Join Us In Welcoming Our Newest Board Members

In 2019 we welcomed three new members to our board, including a new representative of the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation Board of Directors. Emily Cavanagh, Lisa Washington, and Gene LeFevre each bring their own expertise and passion for our mission. We hope you’ll join us in welcoming them to the board and The Rosenbach community.

 

Emily Cavanagh

Emily started her first Rosenbach board term in January 2019 and currently serves on both the joint RML-FLPF Special Collections and the RML Nominations and Governance committees. She previously worked for Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Thompson Financial, where she specialized in domestic and international tax law. Emily’s interest in art, culture, and education led Emily to dedicate her time to not-t-for-profits around the country. She has assisted numerous tax-exempt organizations with incorporation, tax exemption, governance issues, and restructuring including the YMCA of Rye, New York. She previously served on the boards of Publicolor, Let’s Get Ready, Renaissance Society, and the Medical Research Institute of Chicago. In Philadelphia, Emily is a board member of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Community Partnership School as well as serving on WHYY’s Community Advisory Board. She received her B.A. from Brown University and her J.D. from Columbia University. Emily and her husband, Mike, are proud parents of Hanna, 23, Teddy, 18 and Henry, 14.

 

Lisa Washington

Lisa joined the Rosenbach board in September 2019. Her love of literature stems from her time at Princeton University where she received her A.B. in Comparative Literature. Her first introduction to The Rosenbach was the Ulysses course and the fantastic professors kept her coming back for more. Lisa continues to take courses (sometimes two at a time!) and is a regular Bloomsday reader. When not reading for a Rosenbach course, Lisa is Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of WSFS Bank. Before joining WSFS in fall 2019, she served as Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary of Atlas Energy Group, LLC. She holds a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and an M.B.A. in Public Policy and Finance from The Wharton School. In addition to serving on The Rosenbach’s board, Lisa is also Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of JEVS Human Services, a not-for-profit that aims to enhance the employability, independence, and quality of life of individuals through a broad range of programs, and a member of the President’s Advisory Council of Princeton University.

 

Gene LeFevre

Gene is The Rosenbach’s newest board member. He joins the board as a representative of FLPF’s Board of Directors and serves on FLPF’s Board Project Committee. Gene grew up in Philadelphia and attended the Episcopal Academy where he printed poetry as a member of the Print Club. He continued to nourish his love of art and culture by exploring Center City art galleries. After attending Columbia University and receiving, his Master’s in Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania, Gene discovered his true passion: historic rehabilitation. He pursued development and works to repurpose historic Philadelphia buildings, most notably the Lit Brothers building. Gene also previously served on the Board of Directors of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia. He currently owns The Morris House Hotel and M Restaurant with his wife of 37 years, Deborah Boardman. Gene and Deborah, a photographer and former ballet dancer, have a son, Thomas, together and live in Philadelphia.