Board of Directors

Board member Jayne Chapman recently retired from her part-time work as a Community Outreach Director for former Congressman Ted Deutch, a position that she was passionate about. She has served as a local precinct leader for the past 16 years.

At ILIR, Jayne created the Government in Action Spotlight series in which Palm Beach County elected officials explained their work and that of their organizations. Presenters included State Attorney Dave Aronberg, School Board member Karen Brill, State Representative Staffer Teri Mitze, and Property Appraiser Dorothy Jacks.

Jayne grew up on Long Island, lived and worked in businesses in Connecticut and in Massachusetts. She and her late husband Barry moved to Boca Raton in 1991, where they created two businesses of their own, including a large landscaping company. Jayne also served as comptroller for a local mortgage company.

Jayne has found her true calling in public service and in her commitment to lifelong learning.  Jayne loves travelling and is writing her memoir.

Julie Klein joined the board of ILIR in November 2022 and was so delighted to be a part of the organization that she volunteered to be co-chair a month later, at her first board meeting!

Originally from Philadelphia, she graduated from FAU with a BA in Communications. Julie enjoyed a long career in the telecommunications Industry working in management and corporate training.

After leaving corporate life, Julie shifted gears completely, managing a Curves Fitness Center and learning to dance salsa! She eventually started her own group exercise and dance classes for women over 50.

Fate had other plans. Julie was forced into early retirement after surviving cancer twice. Then she wrote her memoir My healthcare is killing me!: A personal journal, about her experience as a cancer patient on an HMO. Her book has a surprising amount of laugh-out-loud funny stories, considering the serious subject matter.

Julie’s enthusiasm for life is contagious! And her philosophy is that you must be able to reinvent yourself and keep adapting and growing as life throws you curve balls.

Lou Baskin currently serves as Board Treasurer, after a term as Vice Chair. Lou’s special contributions to ILIR include great organizational and tech skills; encouraging his son Jeff, chief meteorologist for KLRT TV in Little Rock, to share his expertise with us; and, before the pandemic, bringing in Trader Joe’s sandwiches and salads for those of us who stayed for lunch between morning and afternoon sessions. Lou is from Rochester NY and completed both undergraduate and professional studies at The Ohio State University. He had a 50-year career as an optometrist and served as President of the Rochester Optometric Society, as well as President of the local Rotary Club. He was also Chairman of the district Rotary Foundation, an organization that raised over $100,000 annually and awarded scholarships to students and teachers. He and his wife Marilyn were honored with the Paul Harris awards, named in honor of the founder of Rotary International. After retiring to Boca Raton, Lou and Marilyn joined ILIR at the urging of their neighbor Geri Lutzker and have continued their long-standing tradition of service to others at ILIR.

Marie Gabrielson, Board Secretary, became involved with ILIR after she and her husband John retired to Florida from Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. She has watched ILIR evolve to become the vibrant community that it is and is delighted to continue to be a part of the process. Not to sit on the sidelines, John also taught The Joy of Poetry at ILIR. Marie and John met when they were studying for their Master’s Degrees at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Wroxton College in the Cotswolds in England. Marie was a public-school English teacher/supervisor. After earning an Ed. D., she ran her own consulting business for corporations. In retirement, Marie and John started an antique business.  John and Marie enjoy their four-year-old rescue Poovenese (10% Havenese, 90% poodle).  His name is “Teddy Bear” because he looks just like a little teddy bear!

The Joy of Poetry, Short Stories, Book Club—Bari Attis has enjoyed leading these ILIR classes, as well as attending classes on all things literary and many other subjects.  Before retiring, Bari had a 35-year career at Saint Andrew’s School in Boca Raton.  She served as an English teacher, English department chair, and for 5 years as Assistant Head and Interim Head of the Upper School. Her first career was as a science writer at the National Institutes of Health. ILIR has brought Bari new opportunities to share her love of learning and to spend time with new friends and colleagues, and she is delighted to serve as a member of the Board.  Bari earned a BA from George Washington University and an MA from Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English.

Joel Ivers, ILIR’s Board Chair, is best known to our members as the leader of the Current Events Class every Monday morning.  Joel’s life-long love of politics and world affairs started with working for candidates during the 1968 presidential campaign.  Joel is a retired business executive who has been CEO/COO of five different start-ups and large biomedical and IT companies after beginning his career at Johnson and Johnson.  He also managed a seed-stage Venture Capital fund.  Since retiring in 2014, Joel has been a volunteer mentor for start-up companies in South Florida and a member of the Investment Committee for Florida Funders.  Additionally, he was formerly the Board Treasurer and is President of his condo association in Boca Raton.  Joel holds a B.S. in Chemistry from The University of Redlands (CA) and an M.A. in Genetics and Molecular Biology from Indiana University.

Paula Kessler came to ILIR after a 28-year career as a teacher in the NJ public school system. She and her husband Lenny moved to Florida 15 years ago; when they later discovered ILIR, they immediately enjoyed the stimulating, interactive classes and personal connections they made here. Paula has also served as a Board member for the past two years, helping us develop new classes and, especially, devising ways to keep ILIR programs going throughout the pandemic. Before retirement, Paula and Lenny, also a former teacher, spent over 10 years working at summer camps, seeing countless Broadway and regional theater productions, and many, many movies. Paula has a BA in Special Education and an MA in Learning Disabilities.  Her mild manner and ability to get along with people served her well in her teaching and camp leadership experiences and in her work with adolescents with learning and emotional disabilities. She is open to new ideas and progressive thinking and has brought all these qualities to her decade-long commitment to ILIR.

Originally from Chicago, Andrea Malow moved to Florida on a whim 30 years ago to avoid winter.  She discovered that being in, on or near the water makes her happy.  Two and a half years ago when Andrea found ILIR, she discovered companionship, intellectual stimulation, and interesting people.  After lockdown, upon starting Zoom classes, these wonderful and gifted folks became her lifeline and were tremendously helpful to her in navigating this pandemic.  She is immensely grateful and looks forward to contributing her talents to advance the organization. Andrea enjoys sailing, snorkeling, Yoga, playing Canasta and Mah Jongg, and movies that make you think, particularly foreign ones that allow armchair traveling.  Having visited over 60 countries and lived in a few, travel is her passion, including recently completing 13 cruises in 9 years with her husband.  She has been retired for six years from her career as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker working with adults and seniors, most recently with the Veterans Administration.  Andrea holds a B.S. in Ornamental Horticulture from Texas Tech University, Lubbock TX, and a Master’s degree in Social Work from Florida International University.