About Boston Harbor Island Alliance

Who's Involved?

Staff

Board of Directors

Chairman
Joel Reck, Brown Rudnick
Vice Chairman
Barbara Capuano, Raphael & Raphael, LLP
Development Committee Chair
Enid L. Beal, The Beal Consulting Group
Economic Development Committee Chair
Jeffrey Porter, Mintz Levin
Treasurer
Cathleen Douglas Stone , Office of the Mayor, City of Boston
Clerk
Doug McGarrah, Foley Hoag
Kathy Abbott, The Trustees of Reservations
Bill Davis, Ze-gen, Inc.
Scott Freeman, Colony Realty
Betsy Shure Gross, City Parks Alliance
Mary Kralis Hoppe, Alliance Bernstein
Sandra Jesse, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Thomas P. McShane, Dewey Square Group
Mari Ryan, AdvancingWellness
Raj Sharma, Merrill Lynch
Helen B. Spaulding, Boston Foundation
Venkat Srinivasan, Rage Frameworks
Judy Waterston,
Ex Officio
David Cash, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Nancy Grilk, City of Boston, Energy and Environmental Services
Paul Guzzi, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
Gloria Larson, Bentley College
Tom Powers, Boston Harbor Island Alliance
Top

Board of Trustees

 
Bob Brustlin, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin
Rick Burnes, Charles River Ventures
Mark Hirsh, Pierce Management
George Macomber, Macomber Construction
David Solomon, Solomon Fund
Steve Woodsum, Summit Partners
Honorary Trustees
Dr. Edward O. Wilson, Professor Emeritus, Harvard University
Top
Staff
Thomas B. Powers President

In June, 2004 Thomas B. Powers was named President of Boston Harbor Island Alliance. In this position he is responsible for raising funds to improve the park, developing and articulating Alliance positions on matters involving the park and the harbor, and (along with the rest of the Alliance staff) working closely with the National Park Service to protect, promote and preserve the Boston Harbor Islands National Park area.

Powers is a veteran environmentalist with extensive experience on Boston Harbor issues. Prior to coming to the Island Alliance he worked in both the private and public sectors, most recently as Director of External Relations and Environmental Affairs for USGen New England, Inc. From 1996 - 1999 he was Deputy Director of the Mass. Water Resources Authority. Before that he served in various positions in the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection over a nineteen-year period, including Acting Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner for the last seven.

Powers has a BA degree from Oberlin College, a law degree from Harvard Law School, and a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government. He lives in Newton with his wife, Patricia King.

617-223-8530
Top
Carrie Zeisse Vice President of Economic Development and Finance

Carrie Zeisse joined Boston Harbor Island Alliance in 2006 and is responsible for developing and managing earned income and economic development initiatives for the Boston Harbor Islands national park area. In this capacity, she works closely with the National Park Service, U.S. Coast Guard and Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation to promote fee-based public and private events and amenities within the harbor and on the islands.

Previously, Ms. Zeisse worked as Director of Marketing and Strategy, National Programs for the Trust for Public Land, helping to launch fee-for-service conservation programs. During her tenure at TPL she also developed an on-line conservation resource and comparative tool, the Conservation Almanac, and the County Leadership in Conservation Awards program (in partnership with the National Association of Counties) to acknowledge outstanding conservation efforts by local governments across the United States.

Ms. Zeisse has a BFA degree in Photography from Maine College of Art, and an MBA from MIT's Sloan School of Management.

617-223-8035
Top
Laurie Jackson Cormier Director of Individual Giving

Laurie Jackson Cormier joined Boston Harbor Island Alliance in 2002 as a Development Intern, was hired as a full-time employee in 2003. Recently promoted to Director of Individual Giving in 2008, Laurie's focus is to secure funding from the private sector to support a variety of community, youth, science, and capital projects taking place on the islands.

Laurie is responsible for growing the individual arm of funding through major fundraising events, annual appeals, customized individual giving programs, and capital projects. She works in collaboration with the President, Director of Corporate & Foundation Giving, and the Board of Directors to organize and execute intimate events that foster new relationships and support Board and Trustee Development. She is also responsible for donor communications including the production of a yearly Annual Report.

Laurie received her BA in Clinical Psychology from Suffolk University in 2003 and currently serves as Vice President for College of Arts and Science Alumni Board, Chair of the Development Committee, and an Ambassador to the Department of Undergraduate Admissions.

617-223-8326
Top
Jessica C. Conaway Director of Corporate and Foundation Giving

Jessica C. Conaway joined Boston Harbor Island Alliance in February 2009 and is responsible for developing, planning and executing fundraising programs that attract corporate and foundation support to BHIA and the Boston Harbor Islands national park area. Ms. Conaway partners closely with the Director of Individual Giving, the President and the Board of Directors in executing multi-year, multi-million dollar fundraising campaigns.

Prior to joining BHIA, Ms. Conaway worked as Director of Policy and Development for A Better City (ABC). In this role, Jessica directed ABC’s legislative advocacy activity and corporate and foundation relations. Ms. Conaway started her career at Greenpeace USA where she was responsible for the execution of multi-million dollar direct marketing fundraising campaigns. Ms. Conaway has a BS degree in Environmental Studies from Binghamton University in New York and a Masters of Urban Planning from the University of Michigan.

617-223-8686
Top
Rebecca Smerling Marcus Director of Community Programs

617-223-8108
Top
Diane Haynes Director of Project Management

Diane Haynes is the senior project manager for Boston Harbor Island Alliance. Ms. Haynes coordinates major capital projects funded through cooperative agreements between the National Park Service and the Island Alliance. She also manages the Island Alliance's role in the planning, development and operation of Spectacle Island, which is scheduled to open soon for public visitation.

Her other activities include coordination with the Peddocks Island team, managing the Massachusetts Technology Council's Renewable Energy grant, and administrating public art projects.

Ms. Haynes has a wealth of experience in public/private partnerships and has served as a board member on a number of non-profit boards.

617-223-8636
Top
Kristen Wyman Island Ambassador Program Manager

Kristen Wyman joined Boston Harbor Island Alliance in June 2005 as a crew leader for the Junior Ranger Program, a program designed to provide urban youth from Odyssey High School with a valuable summer employment opportunity as a park ranger on the Boston Harbor Islands. Kristen was promoted to BEAN Program Manager in fall 2005 and currently oversees 20 youth interns from the city of Boston. The BEAN program provides urban students with innovative internship opportunities in scientific research, public policy, and environmental careers. In addition, interns receive hands-on experience with environmental education through service-learning projects, community outreach, leadership development and college preparation.

Ms. Wyman pursued her BA in Political Science, Legal Studies and Native American Studies at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She also participated in the National Student Exchange Program at the University of New Mexico for two semesters. In addition to her role at the Island Alliance, Kristen is a substitute teacher with the Boston Public Schools and is in the process of obtaining her Massachusetts teacher's certificate.

617-223-8588
Top
Catherine Lawson Operations Manager
Top
Dina Zawaski Economic Development Manager

Dina Zawaski joined Boston Harbor Island Alliance in 2006. After service as an invaluable intern herself, Dina jointed the staff full time in 2007 as an associate within BHIA’s Economic Development department. In this capacity she helped to manage several business lines, including custom and public tour offerings and retail sales opportunities within the park. In 2008, Dina was promoted to the position of Economic Development Manager, where she continues her work in helping to manage and promote several earned income opportunities through working collaboratively with park partners and affiliates. Dina holds a BSBA from Suffolk University’s Sawyer School of Management with a concentration in marketing.

Top
Patti Gerety Bookkeeper
Patti joined Boston Harbor Island Alliance in July, 2004. She works part time and is responsible for ensuring the accuracy of all financial records, including an extensive series of Cooperative Agreements with the National Park Service.
Top