Members of the JLB 2024-25 Board of Directors and Management Team.  Left to Right -  Taylor Gari, Diana Deichert, Heather Scholes, Amy Berg, Jamie Powell Schwartz, Kelly Shine, Melanie O’Sullivan, Jennifer Carella, Beth Atsalis, Photo by Narrative View Media.

By Nadia Mondésir, VP of Communications, Junior League of Bronxville

July 10, 2024: The Junior League of Bronxville (JLB) is proud to have celebrated its 76th Year. As has been done for years, the ceremonial transition of leadership took place on May 30, 2024, with the passing of the gavel, and the JLB honored its impressive recipients of the Women of Distinction Awards.

Throughout the year, the League’s leadership and members remained committed to the JLB’s vision of “Mobilizing Women to Ignite & Inspire Community Change.” Outgoing 2023-2024 President Jennifer Carella shared, “This JLB year, we embodied our mission as we continued our impactful outreach work in the community while also training women leaders." 

The following women were selected as recipients of the League’s annual recognitions:

President’s Award: Chrissy Martino-Rindler, 2023-2024 Treasurer, was chosen as the recipient of the President’s Award for being a faithful steward of the League’s finances through her many years of service.

Sustained Leadership Award: Amy Berg, 2023-2024 Community Outreach VP, received this award as selected by the Active members of the League. Since joining in 2019, she has served as the Joyful Closet Co-Chair and Newsletters Chair and is an ever-present leader at our outreach events.

Sustainer of the Year Award: Mary Marvin was selected for her impact on the community and the JLB. Mary was part of this year's inaugural Sustainer Advisory Council and was pivotal in engaging our Sustainer members. 

First Year Active Award: Brigitte Birrer received this award, as selected by the Active members. She participated in the 2022-2023 Provisional Program and has stepped up in every sense since then, including in her role as Fundraising Project Manager. 

Eight members received B.E.M.T.Y. awards. These awards' titles are rooted in the towns the JLB represents: Bronxville, Eastchester, Mount Vernon, Tuckahoe & Yonkers.  The span of the League is great, but what is even more significant are the members that hail from these communities. Members could nominate a peer - someone they felt deserved recognition. The following women were the shining stars whom the League was lucky to count as their own in a year of celebration and new initiatives: 

-Alison Brondeau

-MaryAnne Denniston

-Annie McArdle

-Angela Neil

-Michelle Schoulder

-Jenna Shen

-Aubri Veneruso

-Christine White

After all these women have accomplished, the JLB cannot wait to see what they contribute in the years to come!

A notable element of the Annual Meeting agenda is when the Board of Directors votes on the eligibility for membership in the Provisional program. 

Eleven individuals attended a fall recruitment event this year and completed a full year of outreach, fundraising, and operational activities.

Please join the JLB in congratulating its newest Active members: Laura Burns, Caitlin Clarke, Ashley Del Vecchio, Jennifer Gerhard, Elaine Harris Whalen, Lindsay Kimble Carney, Kelly Patterson, Anthea Sale, Elizabeth Sheehan, Mary Sophocles, and Diane Turner.

Finally, a true definition of dedication is that a JLB member must serve at least seven years of Active service before the League allows its members to move into Sustainer status - something more akin to an alumnae status at a college or university. The JLB was honored to induct the following eight new Sustainers effective July 1, 2024: Janice Baio, Autumn Foley, Grace Gilmer, Rachel Lin, Lisa McGovern, Mariana Mingo, Michelle Schoulder, and Sessa von Richthofen. These women were pivotal to the League’s success during their Active years and will undoubtedly make their mark in the larger community in the years to come. 

After the Annual Meeting, the JLB closed the fiscal and League year on June 30.  As the calendar turned to July 1, the League welcomed the newest leader slate.  According to incoming 2024-25 President Jamie Powell Schwartz, “With such a dynamic group of leaders who bring their unique talents and perspectives to our organization, The Junior League of Bronxville is well-positioned to have a big community impact in the year ahead.”

The members of the 2024-2025 Board of Directors are:

Jamie Powell Schwartz, President

Kelly Shine, President-Elect

Jennifer Carella, Executive Vice President (VP)

Christine White, Board Secretary

Beth Atsalis, Treasurer

Melanie O’Sullivan, Nominating Chair

Diana Deichert, Sustainer Chair

The members of the 2024-2025 Management Team are:

Jennifer Carella, Executive VP

Nadia Mondésir, Communications VP

Amy Berg, Community Outreach VP

Heather Scholes, Finance & Data VP

Taylor Gari, Fundraising VP

Gladys Girimonti, Membership VP

If you are a female resident of or work in Bronxville, Eastchester, Mount Vernon, Tuckahoe, or Yonkers, you are welcome to join the JLB at a free and open-to-all-women informational recruitment event in October in Bronxville. Whether you continue after that or just have a night out with potential new contacts, it is worth an evening’s investment of your time. Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.

The Junior League of Bronxville, New York, Inc. is an organization of women whose mission is to advance women’s leadership for meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration, and training. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. Please visit JLBronxville.org to learn more about the 501(c)(3) organization.