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This summer, the Board of Trustees of С����Ƶ elected five new members, three of whom are alumni of the University. Their terms began on July 1.

The new Trustees are:

• Julio Abreu ’75, the president and owner of A+ Media
• Bill Kurtz ’79, an interim CFO/CCO, strategic advisor and/or board member to four companies
• Jill Canastra ’72, a retired elementary school teacher and middle school guidance counselor  
• Joe Maggio, a dentist and dental director at Aetna Better Health of New Jersey
• and Annmarie Woods, a director and senior wholesaler for New York Life Investments

“I'm personally grateful that these individuals have chosen to contribute their experience and expertise to help guide the University during a moment of tremendous change,” said Board Chairman Robert S. Schimek ’87. “I believe deeply in the mission and vitality of this institution and welcome their partnership as we work toward a thriving future for С����Ƶ.”

Julio Abreu ’75 is president and owner of A+ Media, a strategic communications firm. He has developed educational programs sponsored by General Motors, DuPont, the U.S. Navy and Participant Media. Abreu is also an emeritus director of College Bound Opportunities, a nonprofit that helps talented, low-income students get into and graduate from college. While there, he established a career coaching initiative, one of the organization’s signature programs.

Abreu received a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Rider and a Master of Arts in Spanish Literature and Linguistics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He lives in Libertyville, Ill.

Jill Canastra ’72 is a retired elementary school teacher and middle school guidance counselor.  She received a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Rider and a Master of Arts in Counseling from Seton Hall University. She received in 1988 the Lifetime Achievement Award from Rider and in 2019 the Herbert R. Young ’50 Award, given to individuals who have shown dedication to Rider Athletics over their lifetime.

Jill and her husband, Wayne ’72, who also graduated from Rider, live in South Orange, N.J. Their many contributions to Rider have supported the establishment of several scholarships and the renovations of Alumni Gym and the Canastra Health and Sports Center.

Bill Kurtz ’79 retired from full-time employment after a successful career at AT&T and as chief operating officer or chief financial officer of several fast-growth, high-tech companies, four of which became successful public companies. He currently operates as either an interim chief financial officer or chief commercial officer, strategic advisor and/or board member to four companies.

Kurtz received a Bachelor of Science in Commerce with a major in accounting from Rider and a Master of Science in Management Sciences from Stanford University. A resident of Bernardsville, N.J., he is a member of Rider’s Executive Advisory Committee and has been a sponsor for Rider’s Business in Action class. This year, he will be among the second class of inductees into Rider’s Norm Brodsky College of Business Hall of Fame.

Joe Maggio is a licensed dentist in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maine with more than 37 years of experience treating private and special needs patients. He practices with Adaptive Dental Associates in Phillipsburg, N.J., and is dental director at Aetna Better Health of New Jersey. He received a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Doctor of Dental Medicine from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Maggio and his wife have been generous supporters of Westminster Choir College, where his son, Andrew ‘14, is an alumnus.  He previously served as a member of the College’s leadership council. The Maggios live in Pittstown, NJ.

Annmarie Woods has more than 33 years of experience in the mutual fund and retirement plan marketplace. She is currently a director and senior wholesaler for New York Life Investments where she has worked since 2005. She is responsible for ETFs, mutual funds and separately managed account distribution in Central and Southern New Jersey, Philadelphia/Main Line and Yardley, Pa. She previously held positions with Pioneer Investments and Prudential Securities.

Woods received a Bachelor of Arts from Regis College. At Rider, she is a member of the Gail Bierenbaum Leadership Council and has hosted workshops at the University in financial literacy and planning. She lives in Fair Haven, N.J.

In addition to the newly elected members, four Trustees retired from Board service on June 30 following the completion of three consecutive three-year terms each, the maximum allowed. They are Bob Christie ’76, Molly O'Neil Frank, Tom Marino ’69 and Chris Nikolich ’92.