Changing Lives Through HOPE
HOPE Clubhouse Mourns the Loss of Founding Board Member
Judith R. Gartner passed away on Saturday, September 10, 2011 after a five year battle with ovarian cancer. Judith was a long time member of the International Center for Clubhouse development and served as the organization’s first president. She was a Founding Board member of Hope Clubhouse of Southwest Florida, Inc. and was extremely instrumental in its development. She was a powerful advocate for people living with mental illness and worked tirelessly to ensure there was a Clubhouse here in Southwest Florida. She never shirked from defending the rights of people with mental illness to have dignity, respect, friendship and equality. Her profound commitment to the values of Clubhouse equality and opportunity has helped to change the lives of members everywhere. The Clubhouse movement and HOPE Clubhouse will miss Judith tremendously, and we owe her a great debt of gratitude.
Judith Gartner served on Clubhouse Boards since 1983, including serving as Board Chair of Vail Place, a clubhouse in Minnesota, in the late 1980’s. At that time she became active in the international clubhouse movement and was a founder and the first Board Chair of the International Center for Clubhouse Development (ICCD). She served on the Executive Committee of the ICCD. Among many other corporate governance positions, Judith served over 10 years on the board of a residential treatment facility in Minneapolis and served 15 years on the board of Aspen Medical Group, at the time a primary care practice of over 170 providers at 14 clinics throughout the Twin Cities.
Ms. Gartner practiced law at Oppenheimer, an international law firm, for six years, then in a mid-sized firm for six years, at which time she and three other attorneys started their own firm, Orbovich and Gartner.
Ms. Gartner was a graduate with high honors of The Chaffee School in Windsor, CT, Wellesley College (BA) in Wellesley, Massachusetts, Harvard Graduate School of Education (MAT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and University of Minnesota Law School (JD cum laude), in Minneapolis, Minnesota. While in law school, she was the Managing Editor of the Minnesota Law Review.
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HOPE Clubhouse of Southwest Florida, Inc.
Meet our Board!
Susan H. Tew, Board Chair
Susan Tew is co-founder of HOPE Clubhouse of Southwest Florida. She is employed as an administrator for the Law Offices of Michael F. Tew, P.L. Mrs. Tew is a former Board Member of NAMI Lee County Inc., the Mental Health Association of Southwest Florida, Inc., and the Lee County Mental Health Task Force. She has previous community affiliations with the Junior League of Fort Myers, Inc., the Fort Myers Woman’s Community Club, Heights Elementary School PTA, and the Children’s Home Society of Florida Auxiliary. Mrs. Tew graduated from St. Petersburg Junior College with an Associates of Science Degree in Business Administration and Management. She has an adult daughter who lives with mental illness.
Omar Rieche, M.D., Vice Chair
Omar Rieche, M.D. is a Board Certified Psychiatrist by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He is the Medical Director of JBH Behavioral Health Systems and the Child Services Medical Director of Magellan Health Services. He is on the Clinical Faculty at the University of South Florida, College of Medicine, Department of Behavioral Sciences in Tampa, Florida. He is also an Affiliate Associate Professor at the University of South Florida, College of Medicine. Dr. Rieche is Professional Advisor to the Cape Coral Chapter of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. He has a psychiatric practice in Fort Myers, Florida.
Dr. Rieche is a Board Member of the Task Force on Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Lee County School District. He is also a Local Chapter Member and Advisory Board Member of NAMI and an Advisory Board Member of Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorders (CHADD) of Lee County.
Dr. Rieche attended the University of South Florida where he received his Medical Degree and a Bachelor of Science Degree, magna cum laude. He also completed his Residency and a Fellowship of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of South Florida.
William Madaus received a Bachelor of Science degree from College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA, a Masters in Counseling from Assumption College in Worcester, MA, and an Ed.D. in Counseling and Psychology from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA. Dr. Madaus also holds a Certificate of Advanced Study in Mental Health Managment from the NIMH Staff College.
Dr. Madaus is retired from his career as a clinical psychologist and an Executive of Mental Health Centers in Massachusetts. He has served as Senior Vice President of Behavioral Health Services at Northeast Hospital Corporation and President and CEO of Health and Education Services, a comprehensive mental health center that became, under Dr. Madaus' leadership, the auspice agency of Pioneer House, a highly regarded ICCD Clubhouse in Beverly, MA. A strong advocate for mental health services and the Clubhouse model, Dr. Madaus has been on the ICCD Board of Directors since it's incorporation in 1993, and currently serves on its Executive Committee.
Kathryne A. King
Kathryne King has served for two years on the Board of Directors of HOPE Clubhouse of Southwest Florida. She started an import jewelry business, Kappy King Imports, and employed sales representatives from around the country. She was a business manager for a wholesale showroom and a Sales Representative for Paul Revere Life and Disability Insurance, Westwood Lamps and other lighting companies on the East Coast of Florida. She is currently a part owner of a business in Atlanta. Ms. King attended both Marymount College and Emory University.
Ms. King has two sons who are living with mental illness. She believes in the mission of HOPE Clubhouse to make the lives of people living with mental illness more fulfilling and to reintegrate them into the workforce. She is dedicated to HOPE Clubhouse to help people like her sons live more fulfilling lives.
Andrea Prather
Andrea Prather has recently joined the Board of Directors of HOPE Clubhouse of Southwest Florida. She is currently on the United Way New Allocations Team and is on the Board of Directors for the PACE Center for Girls. She also co-chaired the Grand Dames Tea which honors the female spirit by sharing the wisdom of an older generation of women with the younger generation of PACE girls. She volunteered with the American Heart Association and helped with the annual Heart Balls. She also organized the Children’s Program at the Ritz-Carlton Naples. Ms. Prather volunteered with Up With People and Habitat for Humanity promoting peace among nations while building homes, hospitals and schools. Ms. Prather is also a singer who has worked with the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre. She graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a minor in Communications.
Joyce Miller
Joyce Miller has recently joined the Board of Directors of Hope Clubhouse. After going to Marygrove College in Detroit, Michigan, Ms. Miller spent many years in the fashion industry. She is currently the Vice President of Ken Miller Insurance Agency in charge of marketing and planning. Ms. Miller has been married for thirty-seven years and is the mother of two, with her youngest living with a mental illness. She has been involved in youth ministry, including organizing and running youth retreats in and out of the state of Florida for many years. Ms. Miller is co-chair of the fundraising committee of Hope Clubhouse and comes to us with fundraising and event planning experience from other charities. These charities include Ave Maria Preparatory School and Dreams are Free School, both in Sarasota, Florida. Ms. Miller is one of the founders of Ave Maria Preparatory School for the learning disabled and was on its board. She is active with NAMI in Lee and Charlotte counties. Ms. Miller has chaired many successful fundraising events. She hopes and plans to use her experience to benefit Hope Clubhouse. She is a strong advocate for people living with mental illness. She would like to see the stigma associated with people living with mental illness removed allowing them to be accepted by society so they can work and live to the best of their ability. Ms. Miller believes the Hope Clubhouse can make this a reality.
Shirley Ferrell
Shirley Ferrell began working in title insurance in Fort Myers, Florida at Executive Title Insurance Services, one of the largest title companies in Southwest Florida. She then worked as a closing officer for Heritage Title Insurance Limited. She was a title insurance closer working with the sales of homes and refinances. She was also a rental coordinator for VIP Realty Group. Ms. Ferrell is a native Floridian.
Ms. Ferrell graduated from Edison State College with Associate of Sciences degrees in Legal Assisting and General Business.
Ms. Ferrell is a founding clubhouse member of HOPE Clubhouse.
Shawn Seliger
Shawn Seliger is the owner and managing attorney at the Law Office of Shawn Seliger. Mr. Seliger graduated from the University of California - Davis with an A.B. in Political Science in 1993. Before becoming an attorney, he served as an inner city high school teacher at George Washington Preparatory High School in South Central Los Angeles. While there, he made a difference in the lives of many disadvantaged students. He formed a student court that taught inner city children the positive aspects of our judicial system, served as an Impact Drug and Alcohol Counselor, and worked closely with members of the California Department of Corrections to promote prevention of juvenile crime and substance abuse.
Mr. Seliger graduated from Southern Illinois University School of Law in 2001, where he excelled in legal debate and won high honors in the John J. Gibbons National Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition at Seton Hall University in 2001. While in law school, he served as a research assistant for family law Professor Rebecca J. O'Neill and as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Paul S. Murphy, First Judicial Circuit of Illinois.
Following law school, Mr. Seliger served as a Certified Legal Intern and then as an Assistant State Attorney in north Florida. From 2003 to 2005, he served as an Assistant Public Defender in both Charlotte and Lee Counties for over two years. Prior to founding the Law Office of Shawn Seliger, he was in private legal practice for over five years at the Bergermann & Seliger Law Firm.
Today, Shawn Seliger concentrates his legal practice in the areas of family and marital law, real estate law and criminal defense. Mr. Seliger is actively involved in numerous civic and legal organizations, generously giving to help his community and make it an even greater place to live. www.southwestfloridalawyer..com
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Gaile H. Anthony
Gaile Anthony is the past Chief Administrative Officer for Lee Memorial Hospital. The Lee Memorial Health System is a not for profit public organization located in Lee County, Florida. The Health System owns and operates multiple hospitals, a Rehabilitation Hospital with rehabilitation services as well as outpatient services, homecare and Physician Practices.
Ms. Anthony has over 30 years experience in various areas of healthcare. She has served as an Educator, Service Line Director for Orthopedics and Neurosciences, Vice President of multiple services and most recently Chief Administrative Officer of a very successful Joint Implant Orthopedic Program. Her responsibility also included a Neurosurgical and Trauma Services Hospital.
Ms. Anthony is a North Carolina native who graduated from Wingate University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and also received a Master’s of Science in Nursing Administration/Business Administration from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC.
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Dan McGahey
Dan McGahey serves as Principal Architect for the firm Gora/McGahey Architects. He joined the firm in 1984 and became partner in 1986. He is responsible for all facets of office and project management. His special areas of concentration include project delivery, code compliance, construction document production and contract administration. In Mr. McGahey’s role in the firm as Principal-in-Charge, he has managed a wide array of project types through the years. He has developed expertise in educational facilities, senior living communities, clubhouses, and adaptive re-use of various types of buildings.
He had been the firm’s trouble shooter when called up upon as a forensic expert to analyze problems with existing buildings. He has instilled a culture in Gora/McGahey, to produce well coordinated, code compliant construction documents, which are hailed by SW Florida Building Plan review agencies as among the best they see during the permitting process. This enables the firm’s clients and contractors to move through the permitting process without unnecessary delays, and reduces unanticipated project expenses.
Mr. McGahey has developed his keen interest in proper building envelope design and environmental concerns, into a twenty year pursuit of sustainable “green building” solutions. Due to his leadership in this area of practice, Gora/McGahey has been a leader in sustainable architecture in Southwest Florida.
Mr. McGahey received his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Minnesota.
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Tehjan S. Prendiville
Tehjan Prendiville is a Registered Nurse certified in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. She has been working in the field of mental health for the past 25 years. Ms. Prendiville has recently joined the Board of Hope Clubhouse. She is currently the CEO of JBH Behavioral Health Systems in Fort Myers, Florida. Prior to moving to Florida three years ago, she owned and operated mental health facilities throughout the State of Louisiana and Mississippi.
Ms. Prendiville is the current Vice President of the National Association for Behavioral Healthcare, the past President of Louisiana Association for Ambulatory Healthcare. Additionally, she was a member of Governor Blanco’s Healthcare Re-design committee, the Louisiana Mental Health Planning Counsel, and the Disability Services and Support Taskforce. She also chaired the Jefferson Davis Rural Health Coalition that was responsible for obtaining funding for healthcare and medication assistance for the entire region.
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Keith Alexander
Keith Alexander has been an IT Manager for Hughes, Snell & Co., P.A. in Fort Myers, Florida since October 2001. He performs day-to-day operations of the firm’s network management, including troubleshooting, performance tuning and updating and upgrading. Mr. Alexander provides technical support and training to clients on Quickbooks, Sage BusinessWorks, Sage MAS 90/200 and other accounting packages. He also provides technical support and training for the firm and acts as liaison to vendor technical support. Prior to joining the firm, he was the IT Coordinator for MB Recruiting, Inc. where he acted as the Human Resources and Payroll Department and performed such functions as billing, collections, sales tracking, and bank statement and credit card statement reconciliation. Mr. Alexander also worked as a Sales Market Manager for Suncoast Motion Picture Company where one of his responsibilities was analyzing monthly Profit and Loss statements to oversee store expenses in payroll, utilities, maintenance, supplies and merchandise. He received his degree in Business Information Systems from Messiah College.
