “Rob, Jenna, Meena, thank you for helping guide the Library’s vision during your time on the board, and for your support and counsel. You will be missed!”
