WHO WE ARE : Board of Directors
       

Board of Directors 2009 - 2010

Kathy Burnes is Project Director of the Geriatric Institute at Jewish Family & Children’s Service where she oversees programs that translate research into community-based services.  She previously managed programs for Boston College’s Center for Corporate Citizenship, for Brandeis’ National Center on Women and Aging at Brandeis and for AARP.  She is a long-time friend of DWN and has provided assistance in grant writing and program development.  She has been instrumental in developing and will continue to play a role in guiding our encore career initiative.  Kathy is trained as a rehabilitation counselor and has a B.A. from University of Michigan, a M.Ed. from Northeastern, and a Graduate Certificate from Boston College’s Carroll School of Management.

Doug Dickson, President of Discovering What's Next®, has been on the board since 2006.  He was previously a career consultant at New Directions, where he worked with corporate executives and professionals, and specialized in entrepreneurship and alternatives to traditional retirement.  Doug helped found and serves as vice president of the Life Planning Network, a community of professionals helping people navigate the second half of life.  Earlier in his career, Doug was head of corporate communications for a health care company and held other positions during his 25 years in business.  He is a member of the Newton Conservation Commission, past president of the Newton Conservators, and past chair of Newton’s Community Preservation Committee and the Newton Urban Tree Commission.  Doug has a B.A. in anthropology.

Michael Dowd is Chief Operating Officer at Grand Circle Corporation.  Grand Circle offers worldwide travel for seniors through its Grand Circle Travel, Grand Circle Cruise Lines and Overseas Adventure Travel brands.  Over his 10 years at Grand Circle, Michael has held several positions including Chief Operating Officer, President of Grand Circle Cruise Lines and EVP of Sales and Marketing.  Prior to Grand Circle, he spent 11 years at New England Business Service as Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Chief Legal Officer.  Over the years he has been involved in several entrepreneurial activities including founder of QUEST a software development company for the Office Furniture industry and co-founder of Bizstarters.com, the top rated website for Boomers looking to start businesses. His interest in Discovering What’s Next® comes from a life long desire to help people express and pass on wisdom gained by experience.  Michael holds a Bachelors degree in economics from Assumption College, a Masters in Business Administration from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and a Juris Doctor degree from Suffolk University Law School. 

Carol Greenfield is founder of Discovering What’s Next: ReVitalizing Retirement® (DWN), her vision in 2002 of a one-stop community resource for baby boomers transitioning to retirement, Carol has brought together both community organizations and individuals to build a dynamic organization that has not only captured the imagination of community members in the greater Boston area but also nationally. Carol is also Project Director of How Can I Afford Retirement? – a popular investor education series developed at the Boston Public Library and now serving as a national model. Carol seeks to be in the forefront of aging trends. As an early advocate for older adults embracing technology, she founded in 2000, Senior Web Solutions, a training and support business. As a consultant to the Executive Office of Elder Affairs in the 1980’s, she developed and implemented a unique peer health benefits counseling program called SHINE (Serving Health Information Needs of Elders). This award-winning program became a model for programs that now exist in every state. For many years, Carol was Executive Director of the New England Employee Benefits Council and an independent consultant to employers on emerging issues of older workers. Carol has a master’s degree from the Harvard School of Public Health, serves on numerous non-profit boards, and considers herself bilingual in aging and technology.  

Cissie Klavens provides executive coaching and career management

consulting services for successful professionals. Over 25 years as a visionary entrepreneur, executive search professional and career advisor, she has worked with professionals, executives and business owners to help them think creatively, explore and embrace new possibilities, make connections, and achieve their goals. Cissie works with individuals, small groups and organizations. Formerly, Cissie was President of The Pickwick Group Inc. (TPG), a “boutique” agency specializing in placing highly qualified professionals in interim and part-time positions. TPG received national media recognition in such publications as INC, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and The Boston Globe. She has been a member of The Boston Club since 1990, serves on the Strategic Planning and Program Committees, and co-chairs the Enterprise Group. Cissie is on the founding board of Discovering What’s Next® (DWN).  She has been selected by Women’s Business as one of the Top 10 Executive Coaches in Boston for 2008 and 2009.

Peter Lewenberg is Major Gift Officer at the Joslin Diabetes Center.  Formerly he served as a Leadership Gift Officer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Prior to MIT, he worked in state government for five years for the Secretary of Environmental Affairs and the Department of Conservation and Recreation.  One work aspect was to identify private-sector partners and funding sources to offset state capital and operating expenses for the unique partnership of public and private interests in the Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area. Previously, he spent twenty-eight years in sales and marketing management with a major New England food broker.  He was Vice President of three separate departments (specialty foods, frozen foods and dairy) having progressed through the organization beginning as a Retail Territory Manager. Peter is a member of the Newton Farm Commission, is an Overseer at the Newton Wellesley Hospital and served for eleven years as a Trustee of the University of Massachusetts System.  He has a BS degree from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in Agricultural and Food Economics.  Why is Peter interested in working with DWN?  “With many years experience in non-profit groups with missions I identify with, I thought it would be interesting, and personally satisfying, to work with a group who's mission reflects my current thinking and needs.” 

Fred Mandell, PhD., is a former executive with American Express Financial Advisors (known today as Ameriprise.)  During his 20 plus year career he was responsible for a number of investment managment, marketing, sales and strategic businesses.   Fred left the corporate world in 2001 and has devoted himself to painting, drawing, consulting and speaking.  He is interested in the areas of creativity and midlife transition, innovation and change.   Penguin Putnam under its Avery label will be publishing his book Becoming a Life Change Artist; Seven Creative Skills That Can Transform Your Life in the Fall, 2010.

Joann Montepare, PhD, is Professor of Psychology at Lasell College and Director of the Rosemary B. Fuss Center for Research on Aging and Intergenerational Studies.  Her research specialty is social developmental psychology with a focus on lifespan issues.  She has had over 30 academic papers published and has a Ph.D. in Social Developmental Psychology from Brandeis, an MA in General Psychology from SUNY New Paltz and an AB from Smith.  Joann and the Fuss Center are partnering with DWN in the grant from Tufts Health Plan Foundation.  She will also assist us in evaluating the success of our programs and participant outcomes.

Ronald Ponte is a professional social worker who has worked in the fields of child protection and health care.  He is currently the Director of Community Partnerships at Newton Wellesley Hospital. Ron’s core functions at NWH include coordinating community health improvement programs and service excellence.  He is the past Chair of the Newton-Needham Chamber of Commerce, serves on the Board of Directors for various community organizations and is on the Committee on Ethics and Professional Review.  Ron was awarded the Voice of Justice Award in 1995 by the Support Committee for Battered Women in Waltham and was named Social Worker of the Year by NASW in 1997.  He is past President of the Society of Social Work Administrators in Health Care, past Director on the Boards of Jane Doe, Inc. and Employers Against Domestic Violence. 

Devra Kiel Simon, Executive Director and Vice President of Discovering What's Next, has spent over 25 years working with high-tech start-ups where she was responsible for creating, developing and maintating the infrastructure and operational departments of the company.  In September, 2005, she was a member of the original team of Transition Navigators and then expanded her commitment to become Operations Director for the DWN HUB.   Prior to becoming DWN's Executive Director in January, 2010, Devra's initial encore career was Director of Development for the Newton Free Library.  She graduated from Goucher College in Baltimore with a B.A. in French.