Sound Start Babies

Board of Trustees

Sound Start Babies Board of Trustees

Sound Start Babies is dedicated to providing exceptional comprehensive early intervention services to infants and toddlers with hearing loss. We are fortunate to have a passionate and talented Board of Trustees who provide oversight of the program, maintain fiduciary responsibility, and serve as active advocates and ambassadors for Sound Start Babies.

Alex Mitchell

President

Alex joined the Board of Sound Start Foundation in 2022 and is proud to serve as President of the now reunited Board of Trustees of Sound Start Babies. Alex received his BA from Hobart and William Smith and his MBA from Columbia Business School. He is an experienced banking executive, having spent more than 20 years at Brown Brothers Harriman, most recently at Vice President, Head of Endowments and Foundation Lending. Alex and his family live in Mountain Lakes and have a long history of involvement with Sound Start Babies.

Jack Gentul, Ph.D.

Vice President

Jack received his PH.D. in Higher Education/Administration from New York University. He spent 37 years as a student affairs administrator across six institutions of higher education. Jack was the Founding Director of the Henry and Lucy Moses Center for Students with Disabilities at NYU and served as the Dean of Students at NJIT. Jack joined the Sound Start Babies Board in 2016 after serving for ten years on the Mountain Lakes Board of Education.

Rita Mozer

Treasurer

Rita is a semi-retired CPA who currently serves Vice President of the Board. After graduating from Seton Hall University with a degree in Accounting she worked in Public Accounting for approximately 3 years after which she moved into private industry. She held positions in Corporate Accounting, Treasury and Human Resources before leaving industry. During tax seasons she works with a tax practice in Union, NJ. She has held volunteer positions with her Church Finance Committee, children’s Home School Association and working with the local food pantry and soup kitchen.

Jessica Griffin

Secretary

Jessica was introduced to Sound Start Babies when her second child was diagnosed as profoundly deaf upon birth. Having seen first-hand the amazing results of the Program, she joined the Board of Trustees in 2014 with the goal of ensuring all children with hearing loss are provided with the same level of life-changing services that her son received. Jessica became President of the Foundation in 2016 and led the organization through a period of significant financial growth and a material restructuring. Jessica graduated from Loyola University Maryland with a BBA in Marketing and spent eight years in marketing, sales and customer service in the New York City hospitality industry. Jessica, and her husband Michael, have 4 children and she spends any extra time she may have giving back to her children’s schools and the community.

Laura S. McKirdy, Ph.D.

Co-Founder and President Emeritus

Dr. McKirdy is a speech, language pathologist, developmental psychologist and the founder of Sound Start Babies.  Laura established the first public school age program for children with hearing loss at Lake Drive School where for over three decades she developed and directed innovative educational programming for children with hearing loss. She has over 50 years of administrative experience and work with children with hearing loss and their families. Laura’s advocacy efforts for early identification and intervention have been numerous and successful on both the state and national level.

Lindsay Boitel

Lindsay is a Financial Advisor and previously served as Secretary of the Board of Trustees. Lindsay graduated from The College of New Jersey with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and English. After teaching seventh grade for two years, Lindsay moved into her role as a financial advisor, where she loves helping people. Her teaching background has fueled her commitment to working with children and being involved in the community.

Daniel Borgo

Dan is enjoying retirement after serving as Business Administrator/Board Secretary for the Mountain Lakes School District. He also serves as Treasurer on the Board of Trustees for New Beginnings for Tomorrow. Dan resides in Randolph NJ with his wife Robyn; they have two children Nicholas and Erica.

Yana Garger, MD

Dr. Garger is board-certified in Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, and Internal Medicine. She received her bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from Brandeis University and her medical degree from New York Medical College. She is a passionate advocate for Sound Start Babies and saw the program's impact firsthand when her son went through the program. Yana and her family live in Bergen County, NJ.

Thomas Olson

Tom, attorney at law, specializes in eminent domain and real property tax matters representing individuals, businesses, and municipalities. His expertise has earned him the honor of being acknowledged as a New Jersey Super Lawyer and a Best Lawyer. Tom has been a supporter of the Sound Start Babies Program for many years and is a thoughtful caring member of his community and a dedicated father and grandfather.

Ann Ryan

Ann served for several years as a grant writer for the Sound Start Babies Foundation and now serves on the reunited Sound Start Babies Board. Ann has a long history of not-for-profit Board participation including Oratory Preparatory School, Mount Saint Mary Academy, the Amanda Rose Laura Foundation and Impact 100 Garden State. She is a former healthcare bond analyst having worked for many years in the financial services industry. Ann holds an MBA degree from Baruch College of the City University of New York, and an undergraduate degree from NYU.

Marjorie Solomon

Marge is a Learning Disabilities Teacher/Consultant and Teacher of the Deaf, who has almost four decades of experience with Deaf and Hearing-Impaired students from Early Childhood to High School. Marge continues to serve students with Learning Disabilities at Fairleigh Dickenson University, some of whom have a mild to moderate hearing loss. She was one of the first Early Intervention Coordinators for the Mountain Lakes Early Intervention Program, now known as Sound Start Babies Program. Marge continues to be committed to exceptional intervention services for students with hearing loss, no matter their age.

Jonathan Weizman

Jonathan holds a Master's Degree in Economics from Rutgers University. He has spent 20 years in the hearing healthcare industry in the private sector working for global manufacturers, as well as founding a private national hearing healthcare organization. Jonathan is a passionate believer in the benefits of treating hearing loss and proper education. He resides in Mountain Lakes and is the proud parent of a community child in the Sound Start Babies nursery.

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