2025 Citizens Who Care Honorees

A big thank you from the Rotary Club of Andover to Mark Spencer for his generous donation of photography for our Citizens Who Care, Educator & Student of the Year events, and to Gail Ralston and Rich Rainville for their heartfelt interviews and storytelling of our honorees' journeys.

Ellen Arvidson

Ellen Arvidsen has focused her time on local groups that support food security and affordable housing needs for Andover residents.

An early inspiration for service came when she helped lead South Church youth mission trips during her daughter’s middle and high school years. The student groups did critical home repairs in underserved areas in South Carolina, West Virginia and Vermont. These trips planted in Ellen the seed for exploring local volunteer opportunities.

Ellen leads the food security efforts for the Andover Farmers’ Market, managing volunteers at the SNAP and SNAP Match Information table, creating information for non-English speaking visitors, helping them to shop at the market, and educating and advocating for benefits available to residents who struggle economically. She secures funding for the weekly SNAP Market Match program, which brings in $25/week of matching dollars used at the market. In 2024, the program distributed $8500.

In 2024, Ellen partnered with Ballardvale’s Village Food Hub to use the Andover Farmers’ Market as a collection site for farmers and shoppers to donate fresh food to the pantry. Her outreach to shoppers and farmers resulted in 1,000 pounds of food donations.

Ellen also serves on the leadership team of the Farmers’ Market, helping to manage the market, prioritize efforts and pick up items nearly every week of the year. As an all-volunteer run effort, the Andover Farmers Market, has grown exponentially in the past few years.

Ellen serves on the board for Andover Community Trust (ACT) and was instrumental in bringing together ACT, South Church and Essex County Habitat for Humanity to build six affordable housing units on Lupine Road. She continues to work with Habitat for Humanity, including organizing monthly Habitat volunteer workdays for South Church.

Ellen Arvidsen sees an opportunity to improve the lives of others, and she gets involved.

Ajita Bhat

For Ajita, her life, her commitment to service and sharing this work with others comes from a deep-rooted spiritual journey that guides her every step of the way. Her grandfather was a physician in India who provided care to people in rural villages at no cost. He was Ajita’s role model for “giving back” and using money on behalf of bigger causes.”

Ajita’s spiritual journey blossomed in the 18 years during which her family has been a prominent Chinmaya Mission Boston. Chinmaya Mission provides an opportunity to learn the essence of the Indian philosophy and spiritual values of the Hindu school of Vedanta. Through Vedanta, Ajita helps people go through a positive inner transformation by providing knowledge and practical tools to face challenges of their day-to-day life. With its main location in Andover, Ajita has helped with the management of the mission, planning events and summer programs and organizing blood drives, food drives and meal packing initiatives. For the past three years, she has been the mission’s President.

Ajita is also co-chair of the Akshaya Patra Foundation’s Boston Chapter, one of the top 100 non-profits in the world, one that has received global recognition, including by the UN. This organization feeds midday meals that helps educate students in India under the banner “Unlimited Food for Education.” AP provides meals to 2.3 million children in over 2,400 schools every single day.

Ajita and her husband, Dr. Atul Bhat, have been co-chairs of Team Walk Cancer Care for Patients at Lowell General Hospital. At the hospital, Ajita also served as a vaccination program volunteer and is currently a Corporator Board Member.

After she initially volunteered to teach in its science labs. Ajita became a board member at the Bellesini Academy—a charter middle school in Lawrence. In the Andover schools, Ajita has taught elementary children having reading difficulties, helped start after-school programs, helped stage science fairs, volunteered in libraries and led parent-teacher associations. She is also a member of A.C.E., has volunteered at Reading for the Blind and Dyslexic and assisted Andover in the creation of the Annual Diwali Festival.

Don Cooper

There have been hundreds of people who have served on one of many Andover Town Committees but there is only one Don Cooper.

As of this year. Don has been on the Conservation Commission for 40 years, the last 24 as its chair. Prior to Andover, Don served four years on the conservation commission in Dedham. He is an environmental attorney and licensed professional engineer. When Don and wife Donna settled in Andover in 1981, Rusty Dunbar recommended him to Town Manager Ken Mahony. That led to Don’s appointment to the commission in 1986. Since then, he has spearheaded land purchases, more than doubling open space under control of the Conservation Commission.

Don has been pro bono General Counsel to the Massachusetts Licensed Site Professional Association since its founding in 1993. He helped craft the Andover’s Wetlands Bylaws in 1999 and author its regulations in 2002. He is presently working on updating the regulations to account for climate change.

In 2007, due to his excellence in environmental law, Don was named as one of The Best Lawyers in America in the Field of Litigation – Environment. He is on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions. In 2016 he was recognized as Commissioner of the Year, and, this year, became its president.

Don’s second passion is birds. He was on the Mass Audubon including Board of Directors from 2009 to 2018, and is currently an honorary director, helping it to acquire urban sanctuary land. Through Mass Audubon, he and his wife lead bird-watching groups throughout the Merrimack Valley area.

In 2018, Don was honored by the Town of Andover with the Virginia Cole Community Service Award. His list of honors and accomplishments is long, but Don doesn’t really find the service hard, as it is already part of this environmental law practice. Don has been described by colleagues as “effective, passionate but practical, collaborative and independent.” His creative solutions to environmental problems help to gain the public’s trust when they are faced with wetlands regulations. Don knows that, when you respect the rights of citizens, they respect your rights to enforce the rules.

Mary Beth Ellis & Eric Olson

Mary Beth Ellis and Eric Olson have given the world a lesson in turning an unimaginable loss into resilience, leadership, and love.

The couple first met during a triathlon in Bermuda, later reconnecting at Colorado State University. Both are passionate about the outdoors, and they’ve built a life around adventure, nature, and family. Mary Beth is a professional track athlete and coach, and Eric works in marketing. They have been Andover residents since 2016.

Following five-year old Sidney Mae’s passing while crossing the street, the couple channeled their grief by establishing the Sidney Mae Olson Rainbow Fund for road safety, wellness, and community connection. The Rainbow Fund reflects Sidney’s spirit and is a living tribute to the values she embodied—freedom, play, exploration, and community.

Through the fund Mary Beth and Eric support programs such as the Andover Farmer’s Market, SHED Children’s Campus, the Feaster Five

Road Race, and their own Rainbow Scholarship Fund. They work hand-in-hand with state and local leaders to promote safe pedestrian infrastructure, most notably helping secure state funding for the redesign of Elm Square—a busy intersection that will soon feature safer crossings and improved traffic flow. Their mission is to “make every Massachusetts community a place where kids feel free to walk, run, and bike.”

In addition to Sidney, they are proud parents of their four-year-old son, Ellis. The family also finds solace in their home in Vermont where they can connect with nature. For Mary Beth, running remains a form of healing and reflection. Together, the family finds solace in action—turning loss into legacy, and grief into progress.

For Mary Beth and Eric, the work they do ensures that Sidney’s light continues to shine through every child whose life is touched by safer streets, accessible outdoor spaces, and supportive communities.

Amy Janovsky

Amy Janovsky knows a thing or two about our natural environment. She has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Beloit College, a master’s degree in forest science from the Yale School of Forestry, and a certificate in invasive plant management from the University of Massachusetts.

Amy moved to Andover in 1991, drawn here by the vibrant community spirit. Amy helped establish the Andover Pollinator Pathway (APP), uniting passionate individuals to create habitats for pollinators. The APP purchases, packs, and labels seeds of native plants to share with homeowners through the Memorial Hall Library Seed Library.

In 2008 Amy helped found the Friends of Andover Community Trees (FACT). FACT focuses on raising awareness of town trees as a public good. The group advocated for a town tree by-law and a larger town budget for tree care, sponsored educational programs, crafted Arbor Day programming for children, launched GPS surveys for town use, and gave input into tree plantings at sites around town, such as Wood Park.

Amy is a mentor and role model to residents for embracing sustainable practices. Her knowledge of biodiversity, forestry and conservation enables her to provide valuable insights and innovative solutions to environmental challenges. As a mentor for Melanie Cutler’s Environmental Sustainability Internship Class (ESIC), she nurtured new skills and a love for nature in her interns. She educates homeowners about the dangers of invasive species and encourages them to choose native plants that support local ecosystems. As a board member of the Andover Village Improvement Society (AVIS) she works to restore AVIS reservations and control invasive plants around town. Together with two AVIS volunteers, she founded the Weed Warriors. Now called the Eco Team and in its fourth year, the group has logged over 850 volunteer hours across ten reservations. To rebalance the environmental integrity of these sites, Amy built a network of sources for native seeds, perennials, shrubs and saplings.

Amy secured grant funding from state and federal programs to support AVIS’s land stewardship, working with local contractors to restore heavily disturbed reservations along the Shawsheen and Merrimack Rivers. If you want to improve your natural environment and don’t know where to start, ask Amy.

Marty Mahoney

Martha (Marty) Mahoney was raised in South Hadley, earned a B.A. in elementary education from the U. Mass Amherst and a master’s in media & technology from Boston University. She moved to Andover at 47 and spent most of her career as a fifth-grade teacher and a media specialist for the library.

Upon retirement, Marty decided to devote her free time volunteering in the place she loved most—the Memorial Hall Library. She became active in the Friends of Memorial Hall Library and subsequently joined the Board of Directors. The Friends are library patrons who raise money for the library through membership fees, donations, and book sales.

Marty recruits, trains and manages the many volunteers who put on the quarterly book sales. Thousands of books, as well as puzzles, DVD’s, CD’s, and games, are sorted and prepped on a weekly basis for these sales. Her knowledge of books is vast and she loves helping people find the books they want. The book sales are the major fundraiser for the Friends. Last fiscal year they brought in just under $30,000. The money provides programs and services such as concerts, readings, speakers, children’s and teen’s programs, and materials and equipment for the Maker’s Space.

Marty ensures that no book goes to waste. Any that remain after the sale are donated to More Than Words; an enterprise that empowers troubled youth to take charge of their lives by participating in a business.

Marty also volunteers at Uncommon Threads, a nonprofit in Lawrence that helps low-income women build self-esteem and feel their true potential through clothing and image. Unlike other organizations that solely focus on work attire, Uncommon Threads addresses all aspects of a woman’s clothing needs while nurturing personal growth through styling sessions and workshops.

If you want a good book to read or know of someone in need of self-esteem, ask Marty.

Shawna McCloskey & Kristine Arakelian

Shawna McCloskey grew up in New York with interests in science and medicine. She trained as an EMT and worked in Lawrence on the overnight shift. Her love of animals led her to change career paths and start a dog care business. In 2001 Shawna came to the Senior Center as a transportation coordinator and Meals on Wheels driver. In 2017 she earned her social worker’s license.

Kristine Arakelian grew up in Bradford and North Andover. She graduated from St. Anselm College with a degree in Sociology and went on to receive a master’s degree from B.U. in social work and public health. After working at the East Boston Health Center PACE program, she moved back to the Andover area to start work at the Senior Center—a few months after Shawna.

Shawna is the social services case manager at the Robb Center while Kristine is the outreach social worker at t

he Center. They both acknowledge the level of co-dependency between their respective roles. Due to the delivery of 25,628 meals in 2024 to home-bound seniors, Shawna has a deep knowledge of the community. That, in turn, helps Kristine identify necessary care needs of elders, including issues of hoarding issues, mental health, food insecurity, and homelessness.

During the weekends they respond to numerous calls from the Andover police for seniors at risk or in crisis. They do this without pay. And while they both are geriatric social workers whose scope of work is to care for seniors, they support all ages, partnering with the police, other town departments, the library, residents, businesses and churches. Of note, were the many hours spent addressing the extraordinary needs during COVID, the gas crisis, storms, power outages and the challenges that arose in the Robb Center renovation.

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” This quote from American Poet Mary Oliver drives Shawna and Kristine to serve Andover’s senior population without fanfare.

Susan McCready

Susan McCready is a lifelong Andover resident whose roots run deep. She graduated from Andover High in 1985, earned her bachelor’s degree at George Washington University and both her MBA and MS-MIS from the University of Pittsburgh. When the opportunity arose for Susan and husband, David, to purchase her family home they jumped. Today, they live there with their daughter, Kate, and their dog, Gracie.

Susan enjoyed a successful career in commercial banking and financial services software. She worked in various corporate roles before making the decision to step away from her career to raise her daughter and serve her community. That decision led to nearly two decades of community leadership in Andover.

Her impact is perhaps most visible through her work with the Andover Public Schools. Susan volunteered for more than 12 years and then served nine years as a member of the Andover School Committee. She earned a reputation for steady leadership, commitment to equitable education, and thoughtful approach to some of the town’s most pressing challenges. That included addressing challenges such as balancing tight budgets, navigating complex policies, addressing school facility needs, and serving a diverse school community.

Susan also played key roles in organizations that support Andover’s families and children. She was president and board advisor of The Mother Connection, a local resource for families, became PTO President and literacy volunteer at Sanborn Elementary, and supported neighbors needing assistance through her faith community. She is a long-time member of the leadership council for the Andover Coalition for Education (ACE), which funds innovative educational innovation initiatives throughout Andover public Schools. Since leaving the School Committee in 2024, Susan returned to volunteer work addressing food and housing insecurity and supporting trauma survivors through TIP of Merrimack Valley. She also contributes to the civic efforts of Greater Andover Indivisible and serves in the lector ministry of St. Augustine Parish.

Susan’s volunteerism is her way of connecting more deeply with the town she loves and to inspire positive changes in the lives of others.

Mark Morgan

Mark Morgan hails from Pottsville, Pennsylvania. His academic journey began with a B.S. in chemical engineering from Princeton University and followed with a Ph.D. in fuel science from Pennsylvania State University. For the past 25 years, Mark and his wife, Sandy, have made Andover home and raised two daughters, Erica and Jessica, both born while the family lived in the Netherlands.

Mark has had a wide-ranging career. He began in research and transitioned in applied science, consulting, and, eventually, education and workforce development. Most recently, he served as head of the technical support group for Holcim, a leading cement manufacturer with both U.S. and Canadian operations.

In the latter part of his career, he pivoted toward training and development, where he led the creation and implementation of technical skill-building programs that gained global recognition.

He retired in 2023 and transitioned from a career of innovation and leadership to more than 25 years of community service. Over the years he has given his time, energy, and talent to a broad range of causes that include organizing food drives, mentoring, sorting donations, and championing clean energy.

At Faith Lutheran Church Mark was lead of the Social Ministry for six years, concluding in January 2025. He remains an active member of the ministry team. He is also involved with WECAN Andover, where he advocates for sustainability and energy alternatives. His long list of volunteer commitments includes Habitat for Humanity, Lazarus House, Bread and Roses, Ascentria Care Alliance, Delta Dog, Project Bethlehem, Red Cross, Ballardvale Pantry, Neighbors in Need, and the Senior Center’s textile collection program.

Internationally, Mark’s service extends through the Andover to Zimbabwe ministry, where he supports the development of a youth center that provides educational and emotional support for struggling youth.

Mark Morgan is the epitome of a citizen who cares. He doesn’t seek recognition—he simply shows up and helps. His dedication to service is driven by a belief in teamwork, learning, and doing meaningful work.

Buzz Stapczynski

For Buzz Stapczynski public service goes back to his hometown of Clawson, Michigan. Both his parents were actively engaged on town boards and community organizations. Buzz’s education led to a career in public administration, first with a bachelor’s degree from the Catholic University of America, and then a master’s in public administration from the University of Kansas. He followed with the Program for Senior Executives in Local Government at the JFK School Government.

Buzz began his work in local government with two years in the Budget Office in Fairfax County, Virginia. He moved to Massachusetts and worked for three years at the state Department of Mental Health, three years as Assistant Town Manager in Wilmington, and then eight as their Town Manager.

In 1989 the search for Andover’s Town Manager caught his eye. After a rigorous interview process, Buzz got the job with wife Sandy’s blessing. As Sandy says, “We couldn’t have been happier; we felt welcomed.” Andover was happy with Buzz, as his 25 years of service make him the longest-serving town manager in the town’s history. Among his many accomplishments are the Downtown Main Street Improvement Project, Andover High School renovation project, Public Safety facility, Wood Hill-High Plain Elementary School, new Bancroft Elementary School, and Cormier Youth Center.

Buzz and Sandy are devoted to Andover’s Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church. Buzz has been on the Parish Council for 27 years. Buzz, like his parents, has been committed to scouting since becoming an Eagle Scout in 1965. Today Buzz is an AVIS Trustee, in which he mentors Scouts working on their Eagle Projects to improve AVIS reservations.

But wait, there’s more! He serves on the Andover Chamber of Commerce Board and chaired the Town’s 375^th Anniversary Committee. Buzz is a long-time member of a Saturday morning running club (“for fun and for sanity!”).

Buzz admits that his secret to his long record of public service is his wife, Sandy, who has always been patient and accommodating to my career in public service.” For Buzz, public service means “building community so all can enjoy the benefits of Andover.”

Sofia Duran-Clark ~ Student of the Year

For Sofia Durán-Clark connections to her cultures—her black history, her Latin influences, and her American experiences—have built her world view and vision for her future. Simply put, she wants “to do good.”

Sofia grew up in Andover watching her mom give back to the community and her dad dedicate himself to education, “encouraging me to explore new topics” to her and her sisters, “giving me a lot of friendly competition.”

Throughout her high school career Sofia has taken leadership roles in many extracurricular activities, including the Environmental club, the Black Student Union, the DEI club, the Key club, Amigos Unidos and the Global Pathways program. She is founder and co-president of the Bioethics Club. Her awards include the College Board National African American Recognition Program for Outstanding Achievement, College Board National Hispanic Recognition Program for Outstanding Achievement, Outstanding Lieutenant Governor of the New England and Bermuda District Key Club International, and Most Valuable Performer of the Alto/Soprano Show Choir at the high school. She also partners with the Andover Key Club on the Lazarus House annual food drive. In April 2024, she achieved her goal of packaging 75,000 meals for the homeless.

Her interest in the environment led her to volunteer during the summer to maintain the high school garden, keeping it well organized, fertilized and productive. She and her fellow students introduced raised beds and grew new fruits and vegetables for those in need. Sofia also works with AVIS and other volunteers to help remove invasive bushes along the trails.

This high school senior hopes to pursue work in environmental science and environmental law, possibly beginning with a degree in political science. She wants to address disparities when she sees them from an environmental justice aspect. Though she comes from a place of privilege she wants to to be able to say that her time has been spent making someone else’s time a bit easier.

Julie Diehl ~ Educator of the Year

There’s never been a time when music hasn’t been a part of Julie Diehl’s life – or her husband’s. Brian grew up in Maine, while she grew up in Ohio. Both had moms who were music teachers, while their dads were great supporters of the arts.

Julie started piano and violin lessons in elementary school. Her family moved to Florida when she was in high school. She played violin in the Florida West Coast Symphony Youth Orchestra and in the Florida All-State Orchestra. Julie received her bachelor’s degree from the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford and her master’s degree from the University of South Florida. After teaching for several years in Connecticut and Massachusetts, she met Brian while teaching in Florida, and they relocated to Andover. They have one son, Sean, who is a violin fellow in the New World Symphony in Miami Beach. Brian is the principal trombonist of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and performs and teaches throughout New England.

For 27 years Julie has taught music to children in every Andover school. She spearheaded the Andover Elementary Strings program, which gives all third graders the opportunity to play a string instrument. Currently, Julie teaches in all five elementary schools. She is committed to inclusion and teaches students varying abilities and socio-economic backgrounds.

Julie ‘s work doesn’t stop at the end of the school day. For many years she conducted the afterschool All Town Orchestra and currently conducts the elementary school Primo Orchestra. She promotes the Andover String program at school committee meetings and assists students in music programs outside the district. At South Church, Julie plays in the adult South Strings and directs South Strings Too, a role she sees as expanding the music education students receive in school, while giving them the opportunity to share music with their church and community.

For Julie, “picking up my instrument every day is like greeting a friend who both challenges me and gives me joy. We all need the arts because they help us make sense of the world around us.” Sharing music is her gift to her students and the Andover community.

To view the 2025 Citizens Who Care Gala produced by Andover TV: CLICK HERE