Board & Advisory Council

David Naidu is a Partner at K&L Gates, a global law firm. He has more than 20 years of experience advising clients on environmental and land-use issues and has been recognized as a New York Metro Region Super Lawyer and by Chambers.  He has written a book on biotechnology and nanotechnology published by Oxford University Press and Lexus/Nexus. He served on Summit Common Council – including two years as Council President–  as well as on the Planning Board and Environmental Commission in Summit. David graduated from Vassar College, Cornell University and Georgetown Law School. He is the President of The Summit Conservancy and serves on the Reeves-Reed Arboretum Board.  He has lived in Summit for 20 years with his wife, Andrea, and two sons.

Clark retired in 2022 from Foresters Financial where he served as Chief Investment Officer.  He has over 35 years of experience in financial markets in senior management and portfolio management positions.  Prior to Foresters Financial, Clark worked for General Electric and American Express in investment management roles.  He graduated from Williams College with a B.A. in History and a Masters in International Relations from Columbia University. Clark joined the GSWA board in 2020.

In addition to the Great Swamp, Clark is involved with various non-profit organizations on Nantucket.  Clark has lived in Chatham with his wife, Andrea, for over 30 years.

Lydia Chambers, Co-Chair of Friends of the Drew Forest, has worked as an environmental organizer in the Chatham-Madison area for 20 years. Her involvement with GSWA began at her childrens’ school where she organized the the watershed demonstration for third graders. She also initiated GSWA’s successful native plant sale and has assisted since its inception in 2021. Lydia served on the Chatham Township Planning Board and Open Space Committee for over a decade. In conjunction with the Environmental Commission, she led several environmental campaigns that were later used as models for communities around NJ. In 2008, Lydia co-founded a social business called Back2Tap working with schools, non-profits, and corporations nation-wide to raise awareness about bottled water and promoting reusable bottles. With a BA in Earth Science from Dartmouth College and an MS in Geological Sciences from the University of Colorado, Lydia worked in the oil industry for 9 years as a geological engineer and hydrogeologist.

Ryan is a licensed New Jersey Real Estate Salesperson and has worked for Weichert, Realtors for over 20 years. He is a member of the Weichert, Realtors Chairman of the Board Club and has achieved dozens of performance awards throughout his career. Born in Morristown and a lifelong resident of Morris County, Ryan is deeply involved in his community, serving on several boards and committees including Morristown Partnership, Washington Association of New Jersey, The Morristown Club (current Vice President), Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Morris County, and more. In 2023, Ryan served as the Grand Marshall of the Morris County St. Patrick’s Day Parade, where he had been a board member for the 10 previous years. Ryan enjoys gardening/Koin pond, genealogy, and RVing with his wife and dogs.

Marilyn Dee, a long-time supporter of GSWA, lives in Harding Twp. As a former 30-plus year resident of Bernardsville, Marilyn served that community as a member, co-chair and chair of the Town Board of Adjustment for 7 years, and as a 12 year member of the Open Space Committee.  She currently serves on the the Board of the Bernardsville Garden Club as co-chair of civic improvement. Marilyn has a Bachelor of Science degree in business from Fairleigh Dickinson University. She enjoys gardening with her husband, Michael, and reading with her book group friends.

Michael first joined GSWA’s Board of Trustees in the 1990s. He served as Board Chair 2014-2015, and as Vice Chair in 2012, 2013, 2018, and 2019. He has been an avid supporter of the organization and our annual Gala. Michael is a Vice President of Smarties Candy Company, his family’s business now run by the next generation. He cut his activist teeth and breathed a lot of teargas with Peace marches and precursors of BLM Marches in the 60’s and 70’s. He continues to passionately support important causes like GSWA. He is a strong proponent of eradicating invasive plants and landscaping with natives, principles he demonstrates on his own properties. Michael earned his Bachelor of Arts from Yale College, as well as a Master of Letters and Doctor of Letters from Drew University. He is very active with a wide variety of environmental, animal rights, and other non-profit groups, from Trustees of Reservations to Mercy for Animals. He also serves on the Board of the Ethos Farm Project, a regenerative organic farm in Long Valley in Long Valley, NJ. Michael and his wife Marilyn (also a Board member) now split residence between homes in Harding Township and Stockbridge, MA. They enjoy their play time with daughters and grandchildren, as well as gardening. Michael is also an avid adult hockey player.

Raised in Nebraska, Carolyn graduated from the College of William & Mary with a degree in Russian/Soviet Studies and Spanish. She turned down an opportunity for a career in covert operations for the CIA for a career in the performing arts, a lifelong passion, based in NYC. Carolyn and her husband, Brian, moved their young family to Chatham in 2001 where she currently works teaching music and Spanish. She has been very active volunteering in Chatham through the public schools in various roles, and in her church, serving as Assistant Minister, and being elected to serve two terms on the church council. She was later elected to two terms on the Chatham Borough Council, then elected Mayor in 2023, and currently serves in that capacity. Two of her most rewarding efforts on Borough Council are co-founding the Chatham Community Food Distribution in April 2020 which still serves 50-60 families weekly, and her work on the Passaic Riverside Trail, which she is working on expanding and enhancing. She looks forward to serving the GSWA, and expanding their reach and environmental missions all along the Passaic and beyond.

Ralph is a retired insurance executive. Among other notable companies, he worked for Chubb Insurance. He recently stepped down as president of the Mars Essex Horse Trials, an annual event taking place in Far Hills, NJ that benefits the Greater Newark Life Camp. Ralph and his wife Lynn live in Tewksbury and have many ties to the Great Swamp watershed. They are avid equestrians and supporters of a clean and healthy  environment and the preservation of open space.

Susan Kessel, General Manager and Sales Manager of Chatham Print and Design, is the second-generation owner of this family business. A graduate of Cook College, Rutgers University (now known as the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences) Susan’s personal passions include the environment and animals. She is a member of the North American Butterfly Association and the Native Plant Society of NJ and is knowledgeable about and planting vegetables and native flowers, using organic growing methods for the health of her family and the environment. Susan also volunteers with her husband, Scott, at the Mount Pleasant Animal Shelter fostering special needs cats and kittens. As a personal creative outlet, Susan is a knitter and handweaver, and a member of the Jockey Hollow Weavers guild. She has several looms and enjoys the practice and creativity of weaving.

Ian is a principal and portfolio manager at Cannell & Spears. Prior to that, he held senior positions at Klingenstein, Fields & Co., LLC., and J. & W. Seligman & Co. He sits on several boards including Emma Willard School, Charles & Marjorie Holloway Foundation, Presbyterian Church of Chatham Twp., and the Morristown Club (current Treasurer). Ian and his wife reside in New Vernon.

Kristina grew up in a family with an ethos of helping others and giving back. And having lived in and experienced the natural beauty of Europe, Canada and now the United States, she realizes that one of the key ways she can give back is by working with organizations to preserve the authenticity and pureness of earth’s natural resources. Kristina has held executive roles in Sales, Category Management, and Human Resources, and is looking forward to using that experience to broaden the mission and contribute to the success of GSWA. Kristina lives in Chatham with her husband and two college-aged children.

Adam is currently Director of Strategic Initiatives and a Relationship Manager for Glenmede. Prior to joining Glenmede, Adam was Principal, Team Leader and Senior Client Advisor at Bessemer Trust Company in New York.
Adam has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature from Franklin & Marshall College, a Bachelor of Arts degree in creative writing studies from Brown University, and a Master of Arts degree in liberal studies and economics from New York University. He is a graduate of the Canon Trust School and the ABA Bank Officer’s Compliance program.
Adam is an active participant in several community and charitable organizations including a Trustee and former President of the Board for  SAGE Eldercare, and a member of the Strategic Planning Committee and former Trustee of The Discovery Orchestra. He is also an active member of Vistage.
He and his wife Celia recently moved from Summit to Far Hills.

Dr. David A. Robinson is a Distinguished Professor of Geography at Rutgers University and New Jersey’s State Climatologist. He has expertise in the collection and archiving of accurate climatic data and is interested in climate change (particularly state and regional climate issues), global snow cover dynamics, and interactions of snow cover with other climate elements. As state climatologist, he works with a wide array of user communities who require climatological expertise to solve problems.  Dave has been a member of the National Academy of Sciences’ Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, is past president of the American Association of State Climatologists, has received the Lifetime Achievement award of the American Association of Geographers, and is a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society.

Stacey is the managing partner at Avelino Law, LLP, and focuses her practice on trusts and estates. A graduate of Colgate University and Washington & Lee University School of Law, Stacey assists individuals and families in achieving their wealth planning goals. She handles income, estate, inheritance, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax issues, and helps clients maximize the benefits of charitable giving. Stacey also serves on the Board of Estate Planning Council of Northern New Jersey, the Board of the Women’s Association for the Morristown Medical Center, and the Board of the Morristown Club.

Meisha is an experienced digital strategist and social impact advocate who supports commercial and nonprofit organizations as their DEI and marketing expert with her firm Phase One Strategy, LLC. Over the last 20 years, she has honed her skills working with companies and brands such as Sports Illustrated, FOX, American Idol, Bloomberg, MySpace, and United Way. A tireless women’s rights advocate, Meisha serves as Board Member for UN Women USA’s New York chapter. She firmly believes in the power of paying it forward – allowing everyone from all backgrounds to reach for their full potential.

Brett is currently Vice President of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. in New York where he manages the financial crime risk and operational risk associated with the Commercial Banking Group’s merger, acquisition, and divestiture activity.  Prior to this, Brett worked as Associate Director of Standard Chartered Bank, Newark, NJ where he co-led the Controls Operations Group. He holds a Master of Arts in International Business and Policy from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Finance from Ramapo College of New Jersey. Brett resides with his wife Stephanie and new baby, Mackenzie Grace, in Morristown, NJ.