Three New Trustees Join Sparta Education Foundation

Trustee

Lisa Morano

Lisa Morano brings an array of skills to the SEF as a current Program Manager for Impact 4 Good LLC, which is a company that produces teambuilding events for corporate clients that result in donations of various kinds to non-profits in need of communal support. She also taught physical education at Alpine Elementary School from 2013-2017 prior to raising a family and changing careers. Lisa has 3 young children in the district, and has been an avid supporter of the Sparta community and Girls on the Run NJ North for many years. She is excited about the fantastic resources the students in this community are offered through the efforts of the teachers, staff, and supporters of the Sparta Education Foundation.

Treasurer

Dan Sarnowski

Dan hit the ground running when he joined the SEF in 2019 as a Trustee and Treasurer. He has excelled in both roles, streamlining the foundation’s financial records and overseeing the intricacies of the bank accounts and taxes. Dan has a strong background in project management for major corporations including Glaxo Smith Kline, Hoffmann LaRoche and Exxon. He is also an active member and volunteer for New Jersey Sharing Network, where he served as Foundation Treasurer. His new ideas and insights have improved many of the day-to-day tasks of the Foundation, and his professional leadership on the Cornament and Dragon Boat Festival fundraisers has been vital. Closely involved in the local community, Dan is a member of the Ambassadors’ Club at Newton Hospital and is involved with the Adopt-a-Family Program at Our Lady of the Lake Church in Sparta. Dan has a BS in civil engineering from Columbia University and a Master’s of Science in structural engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Secretary

Kimberly Noel

Kim joined the SEF in 2021 and is now serving as Secretary. She is a Project Manager for Cigna as well as a long-time community volunteer –in addition for the SEF she volunteers for the League of Women Voters of Sussex Highlands, Family Promise of Sussex County, and other organizations.

Trustee

Donna West

Donna joined the SEF board in 2014 and soon thereafter was elected to executive leadership roles including two terms as Vice President and three terms as President, and is currently serving as Co-Treasurer. Her dedication to creating a cohesive and successful board is seen in the continued popularity of ongoing fundraisers like the Turkey Trot and Dragon Boat Festival, as well as events such as the Cornament, a cornhole tournament. Always approachable and open to new ideas, Donna’s spirited leadership has attracted many new Trustees to the Board. Her son graduated from Sparta High School in 2020 and is now a U.S. Marine. “I know the SEF has played an important role for so many of our students, from the earliest grades to our graduates. These grants can be truly life-changing for our students.” Donna has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, and an MBA with a focus on finance.

Vice President

Jillian Palleschi

Jill was elected to the SEF board in 2021 after being a longtime event volunteer who also shared her remarkable graphic design talents on a number of Annual Reports and mailings. She has been an active participant in both the Turkey Trot and Dragon Boat Festivals, and enjoyed the camaraderie and interactions with SEF members so much that she became a Trustee, and is now the current Vice President. Jill is an entrepreneur with her own branding & stationery business, Jula Paper Co. Her extensive marketing and website background comes from management positions she held at Toys ‘R Us, NY&Co. and PSP Sports. Jill played division I Ice Hockey at the University of Vermont, and graduated with a degree in Biological Sciences. She and her husband Craig and their three school-aged sons moved to Sparta for its highly-ranked school district, so she has come full circle as a Trustee with the SEF. Jill is thrilled to lend her talents to an organization that is dedicated to enhancing the educational experience of every student in the district.

President

Heather Egli

Heather was an active volunteer in school activities before joining the SEF board in 2019 and is the current President. As a hands-on leader, she co-chaired the Wine and Craft Beer Tasting, Dragon Boat Festival, and introduced the Cornament fundraisers, wholeheartedly putting herself into each event. From setting up decorations and attaining raffle prizes to photography and sponsorships, Heather is involved in every detail while she shares her friendly, gracious personality with others. Her can-do attitude makes her a valuable Board member. Heather is a first-grade teacher in the West Milford Township Public School district. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education from Kings College where she played volleyball, and Master of Arts degree in teaching with a focus on reading and literacy from Marygrove College. She and her husband Kevin have a daughter in the Sparta school district.

Trustee

Pamela Miller

Pamela moved to Sparta in 2020, and is currently the VP of Product Development for a health and wellness company based in Texas. She previously worked as a columnist for San Antonio Woman Magazine, and was the Senior Digital Strategist at a marketing firm in charge of multiple campaigns and social media accounts for the City of San Antonio. With three children in Sparta schools, she believes strongly in giving back to the schools and in the SEF’s mission of enhancing Sparta students’ education.

Trustee

John Paul Tacona

John Paul, known to most as “JP,”, moved to Sparta in 2016 with his wife Julieann and their two sons. A financial advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, he was a 2000 graduate of Villanova University. He has been an active member of the Sparta community, and was instrumental in starting the Sparta Chapter of Stand for the Silent, which brings awareness to children that are waging everyday battles against bullying. He has coached both his sons’ baseball and soccer teams for a few seasons, as well.

Trustee

Peter C. Hoglund

Peter brings with him more than 15 years of experience in the financial services industry to the SEF board of trustees. As residents of Sparta, he and his wife Jacqueline have enjoyed living in the community, and both cherish their vacations to Disney with their three children. He has been active in coaching Little League in Sparta.

Trustee

Heidi Byrne

Heidi is a longtime resident of Sparta, and has four children who have been educated in the district. She works as a real estate agent for Keller Williams in Sparta, and has been an active volunteer, especially with the Sparta girls lacrosse program.

Trustee

Matt McQueeny

Matt brings thorough expertise in technology to the SEF. With more than 15 years of experience in digital marketing and web project management, McQueeny’s skill set will be a great asset to the SEF moving forward. He holds a degree in Psychology from New York University and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from Rutgers Business School, with a dual concentration in Leadership and Entrepreneurship. McQueeny and his wife settled in Sparta in 2011, and have two young sons. They are looking forward to raising their children in Sparta’s schools.

Trustee

Meghan Jent

Meghan Jent has more than a decade of experience in Consumer Packaged Goods as a longtime employee of Mars Wrigley. She aims to bring her fundraising experience to the board, helping to bring in local businesses and groups into the mission of the SEF. Having grown up in Sparta, she and her husband Mark settled here to raise their two young children. She holds a degree in Visual Communications from Robert Morris University, where she was a member of the women’s basketball team. She is also a proud member of the Sparta High School girls’ basketball coaching staff, having served as a volunteer assistant coach for the past eight years.

It’s now easier than ever to apply for a grant. We’ve created a new, streamlined grant application process that’s much easier to navigate.

Start with this link https://forms.gle/be9wDGNh3fCMoiA47 to the Curriculum Office Proposal Review form. Once it is reviewed, you will receive the link to the Grant Google form. Thank you!

Trustee

Kiera Wespestad

Kiera and her husband moved to Sparta in 2014, and have three young children in the district’s schools. She is the owner and manager of the M. John Scanlan Funeral Home in Pompton Plains, and serves as the fourth generation in her family to run that business. She is a 2003 graduate of Susquehanna University, and holds a degree in Journalism.

It’s now easier than ever to apply for a grant. We’ve created a new, streamlined grant application process that’s much easier to navigate.

Start with this link https://forms.gle/DoX9puRPSS1epDT1A to the Curriculum Office Proposal Review form. Once it is reviewed, you will receive the link to the Grant Google form. Thank you!

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