Rose Passarella- President
Rose leverages both her education and experience in chemistry and law to help companies navigate the complex and technical chemical regulations. She joined the Friends of the Brandywine Hundred Library, because she believes reading is the foundation for all things and wants to help the Friends ensure reading is available to all people.
Favorite Books: Testimony of Two Men by Taylor Caldwell (Fiction) & Anything about Abraham Lincoln (Non-Fiction)
Thomas McDonough- Vice President
Tom is a native Delawarean and a life-long patron of the New Castle County Library system. He is a graduate of the University of Delaware and Delaware Law School of Widener University. He has been a Staff Attorney at Delaware Volunteer Legal Services since 2004. He has been actively involved in many other community organizations, including as a Board Member of the B+ Foundation and the Ministry of Caring. Tom is married and has two adult children. In addition to reading, his hobbies include working out, movies, travel, and spending time with his family.
Favorite recently read book: Transatlantic by Colum McCann.
Richard Carroll- Treasurer
Richard worked as a technician for Bell/Verizon. He serves as the treasurer for the Darby Creek Valley Association and the Friends of Heinz Refuge. He is chairman of cross-country skiing for the Wilmington Trail Club and volunteers at Winterthur Museum and Hagley Museum.
Favorite Book: Grant’s Secret Service by William B. Feis
Jeff Porter- Director
Jeff has a degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Arizona. He moved to Delaware shortly after college about the same time he discovered reading.
Favorite Book: John Adams by David McCullough
(Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, a book he didn’t discover until he was 50, is up there too.)
Renee O’Donnell- Library Manager
Renee O’Donnell was born in Platteville, Wisconsin. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a MLIS degree in 1999. In October 2021, she was hired by New Castle County to be the branch manager for Brandywine Hundred Library. Prior to joining New Castle County, she worked at the Wilmington Public Library for over twenty years, first as a Reference Librarian and later as the Administrative Librarian.
Book She’s Reading Now: Go Tell the Bees that I am Gone: by Diana Gabaldon
Peter Piro-
Emeritus
Peter was born in Brooklyn, NY and grew up on Long Island. Prior to retiring, he taught English and history, worked as a division coordinator, and coached track for 38 years. He was elected to the Jericho Public Library Board of Directors and during 3 terms in office, he served as treasurer, secretary, vice president, and president.
Favorite Book: The Nick Adams Story by Ernest Hemingway