Three New Members Join Kean University’s Board of Trustees

UNION, N.J. — The Kean University Board of Trustees welcomed three new members, sworn in at the Board’s public meeting on Monday, March 8.

Joining the 15-member board are: Bertha Little-Mathews, director of community development for the Township of Union and president of BLM Consultants LLC in Union; Rajeev Malhotra, comptroller for the Elizabeth Public Schools; and Richard Torres, senior attorney at the Global 50 law firm Goodwin Procter LLP. Also at the meeting, Trustee Linda Lewis, who joined the Board in 2003, was named vice-chair after her reappointment.

“We are excited to have these new members join the Board of Trustees,” said Ada Morell ’97, chair of the Board. “With a new president and a new strategic plan, Kean is looking toward the future with fresh ideas and perspectives. With their wealth of professional experience, Bertha Little-Mathews, Rajeev Malhotra and Richard Torres will help guide Kean on this path and provide opportunities for our students.”

“I welcome the new Trustees and look forward to working with them and the entire Board as we continue to take the University from great to elite, with our focus, as always, on our students,” said Kean President Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D. “I also wish our outgoing Trustees well and thank them for their service to Kean.”

Bertha Little-Mathews fills the vacancy on the Board created when Repollet resigned in 2018 to become the Commissioner of Education for the State of New Jersey. She is a retired corporate manager with 32 years of service in telecommunications. In her role with the Township of Union, she works with public officials and nonprofit agencies to promote community development and health and safety.

Little-Mathews earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Rutgers University and has several certifications, including in labor/management and affordable housing. She is affiliated with numerous local and national organizations and volunteers on committees at the township and county level.

Rajeev Malhotra ’90 replaces Doug Keller, who served on the Kean Board of Trustees since 2012. As comptroller for Elizabeth Public Schools, he manages a $550 million annual budget for the school district; oversees accounting, purchasing, payroll and accounts payable; and reviews contracts. Prior to his work with the school district, Malhotra had a 25-year career in the financial services industry, including serving as director of financial planning & analysis at New York Life and director of financial reporting at Prudential Financial, as well as positions at UBS Financial Services, Citigroup, PNC Financial Services and Bank of America.

Malhotra earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Kean.

Richard Torres replaces Michael D’Agostino, who served on the Kean Board of Trustees since 2004. Torres is a senior attorney in the Real Estate Industry group at Goodwin Procter LLP and focuses his practice on the establishment and ongoing management of a variety of real estate private investment funds. He is also the co-founder of the firm’s Sports Incubator, which advises clients in the sports industry. Torres is a member of the New York State Bar Association and Practicing Attorneys for Law Students, a non-profit organization that provides mentoring to New York-area minority law students.

Torres received his law degree from Cornell Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Law and Administration from Rider University.

Linda Lewis has served on the Board of Trustees since February 2003. She is a guidance counselor at Elizabeth High School where she also serves as a member of the school management team. In addition, Lewis is an education and management consultant, providing services to private, public and nonprofit organizations. Lewis served the federal government in the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights from 1978 to 1986.

Lewis received her bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University. After obtaining a Master of Arts in guidance and counseling from Atlanta University in 1974, she began her career as a psychological counselor at Bloomsburg State University in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.