Speakers

Tara Mezzanotte is a community advocate and activist in the New Jersey/Pennsylvania area, primarily known for her involvement in local infrastructure and environmental issues. She is a dedicated liaison working with both New Jersey and Pennsylvania transportation departments on significant regional projects. 

Her primary roles and activities include:

Founder of the I-80 Fence and Safety Concerns at the Delaware Water Gap Coalition: In this role, she advocates for comprehensive safety studies and evaluations of all possible alternatives for major I-80 projects near the Delaware Water Gap, particularly concerning rockfall mitigation and the highway's "S" curves.

Municipal Liaison for Smithfield Township: She has been appointed as the municipal liaison for NJDOT I-80 and PENNDOT Route 611 matters, representing the township's interests in these infrastructure projects.

Project Coordinator for the Paulins Kill Wild and Scenic River Initiative: She serves as Warren County's representative on the Lower Delaware Wild and Scenic River Management Council, promoting the voluntary nature of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in preserving local waterways.

Community Volunteer: She is actively involved in local environmental commissions, such as the Knowlton Environmental Commission, and often posts about community events and issues on social media. 

Mezzanotte frequently collaborates with local government officials and agencies to ensure community concerns are heard in large-scale infrastructure projects. She has recent speaking engagements scheduled into late 2025 regarding the I-80/611 coalition's work. 

Len Lavenda has a background in corporate communications. His responsibilities have included technical writing, marketing communications, public relations and financial communications. Most recently, he was Vice-President of Communications for Sanofi Pasteur, where he managed media relations, product publicity, employee communications, community relations and philanthropy.

Now retired, he has served on the Board of Directors for the Red Cross of NEPA, including Board Chair from 2022 to 2025. He is also the Red Cross EmComm Lead for NEPA and the Assistant Emergency Coordinator for Monroe County ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service).

Len holds a BS in Engineering Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.