Board

Justin Pasquariello, MBA, MPA, Board Chair

AFC Founder and Executive Director of Children’s HealthWatch – Boston, MA

Justin, adopted at age nine by his foster family after intermittent stays with relatives and his birth mother, founded AFC during his senior year at Harvard College. Recognizing the importance of many caring adult relationships in his life, Justin created AFC to bring more consistent relationships to other youth in care. Justin served as AFC’s first Executive Director, receiving recognition and support including an Echoing Green Fellowship, the Boston Celtics Heroes Among Us Award, and the Bank of America Local Heroes Award. In 2007, Justin left the full-time ED role to pursue a concurrent MBA/MPA at Harvard Business School and the Harvard Kennedy School; during his graduate studies he was a Reynolds, George, Goldsmith, and Rappaport Fellow. He currently is Executive Director of the Boston based Children’s HealthWatch which aims to improve child health by bringing evidence and analysis from the front lines of pediatric care to policy makers and the public.  Justin is also a current mentor at AFC.

Matt Hegarty, Vice Chair

Senior IT Project Manager at Rue La La

Matt has worked in Information Technology for the past 20 years, most recently as the Senior IT Project Manager at Rue La La in Boston. A graduate of Harvard College, he is on the Budget and Athletic Committees of the Harvard Club of Boston. He is also a member of the Danversbank Advisory Board, and former Board Director for Bank Malden.  Matt is the former treasurer of AFC’s board and a former mentor.

Alfonso Perillo, CPA, CFE, MSW, Board Treasurer

Partner at Edelstein & Company LLC – Boston, MA

Alfonso is a Certified Public Accountant who specializes in providing audit and tax services to nonprofit organizations. As a partner at Edelstein & Company LLP he oversees the firm’s nonprofit practice which consists of over 150 tax-exempt organizations. Prior to working in public accounting, he worked as a social worker, and served emotionally disturbed children, individuals suffering from chronic mental illness and head injuries, and the elderly. Alfonso is a graduate of Boston College and Boston University School of Social Work.

Anne Bowie, MSW, LICSW

Public Service Manager at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP

Anne Bowie is currently the Public Service Manager at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP.  Anne joined the firm in 2005 after many years at The Home for Little Wanderers, working on behalf of foster children in the Commonwealth.  As a clinical social worker, Anne manages the firm in its longstanding commitment to public service – pro bono legal services, charitable giving, board service and volunteerism through the firm’s philanthropy model.  In WilmerHale’s focused philanthropy model, resources and time are focused on a smaller group of organizations, with an eye toward long-term relationships and capacity building. The model includes multi-year financial support, pro bono legal representation, volunteer service and in-kind donations agreed upon by the firm and the participating organizations.  Anne manages the relationships with the firm’s partner organizations firm-wide, in the Boston, Dayton, Los Angeles, New York, Palo Alto and Washington DC offices.

Anne is the past President of the Corporate Volunteer Council of Greater Boston and works with her fellow corporate members to promote volunteerism within firms, corporations and small businesses in the area.  She also sits on the Boston Pro Bono Roundtable, working with her legal pro bono colleagues.  Anne is a graduate of Colby College and of Washington University’s George Warren Brown’s School of Social Work.  Anne has participated in the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship certificate programs and been recognized for her service by The Home of Little Wanderers (Employee of the Year, 2005) and Citizen Schools (2010).

Shuman K. Chakrabarty

MBA Candidate and Roy H. Park Leadership Fellow, Johnson at Cornell University – Class of 2014

Shuman Chakrabarty is currently pursuing his MBA at Cornell University.  Previously, he was a Senior Vice President at Bank of America, responsible for Savings Strategy and Performance Management.  During his time at the bank, he also led Retail and Small Business Savings products, where he had responsibility for developing and managing a set of savings products that met the range of customers savings needs – from those who are just starting to save through those who have established savings habits.  Shuman also held roles in product and pricing analysis, helping the bank manage its deposit portfolio.  Shuman has helped AFC develop a strategy for data analysis and evaluation which have strengthened AFC’s commitment to quality improvement in programming.

Shuman graduated from Boston University with a B.S. degree in Business Management with concentrations in Finance and Marketing.

Yolanda Coentro, MSW, LICSW

Chief Operating Officer at Horizons for Homeless Children

Yolanda Coentro, LICSW is the Chief Operating Officer at Horizons for Homeless Children.  There, she manages the Community Children’s Centers, the Family Partnership Program, and the Training and Technical Assistance program. Yolanda formerly managed organization programming at the YWCA Boston as the Vice President for Programs.  Prior to this, Yolanda provided overall management and strategic direction for the in-home therapy, community support and therapeutic mentoring programs at  The Home for Little Wanderers as the Director of the Safe At Home Program.  She is an Associate with the Family Centered Services Project providing training and consultation on family engagement, culturally accountable clinical approaches, diversity and inclusion and workforce development. She is a mentor for Boston University’s Institute for Nonprofit Management and Leadership . Yolanda is a leader in the community based services field and serves as co-chair of the Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative Health Disparities Committee. She has an undergraduate degree from Boston College as well as her Master’s in Social Work from Boston College.

Melanie Damsker Camp

Senior Development Officer at Combined Jewish Philanthropies

As a senior development officer at Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP), Melanie Damsker Camp develops and oversees initiatives targeted at high capacity, young leaders and manages a portfolio of major donors and prospects.  Prior to joining CJP, Melanie most recently worked as the director of partnerships for the GreenLight Fund, a venture philanthropy organization focused on importing innovative social enterprise models with demonstrated results in the local community. At GreenLight, Melanie was responsible for donor relations with GreenLight’s community of more than 200 venture capital, entrepreneur, and private equity supporters. Melanie oversaw GreenLight’s major fund-raising events and managed efforts to connect portfolio organizations with a variety of potential supporters. Before joining the GreenLight team, Melanie managed special events and the Young Professionals group at the Boston Public Library Foundation.

Melanie is a founding member of Women in Nonprofits and a proud mentor through Adoption Foster Care (AFC) Mentoring.  She earned her B.A. from University of Massachusetts, Amherst and is a member of the LeadBoston class of 2011.  Melanie and her husband Matt Camp reside in South Boston.

Juan Carlos Gabarro, MBA

Case Team Leader at OC&C Strategy Consultants

Juan Carlos Gabarro grew up in the Boston area and attended Harvard College, majoring in Social Anthropology. After graduation he worked forAthenahealth, then at IESE Business School in Barcelona as a research assistant, and afterwards at Digitas in their Strategy and Analysis group in NYC. Juan graduated from Harvard Business School in 2011 before joining OC&C Strategy Consultants. At OC&C, Juan works on projects for clients in media, publishing and information services.

Danielle Halderman

Director of Finance and Administration at The Partnership, Inc. – Boston, MA

In her role as D.O.F., Danielle oversees financial, operations, fundraising, and business development activities. The Partnership, Inc. is a strategic advisor to CEOs and senior executives of Fortune 500 companies regarding best practice strategies for effective diverse talent management, succession planning and retention. Clients include financial services firms, law firms and insurance institutions. Non-profit clients include higher education institutions and hospitals. Prior to joining The Partnership, Danielle served as the Director of Finance for Millennium Hotels & Resorts and has over 15 years of financial management leadership in Hospitality Finance. Joining The Partnership in 2009, she is proud to be a part of an organization championing diversity and inclusion throughout New England. Ms. Halderman holds a B.S. in Accounting and Business Management from Westfield State University in Westfield, Massachusetts. Danielle is currently an AFC mentor.

M. Scott Knox, MPA

Chief Operating Officer at Edward W. Brooke Charter Schools

M. Scott Knox is the Chief Operating Officer at The Brooke Charter Schools, a Boston-based network of college preparatory public charter schools. Prior to joining the Brooke, Scott was the Vice President of National Expansion at The Steppingstone Foundation. Scott also worked for four years at Jumpstart, a national school readiness program, as the national director of new site development, and taught high school in New Orleans.

Lisa Rowan-Gillis, MSW

Executive Director of Advancement Marketing & Communications at Boston College

In August, Lisa joined Boston College as the Executive Director of Advancement Marketing & Communications. In this position she supports all fundraising efforts including the 1.5 billion Light the World campaign. Prior to BC, Lisa served as Vice President for Development and Communications at The Home for Little Wanderers, a role she assumed in July 2006. In this capacity, Lisa led all fundraising and public relations efforts, oversaw a team of 21 and worked closely with the President and CEO, as well as the Board of Directors. She joined The Home in 2000 as Director of Media Relations. Lisa is a former social worker with more than 20 years experience in the marketing and public relations industries.  Prior to joining The Home, she served as Marketing Director at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. She has also worked at The Boston Parents’ Paper and WBZ-TV. Lisa holds a BA in English and an MSW, both from Boston College.

Lisa is an avid yoga practitioner and adjunct professor in BC’s School of Social Work. She has been married for 32 years to Gary Gillis. Gary has had an illustrious career as a broadcast professional. Five years ago, he created Last Minute Productions and has been making award winning videos for some of New England’s finest institutions. They have two grown daughters and live in Needham.

Robert Beal, MBA, Honorary Board Member

Partner & President of the Beal Companies

Robert L. Beal, Partner and President of The Beal Companies, was Vice President of The Beacon Companies, investment-builders, from 1965 to 1976. Mr. Beal is a graduate of Harvard College, with honors, and Harvard Business School. He joined the Beal Companies in 1976 and serves as Partner and President.

Mr. Beal is active in professional businesses and organizations both locally and internationally. He is a member of the American Society of Real Estate Counselors, a past director and chairman of the Artery Business Committee, and a past president of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board. He is the former chair of the Boston Municipal Research Bureau, Chair of The Taubman Center for State and Local Government at Harvard as well as the Chair of the School of Social Science, Urban Affairs and Public Policy at Northeastern University. From 1979 to 1996, he was a member of the Boston Coordinating Committee, i.e., the “Vault.”

Mr. Beal is an active participant in the community. He has generously served many organizations with his time, talent and resources, including the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (former overseer and trustee), the Massachusetts Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Chairman, Council of Fellows), the Boston Zoological Society (former Chair), the Museum of Fine Arts (Board of Overseers), the Combined Jewish Philanthropies (Director and past Chair), is a member of the board of the New Center for Arts and Culture and is on the Board of the United Way of Massachusetts Bay. Most recently, Mr. Beal has been appointed as Director of the Old North Foundation and Trustee of Tufts Medical Center.