Board of Directors
Louis De Lauro, President and Founder
Louis De Lauro recently retired from a public school teaching career after 25 years. In 1998, he won the Governor's Teaching Award for his service at John P. Faber School in Dunellen, NJ. He also won an Outstanding Educator's Award from TCNJ in 2006. During his tenure in Dunellen, Louis has coached 4 chess teams to state championships. Louis has volunteered at camps for children with cancer for over 20 years, teaching juggling and chess.
In 2004, he founded Juggling Life under the original name, New Jersey is Beautiful, and personally recruited over 75 outstanding volunteers, including 50 former students. He has successfully directed over 100 programs for ill and/or disadvantaged children. In 2007, Louis was featured in the award winning documentary Juggling Life (a film about the charity) by Ben Saltzman. In 2008, he was featured in a Star Ledger Series called "I am New Jersey." In January of 2011, Louis had four submissions published in the Pearson textbook, Child and Adolescent Development by Woolfolk and Perry. Louis earned his BA from Rider University and was the Elementary Education Department nominee for the Rider President's Award.
In 2004, he founded Juggling Life under the original name, New Jersey is Beautiful, and personally recruited over 75 outstanding volunteers, including 50 former students. He has successfully directed over 100 programs for ill and/or disadvantaged children. In 2007, Louis was featured in the award winning documentary Juggling Life (a film about the charity) by Ben Saltzman. In 2008, he was featured in a Star Ledger Series called "I am New Jersey." In January of 2011, Louis had four submissions published in the Pearson textbook, Child and Adolescent Development by Woolfolk and Perry. Louis earned his BA from Rider University and was the Elementary Education Department nominee for the Rider President's Award.
Andrew Smith, Vice President
Andrew is one of the principal owners of Cabin Communications located in Washington Crossing, PA. He has 18 years of experience in public relations, focusing on non-profits and the healthcare industry. He has a dozen awards for a wide variety of public relations and publications. A media expert with many local and national media placements to his credit, Andrew is experienced in all aspects of public relations, including event planning, crisis communications, speech writing and internal communications. Andrew earned his BA in Journalism from Indiana University of PA. Before founding Cabin Communications, he directed public relations for Temple University Hospital. Andrew is a talented juggler and volunteers regularly with Juggling Life.
Kel Huang, Treasurer
Kel Huang grew up in New Jersey, where he learned to juggle while serving as a counselor at one of Louis De Lauro's summer programs in Dunellen. He currently resides in New York and enjoys volunteering, playing basketball, and performing stand up comedy. Kel graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School, and a Bachelor of Applied Science from Penn Engineering. Kel has volunteered with Juggling Life at Ronald McDonald Camp and Camp Quality, as well as many other sites during his nine years with the charity.
Michael Powers
Michael Powers is a Senior Attorney and Government Relations Professional at Buchanan, Ingersool and Rooney in Princeton. Prior to joining Buchanan, Michael worked for seven years as in-house counsel to Pharmanet, a 2,300 employee drug development services company. In this role, he headed an international legal department, handled the company's general corporate matters, and risk management issues. Michael received his undergraduate degree from Emory University. After receiving his law degree from Catholic University of America, Michael spent ten years in private practice. Michael currently serves as a councilman on the Lawrence Township Council, New Jersey. He served as Lawrence Township Mayor in 2006 and in 2010. He was named "Mayor of the Year" by the New Jersey Regional
Coalition in 2010.
Coalition in 2010.
Dr. Nancy Ruiz
Award winning physician and recognized scientist, Nancy Ruiz is one of the foremost investigators in HIV research. In conjuction with the DuPont Pharmaceuticals facility in Puerto Rico, Dr. Ruiz developed a breakthrough drug called Sustiva, a treatment drug for adults and children diagnosed with HIV-1. She previously served as director of the HIV research clinic at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and worked for six years as an HIV clinical physician at the National Naval Medical Center. In 1999, Dr. Ruiz was named one of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics in the United States by Hispanic Business. Nancy has written many publications, articles, and abstracts, and given lectures all over the world. She has worked with the most wonderful and prestigious people including; President Bill Clinton, President Jimmy Carter, Dr. Anthony Fauchi, and Magic Johnson. Nancy has volunteered at Aids Clinics all over the the world. Her favorite words are; "to cure occasionally, to relieve often, and to comfort... always."
Jimmy L'Heureux
Jimmy L’Heureux is a Senior Pharmaceutical Consultant who specializes in the design of automation and control systems for vaccine and biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes. Jimmy received an MEng in Chemical Engineering (with a focus in Biomedical Engineering and Bioprocessing) in 2005 and a BS in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering in 2004, both from Cornell University. He remains connected to the University as a member of the Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network, where he assists with the admissions process for prospective students. Jimmy has been a long-time performer, touring the country with his college singing group (Cayuga’s Waiters) and numerous other bands and choruses. He has been an active member of Camp Quality New Jersey, a camp for children with cancer, since 2005.
Adrienne Hill
Adrienne Hill is the principal of Hedgepeth-Williams School in Trenton, NJ. Previously, she was a Vice- Principal at Hedgepeth- Williams and at Trenton High. Adrienne studied Educational Administration at TCNJ. She received her MA from New Haven University in 1995 and a BFA in Theater Arts from Rutgers in 1990. Adrienne is passionate about singing and has performed at numerous venues in central New Jersey over the last 25 years.
Jason Cilento
Jason recently started serving his first term as a town councilman in Dunellen, NJ. He's only 21, but mature beyond his years. His future aspirations to sing and act on New Jersey's largest stages and to be a community leader in his home town of Dunellen for years to come are definitely within his reach. Jason currently attends Kean University. He has a major in Political Studies and a minor in Theater Studies. In 2010, Jason started his own not for profit community program called Community Involved based in Dunellen. Individual volunteers and community groups regularly clean up the Dunellen's main street and parking areas. Jason sings with his church choir and is a volunteer associate member to his local fire department. He is also one of the key performers in Juggling Life's performance art shows.
Celebrity Volunteer
Billy Galewood
Billy represents the eclectic talents of Billy “Bushwalla” Galewood. A native of Cleveland, he started performing musical theater at the early age of 9. In 1995, Billy set out to New York City to study theater at the American Musical & Dramatic Academy. While in New York, he supported himself as a street performer incorporating such feats as juggling and magic. His sound is a unique blend of funk, rock, freestyle, acoustic hip-hop with a soul deeply rooted in authenticity and optimism. His writing talents came into being after notably co-writing Jason Mraz’s debut platinum album, Waiting For My Rocket to Come and sophomore release Mr. A-Z. Bushwalla’s debut EP release Ghetto Blaster (produced by Spooner Oldham) is cherished by fans worldwide and highly acclaimed in the Southern California media and radio circuit. The catchy hit Ghetto Blaster has left first time listeners and long-time fans with a reverberating melody that never tires. The full length album Autodidactical Freestyle & Radical was released in 2008. In their live shows, Bushwalla and his “1-2-3 Band” experiment with an improvisational party-type atmosphere captivating audiences week after week. Billy volunteered with Juggling Life at Camp Quality for children with cancer and starred in several shows for Juggling Life.
