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ShareRecent PlacementsWe recently placed executive directors at the following nonprofits. Congratulations to the organizations, new leaders and the transition consultants who led the process. Steve FischerRegional Environmental CouncilA treasure within Regional Environmental Council for the past 6 years, Steve has been selected as REC’s next executive director. His involvement with REC includes many capacities: as a volunteer helping to develop the YouthGROW program, as a board member and most notably as the coordinator of the Worcester Lead Action Collaborative (WLAC), a successful, broad-based community partnership. Under his leadership, WLAC and the City of Worcester were awarded a $3 million Lead Hazard Control grant by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to create hundreds of units of safe, affordable housing in the city. Steve has lived, studied and worked in Worcester for most of the past 18 years. During that time he has worked with a variety of nonprofits and grass-roots organizations, primarily as a youth, community and campaign organizer. His work has ranged from coordinating and supervising youth staff for an environment-based employment program, to managing local and regional campaigns for fair trade and global justice, to organizing low- and moderate-income residents on community issues such as neighborhood violence, illegal dumping and predatory lending. Steve is an experienced facilitator with more than 10 years' experience building group consensus, and holds an M.A. in International Development and Social Change from Clark University. Deborah ForterMilitary Families Speak OutDeborah Forter has joined Military Families Speak Out (MFSO) as their first national director. MFSO is a national organization of over 4,000 military families and 26 chapters with a mission to end the U.S. military occupation of Iraq and Afganistan, bring our troops home now, take care of them when they get here and end the policies that allowed the wars to happen. For 6 years, Deborah Forter served as the executive director of the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition, an activist statewide coalition focused on environmental health issues and ending breast cancer. She has been active both nationally and on a statewide level in organizing to protect women’s rights to quality healthcare and to change environmental regulations. More recently, Deborah consulted to the Martha Foundation, providing senior management direction and fundraising assistance. In announcing her appointment, the MFSO board of directors stated, “Deborah comes with a wealth of experience, skills and interpersonal qualities that we feel are a superb match for MFSO. She grew up in a Navy family, and while she does not currently have a loved one involved in the military, she has much personal experience as the daughter of a father in the military. She has extensive management, fund-raising and financial management skills which will be invaluable to MFSO.” Ferdinand FuentesLatino Policy Institute of Rhode IslandThe Latino Policy Institute at Roger Williams University (LPI) and its board of directors has hired Ferdinand “Fred” Fuentes as its first executive director. The selection of Fuentes marks the successful culmination of a national search launched by the institute. Fuentes brings with him a solid background including more than 12 years of experience in educational research, community building, civic engagement and organizational development. Fuentes holds a master’s degree in divinity from Andover Newton Theological School and is currently completing his doctorate in education at Johnson & Wales University. He has also served on a number of boards and organizations including the Educational and Personal Advisory Council, the Massachusetts Redistricting Committee, the New Bedford Human Relations Commission and various other groups. “We are very excited to have someone with Fuentes’ credentials leading the important work of the institute. He was chosen for his leadership skills, understanding of the community and deep commitment to the issues laid out in LPI’s business plan. Fuentes’ experience as an academician, administrator and educational leader makes him uniquely qualified to direct the Institute,” said Jorge Elorza, cochairman of the LPI board of directors. Frederick M. LynnImmaculate Conception Shelter and Housing CorporationBecause housing is a human right, Immaculate Conception Shelter and Housing Corporation provides housing and decent shelter with unconditional love to those with no other options. For 25 years, Immaculate has been a life-saving resource to thousands of homeless individuals. The nonprofit is in the midst of an exciting, challenging transformation from an organization that operates a seasonal emergency shelter to an organization that provides permanent supportive housing services to people who have historically been chronically homeless. Jacqueline Reardon, president of the board of directors, has announced the appointment of Frederick M. Lynn as executive director of Immaculate Conception Shelter and Housing Corporation. He succeeds Cathy Cohen, who has been serving as interim executive director. Mr. Lynn holds a B.S. in Economics from Fordham University and an M.S. in Urban Studies from Southern Connecticut State University. He has also completed all coursework in the Ph.D. program at the Bloustein School of Planning at Rutgers University. Mr. Lynn has nearly 25 years of non-profit management experience, mostly working in the anti-poverty arena with community action agencies. Throughout his career, he has worked with people who are impoverished, homeless and/or re-entering the community from prison. He has extensive experience developing both facilities and the social services needed to support the residents living in those facilities. He comes to Immaculate from Hartford-based Community Renewal Team, where he has worked for the past 6 years, holding positions such as chief program officer and director of planning. Prior to that, he was the director of program development for Community Solutions Inc. and the ACCESS Agency in Willimantic. He resides in Cromwell, Connecticut, with his wife Cindy and their children. Brian MillerUnited for a Fair EconomyUnited for a Fair Economy is extremely pleased to announce the hiring of Brian Miller as the new executive director of United for a Fair Economy (UFE), who will begin his new role on August 19, 2009. UFE is a national organization whose mission is to raise awareness that concentrated wealth and power undermine the economy, corrupt democracy, deepen the racial divide and tear communities apart. UFE supports and helps build social movements for greater equality. UFE conducted a thorough process involving the UFE board, staff and external stakeholders of the organization and, with the assistance of Third Sector New England, conducted a nationwide search for an executive director that brought in applications from over 100 candidates. What set Brian apart was the depth of his experience as the executive director of an economic justice organization. Brian comes to UFE from Tennesseans for Fair Taxation (TFT), where he has served as executive director since 1997. During his 12 years of leadership, TFT more than quadrupled in size and can now boast of a lasting public policy impact for progressive taxation in Tennessee. Among the assets that Brian brings to UFE is his extensive organizing experience, having worked as an organizer with the Louisiana Coalition for Tax Justice, Louisiana Citizen Action and the Community Farm Alliance. Brian has a long history with social justice activism and popular education methodology as tools for policy change. Myriam OrtizBoston Parent Organizing NetworkThe Interim Steering Committee of the Boston Parent Organizing Network (BPON) would like to announce the hiring of Myriam Ortiz as BPON’s new executive director. After a long and thoughtful transition and a national search, we are excited to have confirmed that the best candidate was already playing an important role in BPON. Building upon her experience as former BPON organizer and assistant director, Myriam will lead the BPON network into the next phase of our restructuring process. A strong Latina and mother of two, Myriam brings to BPON not only her grass-roots organizing experience but also a strong vision for leadership development. Please join us in welcoming Myriam in her new role. Ronald H. PitzKnox Park FoundationCatie Curran, president of the board of directors, has announced the appointment of Ronald H. Pitz as executive director of Knox Parks Foundation, effective immediately. The Knox Parks Foundation was founded by philanthropist Betty Knox in 1966 to help improve the City of Hartford. Using horticulture as a catalyst, Knox Parks works in partnership with residents, businesses and government to build stronger, greener and more beautiful communities in Greater Hartford, with a special emphasis on the capital city itself. Throughout its 40-plus year history, Knox Parks has helped ‘green’ the city and build stronger communities by connecting people with horticulture, reestablishing the tree canopy, providing youth with job skills, establishing community gardens and beautifying neighborhoods. Mr. Pitz joined Knox Parks in 1994. Most recently, he has served as the interim executive director. He has also served as the horticultural and AmeriCorps program director. In that capacity, his responsibilities included day-to-day management of the Green Crew, a team of out-of-school young adults trained in landscaping and gardening. The program teaches marketable skills while improving the appearance and productivity of Hartford’s green space. Prior to joining Knox Parks, Mr. Pitz founded, developed and managed New Leaf Landscapes, a successful Bloomfield-based landscape design, management and construction company. “Ron shares a personal passion for the grass-roots community work that we do and is an active and hands-on leader,” said Ms. Curran. “His combination of non-profit management and entrepreneurial skills are just what the organization needs to move forward.”
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