> Staff
> Board of Directors
Patricia M. Freedman, J.D.
is the Executive Director. She has over 20 years experience
advocating for the rights of people with disabilities. She
has written materials on a range of disability issues for
attorneys and families, including editing the publication
Estate Planning for Parents of Children with Disabilities.
She conducts workshops and seminars for families and professionals
on a range of disability law issues.
Sally Miller, LICSW, is the
Social Worker for PLAN of Massachusetts. She has worked with
our organization for more than 30 years providing advocacy
and case management services to thousands of people with disabilities.
Sally received her MSSS from Boston University and is a Licensed
Independent Clinical Social Worker.
Audrey Savikas
is the Assistant Director. Audrey has a personal
and professional commitment to the non-profit sector,
with a particular emphasis on services for individuals
who have disabilities. Her professional experience includes
direct care, program management, and administrative roles
in human service settings. She is an AmeriCorps alumnus,
and she continues to volunteer for community-based organizations.
Audrey holds an MBA from Brandeis University’s
Heller School for Social Policy and Management.
Half of our Board of Directors are family members
of people with disabilities. The other half are people who
work in professional roles with people with disabilities .
The Board of Directors adopts policies and procedures
that define the operation of PLAN of Massachusetts. It oversees
the financial management of trust fund accounts and is involved
in developing and implementing Life Care Plans.
David Wizansky, President.
David is the President of Specialized Housing, Inc., which
organizes and maintains numerous community-based supportive
living arrangements for people with special needs. A graduate
of Harvard College and Boston University School of Social
Work, David has his MSSS and LICSW. He founded the first self-advocacy
group for people with developmental disabilities in the United
States. He has worked to create residential programs, community
diversion and treatment programs for youth at risk and disabled
adults. David and his wife, Margot Wizansky were part of the
team that developed one of the first home ownership opportunities
for disabled individuals in the United States. David and Margot
are featured speakers at national and international conferences.
Robert (Rob) M. Geurden, Vice-President.
Rob is an attorney specializing in tax matters. He has an
L.L.M. in Tax from Boston University School of Law and a J.D.
from Boston College. In addition to his tax expertise, Rob
has significant experience in Estate Planning, Business Law
and Probate Court Litigation. Rob is an Adjunct Professor
at Suffolk University’s Sawyer School of Management
and is a speaker at numerous professional conferences and
organizations.
Harold (Hal) Fortna, Treasurer. Hal is an
Electrical Engineer with a company in Andover, MA. A graduate
of Auburn University, he has significant management experience.
He also has expertise in developing proposals for funding
and business development. In addition to the financial work
that he does for PLAN of Massachusetts, he provides valuable
technology assistance to the staff. Hal is also the Treasurer
of his local NAMI affiliate.
Florence Finkel, Clerk. Florence
has spent more than 45 years advocating for improving and
strengthening supports for people with disabilities. Florence
helped found the Solomon House, one of the first community
group residences in Massachusetts. In the 1970’s Florence
was a plaintiff in a lawsuit that exposed the deplorable conditions
in state facilities. This lawsuit resulted in federal court
consent decrees; she continues to work to ensure that the
consent decree standards are upheld. Florence is a member
of the Governor’s Commission on Mental Retardation,
the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council, ARC
Massachusetts, the Department of Mental Retardation’s
Statewide Human Rights Advisory Committee, and the Commission
for the Disabled for the town of Sharon. She has won numerous
awards for her advocacy work on behalf of people with disabilities,
including the prestigious Gunner Dybwad Leadership Award.
Erna S. Greene, Secretary. Erna recently
retired from running her own publications and reports business.
A graduate of Antioch College and NYU, Erna serves on several
Boards. Erna has edited and published handbooks for families
who face serious mental illness and she currently edits and
publishes the Newsletter for NAMI of Central Middlesex. She
is a member of the Department of Mental Health’s Metro
Suburban Area Board. Erna served for ten years as the Chair
of the Lexington Town Report Committee and was an elected
Town Meeting Member for 23 years. Erna is also a member of
the League of Women Voters, the Citizens for Lexington Conservation,
and the Appalachian Mountain Club.
Kevin J. Griffin. Kevin is
the Senior Vice President-System Integration, Information
Delivery and Strategy, for the Wealth and Investment Management
business units at Bank of America. A graduate of Harvard College,
he also has a M.S. in Computer Information Systems from Bentley
College Graduate School. Kevin leads the Bank of America team
which focuses on consolidating common business practices associates
with Sales Referrals and Lead Generation. During the Fleet
Boston/Bank of America merger, he worked with the Risk Management
Transition team where he led the project to convert the systems
of record from the Fleet risk rating methodology to the BAC
judgment risk rating approach. Prior to his current position
at Bank of America, Kevin was the Vice President of Operations
and Technology for Pioneer Investment Management in Boston.
He has also held senior positions at First Data Investor Services
Group and Paul Revere Life Insurance Group. He is a frequent
speaker at national conferences on issues of technology and
business operation.
Elizabeth Lewis. Elizabeth
is our newest Board member. She has extensive experience in
education, both as a teacher and as an administrator. She
is also active in issues involving international education.
Elizabeth has served as Director of Curriculum and Instruction
and as Curriculum Coordinator. She was recently a Visiting
Assistant Professor of Education at Wheaton College. She has
helped develop grants for school programs and has worked to
reorganize Support Teams that for students with learning issues.
She has worked with several parent organizations as well as
school administrators. Elizabeth received her Bachelors Degree,
cum laude, from Smith College, her MAT from Harvard
University, and her MLIS from Simmons College.
Charles (Chuck) S. Silsby.
Chuck has a Masters of Social Work and is currently the Clinical
Director at Specialized Housing, Inc. In this position, he
facilitates clinical groups for residents, makes assessments
for possible new residents, and hires staff. Prior to his
current position, he served as a Consultant and Interim House
Manager, and he was a Quality Assurance Specialist for Children’s
services in Maine. Chuck is a graduate of the University of
Maine where he had various internships in different settings,
including the Atrium House and the Janus House. Chuck has
worked with multidisciplinary teams to address individual
treatment issues and has provided rehabilitation counseling
and crisis intervention services to clients. In addition to
his volunteer work with PLAN of Massachusetts, Chuck’s
other volunteer activities include helping to facilitate an
administrative team in a research project observing the relationship
of people with disabilities and healthy living.
Barbara L. Siegel. Barbara
is an attorney at the Disability Law Center in Boston, where
she specializes in Disability Benefits. She publishes a statewide
newsletter for SSI/SSDI advocates, conducts trainings on disability
issues and provides legal representation to SSI and SSDI beneficiaries.
She also manages the Disability section of the statewide legal
services website. Barbara is a graduate of Boston College
Law School and Brown University. Prior to working at the Disability
Law Center, Barbara was a Clerk to the Massachusetts Appeals
Court and worked at Community Legal Services and Counseling
Center in the Housing and Disability Benefits units.
Phyllis Solomon. Phyllis is
a Nurse Manager in the Office of Long Term Care at the Massachusetts
Division of Medical Assistance. She represents the Division
of Medical Assistance on the Governor’s Commission on
End of Life Care and on the Research Committee of the Multicultural
Coalition on Aging. A graduate of the Cambridge City Hospital
School of Nursing, Phyllis has served on the Boards of numerous
organizations and agencies. She has vast experience in developing
and managing programs that provide assistance to people with
disabilities and the elderly. Phyllis’ late husband
was the major force in establishing the Solomon House and
the Solomon Trust which provides financial scholarships to
disabled individuals for activities that help enhance the
quality of their lives.
> Staff
> Board of Directors
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