MATTHEW THORNE, Executive Director

 Matthew brings to MRWC a drive for systems-thinking, strategic planning, and organizational sustainability. He loves to turn innovative ideas into projects on the ground. His background in restoration ecology, outdoor education and art brings a creative, intuitive perspective to his non-profit leadership approach. Prior to settling in New Hampshire, Matthew spent the last 15 years working alongside diverse populations from the highlands of Guatemala up to the rain forests of southeast Alaska. Before joining MRWC, Matthew oversaw farm and food access programming at the Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success in Manchester, NH. Matthew holds a B.A. from American University in International Development and an MS in Restoration Ecology from University of Washington.

matthew@merrimack.org

TRACEY CHALIFOUR, Director of Development

Tracey is a versatile professional with a successful track record of fundraising, grant writing, special event planning, marketing and communications, and leadership roles for non-profit organizations in the Merrimack Valley and North Shore of Massachusetts.

Tracey’s development expertise is instrumental in building the durable and generous support that we need to protect and improve the health of the watershed for all to enjoy. Joining MRWC in October 2021, Tracey’s career path has taken her on a journey through cities and towns located along the Merrimack River, working for healthcare, cultural, and human services agencies.

Prior to her nonprofit experience, Tracey worked in the technology and hospitality sectors. She holds two bachelor’s degrees from UMass-Amherst, in business administration and in hospitality administration. Tracey has lived in cities and towns adjacent to the Merrimack River for almost her entire life, and has served on the board of a local trail organization with direct connections to the river since 2004. Working at the MRWC is right at the confluence of her professional and personal experiences and interests.

tracey@merrimack.org 

Keith Abare has been a Clinical Outreach Manager with Aware Recovery Care since September 2020 when Aware was granted licensure in Massachusetts. He currently works closely with law enforcement and military entities as well as treatment centers and community advocacy groups across Massachusetts. He travels to other US states as subject matter expert on the topic of Addiction within Law Enforcement and provides education on the topic of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and Substance Use Disorder (SUD).

Keith graduated in 1993 from Mt. Wachusett Community College with a Major in Criminal Justice. After graduation, he dedicated 22 years of his life to the Massachusetts Department of Corrections as both a Corrections Officer and subsequently as a Peer Counselor within the Employee Assistance Unit.

It was in 2016 when he transitioned from Corrections Officer to the position of Peer Counselor within the EAU and in this role he received both The Governors Council for Addiction Awareness Award as well as the Charles Gaughan Award which recognizes employees who best exemplify the spirit of humanity and compassion. He currently holds 17 ICISF Continuing Education Certifications available by request.

Keith’s extensive background and knowledge of both the culture of law enforcement as well as the culture of the incarcerated gives him an intimate and unique perspective around the role that AUD and SUD plays across populations. His devotion to the mental health and wellbeing of fellow officers both past and present, as well as to their families, sheds light on the fact that addiction does not discriminate.

He has devoted his life to creating awareness around AUD/SUD and available treatment options, as well as to personally providing assistance to those struggling from substance abuse.

Keith resides in Fitchburg and is married with two children. Sadly in 2021, Keith lost his oldest child to addiction.

Join us for an Anodver Rotary Double Header! 

Nancy Martinez, Family Resource Recruiter, MA Departmemnt of Children & Families will talk to us about the Foster Care system. 

Currently works for the Department of Children and Families (DCF) - Lawrence Area Office.

Nancy has worked for DCF for 17 years.

While at DCF Nancy has worked as a Social Worker in different positions such as Assessment Social Worker, On Going Social Worker, Intake Social Worker, Family Group Conference & Family Find Coordinator and her last and most current position is Family Resource Recruiter.

As a Family Resource Recruiter Nancy is responsible for spreading the awareness to the public and providing information about our great need of Foster Homes for our children in DCF custody.

Nancy focuses on educating perspective applicants regarding the process of becoming a licensed Foster or Adoptive Parent by guiding them through this journey.

EVERY PARENT MAKES A DIFFERENCE is our motto

Andover Rotary's own Paul Mercandetti will give a classification talk...and it's Friday! 

Andover WECAN strives to prepare the community to lead and flourish in a sustainable future. We work to educate residents on steps individuals can take to reduce their climate impact.

As chapter of the Massachusetts Climate Action Network (MCAN), we join community chapters across the Commonwealth that share a commitment to reducing climate change and a passion for a sustainable future. This network is made up of local independent organizations who believe that community-based climate solutions lead our commonwealth and our nation to action on climate change.

Bio - Kate Margolese - Kate has over 25 years of professional experience in the high tech industry as an engineer, management consultant and marketing professional. Currently she works as a marketing and communications specialist for nonprofits. Her nonprofit work began as Chief Marketing Office for Perkins School for the Blind. Prior to Perkins, she led marketing efforts at technology companies including Sun Microsystems and Nets Inc. and worked as a consultant at McKinsey and Company, where she focused primarily on strategic direction for technology companies. Kate earned an MBA from Harvard University and has a B.S. in engineering from the University of Michigan.

Currently Kate is Governing Board Chair for West Parish Church, Vice President on the Andover Community Trust (ACT) Board and serves on the steering committees for both Andover WECAN and Courageous Conversations. Throughout her time in Andover she has served in many volunteer roles including board member of A Better Chance of Andover, foster care reviewer for the Department of Children and Families, Friendly Visitor for homebound residents, board member of the Andover Fund for Education, co-producer for 3 Merrimack Junior Theatre productions, Girl Scout leader and co-leader of the transition team for High Plain and Wood Hill.

Bio - Mary Pritchard - After raising three daughters, I turned my attention to community engagement:  

• Served on the board of A Better Chance of Andover for 12 years, three years as president.  
• Founded Courageous Conversations in 2016.  We are now entering our 8th year of programming on issues of systemic racism, affordable housing, structural racism in our community, the injustice of our criminal justice system, immigration, racial identity and privilege, and so forth.  https://mhl.org/courageous-conversations-merrimack-valley-history-events
• Founded Andover WECAN in 2018 to educate residents on steps individuals can take to reduce their climate impact. Andover WECAN also works closely with the town to promote climate action at the community level. andoverwecan.org
• Also a member of the South Church Green Team and Social Justice Coalition plus on the steering committee for the MA ACLU's What a Difference A District Attorney Makes."

Pamela Huntley was named Executive Director of The Megan House Foundation on July 1, 2019, after serving in the role on an interim basis since January of the same year. She first became involved with the organization by attending their annual Gala, a fundraising event which raises funds to help with the program and services provided to the residents of Megan’s House and Erin’s house.  She served on the board of Directors for over two years until accepting her current role.

In May of 2019 Pamela completed her Bachelor of Science Degree in Healthcare Administration from Southern New Hampshire University. She worked at Lowell General Hospital for ten years, her last role as the Director of Community Relations and the Center for Community Health & Wellness, developing relationships with corporate and community partners to generate a climate of understanding and support for the health system, its mission, accomplishments and challenges.

Pamela began her healthcare career at Saints Medical Center in 2008. Over four years she worked with employers and municipalities throughout the Merrimack Valley educating them on the Occupational Health services, including preventative health, injury treatment and management for work related injuries, on-site health screenings, and created a program for travel medicine.  Beginning in 2012 Pamela transitioned to the External Affairs division to work collaboratively with the VP of External Affairs, Philanthropy and Marketing.

Prior to healthcare Pamela worked in the insurance industry as a licensed broker for Colonial Life and Accident. From there, she transitioned into Managed Care, joining a privately-owned company as the Director of Business Development. Pamela also held a management position at CorVel Corporation a national managed care company, responsible for managing the New England Medical Bill review division and overseeing the growth of the workers compensation PPO network in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.

Pamela is involved in several community organizations, boards and committees. As a Corporator for the Lowell Boys & Girls Club she has co-chaired their Holiday Auction for two years and has served on the golf committee five years. Pamela is a past Board member of the Westford Business Association and past Chair of the Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce. She served three years as co-chair of SEGL part of the United Way, which raises money for local non-profit organizations so that children of Greater Lowell can enjoy a safe summer of fun, learning, and employment.

A Word from George Kakridas - Author of "Growing Up Under The Nazi Boot" 

I was born and raised in a small village named Vresthena, near Sparta, Greece, in a poor family with four siblings.

During the first five years of my childhood, I lived like every child in the village. I played soccer barefooted on our neighborhood's narrow dirt roads with my friends. Kicking a ball made from old rags, we called “topi”. It didn't bounce and didn’t roll too far before it got unraveled, and we had to stop playing to put it back together again.

My innocent young life suddenly ended one bright sunny morning in 1941, when I was played soccer in the “platia” square with my friends. It was a glorious warm morning. The birds were chirping and celebrating another beautiful spring day over our heads on the huge maple tree, when suddenly a loud rumble of heavy trucks full of armed soldiers rolled into our village square.

It was as though someone had turned off the sunlight, stopped the birds from chirping, and our world sank into the darkness like it was midnight. It transformed our free and innocent lives into life like in a prison camp full of despair, hopelessness, and hunger. Our precious lives were meaningless to the cruel and brutal Germans.

I watched the Germans executing innocent men, women, and children to avenge their soldiers' deaths by the guerrillas. The brutality and atrocities perpetrated by the Nazis on the Greek population went on for four long years, and we all had to learn how to stay alive while watching our friends, neighbors, and villagers murdered by the ruthless occupiers.

After their defeat and withdrawal from our village and country, we celebrated our freedom again, but it was short-lived when another war began, the Greek Civil War. This bloody civil war continued for five more years until they too were defeated by the Greek soldiers with the help of the Americans. Once again, we were alive but our hearts and souls were forever marred.

I was fortunate to survive through what I would describe as living in a death camp full of fear and hopelessness, until I immigrated to America and lived the American dream.

The Andover Village Improvement Society is a private land trust in Andover, Massachusetts. Founded in 1894, AVIS is the second oldest land preservation society in the United States. Its goal is to acquire land within Andover and preserve it in its natural state.bout

Founded in 1894 as The Andover Village Improvement Society, AVIS is one of the oldest land conservation organizations in the country. AVIS manages more than 30 reservations comprising more than 1,200 acres in the Town of Andover. It relies on a corps of volunteers to lead the organization and to provide maintenance of its recreational trails and stewardship for the land and its wildlife habitat. Donations from community members and grant sources provide the funds to acquire, protect and manage its reservations.About

Founded in 1894 as The Andover Village Improvement Society, AVIS is one of the oldest land conservation organizations in the country. AVIS manages more than 30 reservations comprising more than 1,200 acres in the Town of Andover. It relies on a corps of volunteers to lead the organization and to provide maintenance of its recreational trails and stewardship for the land and its wildlife habitat. Donations from community members and grant sources provide the funds to acquire, protect and manage its reservations.

The Rotary Club of Andover welcomes Rotary 7930 District Governor Alexander Falk. 

My name is Albert W. Pless, Jr, and I am the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Town of Andover, Massachusetts. I am also an Adjunct Professor at the Tufts School of Medicine Online MPH program and a guest lecturer at the Tufts School of Community Health. I have over 25 years of experience working in community-based programs in the Greater Boston area. Previously, I directed nationally recognized Community Health Worker programs for Black and Latino men at the Boston Public Health Commission and Cambridge Public Health Department. I am on numerous boards and committees, including the Men’s Health and Black Health Care Workers Caucus of the American Public Health Association (APHA) and Harvard Catalyst. Most recently, I transitioned from Public Health, where I worked for the past 20 years, to the field of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. I have committed my entire professional career to addressing health and racial inequities. I received my Master of Science degree from Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, NH.

Project Home Again - Nancy Kannell  

When an acquaintance who was down on her luck came to Nancy and said her stove was broken and she had no money to fix it or buy a new one, she had an idea. Eighteen years later, Nancy’s passion for helping others has led PHA to grow from a one woman operation to a staff of dozens of volunteers serving hundreds of families a year.

At Project Home Again, they partner with social service agencies in northeastern Massachusetts to bring new and gently used household goods, furniture and appliances to low-income families in need.

Our mission is to provide them with the things they need to live with comfort and dignity. We try to make the experience as positive as we can, letting our clients “shop” to choose items that reflect their personality and individual style. It’s what allows us to truly turn their houses into homes.

Our work is people-focused and people-powered, and there are three groups that make the magic of Project Home Again possible — our clients, our volunteers and our donors.