Six named to Centenary University Board of Trustees

HACKETTSTOWN, NJ (Warren County) — Centenary University has named six new members to its Board of Trustees, the governing body of the University.

The trustees represent leaders in the fields of finance, higher education, and marketing, among others. They will each serve four-year terms.

In announcing the appointments, Board Chair Rochelle Makela-Goodman, a 1997 graduate of Centenary, lauded the new trustees for their willingness to step up at a pivotal moment in the University’s history: “Centenary University is in the midst of an expansion into a number of educational sectors, including healthcare, that will be critical to the economy moving forward. I am grateful that we can rely on these professionals to help guide the next era in the University’s history.”

The new members of the Board of Trustees are:

Carol Allen—Worcester, Pa

A graduate of Centenary University, Carol Allen holds the first Bachelor of Arts degree awarded by the University in 1974. In addition, she holds an Associate of Arts from Centenary and completed post-graduate studies at Marist College and the New Jersey Institute of Technology. During her career, she held a variety of administrative roles at Centenary, including director of special giving, director of residential life and student life, and associate and assistant dean of students. Later, she served in administrative and teaching roles at Mermaid Lake Catering, Mermaid Country Day Camp, Twin Springs Farm Day School Camp, and Coppergate Farms. Allen has been president of the Centenary University Alumni Association Executive Board and is active with several area automobile clubs.

Cathleen Compoli—Califon, NJ

Cathleen Compoli is the founder of CEA Executive Advisory, providing management consulting and professional coaching to corporations, advanced technology start-ups, and individuals. She is an accomplished sales and marketing executive and served as a senior leader at Mars Incorporated for over 30 years. During a long and distinguished career at Mars, Compoli has held a number of roles focused on leading cross-functional teams, connecting and developing people, growing brands, and delivering enterprise and global transformation solutions across confectionary, pet nutrition, and food segments. She brings real-world insight and a growth mindset to the Centenary Board of Trustees. Compoli is a graduate of West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Science in Business and Economics and a concentration in marketing. She has also served as president of the Washington Township Board of Education and is currently a marketing professional coach at Montclair State University.

Gary L. Lampley—South Orange, NJ

Gary L. Lampley has held many positions throughout his career as a retail executive, fashion stylist, apparel sales representative, and president of the Black Retail Action Group, Inc. (BRAG), a national nonprofit 501 (c) (3) fashion industry trade organization—all positions that have allowed for the examination of dress, adornment, and appearance. Now, as a faculty member in the Fashion Business Management Department (FBM) at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), Lampley inspires others to explore the meaning of clothing and choices in dress within society by bringing his years of apparel experience into the classroom. Lampley also served as a visiting lecturer at Howard University and was the Gates-Ferry Distinguished Visiting Lecturer at Centenary University in 2021. Most recently, he served on the panel, “Historical Influence of Blacks in American Fashion, Elizabeth Keckley, Ann Lowe and other designers, dressmakers, and seamstresses,” for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture’s symposium, “Fashion, Culture, Futures: African American Ingenuity, Activism, and Storytelling.” A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Lampley also holds a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) from Empire State College, State University of New York (SUNY).

Felix “Phil” Linfante, Ph.D.—Hackettstown, NJ

Felix “Phil” Linfante, Ph.D., has provided a lifetime of service to New Jersey’s community colleges. Dr. Linfante is a professor of social sciences at Essex County Community College, where he served for 35 years in the college’s administration. A licensed therapist, he previously chaired the Warren County Community College Board of Trustees and the New Jersey Council of County Colleges, and has been a member of the Association of Community College Trustees. Dr. Linfante earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from Rutgers University, a Master of Arts in Counseling from Kean University, and a Doctor of Higher Education Administration and Supervision from Seton Hall University.

Denise McDonald Littleton, Ed.D.—Suffolk, Va

An educator with more than 40 years of experience, Denise Littleton, Ed.D., is the retired dean of the School of Education at Norfolk State University. In that role, she successfully led the school through the national accreditation process and was also a professor in the Department of Early Childhood/Elementary and Special Education. During her distinguished career in education, Dr. Littleton also served as a teacher, reading clinician, and research associate in the US Department of Education’s Department of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. In addition, she was a member of the Fulbright Group Projects Abroad in Zimbabwe and a fellow with the National Institute for Education Leadership. Dr. Littleton earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Education from Carnegie Mellon University, a Master of Education in Middle School Education from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Doctor of Teacher and Reading Education from George Washington University.

Timothy L. Smith—Mount Arlington, NJ, and Siesta Key, Fla

Timothy L. Smith is the founder and CEO of APW Capital, a national leader in providing broker-dealer services to financial advisors who market under their own RIA. In addition to APW Capital, Smith founded Comprehensive Capital Management, Inc., and Aurora Private Wealth, Inc. A respected member of the financial services sector, Smith has been active with FINRA, a government-authorized not-for-profit organization that oversees US broker-dealers, and has served as the organization’s chairman of the national advisory council representing the industry’s interests with the Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, DC. He has also been active with New Jersey politics and theatre. Smith earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Seton Hall University.