Remembering Trustee Ellen R. Wagenberg
April 2, 2024The entire HFNJ community was saddened by the untimely loss of our long-time trustee Ellen R. Wagenberg, who passed away on March 5, 2024. Ellen’s served a remarkable tenure on the HFNJ Board of Trustees, which she first joined in 2001.
In her 23 years on the board she filled many leadership positions, including serving as Treasurer for many years, serving as a long-term member of the Executive Committee, the Personnel Committee, the Search Committee for a new CEO/ED, a past Chair of the Budget Committee, a past Co-Chair of the Grants Evaluation Committee, and most recently, Co-Chair of the Behavioral Health Task Force. In whatever capacity she served, she did it with great competency, attention to detail and poise.
The trustees and staff will always remember Ellen as a delight to work with; embodying, grace, style, and for being a “first class act”. Her wonderful smile and laugh would light up any room and ease the tension from a difficult discussion.
In addition to her decades of dedicated service to The Healthcare Foundation of NJ, Ellen was a leader in our community – serving as past Chair of the Rachel Coalition; past Chair of Artshow; a Board Member at Temple B’nai Abraham; and a Board Member at Daughters of Israel.
May Ellen’s memory be for a blessing.