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JLCW Trailblazers

Lisa Copeland grew up on the New Jersey shore. She earned degrees from Brown University and New York University and then worked for several years as a New York City public school teacher.  In 2003, Lisa moved to Scarsdale and joined the Junior League of Central Westchester. She served as the organization’s president in the 2008-2009 calendar year. For the past 20 years, Lisa’s work has focused on non-profit governance, fundraising, and volunteer training.  Lisa is an owner and director of her family business, which provides services, resources, and information for foundations, corporations, individuals, and families.  Currently, Lisa is serving in her fifth year as Board Chairperson of Family Services of Westchester. This is one of the county’s oldest and largest social service and mental health non-profit organizations. Lisa lives in Scarsdale with her husband Jordan and three sons, Caleb, Henry and Aidan.

Claire Paquin founded Clean Design Partners in 2008. Since then, she has established herself as an award-winning designer in Westchester County with a full-service interior design firm focused on creating elegant, vibrant, and livable spaces. Claire graduated from the New York School of Interior Design and is an associate member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). Before launching Clean Design, Claire worked for 11 years as a convertible bond salesperson on Wall Street where she guided institutional clients. She also graduated magna cum laude from Duke University with B.A. degrees in English and French. Claire is extremely committed to volunteering in her community. She is a long-standing member and former board member of the Junior League of Central Westchester. She is also currently the president of Scarsdale Youth Lacrosse and has coached many of her children’s sports teams in the community including basketball, lacrosse and softball. She lives in Scarsdale with her husband, JP, and their two daughters, Chloe and Ursula.

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Community Trailblazer

The Sharing Shelf is Westchester’s Clothing Bank for Children founded to combat clothing insecurity and meet basic material needs among low-income children and families in our community. The program collects new and gently used clothing for infants, children and teens. Donations are sorted by quality, size, season and gender then distributed to local, low income children at no cost through nonprofits, schools, hospitals and community groups in Westchester County. The children we serve receive a Wardrobe Pack – a week’s worth of seasonally appropriate clothing matched to their sizing needs. We also host a series of free shopping days for low-income teen girls called Teen Boutique and each summer launch our Backpacks to School initiative to fill and distribute new backpacks with new grade appropriate school supplies. The Sharing Shelf was founded by a volunteer and relies on volunteers to accomplish its mission.

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Healthcare Trailblazer

Dr. Traci Furbert Gardner is the Chief Medical Director of The Children’s Village, a private, non-profit residential treatment facility and school for troubled children, in Dobbs Ferry.  She is also currently the director of community engagement at New York Medical College, where she partners with the NAACP and other groups on the health disparities in the Black community. In addition, she serves as the medical director for the Greenburgh Eleven Union Free School District. She is the first Black woman to hold these positions. Dr. Gardner graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a B.A. in Biological Sciences and from New York Medical College with a Doctor of Medicine. She is also a fellow of The Center for Juvenile Justice Reform. She has published articles on medicine, health and trauma in places like Fit! Live! Win! and Psychology Today and created curriculums for New York Medical College’s School of Medicine. She serves on various boards, has worked with the courts on gender, immigrant rights and child welfare issues, and has taught college courses. She is the recipient of the 2010 Greater NY Health Association Honor Recipient Award recognizing Haitian earthquake medical responders. She was also presented with the 2013 NAACP Image Award (Health Care Provider of the Year for Community Contribution and Excellence) from the Greenburgh/White Plains Branch of the NAACP.