Board of Trustees 2024-25

At first glance, crediting a school for the blind for providing vision would seem to make little sense. But for Lyle Sine, Overbrook School for the Blind did exactly that. His 13 years as an OSB student developed interests and abilities that propelled him to a fulfilling life of, well… eye-popping accomplishments.

"I call this place my second home," Sine told 6ABC when it profiled him in 2023. "They gave me the initiative to go out and be independent."

Visually impaired from birth, Sine was employed by Verizon for 30 years before retiring to pursue other interests. Those interests include an increased involvement with Overbrook, first as a board member and in June of 2023, as its first-ever visually impaired Board President.

For Lyle, it is far more than a title; it’s an obligation. A job with the rule to improve and expand upon the means to educate students with a diverse range of impairments and capabilities. "I know what these students are going through," he says. "It has changed over the years a little bit, but it comes down to the basic fact. We need to teach our young people here at the school to be self-serving, so they can go out and do the best that they can in their life."

He is Exhibit A. By his sophomore year at OSB, Sine was a bus chaperone assisting other blind students from sister schools in New Jersey, Maryland, and New York. His first involvement with Verizon came through OSB’s work-study program.

That led to a job in Verizon’s mailroom after graduating from Overbrook in 1977. By the time he retired in 2007, Sine had held positions in Verizon’s distribution, human resources and facilities departments, utilizing an interest in math and problem-solving he developed at Overbrook to build an enviable list of computer skills.

 “I wouldn’t be doing half of what I’m doing now if not for them,” he says of his OSB instructors and therapists. "It really opened my eyes to different things I could do, different talents I had with numbers."

It’s not just numbers. He enjoys listening to baseball or music, reading, and traveling.

He has even flown an airplane. “With a little assistance,’ he says, smiling.

Sine also met his wife Fran in a cooking class at OSB. Forty years later, he says, “We still cook together.” Both are constant visitors to the school. A devout Christian, Sine serves as a deacon and treasurer at his local church and is involved in several other ministries. His personal mantra is guided by Proverbs 3:5-6, which begins with trust in the Lord and ends with a promise of direction.

 “I would be lost without my faith in the Lord,” he says.  

Always involved in OSB as an alumnus, Sine was named to the OSB Board in 2018. As is customary for new members, he was initially appointed to the instruction committee.

Today, it is one of several committees on which he still serves. His love of numbers made him a natural choice for the board’s audit and budget committee. Given both his work experience and first-hand familiarity with the campus, Sine is also part of the development and facilities committees.

His call for safer railing at one part of the campus triggered a quick completion of what had been a stalled project. “By the following meeting, the railing was in place,” he says.

The term of Board President lasts for two years. Sine isn’t certain what lies beyond, just that whatever it is, Overbrook School for the Blind will be a big part of it.  

“I have such a love for the school,’’ he says, ``that I’m always looking for ways to give back because they did so much for me.”

For more about Lyle, click on to this profile done by 6abc:

Overbrook School for the Blind President Board of Trustees Visual Impairment

Dr. Colleen June Christian’s devotion to OSB and its cause began shortly after moving here from California in 1989. After accepting a job as a fellow at Wills Eye Hospital, one of her first tasks was to visit the school and administer eye exams

 “As fellows, we came out every week to perform eye examinations on the students and to make recommendations on how to help them achieve the best possible vision,’ she has said.

“I have loved OSB ever since.’’

These days Dr. Christian is one of three vice presidents serving on OSB’s Board of Directors, and a Pediatric Ophthalmologist and Surgeon with Ophthalmic Associates in Lansdale, PA.

Born and raised in California, she received her B.A. in Biology, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of California in Los Angeles, then attended the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio. Her postgraduate training includes a Transitional Internship at the Illinois Masonic Medical Center, an Ophthalmology Residency at Northwestern University at McGraw Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, and a Fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia.

Last year she completed the Master’s in Healthcare Innovation from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, continuing a lifelong pursuit of new and better ways to deliver healthcare solutions.

It’s a passion that spills into her work as a Board member with OSB – all these years later.

``I remember being enchanted by the campus itself and the community of students learning together,’ she says of her first days here – 35 years ago!

 ``I am honored to be a part of the OSB Board of Trustees,’ she says. ``And I hope that my experience as a pediatric ophthalmologist will allow me to support the many forms that education takes here, along with working to increase the OSB presence in the Philadelphia philanthropic community.”

Edward McGinn still isn’t quite sure how he became one of three vice presidents on the Overbrook School for the Blind Board of Trustees.

His initial involvement more than seven years ago was due to the recommendation of his sister-in-law, Jackie Keenan, whose 18-year-old son Nicholas has attended OSB since he was three. She believed – correctly -- that McGinn’s own experience with the premature birth of a child, his subsequent volunteer work as an attorney for The Support Center for Child Advocates, and his stellar reputation in construction accident litigation made him a perfect fit for the school.

She was right.

Almost immediately, McGinn joined the Facilities Committee. Later, he assumed the role of chairman. “And then somewhere along the way, and I'm not even sure I remember this happening, but I became a vice president.

“I don't do anything independently regarding it. I just try to help. We've had some legal matters that came up over time involving the pool roof litigation. Given my work as an attorney for these types of situations, where it's valuable, I can assist and help to navigate some of those issues.”

Following graduation from Notre Dame in 1981, McGinn attended Duquesne University School of Law, where he graduated in the top 25 percent of his class and received his juris doctor in 1984. He started his career with the defense litigation firm of Liebert, Short, Fitzpatrick and Lavin, and developed extensive experience in a wide range of casualty defense matters, with particular emphasis on the defense of product liability claims defending construction-related accidents in Philadelphia and the counties as a lawyer for 40 years.

The premature birth of his youngest child – she was one pound five ounces when born at 23 ½ weeks – triggered a desire to give back as he watched appreciatively the effort to nurture and protect her. (She is a perfectly healthy 32-year-old these days, “A miracle in our lives,” he says.

McGinn has provided pro bono litigation for The Support Center for 22 years and has been honored with recognition as its “Distinguished Advocate for Children.”

“That’s where I came to learn the great benefits of doing this kind of work,” he says. “You get out of these things much more than you put into them.”

Beyond that, McGinn’s continued involvement with OSB traces to two things. One is ``to support this great school that supports my nephew.”  ``I’ve grown very close to Nicholas,’ he says.

The other traces to his parents, Edward Sr. and Jeane, both of whom have passed away. ``They in their way tried to support the school and now they are both unfortunately gone,’ their son says. “But I can continue that. My hope is to continue to stay involved.”

Two things are true simultaneously: It is hard to describe Overbrook School for the Blind without mentioning Board Vice President Sid Rosenblatt, and it is hard to describe Sid Rosenblatt without mentioning OSB.

The school owes the beauty of many of its crown jewels to Rosenblatt’s continuing generosity: The Horticulture Center that bears his late wife’s name, the state-of-the-art aquatics center so crucial to the physical development and confidence of so many of the school’s students and most recently even the renovated auditorium that showcases musical and performance skills, honors achievements and graduations, and offers various forms of entertainment throughout the school year.

Even the ceramic kiln, critical to teacher Susan DiFabio’s ambitious efforts can be traced back to the Rosenblatt Family Charitable Fund.

It's a symbiotic relationship, Sid has insisted often.

“It’s a cause that allows me as a donor to make a difference,” he says of the Rosenblatt Family Charitable Fund, which also involves his son David and daughter Brooke. “We can see the results from the support we provide. I look at the students, all of whom have challenges to overcome, and in their home communities, they are looked at differently than their non-disabled peers. At OSB, they are looked at as children and do all the things that all children do—learning, socializing, playing, laughing. They are free to be children, and to me, that’s the most wonderful thing.”

There are so many examples of that throughout the campus of course, but the M. Christine Murphy Horticulture and Education Center, named for his late wife, holds a special place in his heart.

It was Christine who first became involved in OSB when the family lived across from the campus, first as a volunteer and later as a board member herself.

“That was one of the best experiences I’ve had giving a gift to OSB, building it, and naming it,” Rosenblatt once said. “Every year, seeds are planted, and growth takes place there, and it reminds me of Christine and everything she loved.”

“She was passionate about the school.  It always had a place in her heart.”

She transferred that to her husband, and their two children. “We have supported and will continue to support OSB,” he has said. “We want to make a difference in the lives of these students.”

Jim Murphy's journey as Treasurer of the OSB board is more than just a professional role -- it's a deeply personal commitment rooted in his family's experience.

Murphy’s family joined the OSB family in 2010 after his daughter Haley, born with aniridia, began receiving at-home services. Haley's growth from preschool to seventh grade was such a compelling testament to the exceptional care provided by OSB's staff that Murphy decided to use his experience as a certified public accountant and Chief Financial Officer with a private equity firm to lead fundraising efforts for the school.

“The staff here is really special and goes beyond the child’s disability and finds the child’s ability,” he says.

In the 15 years since Murphy's involvement with OSB has been multifaceted. An avid runner, he has organized several annual fundraising events. The Aniridia 5K and 1 Mile Family Walk he launched designated OSB as the beneficiary of all proceeds.

He is also actively involved in organizing the GFN Philly Annual Golf Outing, which has collectively raised over $50,000 for OSB and other nonprofits. Despite his busy schedule, Murphy finds time for personal passions, including running and traveling with his wife Erica and their two daughters.

“I’m a proud girl dad,” he says.

That commitment caught the attention of the board, and he was asked to join in 2016. Later he assumed the chairmanship of the audit and budget committee, eventually becoming Board Treasurer in 2020.

His background as a private equity CFO has provided a wealth of financial expertise to that position. “My career gives me the building blocks I need [to serve as treasurer],” he says.

Coupled with his experience as an OSB parent and fundraiser, Murphy has the ultimate tool kit to serve as Board Treasurer and enrich the Board's discussions and decisions. Although not technically the official parent representative on the board, he provides an invaluable "inside scoop" into the school and its programs as an additional OSB parent on the board, offering support and evaluation from that vantage point as well.

Multiple parental voices are essential, he says. “The board always welcomes a parent perspective.”

Particularly one who has watched the transformative impact OSB’s methods and culture can have for students with disabilities. And who has evolved, in 15 years, from an impressed parent of one student to a tireless advocate for the entire OSB student body.  

“They’re given skills and becoming prepared for life,’ he says. ``We are shifting perspectives of people with disabilities.”

Jackie Keenan expected a school tour. No more, no less. Like any loving parent, she wanted the best education possible for her son Nicholas, who was born with significant special needs. “I wanted him at a place where he had a real opportunity to learn, grow and succeed,” she says.

The tour guide that day for the Overbrook School for the Blind was a front office person, an administrator. Not a teacher, not a specialist. Just another worker at the school… or so she thought.

“Although she wasn’t a teacher she interacted with every child and knew them personally by name!’’ says Keenan, still impressed by it 15 years later. `` I knew right then that this was a place that really knows and cares about its students. Nicholas would be in good hands.”

This was in 2009. Seeking a school for her then three-year-old, Keenan was aimed towards OSB by Nicholas’s vision therapist, who worked in the school’s early intervention program. OSB, she was told, would tailor her child’s education to his specific needs, rather than try and tailor the child towards a more universal curriculum.

Together, they would unlock whatever potential lay in the child.

Nicholas is now 17, a vibrant part of Overbrook’s inviting community. “The staff here is amazing,” Jackie Keenan says. “They approach each child individually to maximize their abilities and potential. The reward is seeing my son thrive in an environment where he enjoys attending every day. He gets to come to a place where he is welcomed, supported, laughs, and is encouraged. Every child should experience that.”

Early on in that journey, Jackie attended the school’s annual holiday concert, and she was approached about joining the OSB board. She accepted quickly. “I was happy to be asked and to be able to contribute my time,” she says.

As a senior business manager and 30-year veteran at SEI Investments, Keenan holds an undergraduate degree in finance and a master’s in business administration from Villanova University. As a trustee, she has served on the instructions committee (as required of all newly appointed members) and is currently board secretary. Keenan also sat on the budget and audit committee and, as one of four parents on the board, offered that perspective to a search committee charged with hiring the current CEO, Todd Reeves.

 “The board is a diverse group of individuals with varied backgrounds,” she says. “I’ve been happy to represent the parent perspective.”

When she’s not around OSB, Keenan likes to ski, sail and cook, in no particular order. She also spends time with a large family of 14 nieces and nephews. Nicholas has only a few years attending Overbrook, but, Keenan says, the bond of mother and child will endure long after that.    “OSB lovingly welcomes Nicholas,” she says. “We are so very blessed to be here.”

Many members of the Board of Directors of the Overbrook School for the Blind know the school from the outside in. Donna Brown, the Board’s latest Alumni Representative, knows it inside out. She went to OSB for 12 years, lived there as well, and used the skills and confidence she built as a student to launch a successful life as an athlete and educator.

Brown was a four-time Paralympian back in the 70s and 80s, a winner of five medals in track and later, swimming. She spent 37 years teaching at West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind, retiring in 2020. Since then, she has substituted at the school, coached its athletic teams, and become more involved with the American Council of the Blind, joining its Board of Directors this year.

Over that time, she says, there has been a seismic shift in educational opportunities for the visually impaired, as more school systems absorb students, and OSB has expanded its educational scope as well. What hasn’t changed, she believes, is the atmosphere and focus OSB provides, and the confidence and skill set that often provides.

``I ran into a former student during the last Alumni Reunion,’ she says. ``He was two years ahead of me in school, and he didn't come from the best home situation and had had a rough time. He was very successful and had employment all through his adult years. I asked him how he had done it. He said that a lot of it was due to the foundation that we got at Overbrook to teach us the independent skills we needed. He said, `I had to use all of those.’

``I think Overbrook helped us with all that by giving us the opportunities to gain all those skills we needed. And to encourage us to learn how to figure as much as we could on our own. Nobody else was going to do for me, what I can do for myself.’’

A native of Pottstown who lived on campus, Brown’s returns to the school will become more frequent now as she attends all the board meetings and distributes the discourse to her fellow alum. The role, she says, ``has given me a whole different understanding of the school as to how it gets funding and resources,’ than when she was a student or even a teacher in the state-run West Virginia system.

``It’s really a special place,’ she says. ``One that I am proud to be a part of.’’

A seasoned senior consultant in the telecom/I.T. industry for over twenty-five years, Medea McGlynn brings a unique blend of professional acumen and personal dedication to her roles at OSB.

Her journey with the school began in 2015 when her son JJ, facing challenges with CVI and other disabilities, found a second home at OSB, despite the hour-long commute from their residence.

 "I noticed right away how comfortable he was at OSB,” McGlynn says of JJ’s first exposure to the school. “At other schools, he seemed more tense and uptight, but it was noticeable how relaxed he was. It was just a fit. And I think the pool sealed the deal."

Driven by this positive experience, McGlynn became deeply involved in the OSB community. She first joined PERC, the school's home and school association, and later assumed the role of president in 2019. Her leadership caught the attention of Marjorie Stine, then board president, who invited McGlynn to join the board as a parent representative.

While she felt honored, McGlynn was apprehensive about joining the board. Her interaction with PERC was much less formal than a board meeting. But as a telecom executive, it was not all that unfamiliar. Ultimately, her extensive background interacting with executives across various industries prepared her well for the transition.

As a trustee and parent representative, McGlynn plays a crucial role in bridging the perspectives of families and the board. "I think it's important to have a parent rep on the board because I get a behind-the-scenes view of how goals are set,” she says. “But I also listen to parents and bring their concerns to the board. I want them to know they're being heard too. "

Beyond her board responsibilities, McGlynn champions staff appreciation and community engagement at OSB. She revitalized the Staff Appreciation Luncheon, elevating it with catering and volunteer service, aiming to convey a strong message of gratitude from the school community to its dedicated staff. And she is equally committed to reinvigorating PERC and expanding its impact after a period of dormancy.

Outside of OSB, McGlynn and her husband John are proud parents to twin boys and a seventeen-year-old daughter, all of whom have special needs. Their commitment extends to volunteering for causes like the Easter Seals Walk With Me and organizing local holiday food drives. She also treasures moments of relaxation with family, friends, and their beloved dog Violet, humorously noting, "Violet is definitely the favorite child!"

There are seven more years until JJ completes his education at OSB. McGlynn expects to be involved through all of it – and likely beyond. “We're not going anywhere,’’ she says. “We have roots at Overbrook."

There are two typical avenues where people come to serve OSB. They are introduced to the school through their children's needs, or they enter its orbit through the introduction of a friend.

Nancy Baron-Baer was nearing retirement from a long and successful career in real estate law and later, as regional director of the Anti-Defamation League. “What’s next???” she pondered aloud to longtime friend Marjorie Stein as they rode the train to Center City one day.

“She said: You’re going to have more time on your hands, why don’t you consider joining our board,” Baer recalled.

Other than having attended a few events, Baer says she knew very little about the school. She did know a little about the blind community however: Her father had long volunteered with a local agency servicing the blind, and her daughter was a volunteer tandem guide for visually impaired runners.

She also knew her friend and had listened over the years as Stein detailed her passionate involvement with the school. After doing some research on her own, she concluded that OSB “was an excellent place to give my time.”  

So, in 2020, she joined the Board. Currently, she serves on the instruction and facilities committees. Additionally, Baer is among a select group of trustees working on the groundbreaking Taking Flight Campaign.

She sees OSB as a chance to support a singular cause and serve a particular population.

“This [OSB] feels more intimate and I’m hoping I can have a direct impact,” she said.

Prior to her 15-year sting with the Anti-Defamation League, Baer built a successful career in real estate law, and became one of Philadelphia’s few women to be  named partner at a major law firm. With experience in profit and non-profit enterprises, Baer brings to OSB a varied set of skills that have already been applied in a number of ways. Her legal expertise in real estate makes her a logical fit for the facilities committee. Baer’s law training also provided an important voice when the school was establishing its COVID-19 policies. Her years at ADL, where she established strong business and community relationships, has shaped her work on the school’s campaign.

Baer holds a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and still enjoys learning and takes classes on a range of topics from art to politics. She stays connected to her professional work through an affinity group of retired nonprofit legal executives, and also works towards protecting voting rights through a grassroots organization.

Born and raised in Wilkes-Barre, she lives in Bala Cynwyd with her husband Stephen, also a retired attorney. Married for forty-five years, they have three adult children and two grandchildren.   

Given that her board term began during pandemic restrictions, Baer is now looking forward to more engaging opportunities to serve and identifying her goals. “I’m here to be helpful and to move this mission forward.”

Elizabeth Smith Campana had just come off maternity leave when longtime Board member Rick Wheeler walked her through Overbrook School for the Blind for the first time. It was also just around the holidays, and, she says, “There were just so many wonderful children running around and having a great time.’’

As they walked, Wheeler told her of one child in particular, who was nonverbal and working through other disabilities. With the help of teachers, therapists, paraeducators – the village that is Overbrook – the child had just managed to sign into his mother’s hands the gestures that translate into “I love you.’’

“And he had never been able to say that to his mother before,’ she says. “So that was my waterfall moment when I said, `I have to be involved with this organization.’”

So, she agreed to join the OSB Board. A wealth manager for Bernstein Private Wealth Management, Campana brings those skills to the talent-rich OSB Board. “I don’t necessarily have a direct connection,’ she says. “I was brought on by existing board members that said, this is such a great organization and you should learn more about it. They were right.’’

After graduating from Denison University, Campana received a law degree from Villanova before pivoting into her career of wealth management. Married and the mother of two young boys, she also just finished a stint on the Radnor Conservancy Board and serves on the Executive Board of The Baldwin School, which she once attended.

Almost immediately, the Pandemic interfered with her goal to become more familiar with Overbrook, but that’s no longer the case. Like many who become familiar with the school, it quickly becomes an overwhelming appreciation of facilities, staff and students.

 “I do like the Horticulture Center,’ she says.  “It's so impressive and it hits on so many different senses really.

``But it’s being able to be a supporter of the school, the students and all that they're destined to accomplish.’’

A former child advocate and the mother of a young son with epilepsy, Meredith Carter has seen and felt the full spectrum of care afforded to kids with multiple impairments and challenges.

So when an OSB trustee asked her to consider joining the board, she had a mental checklist as she stepped onto the campus for her initial tour. “What immediately impressed me was just how customized the learning is,’’ Carter says. ``The teachers clearly have great training and could go anywhere, but they have a passion to serve here. It was a beautiful thing to witness.”

The timing was perfect. Carter had just cycled off her board term at another nonprofit and was looking for where she could serve next. A corporate lawyer by trade, she also served as a legal advocate representing minors within the foster care system -- work Carter called both “difficult and rewarding.”  And when her son underwent emergency brain surgery, that advocacy became personal.  “I’ve always had a path in child advocacy,’ she says. ``But now it’s more relevant that I’m helping a mission that supports children of all abilities.”

Now President and CEO of Edge Capital -- a specialty finance company with multiple locations nationwide – Carter sits fittingly on both the governance and development committees of the OSB Board. Before joining OSB, she served on the board of a local private school for many years and has led fundraising efforts for the Junior League of Philadelphia for more than a decade.

Carter and her husband Michael and their two children live in Haverford. 

At OSB, she sees herself, as others do, as the school’s Swiss Army Knife, willing to fill any need the board has during her tenure. Already she has proven an effective recruiter, onboarding good friend Elizabeth Smith Campana to serve on the board as well.

 “I want to make an impact and contribute my skills to the needs of the school,’ says Carter, adding that her only goal is to be pliable.  “I realize priorities may change,’ she says. ``It’s not about my personal goals. When you have achieved a certain level of success, you have an obligation or at least you should want to share what you’ve gained, whether it’s a talent or a treasure.”

“I’m looking forward to having even more time helping the school get things over the finish line,” she says.

Michael D. Finelli’s journey into philanthropy began at a young age, inspired by his mother's involvement with St. Edmond's Home for Children, a facility for disabled children in Bryn Mawr. "She was on the board there when I was growing up,’ he says. ``I got in the habit of volunteering time out there for many years.’’

That expanded into volunteer efforts with the Special Olympics throughout high school and college. After completing his education at St. Joseph's University, he became an investment advisor, establishing a niche for sound financial guidance to private foundations.

He also married and he and his wife started a family. He coached his two children, he volunteered at school functions, and his free time was absorbed. But he never abandoned the resolve to, in his words, ``Seek opportunities to give back to his community.’’

As his children hit high school age and those direct parent involvements eased, a professional relationship with an OSB Board member serendipitously provided that opportunity. Intrigued by the chance to make a meaningful impact, Michael joined OSB’s investment committee, leveraging his financial expertise to support the school's mission.

His dedication and enthusiasm to the cause soon led to an invitation to join the Board, a role he eagerly accepted. ``I was looking to help in a more well-rounded way,’ he says. ``I don’t have any personal connection, like, `Hey I’ve got a cousin who is blind.’ But the school is just such an amazing place.

``It's so in tune with what these kids need. It's doing work for kids that just can't get the type of services they can get from their local public schools. So, I think it's tremendously important to get these kids in there, to get them these special services.’’

As a Partner of myCIO Wealth Partners who work with high-net-worth individuals in designing, monitoring, and implementing appropriate investment planning strategies, Finelli’s skillset is tailor-made towards making that financially feasible.

``It’s been a very rewarding experience,’ he says of the collaborative efforts by the investment committee and the Board. “All you have to do is walk around the school and you see the results.” 

For years Rick Wheeler would see Roberta Gausas, greet her warmly, and tell her a little story about Overbrook. At an event at the Art Museum, or somewhere downtown, the longtime Board member and one-time President would make his subtle pitch to Gausas, a well-respected ophthalmologist, about getting involved.

``He would keep me informed about Overbrook and encourage me to visit,’’ says Gausas. “But I was busy working and didn’t feel I could commit the time.’’

That changed when Gausas retired. Suddenly she had time to do all sorts of things, including taking that long-delayed visit to Overbrook. 

“I was so impressed by what I saw,” she says. “The teachers and the enthusiasm of the students -- and what was being achieved and the dedication --  I said, `OK, yes. Now I would love to be a part of this!’ ”

With her medical background in ophthalmology, Warren saw Gausas as a perfect fit. ``And he was right,’’ she says. She became more involved, and ultimately accepted an invitation to join the Board. Of particular interest to her, she says, is the work being done with Cortical (Cerebral) Vision Impairment, and the advances in diagnosing, treating and teaching students at a formative age.

``I found that fascinating from the medical side,’’ she says. CVI falls into the realm of neuro-ophthalmology, and Dr. Gausas’ subspecialty for much of her distinguished career was plastic and reconstructive surgery. Therefore she had only casual awareness of CVI at first, and was surprised to learn that the diagnosis of CVI in children has increased exponentially over the last two decades in the U.S. and other developed countries.

She also learned what a committed and inspiring school OSB is. The educational passion of the instructional staff permeates the student body, building an exceptional and uplifting community. 

``They're so enthusiastic and they're so eager to be exposed to everything and to do everything with independence,” Gausas says. “ They’re learning life skills in addition to the education. There is just such a level of specialized skills of teaching and devotion and commitment. It is so beautiful that Overbrook can create this environment to achieve that.”

In addition to her work on the Board, Gausas is also on the board of Advisors of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Foundation. She also is the mother of a 14-year-old daughter. She loves to travel, and, in her words, ``I am interested in education in general.”

That serves her well in her role at OSB. ``There is just such a level of specialized skills of teaching and devotion and commitment,” she says. “It is so beautiful that Overbrook can create this environment to achieve that.”

Marquitha Gilbert's journey is intertwined with a profound dedication to her children and a commitment to advocacy in the disability community. As a mother of two children with special needs, she discovered her life's purpose early on:

 “My job is not only to prepare them for the world,” she says. “But to prepare the world for them.”

 For Gilbert, serving on the OSB board is an avenue towards fulfilling that personal mission, which began in 2009 when her daughter Mari, navigating the transition from early intervention services to a day school, found a supportive environment at OSB. Impressed by the school's inclusive atmosphere and holistic approach, Marquitha recalls how Mari, now 17, thrived under OSB's care, progressing from needing extensive physical therapy to confidently using a single forearm crutch for support.

“We just fell in love with OSB,” says Gilbert. “I was impressed at how everyone spoke so highly of the school, from support staff to the maintenance crew. It was just such a family-like atmosphere.”

It was an easy call then when Marquitha was asked to join the OSB Board in 2020. In addition to her parental perspective, she has been a tireless advocate for a disability-confident workplace. She has more than 20 years of experience in sales execution, global learning, launch excellence, and strategy integration, and as a capABILITY Network Global coLead at Merck, she set and led the strategies, global priorities, and executional efforts of a volunteer leadership team with a focus on mental wellbeing and hiring people with disabilities.

In her current role at Merck as Virology Regional Community Liaison Leader West, she heads up a team primarily focused on establishing, building and maintaining relationships with critical HIV/AIDs service organizations and community-based organizations within the US and globally.

“I think my work helps me look at OSB from a few angles,” she says. “One is branding. What can we do differently with our brand, so people [not only] know who we are but want to contribute to our growth. I also want to help further OSB’s global potential.”

Gilbert’s personal commitment to the disability community is unwavering.  She is also a parent-partner with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Nemours Dupont, providing critical accessibility feedback to both institutions.

“We want people to feel comfortable bringing their full selves to work,” she says.

A self-labeled, “glutton for achievement,” Gilbert’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Norfolk State University and a master’s in public health from Tulane School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine. To balance her many priorities, Gilbert who says she has always been “a student of the arts,” enjoys painting, singing and has even sold some of her pieces and has penned original songs and poetry.

During the pandemic, she taught herself how to refinish furniture to cope with the lockdowns.

 Gilbert has been married to her husband Derrick for 23 years. They live in Phoenixville with their two children. As she looks forward at her board service, Gilbert said what drives her is clear.

“I recognize how much impact OSB has had on Mari,’’ says Gilbert. “How much she has grown as a student, and as a person. I want to share this story however I can.”

When her friend Rick Wheeler approached Anne Marble about visiting Overbrook School for the Blind, the timing seemed perfect. It had been six years since Marble ended an affiliation with The Caramanico School, the middle school in Cambodia she cofounded in 2006.

Enjoying retirement and devoting time to her artwork, she nonetheless felt what she describes as a “service gap” in her life. The poverty and lack of quality education in Cambodia had propelled her to launch that school, which today operates in partnership with Villanova University.

Raised as a Quaker to serve, she needed a new cause.

Once on the OSB campus, Marble found it.  “This is a special place and I just loved it right away,” she says. “I knew this was worth my time and energy.”

So in 2019, Marble accepted an offer to join the board. Since then, she has served as a vice president, and she currently chairs the development committee.

Beyond her Quaker upbringing, Marble has more than 30 years of business experience as an entrepreneur. She began as an environmental consultant in the late 1980s, and eventually launched her own company, employing over 100 professionals at the time of her retirement.  She holds a B.A. in Biology from Earlham College as well as a Masters in regional planning from the University of Pennsylvania and has served on the board of another Philadelphia private school for more than 17 years.

That business and board experience has prepared her to work at OSB. “Being on several boards and running a business gave me the tools I need to be here,” she says. And her work in Cambodia still impacts what she does now. “It widened my understanding of education and the value of it. You can’t do anything unless you’re educated.”

So when she saw the staff and students in action, Marble was inspired. She is also excited about the  Taking Flight Campaign,  especially the campaign’s Braille Signage and OSBnb initiatives that will employ students. “This is a well-run school and it’s a very loving environment,’’ she says. ``The students feel known and that’s a big part of a good education.”

Outside of OSB, Marble is just as dedicated to her varied artwork – a talent she showed as early as four years old. “Not a day goes by where I don’t do something around my art, “she said. Her Norristown studio has been her new “office” since her retirement. She also frequently travels to California to visit her son and daughter-in-law.

For Marble, her devotion to OSB is only beginning. “I want these students to get the best education they can receive and I believe they are getting that here. I believe in what this school is doing.”

It was an easy yes, Diane McCarthy says. When longtime friend and OSB Board member Ed McGinn asked her to consider a trustee role in 2018 with Overbrook School for the Blind, she thought of another good friend and board trustee Jackie Keenan – and her son, Nicholas.

As Keenan’s friend for over 40 years, McCarthy had witnessed first-hand Nicholas’s growth as an OSB student and the success the school provides him. ``They see through the external challenges and develop the inner person,” McCarthy says of OSB’s staff. “No one else can do this like OSB. The connection and love for each child is very special.”

So, when she joined the board in 2019, she came, “Ready to learn and to serve.”  With more than forty years in the financial industry, she was well suited to serve on OSB’s budget and audit committee. As Chief Financial Officer at Lincoln Investment, she brings extensive experience in fundraising, overseeing several multi-million-dollar capital campaigns. “I want to help OSB stay financially stable enough to be around for another hundred years,” she says.

On a personal note, she has been friends with two trustees for over forty years, one of whom is an OSB parent.

Beyond her four-decade friendships with McGinn and Keenan, McCarthy also has impressive board leadership experience, serving six years on the board at her children’s private school and as board treasurer at the Center for Autism before that. As an involved parent who subsequently became a board member, McCarthy was familiar with school operations. The OSB model though, she says, is unique.

 “I love that we’re filling a void and entrance is based on the child’s need,’ she says. ``You can’t just pay to get your way in. It’s a program that I wish could be replicated.”

In her downtime, McCarthy enjoys, cooking, gardening, reading, and says the beach is “My happy place.” Married for over 30 years, she and her husband Jay have three adult children and recently became grandparents for the first time.

Although OSB trustees are subject to term limits, McCarthy is certain she will always remain connected to the school in some capacity. Whatever the role, she aspires to leave a positive and lasting impact.

“I hope I am remembered for stepping out of my comfort zone,’ she says. “And challenging all of us to step outside of the box.” 

OSB Board member Thomas D. Rees represents several independent schools in the Philadelphia area, handling employment, student discipline, contract, and governance matters in the education area.

Besides OSB, he has also served as a Board member and Board President of three major civic institutions in his community- a regional art center, the free library, and the civic association.

A partner at High Swartz LLP, Rees heads the firm's Litigation Employment Law and Education Law Practices, focusing primarily on employment and labor law and private education law. He also handles complex litigation and dispute resolution in land use and zoning law and government regulation.

Some of his noteworthy accomplishments include successfully defending a nonprofit, independent school against a taxing entity' attempt to revoke the school's tax exemption on the grounds of single-gender status, and successfully defending an independent school against two injunction actions by students' parents' arising from the school's discipline of students.

Rees also serves as an employment arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association. He often presents on employment and education law topics before the Bar Association and private industry groups.

Before he joined High Swartz in the mid-80s, Rees served as the Deputy General Counsel for Pennsylvania Governor Dick Thornburgh. He was involved in Regulatory review and reform, Three Mile Island litigation, and negotiation of funding agreements for major projects including Three Mile Island cleanup and seed money for the Philadelphia Convention Center.

Mark Rioboli admits that when a longtime friend asked him to consider joining the OSB board, he was initially reluctant to add anything else to his plate. “I’d been on boards before and even chaired one,” he says. “I know how much work it is.”

The friend, Bruce Fenster was already a board member and the chair of the investment committee. He convinced Rioboli to tour OSB with him – during school hours. “I was so impressed. I decided right then to get involved,” Rioboli said. “I saw these amazing kids zipping up and down the hallways with their white canes. I don’t even think they saw themselves as having challenges.” 

That was in 2019. Rioboli joined the board that same year, and he now chairs the investment committee. His more than thirty years in wealth management made him a natural fit for the position, and for a collaborative committee filled with similarly accomplished folks.

``There are no egos here,’’ he says. ``It’s all about these kids who have already overcome so much at a young age.”

It’s why OSB’s investment committee is unique, he says: Members actively manage the school’s endowment.  “We are not simply relying on an advisor,” he says. “The committee’s decisions are made “Through the lens of how it will benefit the children.

``This is also for the students yet to come.”

It’s why the committee’s cohesiveness and stewardship of the school’s funds is so important, he says, especially during the worst economic downturns. It facilitates OSB’s dedication to the students and ability to serve them now, and in the future. “I’m proud to be a part of OSB because [it’s] on the cutting edge of so much, whether teaching, or the CVI [initiative],’’ says Rioboli. ``This is a premier organization.”

Rioboli and his wife Joan have been married for over thirty-two years and have two adult children. Professionally, he has served in a variety of leadership roles, most prominently as chair with the Philadelphia chapter of The Tri-State Financial Planning Association, a trade organization of roughly 600 members. A self -described avid learner who is perpetually curious, Rioboli is looking forward to serving under the board’s first blind president, Lyle Stine.

 “What a tremendous learning opportunity for all of us,’’ he says.

Once hesitant to serve on the board, his commitment these days is long-term. A picture he once saw hung at the school, he says, has become a personal metaphor for that. A young girl, learning to cross a street with the guide of her white cane and of a teacher -- a scene of both trust and skill.

“That’s why I do this,” he says. “It’s an awesome responsibility that I’m happy to be a part of.”

When a former OSB board member asked Marjorie Stein if she knew of anyone with a human resources background who might be interested in joining its board, Stein thought only briefly before volunteering herself for the position.

That was in 2002. Today, more than twenty years later, Stein, a former Board President, is its second longest serving member. Prior to her appointment as President in 2019, Stein held the offices of secretary and vice president.

“Initially I knew nothing about the school,” she says. “But I have since become so impressed by the staff’s dedication and all that the school offers. You can’t help but be inspired.

The inspiration has served to deepen her commitment to the school and its mission with each passing year.

The door swings both ways too. With nearly thirty years of professional experience in human resources and employment law, Stein, who holds a Bachelor of Arts from New York University and a law degree from Villanova Law School, has provided valuable expertise to our school.

Her extensive professional background made her a logical choice to lead the search committee for OSB senior leadership positions, including that of current Executive Director and CEO Todd Reeves. In preparation for the hiring and interviewing process, Stein helped craft the questionnaire for potential candidates as well as the job description.

As chair of the board’s governance committee, she introduced board term limits which has helped to attract and retain engaged members. Indeed, even after more than twenty years, Stein shows no signs of stepping back or reducing her involvement with OSB.

The future of OSB is just too important, she says. She has witnessed firsthand the important support the school provides.

“We are a full circle package,” says Stein. “It’s not just braille, occupational therapy, and O&M. It’s sports. It’s music.  

“We fill a gap.”

In addition to her work with the school, Stein is heavily involved in her local synagogue.

She also enjoys traveling and is the proud grandmother of three.

Stein has an enduring devotion to OSB. “I’ve always had a soft spot for organizations serving kids,” she says. “It is a very difficult commitment to give up. I am committed to making this the best place possible for the students.”

Over his nearly three decades of stewarding Overbrook School for the Blind, Warwick “Rick” Wheeler has been guided by two tenets: What can I do to maintain the school’s extraordinary legacy and reputation, and what can I do to improve upon it???

Rick joined Overbrook’s board in 1996 and has since served on several committees and task forces - Development, Instruction, Strategic Planning, and Succession Planning. He was President of the Board from May 2012 through June 2019 and currently chairs OSB’s $20 million Taking Flight Campaign – which he calls, “transformative.”

Transformative is a good word to describe Wheeler’s imprint on the school as well. The son of longtime board member Alexander B. Wheeler, Rick holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations from The University of Pennsylvania and brings to OSB decades of experience in banking and corporate fundraising.  More than that, he brings to OSB an ability to think strategically and creatively, and an operating philosophy of “Why not?’’ to ideas that may seem challenging at first.

Case in point is OSB’s introduction and development of its CVI initiative. Called both Cortical Visual Impairment and Cerebral Visual Impairment, OSB’s “CVI Complete” was launched in 2022 after Wheeler’s request to staff to think “outside the box” resulted in a call for more resources to address CVI and develop curriculum around it. Dr. Beth Ramella, a renowned CVI specialist, was hired to spearhead what has quickly become an integral part of the OSB curriculum.

“Every day with every child there are little triumphs,” says Wheeler. “I always encourage new board members as well as others to visit during the school day. They need to see firsthand the joyful interactions between the students and education staff. Despite their multiple challenges, these kids are thriving and doing things that their parents, and even their teachers, never thought possible.”

Wheeler and his wife Mollie have been married for nearly 40 years and have two adult children. Among other pastimes, he plays squash, tennis, and enjoys hiking and sailing.

He also serves on the boards of several non-profit organizations.

Rick calls OSB one of Philadelphia’s many unheralded “hidden gems.” And he continues to work towards a day when hidden is no longer an applicable adjective.

 “In the field of educating children with visual impairments, Overbrook is hugely respected worldwide for its innovations and the quality of customized education it provides to each student,’ he says. “This place is tops at what it does. The story needs to be told.

“It’s time for its place in the sun.”