Groundwork Lawrence Board of Directors

Sarah B. Young, President

Sarah has extensive experience in the public sector directing policy and administering programs. During her tenure at the Department of Housing and Community Development she fulfilled a variety of positions including Deputy Director, Director of Policy, and Director of the Bureau of Housing Development and Construction. She was responsible for a number of “smart growth” initiatives designed to balance housing growth with open space, resource protection, economic development, and transportation improvements. She is currently the Director of Facilities Programming and Planning at the Massachusetts School Building Authority where she performs analysis in areas such as enrollment, facility capacity and operational practices to evaluate potential portfolio investments. She has extensive experience in strategic planning, financial and project management, and knowledge in housing, economic development and community based programs. Sarah served for seven years on the Andover Housing Partnership Committee and for eight years (3 years as Chair) on the Local Committee of the Stevens Coolidge Place, a Trustees of Reservations property. Sarah has a BA in Historic Building Conservation from Boston University and an MA in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Eli Levine, Vice President

Eli is Vice President of Acquisitions for the Brownfields Recovery Group, a private firm located in downtown Boston. In this capacity, he has extensive experience in brokering land transactions and the purchase and sale of contaminated parcels. Eli’s professional expertise has helped GWL inform its acquisition and redevelopment of vacant and contaminated parcels for open space, park, and community garden end-uses.

Linda Zimmerman, Treasurer

Linda has over 30 years of experience in organizational management and operations. She is currently the Executive Director of Neighbors in Need (NIN), a network of 8 food pantries that has fed the poor and hungry of Greater Lawrence for over 25 years. Prior to joining NIN in 2004, Linda was Vice President of Operations at the International Institute of Boston, an organization that provides services to refugees and immigrants including ESOL, job training and placement, mental health services, domestic violence counseling, a legal clinic, a food pantry and programs in economic literacy and development. Beyond work, Linda is very involved with local performance arts groups. She received her MBA from Simmons Graduate School of Management and her AB from Wheaton College.

Rosa Lopez, Clerk

Originally from Lawrence, Rosa is Senior Human Resources Representative for the New Balance Company, which operates a factory and retail store in Lawrence. In this capacity, Rosa has helped facilitate the hands-on involvement of hundreds of New Balance employees in GWL's annual community service events, including the Spicket River Greenway Cleanup. Currently a member of the Merrimack Valley YMCA Executive Board, Rosa maintains strong connections to a number of non-profit organizations in the region, particularly those that serve local youth, and works to support the strong role they play in providing essential services to the Lawrence community. Rosa has volunteered for the Boston Public Library system as an English Communication Skills teacher and was nominated for the Tribute to Women award given by the YWCA of Greater Lawrence in 2006. Rosa is fluent in English and Spanish.

John F. Begley

John recently retired after nineteen years with Fidelity Investments where he was Executive Vice President. He led the organization responsible for Fidelity’s workplace retirement savings offerings for healthcare, higher education, and other tax-exempt organizations. His background includes extensive experience in customer service, client relationship management, business development, and financial management. John also serves on the Leadership Committee of Bottom Line, a Boston-based non-profit organization dedicated to helping disadvantaged high school students get into college, graduate, and go far in life. He has a BA in Economics from Boston College and an MBA from Babson College.

Stephanie Pascale Buchholz

Stephanie, a resident of Lawrence, is the Adolescent Health Program Coordinator at Lowell Community Health Center Teen Coalition. Stephanie is a member/volunteer of Lawrence CommunityWorks and has extensive experience in youth development program design, implementation and evaluation with a focus on teen pregnancy prevention and civic engagement. She received her MS in Community Economic Development from Southern New Hampshire University and her BA from Calvin College and completed an independent study of Spanish and Human Rights in Guatemala.

Pati Fernandez

Pati is the Community Education and Media Manager for the Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley and is also a Public Relations & Social Media freelance consultant. As a Lawrence native, a bilingual/bicultural person, and a young professional, Pati is very committed to the Merrimack Valley communities and sees the value in donating time, expertise, and effort to the community and youth. In addition to Groundwork Lawrence, Pati has been involved with organizations such as: Greater Lawrence Young Professional Network, Jericho Road Lawrence, Showa International Institute, G.I.R.L.S TV, Graduate Ross Center Volunteer, Cambridge Cares About Aids, Student Government Executive Board, Latin American Organization Executive Board, Alternative Spring Break/ Habitat for Humanity, YMCA International Adult Learning Center (Boston).

Thomas Craig Guerra

Thomas has worked in Lawrence for several years and is currently a Business Analyst at Lawrence CommunityWorks. He is passionate about dedicating time and efforts to city-based endeavors. Thomas holds a Bachelors degree from MIT in Urban Studies & Planning with a focus in Environmental Policy. While at MIT he served as the Undergraduate Representative on the DUSP Student Council, a MIT Fine Arts Representative, and Recycling President, and studied abroad in Madrid, Spain. Thomas has also worked for One Laptop per Child (OLPC) as a software developer. Before college he volunteered for 5 years with Bexar County Housing & Human Services helping families learn to be more energy efficient and receive government-funded utility assistance. Thomas speaks English and Spanish and is currently learning Japanese.

Marianne Paley Nadel

Marianne is the owner of the Everett and Stone Mills in Lawrence. An urban planner specializing in community based development. Marianne’s interest in planning grew out of her work at Historic Mill Properties, a family real estate firm in Lawrence and Dorchester Lower Mills. Marianne worked at the New York City Economic Development Corporation focusing on arts, culture and economic development, including the initial plans for the 42nd Street Redevelopment and South Street Seaport projects. After receiving a Masters in City Planning from MIT in 1993, Marianne became a Senior Planner at Icon Architecture concentrating on historic districts and heritage projects. Marianne was the founding Executive Director of Groundwork Lawrence and is excited to working with the organization again.

Rebecca Veilleux

Rebecca, a resident of Lawrence, is an Urban Ecology and Biology Teacher at Lawrence's Humanities and Leadership Development High School. As a teacher at LHS, she serves as an advisor for the Dirty Hands Club, a group of students dedicated to raising environmental awareness among their peers, supporting environmental enhancement in the local community, and maintaining LHS's new schoolyard garden. Rebecca just won the 2010 High School Conservation Teacher of the Year Award given by Mass Audubon in conjunction with the New England Farm and Garden Association. In January (predecessor of the Dirty Hands Club) was invited to the First Earth Summit on Biodiversity for Kids in Quintana Roo, Mexico, where the youth shared the findings of their ecological assessments of Lawrence’s Spicket River. Rebecca holds a B.S. in Environmental Biology and a M.Ed. in Secondary Education from Salem State College.

Karen C. Wood

Karen recently joined the Conservation Law Foundation as the Director of Communications. A volunteer with GWL for two years, Karen brings tremendous communications and marketing expertise to the organization. She has helped GWL promote and grow its community food programs designed to address food insecurity and associated public health implications. Prior to her working with CLF, Karen served as Vice President of Corporate Relations for CNET Networks, Inc., a role in which she oversaw internal communications and community relations. A passionate gardener and cook who enjoys growing and eating fresh food, Karen aims to assist GWL in tapping the power of social networks to create and disseminate information about programs that make high-quality, fresh, locally-grown food accessible to everyone.

Luis Yepez

Luis was born in Brooklyn, NY from Ecuadorian immigrants, he grew up in Worcester and is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. Luis is Vice President of Mainstream Global, a Lawrence company which is an independent distributor of integrated circuits, computer products, and other high tech commodities. The company is located in a Lawrence Renewal Community Zone and focuses on hiring many of its employees from the City and the surrounding towns. In addition to growing its business, Mainstream Global has invested in the purchase and redevelopment of over 200,000 square feet of mill space in Lawrence. Buildings that were run down, boarded up and abandoned are being converted to medical and professional office space. Luis also serves as a Board member with the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce and Merrimack Valley Habitat for Humanity and is the President and founding member of the Association of Ecuadorians of New England.