The Westport Library will start its new fiscal year by welcoming a new board slate and three new members.
Longtime board member Pat Wieser will begin her first full term as president, having stepped in for former president Barrie Rosen earlier this year, with Bob Boroujerdi serving as senior vice president and Ben Chan as treasurer. Melissa Banks will continue to serve as secretary.
Additional executive team members are returning Finance Chair Scott Bennewitz, new Governance and Nominations Chair Martina Sze, and new Development Co-Chairs Randy Herbertson and Mark Silverstein.
Stefano Pacifico and Sheila Ward are rolling off the board of trustees at the completion of their terms of exemplary service.
Joining the board for 2024-25 are attorney and community activist Sheri Gordon, leadership expert Kathleen Guion, and nonprofit executive and consultant Liza Van Gundy.
The Library’s fiscal year runs July 1 to June 30.
“We’re so excited to get started with this new team,” Wieser said. “A new year and new board members always bring a new energy as we continue to focus on serving the best interests of the Library and its patrons. Of course, we’re sad to say goodbye to Barrie and Sheila and Stefano, but we thank them sincerely for their great efforts over the years and know they’ll continue to stay active and engaged in the years to come.”
Sheri began her career as an attorney in New York City, first clerking for a U.S. District Court judge and then working for several years for a large international law firm. She became involved in local town government in 2007, when her family relocated to Westport. For the past 16 years, she has served on the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Board of Finance, including one year as chair. Sheri also has been an active volunteer in numerous organizations throughout the tri-state area, currently serving as chair of Yes She Can, Inc.’s board of directors and a member of the Temple Israel board of trustees. Sheri holds a JD from NYU and a BA from Cornell. She moved to Westport in 2007 with her husband, Paul, and three children, Tess, Max, and Chloe.
Kathleen brings decades of executive leadership to the table, 15 of those in C-Suite-level roles, and has a proven track record in spearheading corporate turnarounds. She has worked with worldwide brands like 7-Eleven and Dollar General, where she managed a workforce of 120,000 employees. Beyond her corporate achievements, Kathleen has held positions on the boards of various organizations, including Second Harvest of Middle Tennessee, Nashville Symphony, Tennessee Performing Arts Commission, Austin Shakespeare Theater, Zach Theater in Austin, and the Northern Virginia chapter of the Urban League. She has also served on several corporate boards, including True Value, The Pantry, FJ Management Family Office, and B&M European Value Retail. Kathleen and her husband, Harvey, relocated to Westport in January 2023 to be closer to family.
Liza brings more than a decade of nonprofit management experience leading ambitious and creative teams, either as early-stage startups or within larger organizations. Most recently, she served as chief of talent and operations at the Connecticut RISE Network, a New Haven-based nonprofit that partners with public schools across the region. As a nonprofit finance and strategy consultant, she has partnered with diverse nonprofit and public sector organizations to provide strategic analysis and leadership capacity to help them achieve their goals. Previous roles include fundraising, communications, and grants management positions at New Classrooms Innovation Partners and The Legal Aid Society’s Civil Practice. Liza moved to Westport in 2019 with her husband, Matt, and son, Robin.
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Pictured, L to R, Top Row: Ben Chan, Andrea Berkley, Peter Zakowich, Jay Norris, Bob Boroujerdi, Randy Herbertson, Jeremy Price, Scott Bennewitz; Bottom Row: Kathleen Guion, Andrew Wilk, Pat Wieser, Sheri Gordon, Melissa Banks, Martina Sze
