STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Ilene Pappert gets a lot of hugs in her line of work.
As 125 children arrive for after-school programs at the Goodhue Community Center, she welcomes them with “How was your day so far?” or “Let me tie that shoelace for you,” often receiving a smile or a hug in return.
Ilene Pappert with some of the Goodhue children in fall 2025. (Courtesy Ilene Pappert)Third-Party-Submitted
They dash into the gymnasium for three hours of art, science, nature studies, cooking lessons, homework help and sports under the guidance of Goodhue’s dedicated staff. Summer camp brings 250 children to the center in July and August.
A trained social worker, Ilene has been educating, comforting and inspiring youngsters at the New Brighton facility run by Children’s Aid for nearly 50 years – the last 34 as its director.
Ilene Pappert, left, with Katie Livolsi, office manager and Andrea Vindigini, program director in front of the Goodhue Center in New Brighton, July 23, 2025. (Advance/SILive.com|Jan Somma-Hammel)STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE
Throughout her tenure, she has worked tirelessly with Staten Island’s elected officials to secure funding for Goodhue programs and protect the 40-plus wooded acres from development.
“She is a respected pillar in the North Shore community,” says longtime friend and Staten Island psychologist Judy Scher, who is active with Ilene at Temple Israel Reform Congregation, West Brighton. “She is beloved for her gentle touch and caring ways.”
For her steadfast commitment to generations of children and families, Ilene Pappert is named a 2026 Staten Island Advance Woman of Achievement.
Ilene when she was 5. (Courtesy Ilene Pappert)Third-Party-Submitted
Hopscotch and dress-up
Born in Hillside, N.J., on Feb. 5, 1951, Ilene enjoyed an idyllic childhood with two older siblings. Her father, Harold, was a women’s hat representative. Her mother, the former Sarah Barkin, was a homemaker who joined the workforce at the age of 60.
“There were tons of kids in our neighborhood, and you knew everybody,” she recalls about her first sense of community. “We played dress-up and hopscotch, rode bikes and ran through the sprinkler.”
High school yearbook picture from New Jersey’s Hillside High School, 1969. (Courtesy Ilene Pappert)staten island advance
She attended Calvin Coolidge Elementary School through eighth grade, and graduated from Hillside High School, where she was a member of the theater and French clubs and the cheerleading team.
Ilene on her way to her high school prom, 1969. (Courtesy Ilene Pappert)Third-Party-Submitted
She headed to the University of Pittsburgh in 1969, but soon discovered it was not the right choice. “I didn’t realize how far away it was – and I couldn’t get a good bagel there,” she smiles.
After freshman year, Ilene transferred to the Livingston College at Rutgers University, a better fit. “It was the Antioch of the East – very liberal, and no grades.”
Ilene’s Sweet 16 party. (Courtesy Ilene Pappert)Third-Party-Submitted
She majored in anthropology with an eye toward social work. “I always wanted to be a social worker,” she says. “It’s about helping people, and leading a very meaningful life.”
“Plus, I’m a little nosey, and I like to learn about people,” she admits.
After graduation, she moved to Princeton, N.J., and teamed up with four friends from Rutgers to form an improvisational children’s theater group called The Popsicle Players.
Ilene Pappert accepts a check for the Children’s Aid Society from the Advance’s Staten Island Children’s Campaign chairman Michael Fortunato and Donna Long, the executive director in 2007.staten island advance
Camp changed her life
Three summers at Camp Wel-Met in Narrowsburg, N.Y., would have a significant impact on Ilene’s life. As the camp’s drama counselor and supervisor, she put her social work skills to use living in a bunk with the young campers.
“I experienced how adults and children interact,” she recalls. “We taught values and independence, and we became very close.”
Ilene watches as the camp day begins. (Advance/SILive.com|Jan Somma-Hammel)
She met her future husband, Jeffrey Tenzer, an educator, through friends from the camp. After dating a few years, they exchanged vows on Aug. 20, 1978 at Terrace on the Park in Queens.
Living in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn, Ilene was swept up in the political activism of the 1970s. She volunteered at street fairs and tabling events to support women’s rights and joined marches in Washington, D.C., appreciating the sense of community cultivated with fellow activists.
Ilene when she was a cheerleader at 17 in 1968. (Courtesy Ilene Pappert)Third-Party-Submitted
Her first job at Goodhue was with the teen program while pursuing a master’s in social work at Yeshiva University, Manhattan. In 1977, she was hired full-time to supervise the junior program.
She served in a series of supervisory roles before she was named director in 1992.
Ilene Pappert listens to Women of Achievement guest Speaker Sen. Hillary Clinton in 2003. staten island advance
An unexpected loss
Ilene and Jeffrey settled in West Brighton and welcomed their daughter, Andrea, in 1984.
Tragically, Jeffrey suffered a fatal heart attack in September 1989, catching Ilene off-guard and leaving her to raise Andrea, then 5, on her own.
“He was preparing for a marathon, and had just run 18 miles a few days before,” Ilene recalls, some of the shock still palpable 37 years later.
She looks back on that challenging time with appreciation for the support she received from the Goodhue community. Living just a mile from the center, she was able to drive her daughter to and from school and bring her to the office when needed. Camp counselors pitched in as babysitters.
Ilene Pappert at Goofhue Christmas party in 1981. (Staten Island Advance)Third-Party-Submitted
“Goodhue was the one place where I felt normal,” she recalls. “The staff was wonderful.”
Ilene is active in the sisterhood of Temple Israel Reform Congregation, which honored her in 2013 for her volunteer service.
She enjoys the camaraderie of a half-dozen women in a monthly book club. “We support each other, sharing our joy and sadness,” she says.
And she is a regular attendee at New Brighton Civic Association meetings, where she keeps up with neighborhood news and community connections.
Admittedly not fond of cooking, Ilene prefers to order in from nearby Café Milano or dine out at Blue in Livingston. She looks forward to more time at the gym, morning walks, museum visits and Broadway shows in retirement this spring.
“Or maybe I’ll just relax a little more,” she says.
Ilene at Goodhue’s pool. staten island advance
A solid future
Ilene’s appreciation of the Goodhue campus and its storied history has grown during her many years of service. The center can be traced to 1841 when the Italianate mansion at 304 Prospect Ave. was built by industrialist Jonathan Goodhue as his country estate.
In 1912, Goodhue’s daughter-in-law donated the property to the Children’s Aid Society, stipulating that it would always be open to the city’s children for community use. The existing swimming pool was built in 1936 as part of the Works Progress Administration and during World War II, the Goodhue grounds were used to bivouac National Guard troops, even as the center’s programs continued.
By the 1950s, Goodhue was taking shape as a full-service community center with mental health services, foster-care group homes, summer day camps and after-school programs.
Today, Goodhue’s future is secure as the city Parks Department acquires much of the property from Children’s Aid to preserve it as public parkland. The plan includes funding for a new community center with classrooms, an art room and a modern gymnasium adjacent to the pool.
Then-Councilmember Michael McMahon, left, and his chief of staff, Ken Mitchell, with Ilene in 2005.staten island advance
Ilene is grateful for the support from then-City Councilmember Michael McMahon, now Staten Island district attorney, that made the plan a reality.
Area residents with politicians and Goodhue staffers meet in 2002 at the New Brighton property to determine a course of action that will preserve and revamp the center’s services in 2005. Speaking, at center, is Michael McMahon. Ilene is next to him.
STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE
“He was the force, I was the liaison” with Children’s Aid, Ilene recounts with characteristic humility. Other elected officials were supportive, she quickly adds, calling it “a win-win” for Goodhue and Staten Island.
State Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton embraces Goodhue Center Director Ilene Pappert during a $2 million funding announcement in 2024.(Staten Island Advance/Paul Liotta)
Her hands-on approach as director includes regular visits to the Goodhue program at nearby Morris Intermediate School to join pre-teens for special events, an annual Thanksgiving parade at the center complete with costumes and turkey hot dogs, and a silly joke of the day during summer camp.
Ilene Pappert with staff. (Advance/SILive.com|Jan Somma-Hammel)STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE
She works with the staff to host Bingo nights and nature walks that keep parents engaged.
As she prepares to step down and transition into a consulting role, Ilene gazes out at the wooded campus with a sense of accomplishment and no regrets. She appreciates “the magic of Goodhue,” and how it has made generations of Staten Islanders feel safe and comfortable.
The social worker with a passion for building communities says she knew from Day One that she belonged at Goodhue.
“People ask how I could have stayed so long at one place,” she says. “There was no other place I was meant to be. I feel so privileged and thankful for my years here.”
Some of her favorite things:
Favorite restaurant? Café Milano, West Brighton
Favorite places to visit on Staten Island? South Beach Boardwalk, Snug Harbor Cultural Center
Favorite song? “Friends” by Bette Midler (1972)
Sports fan? Yankees
Favorite for lunch? I’m always on the lookout for the best grilled cheese
Favorite season? Summer – I love the longer days … and Goodhue camp!
Least favorite season? Winter – hate the shoveling (but the snow is pretty)
Where did you go on your last vacation? Cancun, with friends
If you could afford any car, which one would you drive? A blue BMW convertible
Favorite thing to do in the summertime? Read a book in the backyard, in my rocking chair
Favorite holiday? Thanksgiving – because you don’t have to be a great cook, there are leftovers the next day, and I love watching the parade
What would you do if you won $10 million? Invest, donate, share, travel, and buy a studio in Manhattan
Ilene Pappert, a 2026 Staten Island Advance Woman of Achievement (Advance/SILive.com|Jan Somma-Hammel)STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE