Paper Mill Playhouse Adds Six New Members to Board of Trustees

Paper Mill Playhouse has announced the election of six individuals and civic leaders to its Board of Trustees. These new members will add their expertise and knowledge to the theater's now 34-member Board.

“We are delighted to welcome these accomplished leaders to the Paper Mill Board of Trustees at such a pivotal moment in our history and look forward to working alongside them as we continue build Paper Mill's legacy,” said Deborah Kennedy, Chair of the Committee on Trustees. “As we wrap up the Next Act Campaign and embark on the next chapter of Paper Mill's evolution, we rely on the insight, leadership, and passion of our board to ensure Paper Mill continues to inspire audiences, artists, and students for years to come.”

Joining the Board of Trustees are:

Matthew B. Abrams

Matthew B. Abrams is a Member at Sills Cummis & Gross P.C., where he is Co-Chair of the Estate Planning and Administration Group. His practice focuses on trusts and estates matters, including estate planning, probate, administration, and Surrogate's Court litigation. He advises beneficiaries, legatees, executors, administrators, and trustees on every aspect of fiduciary responsibility and practice. Matt also takes on an advisory role for families facing the complex and delicate world of elder law, including long-term care and Medicaid planning, with an eye toward an entire-life commitment of service to clients. Matt and his wife, Rena, live in South Orange with their two young children.

Rachel Braverman

Rachel Braverman is a former corporate attorney turned full-time "stage mom" to her four children, aged 13, 12, 10, and 8. A graduate of Tufts University and Columbia Law School, Rachel built a distinguished legal career in New York and New Jersey, practicing at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, serving as in-house counsel at asset manager Artio Global Investors, and ultimately holding the role of General Counsel and Head of Human Resources at public manufacturing company Anadigics. Deeply committed to community leadership, she serves on the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee for Jewish Family Service of MetroWest. Rachel lives in Short Hills with her husband, Jeff, and their busy family, and she is thrilled to support the vibrant arts community at Paper Mill Playhouse. 

Carmen Lawrence

Carmen Lawrence is a Partner at King and Spalding where she focuses on securities related government investigations and litigation. As a partner in their Special Matters and Investigations practice and co-lead of their Securities Enforcement and Regulation practice, Carmen represents public and private companies and C Suite executives in a range of securities-related regulatory, enforcement and business matters. Previously, Carmen served for more than a decade at the US Securities and Exchange Commission in various senior and staff enforcement positions, including as Regional Director of the SEC's Northeast Regional Office, the agency's largest region.  She has consistently been recognized as a leading lawyer by Chambers USA, Benchmark Litigation, Legal 500 and a member of Securities Docket's Enforcement Elite and most recently, its Enforcement Hall of Fame. Carmen is a graduate of Cornell University and University of Michigan Law, and lives in Maplewood with her husband, Deryck Palmer. 

Matthew Naclerio

Matthew Naclerio is the Deputy Chief Credit Officer at Assured Guaranty covering US Public Finance, International Infrastructure, and Structured Finance. He is also the Chair of the Philanthropy Committee at Assured Guaranty and has helped triple the Company's charitable giving through targeted donations to support strategic initiatives that reflect Assured Guaranty's values and vision. He holds degrees in Theater and Economics from Northwestern University and is a CFA Charterholder. Matt is an avid supporter of the arts and is currently the Vice President of the Board of Directors at Rosie's Theater Kids, serving under Rosie O'Donnell since 2011.

Henrik Patel

Henrik Patel is a Partner at White and Case in New York and advises clients on the full spectrum of executive compensation and employee benefits issues. His significant experience and knowledge in this area has made him a valued resource for a range of US and international clients, including public and private companies, boards of directors and executives. Henrik was recognized by M&A Advisor's list of "40 under 40", has been named a Leading Lawyer by The Legal 500, ranked in Chambers and a Leading Lawyer in Lawdragon in Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Henrik is a frequent contributor and speaker at Global Equity Organization ("GEO") and National Association of Stock Plan Professional ("NASPP") conferences and advisor board member and contributing author to the Benefits Law Journal. He has co-chaired the Reunion Committee for his class at NYU School of Law.

Nancy Tepper

Nancy earned a Master of Arts degree in Educational Leadership and Adult and Organizational Learning at Montclair State University. She worked as a creative software educator at the Apple Store in Short Hills and continues teaching technology to older adults through private lessons and workshops at senior residential communities. She also previously worked for the nonprofit Music Will (formerly Little Kids Rock), where she helped train music teachers from underserved communities nationwide in starting Modern Band music programs as part of their school curricula and in after-school enrichment classes. She understands the value that arts education plays in the lives of young people and welcomes the opportunity to bring her experience, energy, and collaborative spirit to the Paper Mill's Board of Trustees to make theater accessible to everyone.

Jim Fakult

Jim Fakult, former Chair of the Paper Mill Playhouse Board of Trustees (2017-2022) was elected Trustee Emeritus. Prior to his retirement in 2025, Jim was the President of Jersey Central Power & Light, a FirstEnergy Company.

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