Our Board
Abigail A. Daly
Founder and Executive Director
Abby spent several years representing both children and adults who were involuntarily committed to psychiatric hospitals and then the New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services in abuse and neglect actions and termination of parental rights cases. She is a graduate of Smith College and Dickinson School of Law. In 2001, she left the practice of law to be at home with her children. Bringing the Bridge of Books to New Jersey provided a perfect vehicle for her to remain involved with at-risk children, to pursue her love of reading and to expose her children to the concept of giving back to the community.
Liza Tamashunas
Liza Tamashunas spent over a decade teaching middle school ELA and Humanities in both New York City and New Jersey. As an avid childhood reader, teaching about reading and writing seemed the next best thing to reading books all day. Liza has a BA in English from Georgetown University and an M.Ed. in Secondary Teaching of English from Boston College. Liza first met Abby while working as the PTO co-president at her children’s school and serving as the liaison to the Book Fair.
They share a love of reading and a mission to increase kids’ access to books. After moving away from classroom teaching, Liza is enthusiastic about getting more involved with Bridge of Books. Reading and books provide us all with the opportunity to enter other worlds and access new experiences.
Amanda Lehman
Amanda Lehman was born and raised in Monmouth County and has lived in New Jersey her whole life. She earned her BA from Rutgers College and her JD from Seton Hall Law. Amanda has an appreciation for the importance of a robust education. After working as a litigator for 15 years, she was looking for a way to give back to her community. Amanda was drawn to Bridge of Books as this organization provides books to children who might not otherwise have access to reading outside of school, thereby building an interest in reading and independent learning.
Danielle Sammut
Danielle Sammut is using her spotlight as the reigning Miss New Jersey for America Strong to promote the mission of The Bridge of Books Foundation. She fell in love with the organization when she heard about their Book Ark library project that unites community members together through the love of reading. Danielle graduated from The College of New Jersey with a BA in English and Secondary Education and plans to publish her first novel Love Yourself First in the fall. She dedicates her life to helping kids reach their potential as an advisor to the Monroe Township Middle School’s Builders Club, a Kiwanis youth program that aims to develop capable and caring leaders through the vehicle of service.
As a 7th grade Language Arts teacher for nearly ten years, she believes that there is no such thing as a kid who doesn’t like to read, but only a child who has not found the right book. She hopes to use her partnership with The Bridge of Books to ensure that all kids across the state, despite any barriers, have access to the most diverse and rich reading experiences that books can offer!
Martin Slezak
Martin Slezak, a native of Keansburg, dedicates his time and leadership to numerous nonprofit and community organizations across New Jersey, working to strengthen local communities through meaningful service and strategic involvement. With extensive experience in volunteer leadership and organizational development, Martin has consistently focused on advancing mission-driven initiatives that deliver measurable, lasting impact. His approach blends vision with execution — ensuring that organizations not only aspire to do good work, but are structured to sustain it.
Professionally, Martin has built his career in commercial real estate, specializing in appraisal and property management, where attention to detail, financial discipline, and long-term asset strategy are critical. He is currently a licensed Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, Realtors, serving clients throughout the state with integrity, in-depth market knowledge, and a results-driven mindset. His professional expertise complements his nonprofit leadership, grounding his community work in sound strategy and accountability.
Martin is proud to join the Bridge of Books Foundation as its Treasurer to advance literacy initiatives across the state. He firmly believes that putting books into the hands of children does more than improve reading skills — it opens doors to opportunity, builds confidence, and lays the foundation for lifelong success.
Kathleen Marinich
Kathleen is a lifelong resident of Middletown Township, living in the River Plaza section with her husband, three children and dog. She graduated from Stockton State College with a BA in Sociology and Anthropology. After college, Kathleen took a job with Johnson & Johnson in New Brunswick where she learned the importance of teamwork and giving back to the community. Kathleen embraced J&J’s mission statement on volunteerism by volunteering her time at local food pantries.
Embracing her love for youth education, Kathleen served on the Parent Faculty Association (‘PFA’) at River Plaza Elementary School for many years, including four years as President. As PFA President, Kathleen partnered with many volunteer organizations such as Middletown Helps Its Own, Lunch Break, and the Blessing Bag Brigade.
Kathleen’s biggest strengths are her love of fundraising and her communication skills. She initially joined Bridge of Books as the Office Manager in the brand-new Atlantic Highlands Office in April 2023. Kathleen is excited to join the Board to use her strengths to focus on help to facilitate Bridge of Books’ fundraising efforts.
Lisa Swabsin
Lisa has been reading nonstop since she first picked up a book at age three. She then turned her love for words into a career; first graduating from Syracuse University with a bachelor’s degree in communications and then leading and managing internal communications initiatives for both professional and financial services organizations including EY, AIG, UBS and the Royal Bank of Canada.
A Middletown resident for more than 30 years, Lisa raised her family here and continues to stay deeply involved in the community. She was first introduced to the Bridge of Books Foundation during her tenure at EY, where she also volunteered with the College Mentoring for Access & Persistence program as both a mentor and program leader. In addition, she has served as a mentor for veterans and their spouses through American Corporate Partners, acted as a team captain for the Wall Street Heart Walk & Run, and led numerous UBS Season of Service initiatives.