Meet Our Staff

Sasa Olessi Montaño, Chief Executive Officer

ceo@mealsonwheelsmercer.org

Sasa joined Meals on Wheels of Mercer County in August 2013 and brought with her a wealth of non-profit and management experience. A graduate of Bryn Mawr College and Johns Hopkins University, she is a past President of the Trenton School Board and adjunct professor at Rider University. She has held various leadership positions within the Mercer County and Trenton City governments, in addition to being a past Executive Director of the YWCA of Trenton and founding Director of the Pace Center at Princeton University. In 1993, Sasa founded Latinas Unidas, a program that supports immigrant families acclimate with language, job and life-skills. She has served on numerous National, State, and local Boards including the National Board of Meals on Wheels America, the Trenton City Planning Board, the TASK Board of Directors, and the Rescue Mission of Trenton Board of Directors. She currently serves as President of the Board of the Latin American Legal and Education Fund (LALDEF), and was selected to be part of CHIEF, a national women’s leadership program. 

“Meals on Wheels was a natural next step in my career. My grandparents were a big part of my life growing up and I am still blessed to have my 87 year old dad. They taught me so much over the years.  I share this passion of our elders sharing their knowledge and experienced with us. It's an honor and a privilege to serve them.”

Lara Livne, Chief Program Officer

llivne@mealsonwheelsmercer.org

Lara is a licensed social worker and joined MOWMC in 2020.  Lara manages our 300+ active volunteers and oversees their orientation, training, scheduling and recruitment to support the delivery of meals Monday through Friday to over 500 individuals each year.  She received her BA in psychology from Goucher College and Masters of Social Work from the University of Maryland.  Lara’s career includes serving at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore and the Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Greater Mercer County in various management positions. Lara’s excitement to be part of the Meals on Wheels’ family stems from her lifelong passion to help people of all backgrounds and ages achieve a higher quality of life. She strives in going the extra mile in connecting individuals with resources to help them live healthy and successful lives. 

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, including her miniature poodle, Yofi, cooking, baking, hiking in the outdoors and the occasional tennis match.
 

Ruth Todd, Director of Program Services

programservices@mealsonwheelsmercer.org

Ruth has more than 25 years of mission-driven work. She has an unwavering drive to improve the quality of the lives of those we serve. Ruth joined Meals on Wheels with a keen understanding of the challenges facing a growing aging population. She is inspired by work that bridges the needs and supports for those isolated individuals and preserves the dignity of those who are underserved.

Ruth’s untiring passion ensures each participant receives the most from our program. Through personal assessment, Ruth partners with participants, their families and/or case managers to ensure changing nutrition/dietary, scheduling & supplemental needs are met. 

When away from the office, you may find Ruth on a local walking trail, exploring a new recipe or enjoying a story-time Skype session with her beloved granddaughter.

Jabeen Obaray, Project Manager

jobaray@mealsonwheelsmercer.org

Jabeen  joined MOWMC in 2017 as Executive Assistant.  In her current role as Project Manager, Jabeen assists the CEO and other staff, performs various daily and project/event related tasks, assists participants and volunteers who call in to the office, and manages donor related tasks. When asked what led her to Meals on Wheels, she answers, “my childhood memories as I watched my father care for and his relationships with the elderly in his profession. His passion became my passion.”
Jabeen received her BA in Psychology from Bryn Mawr College and a Masters in Special Education from Teachers College.      Prior to MOWMC, Jabeen’s work experience included teaching in early intervention and preschool settings in the NY and DC areas. 

In her free time, she enjoys outdoor activities, video/board games and comic books, and spending time with her niece and nephew!
 

Zachary Savino, Volunteer Coordinator

zsavino@mealsonwheelsmercer.org

Zack joined MOWMC in 2021 as Volunteer Coordinator. He manages our 300+ active volunteers and oversees their orientation, training, scheduling and recruitment to support the delivery of meals Monday through Friday to over 500 individuals each year. Zack received his BS in Business and Masters in International Communications from St. John's University, where he also worked as a Graduate Assistant, leading programs such as the Ronald McDonald House, Midnight Run Program, and service experiences abroad.

Zack's passion for the MOW program comes from his life's mission to help those most underserved in our communities: "Growing up between Italy and the U.S., I witnessed a radically different European culture where the elderly are an active part of the community for their entire lives. I want to share that same love here with all of our volunteers and participants to help build a similar culture where everyone has a voice and is cared for."

In his free time, you can find Zack making music, cooking, hiking, playing video games, and going to EDM festivals!