HomeBoard & Staff

Officers

Amy Kemp – President

(Term ends April 2027)

Amy has a passion for community engagement and a knack for building bridges. She has become a driving force in Palm Beach County's civic and business landscape. In her role as external affairs manager for Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), Amy serves as a critical liaison between the utility and local government officials, business leaders and community stakeholders across Central and Southern Palm Beach County. Since joining FPL in 2016, she has excelled in key positions, including procurement management, operational budget oversight and process improvement leadership.

Amy serves on several local boards, including the Parks Foundation of Palm Beach County, Palm Beach Chamber and Greater Boca Raton Chambers of Commerce. Her collaborative approach, crisis management expertise, and commitment to community service make her a respected leader in both business and civic spheres.

Amy’s passion for civic engagement led her to join the League of Women Voters, drawn by its mission to encourage informed participation in government and advocacy for local issues. As president, she aims to expand outreach efforts, particularly to younger and underrepresented communities.

Outside of work, Amy enjoys an active lifestyle, playing golf, volunteering and traveling with her husband.

Joyce Sullivan – 1st Vice President

(Term ends April 2026)

Joyce has been a member of LWVPBC since 2015. She has previously served as 2nd vice-president and as a Board member. She chairs the Voters’ Guide, Legislative Directory, and the Budget Team. In 2024, Joyce was part of the team that created the 2024 Election Expo.

She retired in 2008 with twenty plus years as an advertising/operations manager of Palm Beach Newspapers/The Palm Beach Post. After moving from the Post, she became General Manager of the Florida Pennysaver and La Palma, a Hispanic newspaper.

Over the years, Joyce has served on many boards and organizations. One of the most important was Leadership Palm Beach County. She graduated in 1966 and was involved in the Youth Leadership program until 2003. Others were the Hispanic Chamber, Hispanic Human Resources, Lake Worth Chamber, North Palm Beach chamber, and President of the Community Papers of Florida.

Her interest in the importance of voting and knowing about who you are choosing to vote for as your local, state, and federal legislature started in 2015 when she was the volunteer coordinator for Dorothy Jack, Property Appraiser.

Joyce is a Palm Beach County native and has three children and four grandchildren. She loves gardening and, of course, cats.

Reisha Roopchand Allen – 2nd Vice President

(Term ends April 2027)

Reisha is a serial entrepreneur and business strategist who is actively involved in her three start-ups:

Spirited Marketing - Sales and Marketing consulting

Precise Mobile Fingerprinting - Providing background screening and international document authentication

AIM Sports Training (Co-Founder) - Providing physical education personnel for youth development at private schools, after school activities, and sports training

Her current community activities include the Women’s Chamber of Commerce as a Board Member and Chair of the Events Committee. At the League she is Co-Chair of the Special Events Team and is a member of the National Popular Vote and Voter Services teams.

Reisha is married and has a two-year-old Maltese fur baby, as well as a large family of nieces and nephews with whom she tries to spend quality time with as much as she can. Reisha is also an avid Pilates practitioner and believes in a positive and balanced lifestyle and helping others in the community.

Melissa Gannon - Treasurer

(Term ends April 2026)

Melissa has been a League member since 2022.

Melissa Gannon, CDFA®, CFP® has worked in the field of Finance for more than 30 years. She joined Castle Wealth Management, West Palm Beach, in 2016 and is currently the Manager Financial Planning and a Partner in the firm. For more than 21 years Melissa was the Vice President of Weiss Ratings, where she led the firm’s quantitative financial analyses of the nation’s insurance companies, banks, and credit unions as well as the risk-adjusted performance of stocks, mutual funds, and ETFs. She opened an independent fee-only financial planning firm in 2015 before ultimately joining Castle Wealth Management.

Melissa earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Dayton in 1988 and a Master in Business Administration (concentration in Finance) from Florida Atlantic University in 1998. She earned her Certified Divorce Financial Analyst designation in 2016 and Certified Financial Plannertm designation in 2019.

Linda Prior - Secretary

(Term ends April 2027)

Linda retired from IBM (Westchester County) as a software engineer in Telecommunications and Data Management. In 1998 she moved to Delray Beach.

She has held volunteer leadership positions at her church in Delray Beach, including as a Stephen Minister leader, Chair of Membership Care, Education, New Member Assimilation, and in Women’s Bible Study. She is currently chair of a woman’s ministry that provides substantial funding for the church by making and selling crafts and secondhand articles. And she is a member of an Anti-Bias Organization and chair of an interfaith organization.

Linda has also been a community volunteer for Boca Raton Group Counseling Center, and a computer assistant in the Delray Library. She was a member of the Neighborhood Advisory Board in Delray Beach and an original board member of Family Promise of South Palm Beach County.

Linda joined the League of Women Voters after attending a League trip in 2015 to Cuba. She has been second vice-president, secretary of the Education Committee, and secretary of the Education Fund. Her interests are to develop community awareness of the League, and to promote voter registration and voter education.

Directors

Cassondra A. Corbin-Thaddies, Director

(Elected 2024, Term ends April 2026)

Dr. Cassondra A. Corbin-Thaddies is an innovative instructional designer and educational technology advocate, dedicated to empowering educators and leaders. She champion's mindset shifts and racial equity, creating transformative learning experiences globally.

With 20+ years in education, Cassondra's expertise includes learning technology, executive coaching, and training. She has positively impacted over 2500 teachers and 500 schools worldwide.

A collaborator with Stanford University's Graduate School of Education, she contributes to professional development and the EdTech Genome Project. Cassondra, who holds a Ph.D. in Instructional Design and Technology, is the founder of Connect to Greatness, Inc., and the Vice President of Coaching and Professional Services at Learning Innovation Catalyst (LINC).

Janet Elinoff, Director

(Elected 2025, Term ends April 2027)

Janet recently retired after a successful wealth management career, where she helped individuals create meaningful legacies of love for their families and charitable organizations. She was known for her ability to simplify complex financial matters and bring a personal touch to estate planning.

A dedicated advocate, she currently serves as the Chair of the League’s Speakers Bureau, leading volunteers in engaging and educating voters on civic participation and democracy. Her passion for lifelong learning and cultural enrichment is reflected in her many activities and involvement throughout Palm Beach County.

An avid traveler, she has explored destinations like Cuba and Colombia, embracing new experiences and building lasting connections. Above all, she is grateful for the opportunities to make a difference, to cultivate relationships, and to fully embrace this chapter of her life.

Lori Geiger, Director

(Appointed 2025 to fill vacancy, Term ends April 2026)

Lori worked in the nonprofit field for 30 years before retiring in 2023. She has held leadership positions and has extensive knowledge of nonprofit management and administration. Responsibilities included event, meeting, and program planning and implementation for both internal and external events, donor cultivation and fundraising, staff and volunteer supervision, including recruiting and training, financial analysis of projects, and negotiation of contracts.

Lori worked at the Sewall-Belmont House and Museum, now known as the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument, in Washington, DC as the Director of Outreach and Events. The Museum is hallowed-ground for the women’s and equal rights movements.

Some of Lori’s other experiences included the National Trust for Historic Preservation, where she served as marketing liaison between Trust headquarters in Washington, DC and the Trust Historic sites. She also ran the Volunteer/Visitors program at the Boca Raton Museum of Art. There she re-energized the program and implemented methods to enhance, engage and keep volunteers.

Lori joined the League during the 2024 election cycle. She worked to pass the amendment for Reproductive Health, as well as to participate in other League initiatives.

Marge Holtz, Director

(Elected 2024, Term ends April 2026)

Marge is a retired federal employee with more than 30 years of service, and was the senior civilian public affairs officer in the Department of the Navy for more than 17 years. She went on to work as a consultant in the maritime industry and to teach communications in the undergraduate and graduate schools at American University and the graduate school at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, D.C.

Marge was raised in Ohio before marrying a U.S. Navy officer and moving to wherever ordered for 20-plus years. She lived and worked in the Washington, D.C., area for 35 years before decamping for Key West in 2015. There she joined the Lower Keys League of Women Voters and served as president from 2019 until resigning to move to the Florida mainland in 2022. Marge joined the Palm Beach County League 2023.

Kate Renchin, Director

(Elected 2025, Term ends April 2027)

Kate traces a lifelong interest in civil and voting rights, justice, and the legal system back to high school days writing for the school newspaper, heading the Women’s Judicial Board at the University of Wisconsin, and teaching literacy and volunteering at a women’s shelter.

These days she pursues her work as Co-Chair of the Palm Beach County Voting Rights Coalition and the Palm Beach County Election Protection program, while serving on the board of the League of Women Voters, NAACP West Palm Beach, and the Steering Committee of Coming to the Table South Florida. She is also a past board member of ACLU Florida and Palm Beach County.

Elizabeth Shapiro, Director

(Elected 2025, term ends April 2027)

Liz grew up in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Her undergraduate degree is in Home Economics Education and her graduate degree is in Food Service Administration. She worked for Magic Pan Restaurants in Chicago, and then worked with the National Restaurant Association as a seminar instructor. Liz’s duties included developing seminars and making presentations throughout the United States.

Liz and her husband moved to Boca Raton in 1985 where they raised their two daughters. Liz spent 20 years working for the School District of Palm Beach County as a high school Culinary Arts Instructor and a district administrator.

Liz has been a member of American Association of University Women for more than 30 years and has held several leadership positions including as President. She is currently Vice President for Membership.

Liz has volunteered for Catholic Charities and was Sustainer Chair for the Junior League of the Palm Beaches. She currently volunteers for Harmony House and is also a member of National Jewish Women's Council of Palm Beach County.

Patty Whitehill, Director

(Elected 2024, Term ends April 2026)

pic and bio coming soon

Staff

Linda Kramer, Administrative Assistant

Linda Kramer provides support to the Board, the Leadership Team, Team Chairs, and Members.

Before working for the League, Linda co-directed DePorres Place Adult Literacy Center, leading a team ranging from 50-90 volunteer tutors who provided reading and English language services to 200-400 adult students annually. Linda also directed development for the center, raising funds through special events and foundation grants.

A native of New Jersey, Linda worked for Verizon Communications for 35 years, where she was a union officer representing 3500 members. While in that role, Linda spearheaded dispute resolution and collective bargaining for multiple contracts.

Dawn Weir, Finance Assistant

Dorneth “Dawn” Weir and her family relocated to Wellington from North Brunswick, New Jersey in 2008. She joined the League in April 2017 and has served in various roles, including Assistant Treasurer, Treasurer, League Accountant, and, most recently as Club Express Administrator.

With a B.A. in Accounting, her work experience has involved positions in banking and finance, including Investment Accountant, Auditor, Underwriter, and as Vice President and Relationship Manager at PNC Bank.

When her child was school age, she proudly joined the Florida PTA and served as PTA Treasurer throughout his period in elementary and middle school. Dawn enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, attending equestrian events, watching sports, reading a good book, and dining at the fabulous restaurants in Palm Beach.