FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For information call:
Clifford Laube at (845) 486-7745
The Franklin D. Roosevelt
Presidential Library and Museum
proudly announces four
new Library Trustees:
Senior Vice President of the
Adler Group, Karen R. Adler;
St. John's University law professor
and historian, John Q. Barrett;
Director of the Public Policy Program
at the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute
at Hunter College, Dr. Basil Smikle Jr.;
and the President of Marist College
Dr. Kevin C. Weinman
HYDE PARK, NY -- The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum has announced four new Library Trustees: Management consultant and Senior Vice President of the Adler Group, Karen R. Adler; Robert H. Jackson historian and Benjamin N. Cardozo Professor of Law at St. John's University, John Q. Barrett; Distinguished Lecturer and Director of the Public Policy Program at the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College, Dr. Basil Smikle Jr.; and the President of Marist College, Dr. Kevin C. Weinman. The Trustees are charged with ensuring FDR's legacy is preserved and accessible to the public for generations to come.
Roosevelt Library Acting Director William Harris said, “President Roosevelt created the Trustees to ensure that this first Presidential Library would remain active and relevant long after his lifetime. We are honored to welcome these four incredibly accomplished people and look forward to working with them for many years.”
Karen R. Adler is retired from working as an independent management consultant for high net worth families and their foundations with a specific focus on management, operations and philanthropic issues. She is Senior Vice President of the Adler Group, a multi-generational family business where her specific responsibilities focus on advising younger family members. Prior to this, Adler was the Chief Executive Officer of Bromor Management LLC, and a strategic planning and marketing consultant working with foundations, NGOs and private businesses to develop business strategies for successfully working with federal, state and local governments. During the Clinton Administration, she was the Regional Administrator for the General Services Administration. Her philanthropic efforts focus on three primary areas: Israel and the American Jewish Community, American Democratic Principles and Expanding Citizen Participation, Empowering Women and Girls to Fully Participate in All Aspects of Society. She was previously the President of the Jewish Communal Fund of New York. Adler is on the Executive Committee and Board of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Network Commission. She also serves on the Board of the Plaza Jewish Community Chapel and is a former Roosevelt Institute board member. Adler has an M.B.A. in Finance from New York University, an M.P.A. and an M.A. in Urban Planning from Northeastern University, and a BA in Political Science from American University.
John Q. Barrett is the Benjamin N. Cardozo Professor of Law at St. John's University where he teaches Constitutional Law and courses in Criminal Procedure and Legal History. He is the Elizabeth S. Lenna Fellow and a Director at the Robert H. Jackson Center in Jamestown, New York. Professor Barrett is a graduate of Georgetown University and Harvard Law School, a former U.S. government lawyer and investigator, and a leading teacher, writer, commentator, and lecturer on law and history topics, in the United States and internationally. He is writing a biography of the late U.S. Supreme Court justice and Nuremberg prosecutor Robert H. Jackson (1892-1954). This work will include the first inside account of Justice Jackson's service, by appointment of President Truman, as the chief prosecutor at Nuremberg, Germany, of the principal surviving Nazi leaders following World War II. He manages “The Jackson List” and regularly sends email to many thousands of subscribers around the world who are interested in Justice Jackson and related topics. Fifty years after Jackson's death, Professor Barrett discovered and edited Jackson's previously unknown manuscript, now an acclaimed book, THAT MAN: AN INSIDER'S PORTRAIT OF FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT.
Dr. Basil Smikle Jr. is a Distinguished Lecturer and Director of the Public Policy Program at the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College. He also lectures at Columbia University in the School of International and Public Affairs and Teachers College. With over 15 years in higher education and 25 years of a career dedicated to public service, Dr. Smikle regularly shares insights on electoral politics, governance, and public policy on national media outlets. He holds a Ph.D. in Politics and Education, an M.P.A. from Columbia University and received a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University. Previously, he served as the Distinguished Lecturer of Politics and Public Policy at the City University of New York’s School of Labor and Urban Studies. Dr. Smikle was appointed by former Governor David Paterson to serve as the Executive Director of the New York State Democratic Party during the 2016 presidential cycle where he was the “second highest ranking Democrat” in the State. He worked closely with elected officials and community leaders to manage electoral and fundraising strategies for the State. He received awards from the Governor and Comptroller of New York State for his commitment to public service and education equity.
Dr. Kevin C. Weinman was appointed the fifth President of Marist College in July 2021. He came to Marist from Amherst College, where he served as Chief Financial and Administrative Officer for eight years. He was also a vital partner in the development and execution of Amherst’s strategic plan and $625 million capital campaign. He instituted rigorous and inclusive financial planning and budgeting processes that helped Amherst achieve key priorities in student life and wellbeing; diversity, equity, and inclusion; academic support; new academic and residential facilities; and a comprehensive climate action plan. Dr. Weinman’s efforts helped Amherst College to be a leader among its peers in the enrollment of talented students from low-income backgrounds. Prior to Amherst, Dr. Weinman served as Assistant Vice President, Finance at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. Before deciding to pursue a career in higher education, he held senior roles related to finance and marketing in the corporate world. He is also a former Certified Public Accountant. A scholar of the history of urban planning and public policy, Dr. Weinman earned his Ph.D. in history from the University of New Hampshire, his M.A. in history from the University of Colorado, and his M.B.A. from the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. He received his bachelor’s degree in accounting and history from the University of Notre Dame. Dr. Weinman has taught courses on modern American history and the rise of the suburbs to both college-aged and non-traditional students.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Presidential Library and Museum
Designed by Franklin Roosevelt and dedicated on June 30, 1941, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum is the nation's first presidential library and the only one used by a sitting president. Administered by the National Archives and Records Administration since 1941, the Library preserves and makes accessible to the American people the records of FDR's presidency. The Roosevelt Library's mission is to foster a deeper understanding of the lives and times of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt and their continuing impact on contemporary life. This work is carried out through the Library's archives and research room, museum collections and exhibitions, innovative educational programs, and engaging public programming. For more information about the Library or its programs call (800) 337-8474 or visit www.fdrlibrary.org.
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