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Council Biographies by Town
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No current listing No current listing Amy Hall (Belmont) eodusnh@metrocast.net A 2001 graduate of Keene State College, Amy has spent the first years of her professional life in customer service and network management with Healthsource, CIGNA, and Anthem Healthplans of New Hampshire where she worked with providers, members and employers on many different health care financing issues. Most of this time was focused on provider relations, contracting, and negotiating. She was then hired as a Field Coordinator with the NH Healthy Kids program where she met individuals throughout the state with a goal of increasing the numbers of children registered for these health insurance services. Recently Amy switched her professional focus to assume the position of Director of Promotion for the Granite State Dairy Association. In this role, she uses her communication and marketing skills and knowledge of local community infrastructures to strengthen the dairy industry in New Hampshire. Amy is very interested “in building sustainable resources” that begin in the heart of communities in Belknap County, such as the town of Belmont where she lives. As a Council member, she is working side-by-side with other Belmont residents, and as a liaison from the Council, to promote a supportive environment for children, youth, and families in her own community. Amy joined the Citizens Council in the spring of 2007. James P. Pilliod. M. D. (Belmont) jimp3047@metrocast.net A graduate of Yale University, Jim received a medical degree from Duke University and has been a practicing pediatrician for 32 years. Following retirement from a full time practice of Pediatrics, Jim continues to advocate for the needs of children and families as an elected member of the NH House of Representatives. Representing the Town of Belmont, Jim serves on the Health, Human Services & Elderly Affairs Committee. He has also served on numerous state and national organizations that advance medical and health care practices for children and families. Jim believes that the public should be involved in shaping the systems that impact the lives of children and families. He says, "We have not done a particularly good job of creating innovative guidance for the young to sidetrack inappropriate behaviors, nor in providing treatment, rather than incarceration, for individuals with mental illness. It seems we should try harder." Gil Schohan (Belmont) gilschohan@gmail.com Gil Schohan, a resident of the Lakes Region for forty-five years, has been a business partner in tennis pro shops throughout New Hampshire. She is presently a partner with the Evroks Corporation, a bridge construction company located in the Lakes Region. Gil has spent most of her adult life volunteering in the community. Currently she is member of the Board of Trustees of LRGHealthcare, where she has already served eleven years with one term as Board Chair. She has also been the Co-Chair of the LRGHealthcare Incorporators Advisory Council. Her community work, including leadership roles with Lakes Region Family Services, Youth Services Bureau, and the Belknap Juvenile Justice Initiative, has brought her a keen awareness of the need for comprehensive prevention and early intervention programs. Gil is now serving her second term as a member of the Citizens Council. She was the Council’s first Chairperson when it was created in 2002. Laurie Belanger (Gilford) lbelanger@gilford.k12.nh.us Laurie Belanger, a Student Assistance Counselor in the Gilford School District, has been with this school system since 1992. Previous work experiences include the Newfound School District as the Educational Coordinator; the NH Bar Association as a Paralegal; and the Parent Information Center in Concord as an Advocate and Consultant. She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Colby-Sawyer, St. Anselm, and Notre Dame Colleges. Her longtime professional life as a school counselor has enriched her knowledge of the Lakes Region community, including its schools, law enforcement, courts, social services, and civic organizations. Laurie is interested in improving access to services for teens in crisis so “they can find what they need from the network of very caring and talented mental health professionals we have in the Lakes Region”. Laurie was honored as the Educator of the Year by the NH National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) where she serves as a member of their Youth Suicide Prevention Frameworks committee. Rasim Gusinac (Gilford) rasimg2@juno.com As a political refugee, Rasim Gusinac brings a wealth of wisdom and experiences from his Serbian homeland in the former Yugoslavia. While he and his wife Umija were recently granted US Citizenship and are now homeowners in the Lakes Region, their path to this goal has been full of wrenching pain, terror, and flight. Rasim who grew up in a Serbian community where folk traditions and family life tied generations together with respect and honor says, “We were taught to love life and to help, not harm others”. A schoolteacher by profession, Rasim was educated at a college in Macedonia where he received a Bachelor’s degree in History and Geography. After teaching for a short period in Serbia, Rasim moved to Zvornik, Bosnia where he taught history and geography to middle school youth. There, he met Umija. While living in Zvornik, Serbia invaded Bosnia. According to Rasim, “Checkpoints were everywhere and everyday, it got worse and worse. People were killed or put in concentration camps.” Fearing for their lives and guided by the International Red Cross, the couple fled in their automobile in the middle of the night, leaving everything behind. “We left our home so quickly we didn’t even have time to bring our college diplomas or family photos. All we had were the clothes we were wearing.” After weeks of confusion and without any possessions, Rasim and Umija were finally given permission to move to Istanbul, Turkey where the couple lived and worked for more than eight years. “Our hope was always that we could return to Bosnia, but even then in 2000, things were not well in our country,” explains Rasim. The couple made plans to move to the United States; however, they did not know exactly where they were headed until they were handed their plane tickets at the airport. While Rasim is a skilled linguist who speaks Russian, Turkish, Bosnian, and Macedonian, he and his wife did not know a word of English when they landed at Kennedy Airport in New York City on September 6, 2000. But they learned quickly. After arriving in Laconia, Rasim and Umija enrolled in English classes through the Laconia Adult Education Program and Lutheran Social Services. Rasim found employment at Freudenberg NOK where he continues to work today. When asked what his dreams and hopes in life are, Rasim responds, “To find health and peace…to be healthy and happy. And this comes only by helping others.” Sandy Mclaughlin (Gilford) smclaugh@juno.com Sandra has more than 20 years experiences as an educator in the Lakes Region, specializing in special education, learning disabilities, school administration, and educational consulting. She recently retired as principal of the Holderness Central School. In 2000, as the Assistant Principal at Gilford Middle High School, she was honored as NH Assistant Principal of the Year with an Excellence in Education Award (Edie). A graduate of the University of Massachusetts in journalism and English, Sandra began her career as a technical writer and editor for Raytheon and Alden Company in Massachusetts and later as associate editor and writer for Mainelife and Farmstead magazines. She also spent time as a VISTA worker teaching English to Navajos and coordinating social services and the learning center. Sandra is now the Education Resource Specialist for the NH Music Festival. Richard Moed (Gilford) richmoed@gmail.com Richard Moed, who has lived and worked as a healthcare administrator in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, and New York, recently moved with his family to Gilford where he is a healthcare consultant and entrepreneur. A Registered Nurse, he earned a Masters in Public Administration from New York University and has served in executive positions at Schneider Children's Hospital in New Hyde Park, New York; Brooklyn Hospital in Brooklyn, New York; Sinai Hospital in Detroit, Michigan; Boston Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts; and St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford, Connecticut. Rich has also had significant experience working with youth in the criminal justice and mental health systems. He ran an experimental residential treatment program in Connecticut for troubled youth and was the operations administrator of six special education schools for children who had both learning and mental health issues. He also was an administrator of a psychiatric crises center located in Detroit and a member of several statewide commissions that focused on the needs of children in foster care and juveniles requiring residential placements. It is the intersection of Rich's experiences in healthcare, juvenile justice, mental health, and poverty that have influenced his decision to do what he can as a Council member to "break the cycle" of poverty, mental illness, substance abuse, domestic violence, and juvenile crime. Deborah Rosato (Gilford) debsmail@metrocast.net Deb who was named the Director of the Prescott Farm Center in Laconia in 2008 has had a variety of responsibilities in programs and services that benefit children and families. Prior to Prescott Farm, Deb was employed for five years at Lakes Region Community Services as a Program Coordinator and Early Intervention Special Educator. She has been a public school educator in Laconia Wolfeboro, and Gilford in the areas of preschool special education, literacy, and integrated arts. She was also the Director and co-founder of the Zeeum, a Children’s Museum in Meredith. Originally from Massachusetts, Deb holds a BS in Business Administration from the University of Lowell, and both M.Ed and CAGS degrees from Plymouth State University in New Hampshire. Deb is interested in helping to develop an aligned system of mental health, social services, and restorative juvenile justice services for families in Belknap County. Nancy Porosky (Gilmanton) nancy.porosky@novainfo.com Nancy Porosky and her family have lived in Gilmanton for more than 25 years. She graduated from University of New Hampshire with a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education. However, most of her career has been in Banking where she has worked for several decades in supervisory positions. Currently, she is in the Merchant Credit Card Industry as a Portfolio Manager for Nova Information Systems. She provides credit card services and develops marketing and training programs for the eight banks in her territory. Nancy, always an active community volunteer, has served as treasurer for a number of Gilmanton organizations, including Cub Scouts, Gilmanton PTA, and the Gilmanton Supplemental Assistance Program. She is a member of two committees in the Gilmanton Community Church and is a longtime volunteer with the “Making Strides for Breast Cancer” fundraiser. After her husband passed away suddenly in 1999, Nancy felt a “true sense of community” as the townspeople came to her with open arms to assist in any way they could. She notes, “I cherish and value what my community did for me in my time of need and want very much to give something back.” Realizing that most parents need encouragement, Nancy has used Council resources to create and co-lead “Turbulent Teens: Parents Helping Parents”, a drop-in parent support and education group for parents in the Lakes Region. Betty Anson (Laconia) banson50@aol.com Betty is currently a family therapist who has also had extensive senior executive experience in human resources for healthcare and financial institutions. She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, New School in NYC, and Fairfield University in Connecticut. After more than a 30 year career in human resources, and as a college professor and private consultant, she made a recent shift to Family Therapy. She is now employed as a therapist with FamilyStrength in the Manchester area. Betty has always been an active volunteer in every community where she has lived. Her previous volunteer experiences included facilitating parenting programs in Maine and Connecticut; fundraising, marketing, and program development for a local YMCA; and as a member of a citizen school budget committee. However, she says, “First and foremost, I am a mother! I hope my experience as a mother, wife, business executive, family therapist and volunteer can be useful to the Council and in turn to the community.” Emily Clement (Laconia) Emily@laconiaUCC.org Emily earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from Wheaton College and Plymouth State University. As an educator, she has worked with elementary and high school youth in the Lakes Region, at Mount Prospect Academy in Plymouth, and the Cardigan Mountain School in Canaan. She also held education-related jobs in New Jersey, New Mexico, Alaska, Turkey, Czech Republic, Lebanon, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. “These were all rich and fulfilling experiences for me,” says Emily who recently earned a national certificate as a Christian Educator. "Now everything comes together perfectly in my role as Director of Christian Education here at the Congregational Church in Laconia.” In this role she also serves as a member of the Outdoor Ministries Board for the NH Conference, United Church of Christ. Emily explains that membership with the Citizens Council helps her to “understand more about both the challenges facing youth and families and the types of resources available here in the Lakes Region.” As a member of the Council’s Prevention Work Group and with a graduate degree in school guidance counseling, Emily is especially interested in helping youth avoid the pitfalls of underage drinking, substance abuse, and other risk behaviors. She also finds time to volunteer at the Lakes Region Facility where she co-leads the “Alternatives to Violence” program for inmates. Ruth O’hara (Laconia) ruth.ohara@verizon.net Ruth O’Hara, current Director of Obstetrical Services at LRGHealthcare, began her career as a labor and delivery nurse at Lakes Region General Hospital, after earning her Associate Degree in Nursing in 1991. With her strong desire and belief in continuing education, she returned to school and completed Bachelor of Science Degree at NH College in Manchester in 1994. Ruth took the role of raising her five children, ages 21 to 43, to heart. She began parenting as a teenager herself, and as many other parents, she was faced with several challenges. Ruth states she needed to, “continually learn and grow in order to provide the people I brought into the world with the best parenting I could.” Over the years, Ruth has accumulated a wealth of knowledge and resources. Her multiple roles as nurse, director, and mother, afford her with a unique perspective to serve as an advocate for children and families in the Lakes Region. Andre is a founding member of the Citizens Council and served three years as a Council member and three years as a Council Associate. In January 2009, he returned as a Council member and assumed the role of Council Chair. He is a native of the Lakes Region and has been married to Margaret LaPlante Paquette for fifty-one years. They have three grown children and eight grandchildren. Andre holds college degrees from Plymouth State College and the University of Mass, Amherst. He is a retired educator and administrator and has worked in the public schools, the Department of Education of the State of NH, a private college, and professional associations located in New York City. Andre is a past president and trustee of the Belknap Mill Society in Laconia and continues as a volunteer in the Mill’s NH History project. He is very familiar with the problems of Lakes Region youth through his work in the field of education and as long-time Chair of the Belknap County Juvenile Justice Advisory Council, a network of professional providers and citizens. Micheline Roy (Laconia) michroy@metrocast.net Micheline Roy, a Registered Nurse, received her Nursing Diploma from the St Louis Hospital School of Nursing in Berlin, New Hampshire. After recently retiring from a 13-year nursing career as an administrator with the Behavioral Health Unit and as an Occupational Health Nurse with LRGHealthcare, Micheline now works part-time at Lakes Region General Hospital. Prior to LRGHealthcare, Micheline worked as a Registered Nurse in the Detox and Rehab units at Beech Hill Hospital in Dublin, NH; at the Rumford, Maine Nursing Home; and in Pediatric Units at Massachusetts General Hospital and St Louis Hospital in Berlin. Says Micheline, “My personal experience of raising my own family of four children shows how fortunate I am to have a close knit, extended family,” she says. Her professional work as a nurse in pediatrics, substance abuse prevention, and behavioral health supports her belief that “the well being of children is so dependent on responsible adults. In the scope of my practice, it has always been my endeavor to offer respect to all individuals.” Micheline is a member and Chair of the Council’s Prevention Work Group. No current listing Pamela Kuczkowski (New Hampton) Pam grew up in the Lakes Region and lives with her husband and three young boys in New Hampton. She is currently employed as a Market Analyst with the Laconia Savings Bank. She graduated from Southern NH University in Manchester, NH with a B.S. in Business Administration. She also earned a Diploma from the American Institute of Banking. Pam began her post-college career as a Network Administrator with the Meredith Village Savings Bank. She continued to work in the information technology field for technology companies in both Center Harbor and Conway and later as an Independent Contractor. Skilled in sports, she participated as a varsity athlete during her high school years and then as a volunteer youth coach for community Parks and Recreation leagues. Sarah Fox - Council Chair (Sanbornton) sfox@metrocast.net Sarah Fox has lived in the Lakes Region for much of her life and calls Franklin, Tilton, and Sanbornton home. Committed to public service, she studied elementary education at Boston University and has taught for three years, including one year at Inter-Lakes Elementary School in Meredith, NH. She graduated from Franklin Pierce Law Center in 2005 with a JD and a Master of Education Law ad joined the NH Bar in 2007. She worked in the Bureau of Special Education at the NH Department of Education for two years and now works for the NH District Court and Family Division as the Court Improvement Project Training Specialist. Her works combines her passion for teaching, for learning, and for ensuring permanency, safety, and well being for children in the state. Her proudest endeavor is recently becoming a foster mom. No current listing |
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