Tabor Welcomes New Trustees

Tabor is proud to welcome two new members to its board, both of whom have had longstanding relationships with the school. David DeFilippo ’84 and Jennifer Francis P’14, ’16 will begin their terms on the board at the February 2023 Tabor Board Meetings.

David DeFilippo is the principal coach and consultant of DeFilippo Leadership, Inc., which provides executive coaching, leadership development and talent management solutions to organizations. In the early part of his career, he served as a high school teacher and track coach, giving him direct insight into secondary education. DeFilippo’s 25-year corporate career in executive talent management and development roles, combined with his doctoral research, reflects his passion for developing processes and plans that help individuals and organizations reach their full potential.

He is currently a columnist for both Reworked and Chief Learning Officer magazine and serves on the magazine’s Editorial Advisory Board. David received his bachelor’s degree from Union College, his master’s from New York University and his doctorate with distinction from the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a graduate of Georgetown University’s Leadership Coaching Program, is an International Coach Federation Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and has served as an executive coach in Harvard Business School’s Executive Education programs.

DeFilippo has been an active volunteer for the school and most recently has served as President of the Tabor Alumni Council. He believes his experience at Tabor “opened up a world of possibilities” that would not have been available to him otherwise and sees the opportunity to serve the school as “a privilege.”

Jennifer Francis is currently a senior research scientist for the Woodwell Climate Research Center where she has done extensive research on Arctic warming and atmospheric vapor and energy. With a PhD from the University of Washington in Atmospheric Sciences and a BS from San Jose State University in Meteorology, she has crossed 4 oceans, visited over 30 countries, and taught courses in satellite remote sensing and climate-change issues.

Francis publishes widely and is on the Board of Advisers at Scientific American. She is also a research professor in the Rutgers Department of Marine and coastal sciences. Her work has sparked scientific debate, and Francis is frequently quoted in major media outlets. She has authored articles in Scientific American, testified to the U.S. House of Representatives Science Committee in 2019, and to the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works in 2013.

Reflecting on her work, Francis comments: “The reaction to my ideas about how arctic warming influences weather pushed me outside my comfort zone. I had to learn how to communicate my science to non-scientific audiences, and it has become a passion.” Sailing has been an enduring source of inspiration for Francis’ work. She has circumnavigated the globe and periodically lives aboard her sailboat, Saphira.

Tabor is proud to welcome these talented professionals to our board and look forward to their contributions to our community. With two current board members completing their terms this year, the appointments of DeFilippo and Francis will keep the Tabor Board at its current slate of 14. However, the Nominating and Governance Committee is aiming to grow the board and looks to welcome additional board members over the next year.

For more information about Tabor’s Board of Trustees, contact the Advancement Office.