board of trustees and officers

Marylynne Schwartz is a Miami native. She grew up going to the Miami Lakes branch until going away to college at Princeton University. After living nearly 20 years in Chicago, she moved back to Miami in 2022 and has been making weekly visits to the Pinecrest branch since then. She recently became involved with the Friends as a way of giving back to the library that has done so much for her and the community. Her favorite book is Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. 

John is a partner with the law firm of Weiss Serota Helfman practicing in the areas of government relations and land use/zoning. While he currently services as Vice President of the Friends, he previously served as President from 2012-2014 where he brought together community leaders to form the Coalition to Save our Libraries in face of massive, proposed library budget cuts. Ultimately, these efforts were successful in staving off what would have been the largest library funding cuts in US history by rallying both resident and political support for our library system.


John also served as Chair of the Miami-Dade County Community Relations Board. During his time as Chair, the CRB tackled issues ranging from economic growth/opportunity to public health to police-community relations. Critically, during this time, the CRB helped the County to navigate the George Floyd-inspired demonstrations as well as the COVID-19 pandemic.  Moreover, John also previously served as the President of the Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade, Chair of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Historical Society, Treasurer and Trustee of HistoryMiami Museum, and Member of the Miami-Dade County Commission’s 2020 Census Task Force.


John has been honored throughout the state on numerous occasions for both his professional and social impacts in South Florida. He has also spoken around the country on key issues impacting our communities. John has lived in Miami-Dade with his wife and children for over 20 years. Prior to moving to Florida, John earned his bachelor’s degree from UCLA and juris doctor from Boston University School of Law.

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Adam Schwartz might tell you he's from Chicago, but the truth is he was born on Florida’s Gulf Coast. A lifelong reader, Adam has vivid memories of scouring the new release shelves at his local library as a child, always searching for the latest fantasy or science fiction titles. He credits a volunteer project helping library patrons navigate the internet with bolstering his college application just enough to be accepted. After earning a degree in Economics from Princeton, Adam spent over 20 years in investment management. As Treasurer for the Friends, he oversees the organization’s budget and aspires to grow the endowment to ensure its future success. His favorite book is The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, though he’s still eagerly awaiting the long-delayed third volume of the series—14 years and counting!

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Monique Lavender Greenberg is the founding attorney of Lavender Greenberg PLLC in Coral Gables, Florida. In this role, she focuses her practice on estate planning and probate law. Monique is Board Certified in Wills, Trusts, and Estates by the Florida Bar and she obtained both a Master of Laws in Estate Planning and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Miami School of Law. 

Monique is an active member of the Miami community. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Junior League of Miami, the Coral Gables Estate Planning Council, Beaux Arts, the Coral Gables Bar Association and the National Association for Estate Planners and Councils. She has extensive volunteer experience in fundraising and has chaired the Junior League's Women Who Make a Difference luncheon, the Beaux Arts Ball, the Red Cross of South Florida's Party in Red, and the Friends of MDPL's 50th Anniversary Celebration.

Most importantly, Monique is an avid reader who loves libraries. She lives in Coral Gables with her husband and two daughters.

Elayne Norweb is an avid reader with a lifelong love of the Public Library, making it her first visit when she moves to a new city! Elayne's professional career began in New York City in the domains of fundraising and advocacy. She took time off to be home with her kids and dedicated her time to events and fundraising for their schools. She currently works as an event coordinator and fundraising consultant in Miami. The Miami-Dade Public Library has a special place in her heart, as she has been able to share her passion for reading with her three children through library visits to collect books or join in the special programming the libraries offer. She is thrilled to be able to give back as a Trustee of the Friends of the Library.

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Helen has spent 25 years in the HR and Talent Acquisition space managing large global projects and teams. She has recently expanded her experience into the AI space. Helen also runs a business renting baby gear to families visiting Miami and the Keys. She has 9 year old twin girls who have inherited her love of reading. Her favorite books are The Likeness by Tana French or Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger.