Board of Trustees | Forman S. Acton Educational Foundation

Jean S. Blauvelt, Chair

Kathryn Markovchick, President

Kathryn grew up in South Jersey. She was a trusted advisor of Dr. Acton and talked to him many times about his vision of supporting students from Salem who showed academic promise but were not as able to access rich educational experiences. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Buffalo with a concentration in Inner City Education and Learning and Behavior Disorders. She’s worked as a special education teacher, administrator, faculty member and president of the non-profit Syntiro.

J. Herbert Fithian

Herbert was a close and trusted friend of Dr. Acton for all his life, was born and raised in South Jersey. Before his passing, Dr. Acton named him executor of his estate and trustee of the foundation. Herbert graduated with a civil engineering degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and was the plant engineer for the Owens-Illinois Glass Plant. He and his wife Katsy raised their three children (Kathryn, Megan, and Herb) in the area. They have lived in the Bridgeton area for over 90 years.

Helen H. Reinhart

Helen grew up in South Jersey and has lived there continuously as an active and engaged member of the community, raising her children, serving on her local school board, running a small business and running a small nonprofit devoted to providing college scholarships for students from her hometown of Greenwich. Helen is a registered nurse and currently uses her nursing skills as a volunteer emergency medical technician with the Greenwich Fire Department.

Erika McDaniel

Erika has served various nonprofits dedicated to educating youth over the past decade. She as a member of Glenmede's Endowment and Foundation team, focused on delivering investment, administrative, and advisory services to foundations, endowments and nonprofit institutions both nationally and in the tri-state region, including South Jersey. She graduated cum laude from Howard University and now spends her free time volunteering, traveling and serving in her church.

Laurence R. Van Meter

Larry was raised in South Jersey. His mother, Margaret Minch Van Meter, was a graduate of Salem High School Class of 1934. He has worked in education as a teacher and administrator for 29 years, and since 2001 he has served as the Head of School at Moorestown Friends School in Burlington County, NJ. He is a graduate of Hamilton College (BA), Rochester Institute of Technology (AAS) and Dartmouth College’s Amos Tuck School of Business Administration (MBA). He and his wife, Margaret, have a home in nearby Hopewell Township, Cumberland County, NJ.

Najwa Tatum

Najwa Tatum was one of our first Forman Scholars and she's the second scholar to serve on our Board of Trustees. Najwa grew up in Wildwood, NJ, and moved to Salem City in middle school, where she excelled in both academics and sports. She graduated from Stockton University in December 2016 with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. She serves a vital role to our board by providing us with firsthand insight from her recent experience attending school in Salem and completing college.