Board of Trustees

​

Sgt. Sean Hebbon
President
Sergeant, Franklin Police Dept. 
 
​Sean Hebbon has been a member of the Franklin Township Police Department since 1997.  He currently holds the rank of Sergeant.  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.  Sergeant Hebbon is currently a patrol supervisor at the police department.  He also supervises the PACER Program, and remains actively involved in the Franklin Township community.   Sergeant Hebbon earned a bachelor's degree from Rutgers University and is a certified elementary educator.  He was an elementary school teacher for the New Brunswick school system prior to becoming a law enforcement officer.  He also earned a Masters Degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Gary Rosenthal
1st 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. 
Sashi Gundala
2nd Vice President
Indian-American Community 

​Sashi Gundala is a 17-year resident of Franklin Township, has a Masters in education from Rutgers University. She has more than 12 years of experience in the education field. For the last four years she has been  the vice-principal at Frank J. Dugan Elementary School in Marlboro. Most recently, she has continued with her professional education at Princeton University and Harvard University. Sashi is a technology enthusiast and has recently presented at the 2016 Techspo and earlier at the 2015 Google Summit. Her interests and passion include helping students with special needs and writing about various topics including education. She also enjoys listening to music, writing lyrics, yoga, dance, reading and spending family time with her husband, two boys, and her puggle.
Surya Sonti
Treasurer
Indian-American Community
​
​Surya Sonti believes in philanthropy and giving back to community has a profound positive impact on our local communities. In addition to being an Executive board member for Franklin Township Dr. Martin Luther King Community Foundation, Surya actively engages in several other philanthropy activities through Habitat for Humanity. Surya believes in the value of incorporating his time, talent and expertise in all that he does to serve his community. Surya holds an MBA and MS degrees from Penn State University. Surya is an avid aviator and holds his private pilot license. An active member of American Red Cross and lives in Somerset, NJ.
Dr. Sheila Tabanli
Secretary

​Dr. Sheila Tabanli has been a Franklin Township resident since 2006. Prior to moving to Franklin, she lived in Missouri where she received her M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Computer Science from Missouri University of Science & Tech. She has been passionately teaching college and high school level mathematics and computer science courses. Dr. Tabanli holds NJDOE teacher certifications in Mathematics, Computer Science Technology, as well as,  Supervisor certification. She has been actively participating in various community service projects including volunteering at food banks, women shelters, student mentoring & advising specifically in college readiness and STEM fields, and Red Cross. She is happily married with two boys.
Dr. Alex Kharazi
Trustee
​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.  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 and secretary of Franklin Township Dr. Martin Luther King Community Foundation, a member of Human Relations Commission, and as a member of the Franklin Township Planning Board. He is a co-founder of New Jersey Interfaith Coalition and serve as a member of faith-based committee of Raritan Valley Habitat for Humanity.  Dr. Kharazi is an active member of the community promoting strong relationship and understanding among diverse  faiths. 
Meher Rafiq
Trustee
Muslim-American Community

​Meher Rafiq has been a  Franklin Township resident for twenty-nine years.  She is a World citizen, American, New Yorker, Muslim, Indian Heritage; Mom of three children; rescued and adopted two feline sisters; City University of New York Alum; and Banker-VP. Interests close to heart include cross-culture, diversity, inclusive training and dialogue, conflict resolution, grassroot organizer for charity events, partner for causes relating to women, children, and injustice. Passions include travels, hiking, cooking, Zumba, zen-gardening and the New York Yankees.
Rabbi Eli Garfinkel
​Temple Beth El
Trustee

​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 the 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.
Barbara J. Nicol
Trustee
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.  
Alice Osipowitz 
Trustee
Director, Parks & Recreation

​Alice is the Director of Parks & Recreation for Franklin Township. As a graduate of Franklin High School and Montclair University, she is dedicated to improving the quality of life through leisure services for Franklin over the last 37 years. As Chairperson for the Municipal Alliance for the Prevention of Substance Abuse and the Youth Service Commission, she has worked with a broad base of community representatives to enhance services targeted at reducing juvenile delinquency and illegal substance abuse. 
Dr. Ron Poustchi
Trustee
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.
Maxine Robinson
​Trustee
​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.
Torrie Rumph-Hurd
​Trustee
​


​
Orvyl Wilson
​Trustee
Director, School Management
Trustees Emeriti
Eva Nagy
Trustee Emeritus
Former President, Franklin Township Board of Education
ftmlkcf@gmail.com
​
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
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.
Jimmy Lee
Trustee Emeritus
Praise Korean Church


​Dr. Shirin Poustchi
 Trustee Emeritus
Baha’i Community of Franklin Township