Boca Raton, FL – The West Palm Beach Library Foundation has named Tami R. Lesser as its new Executive Director. Lesser will focus on creating a strategic long-term plan to advance the foundation’s mission of raising funds to support the vital and valued programming, services and resources of the Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach. Lesser also will work on growing the foundation’s donor base and forge strategic community and corporate partnerships. The Foundation’s Board of Directors also named two new Board members: Notable philanthropist and library ambassador the Honorable Ann W. Brown, along with J.P. Morgan Private Bank Vice President, James McBrayer.
An attorney and second-generation native of West Palm Beach, Lesser is determined to use her knowledge and experience to help build her hometown community. Lesser states, “Today more than ever, we need the public library as a community builder and equalizer and as a vital resource for information for all people. I am inspired by the extraordinary programming and services the Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach provides to our community and to society. I am passionate about our mission to ensure that the Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach continues to be a first class library today and for future generations.”
Lesser previously served as the founding CEO of the Jewish Women’s Foundation of the Greater Palm Beaches and was most recently the Director of Major Gifts of American Jewish World Service in New York City. She has worked professionally as an attorney and as an advocate for gender equality and social justice, and has held numerous senior volunteer leadership positions in communal and national organizations. Lesser has received leadership awards for her past community service and was selected for the first cohort of 11 CEO’s from across the U.S. to participate in the Leading Edge CEO Onboarding Program. Lesser received her B.A. cum laude in history from the University of Pennsylvania and her J.D. with honors from the George Washington University School of Law.
A Philadelphia native and graduate of George Washington University, the Honorable Ann Brown has had a storied career as a consumer advocate, national magazine writer, and tireless philanthropist. She may be known best for her two terms as the Chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (1994-2001), revitalizing the agency and demonstrating an outstanding commitment to the safety of America’s families. For more than two decades, Brown was a consumer advocate, serving as Vice President of the Consumer Federation of America and Chairman of the Board of the consumer advocacy group, Public Voice. Brown has received the Excellence of Public Service Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Champion of Safe Kids Award from the National Safe Kids Campaign. She also received the Consumer Federation of America‘s Philip Hart Public Service Award, the Government Communicator of the Year Award and was named “Washingtonian of the Year” by Washingtonian Magazine. In 2000, Brown received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Smith College.
James McBrayer is Vice President, Client Advisor at J.P. Morgan Private Bank and a Certified Financial Planner. His interest in education, literacy and serving underprivileged children and teens led him to his role at the WPBLF. Prior to his career in financial planning, McBrayer served five years as an Intelligence Analyst in the U.S. Army. He received his B.S. in Economics from Florida Atlantic University and his M.S. in Finance from the University of Miami.
About the West Palm Beach Library Foundation
The West Palm Beach Library Foundation raises funds for the Mandel Public Library to create and expand FREE community programs, enhance services and grow its collections. Gifts to the foundation support vital and valued programs that allow our children to excel and help adults to thrive. Popular programs funded by the foundation that benefit and enrich the community include afterschool homework centers, summer programs, teen mentoring, job readiness as well as cultural, educations and recreational events and programs. For more information or to make a donation, please visit www.wpblf.org.