About: Board of Directors

Investment Advisor Representative, Independence Financial Partners
New England Board Member since 2013

Walter Nencka assists his clients in realizing their financial goals using products and services from many of the country’s most well-respected financial services companies. He specializes in working with small business owners, offering accumulation and preservation products to owners and employees. Nencka attended Springfield College and he remains active in the LaSalle Academy community by donating his time to various fundraising campaigns. Nencka currently resides in Bristol, Rhode Island where he volunteers in youth sports supporting his two children Thomas and Sara.

Manager Strategic Initiatives, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems
New England Board Member since 2013
 
Christopher “Chris” Lanen is an attorney working in the areas of corporate law as well as legislative and regulatory advocacy. Chris began his career in the public sector, serving as a legislative aide in the Washington, D.C. office of U.S. Senator Jack Reed where his work focused primarily on the federal appropriations process. Following his tenure in Senator Reed’s office, Chris returned home to Rhode Island to serve as finance director for Congressman Jim Langevin’s successful campaign for re-election in 2010.

Upon entering private industry in 2012, Chris joined Raytheon Technologies where he currently holds the title of Senior Manager, Government Relation for Raytheon Missiles and Defense.

Chris is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts School of Law (Dartmouth, MA), Bentley University (Waltham, MA) and North Kingstown High School (North Kingstown, RI).

Adjunct Professor, Community College of Rhode Island
New England Board Member since 2021
 
Lorrie Manosh has dedicated her career to educational services for youth. Currently Lorrie is an adjunct Professor at the Community College of Rhode Island. She was the founder and Director of the Vanguard Christian Academy which was a private high school. Lorrie has worked as an ESL teacher for VIP Kid Teacher as well as worked for the North Smithfield school department. Lorrie holds a master’s in Education from Providence College with a Major in Special Education. With this educational expertise, Lorrie is a vital member of the Board of Directors as we continue to expand our educational programing in New England. Additionally, Lorrie served as a Boys Town Foster Parent and adopted her son into their family back in 2016. Lorrie currently lives in Seekonk Massachusetts with her four kids and husband.

Executive Director, Boys Town New England
New England Board Member since 2019

Sarah Galvan has dedicated her career to being a voice for those that are in need and enhancing the lives of youth and families. She started her career at Boys Town in 2006 as a Youth Care Worker in the Assessment and Short-Term Residential Facility at the Washington DC Site. Before coming to Boys Town, Sarah worked with woman recovering from domestic violence in a crisis shelter. Over the course of several years, Sarah held positions of increasing responsibility as Shift Supervisor of the Intervention and Assessment Program, completing the Administrative Management Training Program at home campus in Omaha Nebraska, Program Director of the Family Home Program and Program Support Coordinator all at our Washington DC location.  In December 2014, Sarah assumed the role of Executive Director of the Boys Town Washington, DC Site.  In October of 2019 Sarah relocated to Rhode Island and assumed the role of Executive Director of the New England site.  Sarah holds a Masters in Youth and Family Services and lives in North Kingstown, RI with her husband Fernando and three children, Addison, Camila and Avery.

Operations Coordinator, St. Michael's Day School
New England Board Member since 2017
 
Hadley Bazarsky is the Operations Coordinator at St. Michael's Country Day School in Newport, RI, overseeing non-academic day-to-day operations of the school. Previously Hadley worked in startup organizations in both New York, NY and Miami, FL where she helped food & beverage and CPG companies hire for senior management positions. She joined the Board of Directors of Boys Town New England in 2019. In addition to her work with Boys Town, Hadley is involved with a number of organizations that focus on education opportunities and child & family support throughout the community. Hadley currently resides in Newport RI.

Managing Director, Accenture Strategy at ACCENTURE
New England Board Member since 2015
 
Art is a Managing Director in Accenture's Strategy practice based in Boston and his experience comprises over 27 years across the spectrum of M&A, Growth Strategy, strategic planning, enterprise transformation, and strategy consulting with Global 1000 clients. Art has helped clients develop and execute organic and inorganic growth initiatives as well as align Operating Models and cost structure. Prior to his current role, he led Accenture's Products Strategy practice, and Corporate Strategy and M&A practice. On the M&A front he has led clients through more than 60 major mergers/ acquisitions & divestitures across a range of industries. He is a frequent speaker and has published white papers and articles on M&A. Art holds patents for Accenture's M&A Playbook as well as its Enterprise Transformation playbook. Art joined Accenture in 2005.

Accenture is one of the world's leading organizations providing management consulting, technology and outsourcing services, with approximately 289,000 employees; offices and operations in more than 200 cities in 56 countries; and net revenues of $28.6 billion for fiscal 2013.

Prior to joining Accenture, Art was the Managing Director for Asia Pacific with A.T. Kearney. He also led their Global Mergers, Acquisitions and Alliances Practice.​

Art received an MBA from Columbia University Business School and a BAE from Georgia Institute of Technology.

President/Co-founder, Gooseneck Vineyards, President, Wickford Wine Company
New England Board Member since 2022

Liana Buonanno is the president and co-founder of Gooseneck Vineyards, ​a producer of high quality, everyday wines across the globe​. She is responsible for the company's worldwide operations, including development of strategic supplier relationships, digital marketing, accounting, finance and production oversight.​​

Liana began her professional career in investment banking with J.P. Morgan and Evercore Partners in various businesses, including leverage finance, special situations investing, equity capital markets and restructuring advisory. As Vice President in Evercore's Restructuring Group, she advised boards of directors and management teams of both public and private companies in financial distress.

Liana is a licensed pilot, volunteering for Patient Airlift Services (PALS Sky Hope), an organization providing free flights for patients in need of medical treatment, who are otherwise too far away from a medical facility. PALS also assists military personnel and their families with free flights to aid in the recovery and rehabilitation processes for our wounded veterans.

Liana graduated from NYU Stern School of Business with majors in Finance and Accounting.

Liana splits her time between New York City and Rhode Island, with her husband Rob and their sons, Ben and Thomas. 

Managing Broker, DCU Realty, LLC
New England Board Member since 2020
 
Kim is an experienced Managing Broker with a demonstrated history of working in all facets of the real estate industry. For the past 12 years, she has been lea​ding DCU Realty and working with her team of agents to expand the scope and quality of their real estate services through Massachusetts and Southern NH.

DCU Realty is a full-service real estate company, affiliated with Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU). With headquarters in Marlborough, Massachusetts, DCU is the largest credit union headquartered in New En​gland as measured by assets and is among the top 20 nationwide.

Kim has a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resource Management from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College. She is an avid volunteer and has provided event planning help in various volunteer positions.

Kim lives in Natick with her husband Andrew. She has two sons, Andrew Jr. and Matthew.

Senior Vice President, Pare Corporation
New England Board Member since 2014
 
Ken DeCosta joined Pare in 1998 and since that time has been responsible for leading company operations, including the implementation of strategies and policies, contract administration, IT, CAD, and Health and Safety. Ken has provided technical and managerial experience in planning, design, and construction administration for projects throughout New England. He has also taken leadership roles in professional associations including ACEC-RI, as well as in community organizations including serving as Chair of the Board of Directors for Boys Town New England.

Pare Corporation was founded in 1970 with one goal in mind - providing consistently superior service to its clients. Over the years, they have expanded both capabilities and staff to address the ever-changing complexities and challenges of projects in both the public and private sectors. Today, the company provides a diverse array of services: land use and economic development planning, intermodal transportation planning, civil and environmental engineering, waterfront and coastal engineering, transportation engineering, structural and geotechnical engineering, dam engineering, site planning and design, and LEED-accredited and sustainable design services. The firm serves all the Eastern United States from offices in Lincoln, RI and Foxborough, MA.

Vice President, Business Banking at Webster Bank
New England Board Member since 2017
 
Megan Johnson joined Webster Bank in 2018 as Vice President, Associate Relationship Manger. She is currently responsible for originating commercial loans by partnering with Webster Bank's fourteen banking centers in Rhode Island, Southeastern Massachusetts and surrounding communities to develop relationships for existing clients and prospective clients who have small business banking needs.

Prior to joining Webster Bank, Megan was Vice President, Regional Sales Manager and Business Lender Associate at Coastway Community Bank, now HarborOne Bank. In that role she underwent two years of commercial credit training and was a partner on numerous executive projects. Her most memorable project there was building its companywide Customer Relationship Management technology platform, implementing the roll out and training all employ​ees.

Megan received her BA degree in International Business and Finance from the University of Rhode Island. She is a resident of East Greenwich, RI and in her spare time, she enjoys traveling, entertaining at her home, playing golf, and going to the beach.

Deputy Treasurer Financial Empowerment & Community Outreach, Office of General Treasurer, RI
New England Board Member Since 2020
 
Charon Rose is the Director of Outreach and Constituent Relations for Rhode Island General Treasurer Seth Magaziner. Rose is a lifelong Rhode Islander with deep roots in the capital city, Providence. She is a first-generation college graduate receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Rhode Island College.

Growing up in the city’s Chad Brown neighborhood, Rose had an early understanding of racial inequality and social injustices. Because of that, she became active in local politics and was a Member Political Organizer for SEIU Healthcare 1199NE. Rose has been a volunteer and staff member for several elected officials including Mayor Jorge Elorza. She is a member of Congressman David Cicilline’s Women’s Advisory Board and serves on the board of Boys Town New England. Rose served as the president of the Young Democrats of Rhode Island from 2014 – 2016, the organization’s first Black president, and served as co-director of New Leaders Council Rhode Island. She is passionate about the Black community and promoting Black leadership in the State of Rhode Island. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, spending time with loved ones, reading, and learning new skills.

Director of Training & Development, Newport Restaurant Group
New England Board Member Since 2022
 
For 15 years Tobey has worked with the Newport Restaurant Group in various capacities. Recently he was named as the Director of Training and Development. Prior to his current position, Tobey served as a regional general manager at several of the 13 Newport Restaurant Group sites ranging from Newport to Providence to Boston.

Tobey was influential in working with Boys Town New England in developing our first corporate partnership. He developed a restaurant academy in which Boys Town kids have the opportunity to go through a six-week training course learning all aspects of the restaurant business. Three of the individuals who went through the training this fall are now working for one of the Newport Restaurant Group establishments.

Tobey earned his Bachelor’s degree from Johnson & Wales in Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management in 1997.

Director of First Year Experience & Houses, Brown University
New England Board Member Since 2022
 
Sean has worked at Brown University since 2020. He initially served as Program Director of Orientation before joining the Office of Residential Education in May 2021 as the Director of First Year Experience & Houses. As the Director, Sean is responsible for the development of the living-learning experience for first-year students bringing a relational, strategic, and coordinated approach to a residential area of 1,700 students.

Prior to working at Brown, Sean served as Director of New Student & Family Programs at UMass Boston (2018-20), Assistant Director of New Student Programs at the University of Rhode Island (2014-18) and Assistant Director of Student Programs and Leadership at Roger Williams College (2011-14).

Sean earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics in 2008 from the University of Hartford and his Master of Science in Counseling with a specialization in Higher Education & Student Development in 2011 from Central Connecticut State University.