Executive Director’s Advisory Council
Dr. Jean F. MacCormack
Chairperson, Chancellor Emerita,
UMass Dartmouth
Joe Nauman
EVP – Corporate & Legal,
Acushnet Company (Retired)
Carolee Matsumoto, Ph.D.
Independent,
Harvard University Graduate School of Education
Hakima Bey-Coon, Esq.
Tony Sapienza
President,
New Bedford Economic Development Council Board
Zoe Hansen-DiBello, Ph.D.
Senior Liaison,
Basics Learning Network
Peter Bullard, Esq
Andrew O’Leary
Superintendent,
New Bedford Public Schools
Local Advisory Council
Margo Saulnier
Creative Strategist,
City of New Bedford
Douglas McRay Daniels
Music Director,
Fall River Symphony Orchestra
Terry Wolkowicz
Director of Education,
New Bedford Symphony Orchestra.
Pam Kuechler
Executive Director,
PACE Head Start
Marci Pina Christian
Program Director,
Community Outreach and Engagement,
City of New Bedford
Wendy Garf-Lipp
Executive Director,
United Neighbors of Fall River
Ashley Occhino
Executive Director,
Fall River Arts & Culture Coalition
John Vasconcellos
President,
SouthCoast Community Foundation (Retired)
Colleen Kennedy-Mello
Program Manager,
Southeast Tobacco-Free Community Partnership (funded by MTCP) at Seven Hills Behavioral Health
Kathy Treglia
Community Liaison,
Little People’s College
Shane Burgo
Councilor at Large
David Guadalupe
Director of Mission Impact,
YWCA of Southeastern MA
Jill Fearons
Executive Director,
Friends of Jack Foundation
John Medeiros
Commissioner
Fall River Housing Authority
David Prentiss
President & CEO,
New Bedford Symphony Orchestra
Chief Walter Correira
Chief of Police,
Wareham Police Department
Chris Howard
President & CEO,
First Citizens’ Federal Credit Union
Shaun Van Laarhoven
Shirley Hardison
Special Education Teacher,
S.E.A.L. Foundation
Robyn Branco
Director of Mission Advancement,
YMCA Southcoast
Rayana Grace
Program Officer,
New Bedford and Womxn and Girls, Island Foundation
Allison Perron
Licensed Clinical Social Worker,
At High Point Treatment Center
Alison LeBert
Manager,
Community Health & Wellness Southcoast Health
Soraya Dos Santos
Doula,
Sacred Birthing Village
Phyllis H. Harris
Corporate Diversity,
Equity, and Inclusion Council,
Care New England
Health Equity & Early Development Team
Kelly Rebeiro–Oliveira, MAT
Executive Director
Ana Victoria Santos Y Santos
The Basics Community Liaison
Britney Santos
The Basics SouthCoast Youth Ambassador
R.J. Ambrose
Assistant Dir. of Partnerships & Program Innovation
Gregory Schneider
Director of IT Design & Marketing
HEED is a collaborative network comprising diverse stakeholders committed to providing every child with the best start in life, ensuring they enter kindergarten prepared to achieve their maximum potential.