 |
 |
 |
 Staff & Board |
|
Staff & Board
The Board is comprised of community and family members who are interested in the vision and policy of the organization and ultimately the people who are supported and served by the agency.
The Board has three (3) committees that work to support the agency (Executive/
WCI Board of Directors:
Ruth Harutunian Ruth Harutunian, Chairperson has been Chair for the WCI Board of Directors since 2000 and a Board Member since 1994. During her tenure as Chair, Ruth has provided valuable input on the Executive/Finance Committee, Development Committee, Human Resources Committee and more recently the Board Outreach Committee. Ruth recently retired from teaching with the Watertown Public Schools. Ruth lends her special skills to WCI in the form of fundraising and organization. Ruth holds a graduate degree and is affiliated with the Retired Educators Association of Massachusetts, Greater Boston and Greater Waltham ARCs. Thomas Montanari Thomas Montanari officially joined the Board of Directors in October, 2005 and is a member of the Development Committee. Thomas works as an Educational Consultant after resigning from the League School of Boston, where he held such positions as Educational Supervisor, Director of Education, Principal and Director of Program during his 18 year tenure. Thomas holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and English and a Masters Degree in Education. Thomas also holds a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study from Harvard University’s School of Education. Donna Fletcher Donna Fletcher is an Associate Professor of Finance and Director of the Risk Management Program at Bentley College. Donna holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Economics, as well as a PhD in Business and Economics from Lehigh University. Donna joined the Board of Directors in May, 2006. She is a member of the Executive Committee and Audit Committee, and has already become a huge asset to the Board as she lends her financial expertise. Donna is also affiliated with the Conference Board Research Center, Financial Executives International and the International Association of Financial Engineers. In her free time, Donna enjoys gardening and spending time with her family. Judith A. Mello Judith Mello, Vice Chair has served on the Board of Directors for more than a decade. Judy has held the position of Chair and is currently the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors. Judy is a Permit Administrator for McGraw-Hill Construction in Lexington. Judy brings with her expertise in business, technology and American Sign Language. Judy is also affiliated with NADB, DBCC, NAAF, in which she served as Treasurer for the Boston Chapter for five years. Judy also provides insight into the needs of family members as she is the Parent of an Individual served by WCI’s Deaf/Blind Program. Mary Colt Navins Mary Colt Navins, joined the Board of Directors in 2003. Colt is a Branch Manager and Assistant Treasurer for the Cambridge Trust Company in Lincoln, Massachusetts. Colt is a member of our Development Committee where she adds valuable input to fundraising and event planning. Colt also sures on our Executive/Finance Committee. She is also knowledgeable in Human Resources and Finance. Colt is a Lacrosse Coach for the Massachusetts Bay Youth Lacrosse Team and the Wayland Youth Lacrosse Team. She also serves on the Board of Directors for both organizations. Catherine Carpenter Catherine Carpenter joined the WCI Board of Directors in 2001 and has been a member of the Development Committee ever since. She has a Masters Degree in Deafblind, Multihandicapped Education from Boston College, and is a MA certified Teacher of Children with Special Needs (all levels). She recently retired from teaching and working with families, at Perkins School for the Blind, as an educational consultant for Hilton Perkins’ International Program. Catherine is on the state Board of Massachusetts Families Organized for Change and on the Regional Steering Committee of the Boston Chapter of MFOFC. She also serves on the Central Middlesex DMR Citizens’ Advisory Board. Bret Francis Bret Francis joined the Board in October, 2005. Bret is a practicing Attorney who runs his own practice in Waltham until recently and just joined Fee, Rosee & Lanz, law firm in Sudbury. Bret comes to the Board of Directors with knowledge in legal and business issues. Bret has also been a member of the Waltham Rotary since 2004. Bret has assisted the Board by joining the Development Committee. Rhonda LeSanto Rhonda LeSanto joined the Board of Directors in October, 2005. Rhonda is the Vice President of Sales and Merchandising for Sperry Top-Sider, a Division of Stride Rite Corporation. Rhonda joins the Board of Directors having worked with many different types of organizations and diverse groups of individuals. One of Rhonda’s key strength lies in identifying challenges and opportunities and building a plan to achieve the necessary goal. Rhonda has experience in Human Resources, finances and business planning. Rhonda has been involved with Individuals with developmental disabilities for more than 30 years as she has a sibling with Down Syndrome. Rhonda is a member of the Development Committee where she is an asset and her strengths are greatly utilized. Daniel V. Messina Daniel Messina recently became a Member of the Board of Directors in June, 2007. Dan owns and is President of Hillcrest Consultants, Inc., a family business in Waltham specializing in commercial real estate, providing such services as brokerage, property management and development. Prior to 1995, Dan worked as a Financial Manager and later as an Asset Manager for Mass Housing. Dan’s education includes a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting and Finance from Bradford College and a Master of Business Administration from Northeastern University. Dan is a member of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board (GBREB), the National Association of Industrial and Office Propertied (NAIOP), the Greater Boston Association of Realtors (GBAR), the Massachusetts Association of Realtors (MAR), the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and the Waltham Rotary. Dan has also been a member of the Sudbury Capital Improvement and Planning Committee since 2001. We are pleased to have Dan on the Board as he brings a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience in finance and will be a strong contributor to the Executive/Finance Committee. In Dan’s free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and three daughters, ages 7, 5 and 3. Gabriel M. Aufiero Gabriel Aufiero joined the Board of Directors in June, 2007. Gabriel currently works as a Financial Advisor for Edward Jones in Waltham. Gabriel has a Bachelor’s Degree in History from the College of the Holy Cross. Gabriel is an active member of the community as he is a member of the Waltham Rotary, the Waltham Chamber of Commerce and the Newton Chamber of Commerce. He also volunteers his time at the Waltham Museum of Industry. Gabriel will not only apply his financial expertise to the Board of Directors, as a whole but will also assist the Executive/Finance Committee. Audrey Savikas Audrey Savikas is currently the Assistant Director of PLAN of Massachusetts, a non-profit organization that offers financial planning services to individuals who have disabilities and their families, and administers pooled special needs trusts. Audrey holds a B.S. in Communications from the University of Illinois and an M.B.A. from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University. Audrey has several years of professional experience in the non-profit sector, which includes managing residential and day programs serving adults who have developmental disabilities. She volunteers with Best Buddies of Massachusetts and is an AmeriCorps alumnae. Audrey has a special interest in managing quality improvement initiatives in community-based non-profit organizations and advancing fundraising efforts through proposal and appeal writing. Audrey joined the WCI Board of Directors in April 2007. She will be assisting the Board on the Development Committee. We look forward to Audrey’s expertise and enthusiasm. Joseph Connors Joseph Connors is bringing new enthusiasm to the Board. Joseph is the Vice President of Marketing at RTN Federal Credit Union in Waltham. Joseph brings a vast amount of experience in fundraising, finance, business, marketing and public relations. Joseph obtained his MBA from Suffolk University. He is an active member of the Waltham Rotary as he is currently Secretary and has also held the role of President. Joseph was a former member and President of the Metro-Boston Chapter of the Massachusetts Credit Union League and a former School Council member of the Douglas MacArthur and James Fitzgerald Schools. In Joseph’s free time, he enjoys skiing, as he is a ski instructor at Wachusett Mountain and being a Dad. Karen Osborn Shanley Karen Osborn Shanley is the Executive Vice President and part owner of Rentacrate LLC in Waltham. Karen has a degree in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts. Karen has a strong background in many areas such as Personnel, Finances, Legal, Marketing, and Public Relations. Her in depth knowledge in these areas will be of great assistance to WCI’s Board of Directors. Karen also has over ten years of experience working with Individuals that are developmentally disabled. Karen is a member of the Mass Movers Association, Crittenton Women’s Union and Friends of Hemlock Gorge. With Karen’s wealth of knowledge, the WCI Board of Directors is excited and looks forward to working with Karen. Kevin Fahey Kevin Fahey joined the Board of Directors in October, 2005. Kevin has been supported by WCI since 1979 and has many accomplishments to his credit. Kevin is an avid Martial Arts fan and currently holds a blue belt in Karate. He has been employed by Work Inc. since 1983 and presently works as a Janitor at the McCormack Building in Boston. Kevin is an asset to the Board of Directors as he will provide assistance with fundraising endeavors that will promote more affordable housing for Individuals in the expensive greater Boston area. Kevin also has insight into the needs of our Individuals and WCI. Frank Brazie Frank Brazie recently joined the Board of Directors in 2004. Frank has been supported by WCI since 1993. Frank is an active member of the Board of Directors, Human Rights Committee and the WCI Advocates, in which he served as past President. Frank is also affiliated with the Newton Park and Recreation Department, the Special Olympics and the Waltham Family YMCA. Frank works at Jonathan’s Cafe at Welch’s Corporation, where he has been employed since 2000. Frank provides the Board of Directors with insight into the needs of the Individuals and is a strong advocate for those served by WCI.
WCI Corporate Staff:
Nancy Silver Hargreaves Robert F. Perry Judy Nichols Robyn Drainville Joe Donati Sharon Dexter |
