Library of the Chathams Celebrates Notable Women of New Jersey

Our annual panel of Notable Women of New Jersey takes a new form this year. We welcome some of the state's most accomplished women online via Zoom.

JOANNE TAYLOR BABBITT is co-founder and Vice President of the John Taylor Babbitt Foundation, a non-profit organization named in memory of her son who died of cardiac arrest at age 16 from an undiagnosed heart condition while playing basketball with friends in his school gym. Ms. Babbitt has dedicated her efforts in support of the foundation's objectives to install Automated External Defibrillators (AED's) in all places of public assembly, including proposing legislation and lobbying for state level laws expanding the use of AED's. Her activities also include working with municipalities, schools, and other organizations on policies and procedures to support the purchase and maintenance of AED's and development of sudden cardiac arrest plans.

Prior to starting the John Taylor Babbitt Foundation, Ms. Babbitt was a Managing Director in the Consumer Private Banking and Global Securities Division at Chase Manhattan Bank for 21 years. Please join us for a virtual presentation on Thursday, March 25 at 7 pm.

ROSIE TARAVELLA, Regional CEO of the American Red Cross of New Jersey, will present a virtual lecture on the five services provided by the Red Cross including disaster preparedness and response, service to the Armed Forces, blood donation, international services, and health and safety training within the state. In addition, she will discuss what the Red Cross is doing to support COVID vaccination and how the public can be better prepared for disasters.

Ms. Taravella joined the Red Cross in 2012 as a regional executive officer of the American Red Cross of Central New York, overseeing the organization's operations throughout 16 central New York counties. In late 2014 the region was expanded to include Western New York overseeing 26 counties as CEO of the American Red Cross of Western and Central New York. At the national level, Ms. Taravella serves as Co-Sponsor of the American Red Cross Women's Resource Group, and frequently pilots national programs in the New Jersey Region. In May 2020, she partnered with Governor Murphy and University Hospital to increase COVID convalescent plasma donation access for survivors of the virus. She was also named one of New Jersey's "Best Fifty Women in Business" by NJBiz. Please join us Wednesday, March 31 at 7 pm.

For more information and to join the events, go to chathamlibrary.org/notable-women-of-new-jersey-2021/