Executive Officers
Sean HebbonPresident
Captain, Franklin Township Police Department Sean Hebbon has been a member of the Franklin Township Police Department since 1997. He currently holds the rank of Captain/Officer-In-Charge. He has actively served in numerous programs and committees throughout Franklin Township, and the County of Somerset including the Youth Services Commission, Human Relations Committee, Franklin Youth Initiative, Somerset County Juvenile Officer's Association, Somerset County JDAI, and has served on the Martin Luther King Scholarship Breakfast Committee since 2001. |
Gary Rosenthal1st Vice-President
Chair, Human Relations Commission Gary retired as a Senior Vice President and Chief Lending Officer at the Brunswick Bank & Trust Company, New Brunswick, New Jersey, having been in the banking profession since 1956. He has resided in Somerset, New Jersey since 1969. He serves on the Zoning Board and is Chairman of the Human Relations Commission. He has three children, ten grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. |
Dr. Alex Kharazi2nd Vice President
Muslim-American Community Director & Vice-President, Masjid-e-Ali President, Franklin township Interfaith Council Dr. Alex Kharazi has a Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering from University of California In Berkeley and has over 30 years of industry experience as director of technology in a major chemical company. He has been an adjunct professor at Rutgers University. Dr. Kharazi is an active member of the community promoting strong relationship and understanding among diverse faith groups. For many years he has focused his time and energy on philanthropy and giving back to the community. He serves as a director and vice president of Muslim Foundation Inc. (Masjid-e-Ali), President of Franklin Township Interfaith Council, President of Razi Health Foundation of NY, Board of Trustee member of Franklin Township Dr. Martin Luther King Community Foundation, a member of Human Relations Commission, and a board member of Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council. He is a co-founder of New Jersey Interfaith Coalition. Dr. Kharazi was named the "Man of the Year" in 2017 by Franklin Reporter & Advocate, "Hometown Hero" in 2019 by Tapinto and was the recipient of NJ Governor’s Jefferson Award for community service. |
Alice OsipowitzSecretary
Retired, Director of Parks & Recreation Alice was the Director of the Franklin Township Department of Parks & Recreation from 1977 to 2020. As a graduate of Franklin High School and Montclair University, she was dedicated to improving the quality of life through leisure services for Franklin for 43 years. She also served as the Chairperson for the Municipal Alliance for the Prevention of Substance Abuse and the Youth Service Commission, and she worked with a broad base of community representatives to enhance services targeted at reducing juvenile delinquency and illegal substance abuse. Alice has proudly served on the FTMLK Breakfast Committee and Foundation for 25 years and is committed to promoting diversity and keeping Martin Luther Kings dream alive through the efforts of the Foundation in support of the youth of Franklin Township. |
Torrie Rumph-Hurd
Torrie Rumph-Hurd is committed to leadership and service to her community. A resident of Franklin Township for more than fifteen years, she is a wife, mother, educator and role model for life long learners. Torrie has over two decades of experience in leadership roles as a human resources administrator and more than a decade in public education. Torrie received her Bachelors of Science from Kean University, where she also earned All-American status and two Hall of Fame inductee as a member of the Kean University women’s basketball team. She went on to earn her Masters Degree from St. Joseph’s University. She worked for 20 years at Wakefern Food Corporation in the Human Resources Division. Upon leaving Wakefern, Torrie decided to pursue her passion for teaching. She is currently a middle school Principal for the Franklin Township Public Schools in Somerset, New Jersey. At the core of her strong work ethic and passion for service, Torrie has held leadership positions in several non-profit organizations. She is proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, where she serves as the Sergeant-at-Arms.
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Trustees
Dr. Sheila TabanliTrustee
Sheila Tabanli earned her Ph.D. in Computer Science at the Missouri University of Science & Technology (Missouri S&T). She is currently an Assistant Teaching Professor of Mathematics at Rutgers University where her focus is on teaching and developing instructional strategies to improve student engagement and learning outcomes. Dr. Tabanli has extensive experience designing and incorporating alternative assessment methods to offer inclusive learning practices. She recently developed a novel course and teaches study strategies stemmed from cognitive psychology for Math problem solving to address the Math achievement gap. She is a fellow of Rutgers OASIS Leadership & Professional Development program, MAA NJ-NExT, and 2022-2023 Rutgers-New Brunswick Provost Teaching Fellowship program. Dr. Tabanli is an action-oriented community leader who commits her time, talent, and energy to support underrepresented college students, promote interfaith dialog and civic engagement, and address food insecurities. She is happily married with two boys. |
Meher Rafiq |
Trustee
Muslim-American Community Meher Rafiq, a Franklin resident since 1986, first learned about FTMLKF when she was invited in 1999, by Eva Nagy, the founder of FTMLKF and then the Board of Education President, to be part of a newly formed organization; she has been a Trustee since then and previously served as the Treasurer of the Foundation. Having migrated to the US at an early age and settled in New York City, her parents fostered the importance of respect, best practices, being an advocate for inclusiveness - regardless of race, color, religion, creed, and origin; leading dialogues, civic engagement, and community outreach. This continues to be a passion of Meher- to represent her heritage and be a representative to service and empower the diverse community. Meher also sits on other community Boards in Franklin Township, volunteers as an ESL teacher, mentors to business start-ups and financial literacy, actively involved in womenbased interfaith organizations, and is involved with services to women recuperating from domestic violence. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree at the City University of New York, and is a formal credit trained, Vice President, Commercial Lending Banker. |
Rabbi Eli GarfinkelTrustee
Temple Beth El Rabbi Eli L. Garfinkel received his B.A. at Indiana University in 1993 and was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in 1999. Since ordination, he has served as an assistant rabbi in Toronto and Cincinnati. In 2005, he became the spiritual leader of Temple Beth El in Somerset, New Jersey, where he has started an annual Jewish film festival, organized communal seders, and taught popular adult education course. He is t he author three books and the developer of several mobile apps. Rabbi Garfinkel lives in Somerset, New Jersey, with his wife, Naomi Lasky, and their twins, Sari and Josh. |
Dr. Ron PoustchiTrustee
Baha'i Community of Franklin Township Dr. Enayat Ron Poustchi has a doctorate in chemical engineering with over 30 years of experience in environmental compliance. He is a member of the Baha’i Faith and has supported and participated in the Franklin Township Dr. Martin Luther King Programs from the very beginning. He is a resident of Franklin Township for over 30 years and with his wife Rana Poustchi have raised their daughters Dr. Yasmin Poustchi and Dr. Shirin Poustchi through Franklin Township Schools to serve humanity. He has been supportive of Dr. King’s vision of unity among races, which is very much in line with Baha’i Faith’s teachings of oneness of humanity and elimination of all kinds of prejudices. He is also one of the founding members of the Franklin Township Interfaith Council.
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Maxine RobinsonTrustee
First Baptist Church of Lincoln Garden Maxine Robinson has been an active Franklin Township resident for 22 years. She holds a BS in Economics/Business from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ and a M.Ed in Educational Leadership from Capella University, Minneapolis, MN. She has been an educator for the Franklin Township Board of Education for over 17 years. She is a passionate and dedicated member of the community and has served with various organizations that uplift and builds character for our youth such as: PopWarner-Board Member; National Phi Delta Kappa, Inc-Board Member and Youth Advisor for high school students in grades 9-12; Rutgers Alumni Association; Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc , Omega Mu Zeta Chapter; and a member of First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens for 26 years- Deaconess Board. Maxine is permanently married to Rodney Robinson and they have three adult children. |
Dr. Jade Gittens-HebbonTrustee
Podiatrist, Premier Foot & Ankle Center Dr. Jade Gittens-Hebbon completed her undergraduate degree in the honors program from Montclair State University in New Jersey. She majored in biology and minored in chemistry. Dr. Gittens was then accepted into the New York College of Podiatric Medicine, where she earned her doctor of podiatric medicine degree.
Dr. Gittens is board certified through the American Board of Podiatric Medicine, as well as the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery. She is also a diplomate of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Dr. Gittens has been in private practice over 10 years. She is the owner of her own private practice, Premier Foot and Ankle Center, in Somerset, NJ, |
Bill GrippoTrustee
Retired Principal of Franklin Public Schools Franklin Township Board of Education Bill Grippo has been a resident of Franklin Township since 1977 when he was hired by the Franklin Board of Education in October of 1977 as Director of Adult/Community Education and Principal of the first Adult High School.
Since then, he has held a number of administrative positions in the school district and spent his entire administrative career in Franklin Township. After several years in Central Office, he held Principal positions in Conerly Road School, SGS School and most recently retired from MacAfee Road School after 42 years of service in the school district. Besides his educational career Bill has served on numerous township committees, held political positions as a Councilman and Deputy Mayor and most recently (currently 2022-) as a member of the Franklin Township Board of Education. Bill is widely recognized by the community having received many awards for his public and volunteer service. Bill was the charter president of the Franklin Township Rotary Club and was named Man of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce in 1986. Accomplishments spanned from developing campaigns to fund the township’s July 4th Fireworks, raising funds for MDA and for the needy, spearheading the building and funding for the Villagers Theater, the Franklin Food Bank donor campaign and most recently during 2019 conceiving and initiating a campaign to construct Franklin’s first performance Gazebo on DeMott Lane, Somerset. Bill’s interest and passion for bringing a YMCA into Franklin Township recently (April, 2022) was awarded the YMCA Spirit Award at their Annual Campaign Ceremony for his commitment as Task Force Chairman. Bill is a proud Board of Trustee Member of the Franklin Township Martin Luther King Foundation and the values for which it represents. |
Michael StallingsTrustee
Police Officer, Franklin Township Police Department |
Sami ShabanTrustee
Attorney / Business Community Franklin Township Board of Education Sami is a practicing attorney with over ten years of experience counseling businesses
and nonprofit institutions on corporate, commercial, franchise law, and business immigration. Prior to law, Sami worked for the world’s largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, on their core management team as the chief of staff to the CEO/CIO. Prior to this position, Sami provided management consulting to a variety of institutions including Bank of America, Credit Suisse, Ernst & Young, and AT&T. Sami also serves in a number of leadership positions in various local and national non-profit institutions. Sami is also a multi-unit franchisee of The Halal Guys, a fast-casual Middle Eastern restaurant famous for pioneering American halal food. Sami is the founder and CEO of Bare Naked Bowl, a make-your-own superfood and smoothie bar. Sami earned his B.A. from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law, and his M.A. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government in Harvard University. He is admitted to practice law in New York and New Jersey. |
Telia BennettTrustee
Central Jersey College Prep Telia is a mother of two. She holds an Ed.S. in Education Leadership, Management & Policy from Seton Hall University and a Marketing MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Seton Hall University’s English MA program. She also completed undergraduate studies in English Literature and Psychology at Rutgers University. She is currently an AP English teacher at Central Jersey College Prep Charter school and has taught English at the middle school, high school, and undergraduate levels for the past 7 years. Telia is a Franklin Township resident and she serves the community in various capacities through her role as an educator and as a member of American MENSA.
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TRUSTEES EMERITI
Eva NagyTrustee Emeritus
Foundation Founder Former President, Franklin Township Board of Education Eva M. Nagy has lived in Franklin for more than 40 years with her 2 children graduation from the Franklin public schools. While serving on the Board of Education for 22 years, she was active on the local, county, state and national levels in various leadership positions championing and advocating for public education for all children in NJ and the Franklin community. Eva was Board President for 15 years, along with positions of NJ School Boards Association Vice President for Legislation/Resolutions, Somerset County School Board President and Chair of NJ Schools Insurance Group Trustees. She earned her B.A. from the College of NJ in secondary education. Having served on several state and local boards, she also earned NJSBA’s Certified, Master and Certified Board Leader Certifications. Eva was one of the co-founders of the annual Franklin Township Dr. Martin Luther King Breakfast Committee which became the FTMLKC Foundation. |
FTPD Chief Daniel Livak (ret.)Trustee Emeritus
Foundation Founder Chief Daniel J. Livak Retired Deputy Director Business Administrator Somerset County Park Commission Dan Livak, born and raised in Franklin Township, received his education through the Franklin Township School system and was a 43 year resident and co-founder of the annual Franklin Township Dr. Martin Luther King Community Breakfast/Committee. He received his BS in Criminal Justice from the College of NJ graduating cum laude, his MA from Seton Hall University, attended a fellowship at the JFK School of Government at Harvard University and is a Certified Public Manager. Dan served in every rank in the Franklin Township Police Department retiring as Chief of Police after 25 years of service. |
Barbara J. NicolTrustee Emeritus
Somerset Presbyterian Church Barbara J. Nicol has been a resident of Franklin Township for over 36 years. Her two children are graduates of the Franklin Township school system. She received a Bachelor’s Degree from Rutgers University and a Masters Certificate in Project Management from Stevens Institute of Technology. Barbara owned her own business, worked for AT&T and is a 34-year breast cancer survivor. She has supported the Annual Martin Luther King Community Breakfast since 1998. Barbara has held several positions including President of the AT&T Pioneers Central Region Club, President of a 4,200-member Pioneer Life Member Club, and Secretary of the Week of the People Organization in Franklin Township. As a member of Somerset Presbyterian Church for over 37 years, Barbara has served as an Elder, Deacon, Sunday School teacher, and youth leader. Volunteering is a part of who she is and what she loves. |
Jimmy LeeTrustee Emeritus
Business Community - Joy Systems Orvyl WilsonTrustee Emeritus
Director, School Management Dr. Shirin PoustchiTrustee Emeritus
Baha’i Community of Franklin Township |