Friday, Aug 27, 2021
New members represent various fields of study including music, business and liberal arts
Rider University’s Alumni Association Board of Directors have added five new members, Anthony Celentano '78, '80, Marci Gnandt '00, '03, Ellen Marut Katcher '88, Kaitlyn Marut '20 and Stephen Neukam '21. Their service began on July 1.
Anthony Celentano '78, '80 received a Bachelor of Music in Sacred Music, as well as two master’s, in choral conducting and church music, from Westminster Choir College. In addition, he received a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from Seton Hall. Celentano’s career has included serving as a school counselor and music director for several academic and religious organizations.
Marci Gnandt '00, '03 joins the Board having previously served as president. She is currently employed as the director of the Facilities Business Office at Princeton University. Gnandt received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in accounting and a Master of Business Administration from Rider and has also previously volunteered as a member of Rider’s Gail Bierenbaum Women's Leadership Council.
Ellen Marut Katcher '88 is a senior manager at the clothing company PVH Corp. In addition to her new role on the Board, at Rider she is a member of the Gail Bierenbaum Women's Leadership Council and the University Parent and Family Council. Katcher also volunteers for the Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey and the Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Monmouth County. She received a Bachelor of Science in Education from Rider.
Stephen Neukam '21 joins the Board after recently double majoring in journalism and political science. As an undergraduate, he served as the executive editor of The Rider News, the University's student newspaper. He is currently earning his master’s degree from the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland on a full-tuition scholarship.
Kaitlyn Marut '20 received a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Psychology from Rider and is a current student in Rutgers University’s master's program in labor and employee relations. She is employed as an L&D associate in executive education by KPMG, a global network of professional firms providing audit, tax and advisory services. At Rider, she was a student protege for the Gail Bierenbaum Women's Leadership Council and is currently a member of the BOLD Council. She also serves as a member of the Zeta Tau Alpha’s Jersey Shore alumni chapter.
The 21-member Rider University Alumni Association is charged with fostering lasting alumni connections to the University, including encouraging support for the University's mission and programs and supporting the promotion of alumni pride in and appreciation for the Rider experience.
Through Association’s Board, several committees are responsible for taking active roles in areas that include fundraising, alumni and student engagement, award selection, and more. For more information, please visit rider.edu/alumni/stay-connected/board or email [email protected].