Immediate Past President
 Lynn D. McFarlane
Lynn D. McFarlane is a seasoned communications professional with more than 20 years experience that includes public relations, marketing, writing, editing and special event planning, primarily in the educational and healthcare arenas. She currently serves as director of communications and marketing for the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey’s School of Nursing, which offers the state’s largest program of graduate nursing education. Prior positions include director of marketing and public relations for Saint Clare’s Health System; director of public affairs for Liberty Healthcare; assistant director for communications at the national Consortium for Policy Research in Education (based at Rutgers University); and director of public relations for the Montclair, NJ Board of Education.
Lynn has also served as consultant for corporate and not-for-profit clients, as well as freelance reporter and copy editor for newspapers and magazines. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Temple University and recently completed a professional certificate in Marketing Positioning and Branding from New York University. Lynn was named recipient of a 2008 Pyramid Award for a publication completed for UMDNJ-School of Nursing. She is particularly interested in harnessing the power of digital communications, social networking and other emerging communication vehicles in promoting not-for-profit organizations. McFarlane served as a vice president of programming for AWC-NJ from 2006-2008.
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Co-Presidents
 Kathleen Brunet Eagan
Kathleen Brunet Eagan is
Director of Communications and College Relations at
County College of Morris (CCM). Prior to joining CCM,
she was founder and owner of Clarus Associates, LLC, a copywriting, communications and marketing firm serving higher education, nonprofits, professional associations, small businesses and corporate clients. Prior to starting her own firm in 2005, she worked as Director of Communications for the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants (NJSCPA) where she was responsible for the Society’s internal and external communication vehicles, media relations and special programs. Previous to that, she held the position of Assistant Director of Communications for the Newark campus of Rutgers University, where she also served as a science publicist. She began her career as journalist working as a municipal and education reporter for several daily newspapers, including the Daily Progress in Charlottesville, Virginia, and The Union-News in Northampton, Massachusetts.
Kathleen earned her B.A. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and her Master’s in Public Administration from Rutgers University. She is the recipient of a number of awards, including three Pyramid Awards from the Public Relations Society of America/New Jersey Chapter and several APEX awards for publication excellence in both print and online formats.
 Holly Kaplansky
Holly Kaplansky is the owner of Minuteman Press of Newark, which she purchased in 2005 after a successful 30-year career in corporate upper-management. Minuteman, located in Newark, NJ, is a full-service operation offering printing, copying, and bindery services, as well as branding and design of brochures, flyers, Web sites, letterheads, business cards, and other print products
Holly has served in executive management positions for companies in both New Jersey and New York, giving her a solid background in management and marketing. Her experiences have included successes at Ovid Technologies, where she was Global Marketing Director, and RussCandybears as Chief Operating Officer. During her tenure at Kraft General Foods, Inc. as Product Manager, she was responsible for consecutive annual revenue growths of 45, 34 and 40%.
Holly is a member of the North Essex Chamber of Commerce, and is
Immediate Past President of the Essex Chapter of the NJ Association of Women Business Owners (NJAWBO). NJAWBO helps keep her motivated and she has even been able to increase her sales by doing business with other members. Holly is also a 2006 winner of the Teal Heart Award, a NJAWBO service award designed to acknowledge members for outstanding service and dedication to the state association and to its chapters, and to inspire members to take initiative in projects that will further the association’s goals and objectives. She is certified as a Woman Owned Business (WBE), Small Business Enterprise (SBE) by the State of New Jersey, and a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) by NJ Transit.
Holly earned her B.A. in Art from the State University of New York.
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Secretary
  Fran
Hopkins
Fran Hopkins launched her business career at Prudential,
where she was manager of the health care operations
department’s Medical Technology and Clinical Practice
Assessment Program. After two decades at Prudential, she
entered the field of school public relations so she could do
more editing and writing. A former secretary of the NJ
School Public Relations Association, she has held posts
including communications coordinator with the Cedar Grove
schools and communications director for the Randolph
Schools. She also has served as business information writer
for Aetna Insurance, where she was able to merge her love of
writing with her interest in health.
Fran holds a B.S. in
English from Montclair State University and pursuing a M.S.
degree in Health Communication from Boston University. She
looks forward to applying her experience and education in a
position at a health care company or health-related
non-profit organization.
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Vice President—Finance/Treasurer
 Leslie Cifelli
Leslie Cifelli has nearly 20 years experience in the business world with particular emphasis on media relations, constituency building, recovery communications and political issues. Leslie is an expert in crisis communications and logistics. She has planned and executed numerous events and handled crisis such as the Northeast Blackout of '03 and the license renewal process for the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station. She has served as a corporate spokesperson for more than 10 years. Ms. Cifelli has become known as a turnaround expert in the communications industry, particularly in Nuclear Communications, helping Nuclear facilities with complete turnaround communications for both internal and external environments. Ms. Cifelli has a bachelor of business administration degree from Thomas Edison State College. She has served on the boards of both PRSA-NJ (most recently president-elect) and currently as Treasurer of AWCNJ.
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Vice Presidents—Communications
Nicole Carrubba
Nicole Carrubba, Principal and Founder of Captivate Communications, has an extensive background in marketing communications, project management and product development. In addition to her experience in a variety of industries, Nicole also has particularly strong expertise in the legal marketing profession. She possesses a deep knowledge base in how to position and sell to lawyers and law firms online, and has held senior positions at one of the most prestigious legal technology companies, prior to forming Captivate Communications. In addition to her legal marketing experience, Nicole has specific expertise in brand development, transformations and integrations and has been a driver of several companies' newly acquired product portfolio integrations. She has also held several senior-level positions in major corporations, including Director of Product Marketing. Nicole has her MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University and an undergraduate degree in communications.
 Nancy Passow
Nancy Passow is owner of
Write for You in NJ, is a freelance business and technical writer, focusing on the chemical and
pharmaceutical industries. She has written articles for
professional journals (print and on‑line), newsletters, and
magazines and presented workshops throughout the U.S. Nancy
is an adjunct instructor of Technical Communications at
Fairleigh Dickinson University (Metropolitan Campus).
A
member of AWCNJ since 2005, she also is a member of NJ
Association of Women Business Owners (past-state public
relations chair and past-VP of Marketing, Bergen chapter);
the Rockland Business Women’s Network (past-VP of Marketing
and newsletter editor); Society of Women Engineers
(past-newsletter editor), and the YWCA of Bergen County
Board of Directors (Board Secretary, chair of public
relations and marketing committee and advocacy committee).
For more information, visit Nancy’s web site at
http://www.write4unj.com/. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vice Presidents—Programming
  Marlene
Bauer Pissott
Marlene Bauer Pissottis president and
founder of
InGroup Inc., Wyckoff, NJ. Established in 1995, InGroup
provides marketing-communications and public relations
services from concept to final implementation, including
management and maintenance of the finished product for
nonprofit, government, and enterprise clients. The company
also provides ad hoc creative services. InGroup services
clients both big and small – including NJ TRANSIT, The Port
Authority of NY & NJ, Belmar Spring Water Company, Navigator
Wealth Management, Cohen & Burnett, among others. InGroup’s
Web specialty division,
WebSwagger.com, delivers high-value, integrated Web and
print solutions to small business.
 Wanda Pendelton
Wanda is a sales and marketing professional with more than twenty years of experience in marketing, advertising sales, and management. One of her many skills is the ability to manage people systems, resources, and finances; understanding the needs of consumers and how to translate those needs into business opportunities. She is able to create sales strategies, sales training, product development and promotions.
Presently, Wanda is Manager of Community Relations for The Newark Museum, and is responsible for community outreach, increasing museum audiences, and driving membership. She also manages group sales operations targeting the professional travel industry, community groups and organizations.
In addition she has a small business providing services to small and independent business owners in how to effectively use cable and cinema advertising. Wanda holds a B.A. in Business Administration and Minor in Human Resources from Bradford College, and is a candidate for her M.B.A. in Management at St. Peter’s College. Wanda is a member of the Women’s Leadership Council, United Way of Essex and Hudson Counties, Rotary Club of Newark, SBDC Rutgers-Newark Advisory Council and the Association for Women in Communications, Northern New Jersey Professional Chapter.
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Vice President—Membership
 Lauren
Swern
Lauren Swern is Development
Director at
Noah’s Ark Animal Welfare Association, Inc., in
Ledgewood, NJ. She joined the non-profit, “no-kill” animal
welfare organization in 2008. While at Noah’s Ark, she has
demonstrated fundraising success through the continued
growth of annual fundraising programs such as Petcasso, Howl
& Hike, Be a Pet Pal, Dine to Donate; and Cause for Paws.
Previously, Lauren spent 10
years in corporate communications and customer service.
Her communications skills were developed through her
employment with various specialty and big box retailers
including The Children’s Place, Babies R Us and Aeropostale.
Over the course of her employment with these organizations,
Lauren has gained experience with creating and implementing
communications, marketing, direct mail, employee
recognition, public relations and event planning campaigns.
Lauren has supported AWCNJ as a member of several
committees.
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Vice President—Corporate Relations
 Veronica
Balken
Veronica Balken is a marketing and training professional with more than 20
years of experience in financial services. She is a
strategic thinker who combines creativity with practical
solutions. An accomplished writer, Veronica has developed
marketing, training and sales support resources for Fortune
500 investment and insurance firms.She served as director of
Retirement Marketing for Prudential Investments and has been
president of Balken Communications for the past seven
years.
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Vice Presidents—Student Relations
 Diane
M. Byrne
Diane M. Byrne is an award-winning
writer and editor, specializing in targeting editorial to
high-net-worth individuals. As the owner of
RedHedInk, LLC, she writes for a number of yacht and
luxury lifestyle publications, including Super Yacht
World, Superyacht Business, Departures, Ocean Home, and
Haute Living. She is also the owner and editor of
MegayachtNews.org, the leading independent Web site
devoted to the luxury yacht market.
MegayachtNews.org earned 3rd place in the Original Online
Content category for the 2009 Boating Writers International
Annual Writing Contest. Diane is a longtime member of the
International Superyacht Society and was elected to its
Board of Directors in February 2010 and is a founding member
of the United States Superyacht Association. A longtime
member of the Association for Women in Communications, she
received AWC’s prestigious Clarion Award for Best Feature
Writing in 2003.
 Reneé
Gatz
Reneé Gatz is a marketing and
communications manager for Fiserv, a leading global
financial technology company and is a blogger and published
author of the book
Wise Words & Witty Expressions, a collection of the
expressions her parents said to her all too often to help
her navigate life's ups and downs as she was growing up.
Reneé has worked in the financial
services industry for over 15 years in a variety of
marketing roles. In her current role, she was tasked with
building a formal communication program focused on
associates and client communication programs from the ground
up. She was recently motivated to take her writing,
marketing and public relations skills and apply them to the
development of her book, which was recently reviewed in the
national publication Irish America and featured in
the
Star-Ledger.
Reneé graduated from St. Peter's College in Jersey City while
attending school in the evening and working full-time.
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