Four area professionals will be honored at Tri-County Scholarship Fund's (TCSF) 11th Annual Women of Achievement Luncheon on April 11, 2024, at Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club. "We are thrilled to be honoring such an accomplished and inspiring group of women,” expressed Prudence Pigott, President of Tri-County. “Each year, the event recognizes four outstanding women whose career accomplishments and community service make them leaders in the community, and role models for our scholarship students.”
The Women of Achievement Awards Luncheon serves as a critical fundraising event for Tri-County’s Freedom Scholar Program, which supports academically promising 9th-12th grade students facing substantial financial need. The program, a partnership between schools, families, and TCSF, has a track record of success, with 100% of Freedom Scholars graduating high school and attending 4-year colleges. In addition to the honorees, the Awards Luncheon will also feature inspiring stories from a current Tri-County Freedom Scholar, Fiorella, and a past recipient, Angeline Lopez, showcasing the impact of TCSF on young lives.
The 2024 Women of Achievement honorees:
As a Member of the Firm, Cole Schotz, Mary W. Browning, Esq., specializes in estate planning, wealth preservation, and elder law, among other areas. She employs a holistic approach to safeguard the futures of families and individuals. As deputy chair of the Tax, Trusts & Estates group, Browning oversees many of the department’s operations, emphasizing team processes, mentorship, and the well-being of attorneys and staff. Her dedication to advancing women in the legal profession is evident through her significant involvement in the firm’s STARS program, aimed at empowering female attorneys. Before her tenure at Cole Schotz, she served as a law clerk for the Honorable Judge Joel A. Pisano of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. An avid golfer and part-time globetrotter, Browning enjoys sharing her travel experiences with her husband and daughter.
Jill Gateman boasts an illustrious career in banking and finance, having recently joined TD Bank to lead Middle Market and Asset Based Lending business segments. Her previous roles include Executive Vice President and Co-Head of Corporate Banking for PNC Bank, NA, where she was instrumental in leading the Middle Market and Large Corporate Banking Segment within the East Region. Gateman's commitment to corporate diversity and inclusion is evident in her service on the enterprise-wide Corporate Diversity Council and as Lead DEI Advocate within PNC Bank. A passionate community advocate, Gateman serves as an Executive Committee member for The Community Food Bank of New Jersey and has been involved with the Boards of Family Services of Morris County and Gill St. Bernard’s School. A Douglass College/Rutgers University alumna, she lives in Mendham, New Jersey, with her husband and two college-aged children.
Monica Martinez Milan's journey from corporate America to entrepreneurship and her advocacy for small business owners has made her a respected leader and mentor. Her story is one of perseverance and determination, rising from the challenges of being a first-generation child of immigrants in Newark, NJ, to establishing successful businesses and serving on prestigious boards, notably as a board member of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey and the first Latina Chairwoman in the 100+ year history of the Somerset County Business Partnership. She and her husband, Mark, own several businesses including Stumpy’s Hatchet House in Green Brook and the real estate development companies, Elmsgate, LLC and Tyrol Group, LLC. They reside in Peapack-Gladstone with their two children.
Ashley Travers is Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at KGPCo. With a career spanning over two decades, Travers has made significant impacts in the telecommunications sector, notably spearheading the strategic planning and execution of the $42.5 billion BEAD initiative aimed at enhancing internet accessibility across the United States and its territories. At her previous role with Verizon, Ashley’s leadership was instrumental in the success of the first 5G Super Bowl in Atlanta, followed by similar achievements in Miami and Tampa. Travers holds an MBA from Rutgers University and has participated in professional development programs at Harvard Business School, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and Penn State University. Her dedication to community service is evident in her volunteer work with homeless and at-risk youth and as a youth lacrosse coach. She resides in Bernardsville with her two children.