OUR FACILITATORS

OUR FACILITATORS

Frimi Alalu has a BS in Special Education- Specific Learning disabilities and Spanish language. She has been a Spanish teacher for over 20 years. A Peruvian native, came to the U.S. in 1973 and attended University of Miami and Florida International University. She started her teaching career in the US as a special education teacher, Montessori teacher, private tutoring and teaching at Boca Academy and later on at Saint Andrew's School (Middle, Upper, and currently in the Lower school).  

Bari Attis grew up in the Washington DC area, earned a BA in Journalism with a minor in English from George Washington University, and was a science writer at the National Institutes of Health for eight years. After moving to Boca Raton with her family, in 1980 she became Assistant Librarian and then a teacher at Saint Andrew’s School. Bari went back to school and earned an MA in English from the Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College. In her 35 years at Saint Andrew’s, she taught students in grades 10, 11, and 12, and in all levels from ESOL to Honors English to Advanced Placement (AP). She also served in a variety of administrative roles at Saint Andrew’s, spending the longest time--16 years--as Chair of the English Department, and was awarded the title of Master Teacher. Bari especially enjoys reading and discussing literature. She is looking forward to co-teaching The Joy of Poetry with Nan this semester and to offering a new course in Short Stories. 

Fritz Aufdencamp is a guest preacher at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Boca Raton.  A graduate of Trinity Lutheran Theological Seminary in Columbus, Ohio, he served churches in Montana, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. After three heresy trials in the 70's, he became a therapist a the Irene Stacy Community Mental Health Center in Butler, Pennsylvania, where he served as Director of the Addictive Behaviors Unit until his retirement in 2012. He presently plays the ukulele for Retirement Homes and grade school children at Liberty Park Elementary School.

Paula Chalef, ILIR Board Member, Retired Judge and Chief of Family Court in Pennsylvania, taught Values Clarification in Fall 2017.  We look forward to her next offering. 

Stanley Feldstein, D.D.S., is a retired dentist with special interest in the physical sciences. He has a B.S. degree, magna cum laude, CCNY, and a DDS from NYU College of Dentistry.

This term in the SPOTLIGHT: Science and Environment, Stanley will discuss Time Travel According to Einstein.

Michael Feehan received a B.A. in English Literature and a J.D.  After working for over two decades in international law and business, he began a second career teaching writing and English literature at the high school and college levels. 

​Pina Ferero​ has a BA Cum Laude in Languages and Linguistics.  She has been a Spanish teacher for over 30 years. A Colombian native, came to the U.S. after having taught in private schools in Bogota, Colombia, and studying at Javeriana University, also in Bogota, Colombia.  She started her teaching career in the US as a private tutor designing total immersion courses for American Executives, and later joined Saint Andrew's School where she taught Spanish for 15 years. 

Joy Frost taught middle school English, and a poetry course at the Delray Beach Library.Joy, longtime ILIR facilitator, has taught The Joy of Poetry and Buddhism & The Art of Happiness.  

Dr. Marie Gabrielson was a career educator who transitioned into running her own consulting business for corporate training in NJ. She, her husband John, and standard poodle spend their time between NJ and FL. Their adult son lives nearby in FL. Marie taught Values Clarification.  Her husband is a presenter of the ILIR version of the Antique Roadshow titled What's It Worth? in SPOTLIGHT: Arts and Literature.

Nan Ganyard   

grew up in Worcester MA, earned a BA in English and History at Drury College in Springfield MO, and an MA in International Relations from Clark University in Worcester MA. Nan worked for the US government, where she met her husband Peter Ganyard, an early supporter of ILIR. Nan has taught English and History at schools in New Jersey and Winnipeg, Canada. In Florida, she taught at Pope John Paul II and Boca Raton Academy before spending 26 years teaching English at Saint Andrew’s School. Nan loves reading, travel, classical music, and good conversation. Peter sends his best wishes to ILIR and a reminder to the men that poetry is for them too.

Jacobo Goldstein, Honduran-born,  has the distinction of being the first Latin America correspondent to the White House, a career spanning from the Carter to the Bush administrations. He shares his insights, anecdotes and experiences from his award-winning career. He also does daily radio broadcasts in Spanish to Latin American countries. He conducts Analyzing the News for ILIR each week.

Joel Ivers  is an experienced business executive who has been COO/CEO of five different companies in the biomedical and IT markets, beginning his career at Johnson and Johnson. Joel has over 30 years of experience in strategic marketing, licensing, business development, operations, and senior management in both large corporations and start-up companies.  Joel has also managed two seed-stage $10M- $13M Venture Capital funds. Since retiring in 2014, Joel has been a volunteer mentor for start-companies in South Florida. Additionally, because of his deep interest and participation in politics during his lifetime, he has been a volunteer Facilitator for the Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILIR) in Boca Raton and currently facilitates the Current Events course. Joel holds a B.S. in Chemistry from The University of Redlands (Redlands, CA) and a M.A. in Genetics and Molecular Biology from Indiana University (Bloomington, IN). He also did graduate level work in business at Xavier University (Cincinnati, OH). 

Geoffrey Kashdan was born in New York and spent the early years of his professional life in New Jersey where he taught children with a variety of handicapping conditions. He was a founding principal of a state school for severely handicapped children and young adults.  He taught certification courses for exceptional education teachers at a local college. Moving to Florida in 1986 Geoff was a learning strategist in middle schools. He also became active in both the ACLU of Palm Beach County and the PBC League of Women Voters. After retiring Geoff started a presentation series he calls MIND ODYSSEYS. Those presentations are what he brings to the ILIR

Susan LaDuca, Ph.D.,(TempleUniversity 1993) Is a retired licensed family therapist, having had a private practice in Philadelphia for over 30 years with expertise in interfaith marriage. She served as supervisor for the Pa. Assoc. For Marriage and Family therapy. A New Yorker at birth, Susan grew up in New Jersey where she met her husband in high school. They moved to N.Y. where  their two daughters were born. She and Tony moved full time to Boca last year from their longtime home in Philadelphia. Volunteer activities include  participation in local politics  as an Abington township Democratic committee person, volunteer for the American Red Cross, and founding member of the Women’s Center of Montgomery Township. Susan has been an avid film lover since her teens. At ILIR, Susan has taught classes on The Genogram and co-facilitates the ILIR Film Club with her husband Tony.

Tony LaDuca, Ph.D.,  during a professional career of 45 years, has always worked in education. Beginning as a science teacher at Brooklyn Technical High School, Tony ended his active working life with 25 years at the National Board of Medical Examiners in Philadelphia. He earned a PhD in Secondary Education and Curriculum. He has authored articles and book chapters and has presented scientific papers and workshops on three continents. Tony resides in Boca Raton with his wife of 53 years, Susan. At ILIR, he has been the facilitator of Aristotle's Bistro and co-facilitates the ILIR Film Club with his wife Susan.  

Ata Sarajedini, Dean of the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science at Florida Atlantic University, is the "host" of SPOTLIGHT: Science and Environment. Ata is a leading astronomer and researcher. Each ILIR session, FAU professors share their research and fascinate ILIR participants with different scientific disciplines. 

Rabbi Mordecai Schreiber is an author, educator, writer, translator, Biblical scholar, and founder of Schreiber Translations (STI), one of the leading translation companies in the United States.

Rabbi Barry Silver, Spiritual Leader of L'Dor Va-Dor, attorney, lecturer, singer/songwriter and community activist, was inspired to become a Rabbi by his father Rabbi Samuel Silver, a pioneer in interfaith harmony, humanitarian efforts and rational Judaism. Rabbi Silver served in the Florida House of Representatives from from 1996 to 1998. Rabbi Silver founded and chaired the Palm Beach County Environmental Coalition for over 15 years and founded the Interfaith Justice League which unites the religions in social action and charity. Barry has spearheaded countless rallies and grassroots movements promoting environmental protection, animal rights, Native Americans, the homeless,  women’s rights, abortion rights, civil rights, gun control and many other issues.

Steven Elliot Wallace, Esq., is the founder and managing attorney of the real estate, business and bankruptcy law firm, The Wallace Law Group, P.L. whose main office is located in Boynton Beach, Florida.  Steve is a graduate of Brandeis University cum laude and the Syracuse University College of Law cum laude. Although an attorney by profession, Steve is a history, politics and sports aficionado. This session, Steve will be the facilitator of The American Presidency with a look at the presidencies of Teddy Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Richard Nixon, Herbert Hoover, Grover Cleveland, Woodrow Wilson and Andrew Jackson.

​Judith Yellen is a retired publishing, advertising and marketing executive. Late in her career she provided writing training and consulting to corporate managers and executives as a founding partner of The Successful Writing Group.

If you would like to facilitate a class or have an idea for a class, please e-mail ILIR at ilirincinfo@att.net