Current Events

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.

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!

Board member Jayne Chapman is devoted to her part-time work as a Community Outreach Director for Congressman Ted Deutch, to service as a local precinct leader, and to ILIR. She created the Government in Action Spotlight series for ILIR, inviting Palm Beach County elected officials to explain their work and that of their organizations to our members. Some speakers Jayne has brought to ILIR include State’s Attorney Dave Aronberg, School Board member Karen Brill, State Representative Teri Mitze, and Property Appraiser Dorothy Jacks. Jayne grew up on Long Island, then lived and worked in businesses in Connecticut and in Massachusetts for many years. 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. After semi-retiring, Jayne found her true calling in public service and in her commitment to lifelong learning.