Board of Trustees

Bessie Tartt Wilson Initiative for Children is grateful for the tireless efforts of our Board of Trustees. Led by Phyllis Cater, CEO of Spectrum Healthcare Services, our trustees continuously lend their time, diverse talent, and generous philanthropic support to ensure the fulfillment of our mission.

Phyllis Cater, Chairperson

Phyllis B. Cater joined Spectrum Health Services, Inc. in January 2004 with a professional career of more than 20 years in health and human services in the City of Boston, Massachusetts area. She holds an undergraduate degree in sociology and psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Boston and a Masters of Social Planning degree from Boston College School of Social Work.

With her appointment as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Spectrum Health Services, Inc., Ms. Cater provides the senior leadership for the delivery of primary health care, and social and mental health services to over 12,000 patients at Spectrum Health Services’ two sites: the Haddington Health Center in West Philadelphia, and the Board Street Health Center in North Philadelphia.

Professional affiliations and community service activities include services as the Treasurer and member of the Board of Directors for the Health Federation of Philadelphia, Advisory Board member of the Haddington Community Development Corporation, the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers, the National Association of Community Health Centers, and the Philadelphia Area Research Community Coalition (PARCC). Ms. Cater is the 2005 Alumni of the Philadelphia Leadership, Inc. program, and a 2008 graduate of the Johnson and Johnson Executive Health Care program at the UCLA Anderson School of Management.

Gail Kirk, Vice Chairperson

Most of Gail’s career was spent in Washington, D C where she worked in the Senate offices of both Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Senator Edward M. Kennedy. After leaving Senator Edward M. Kennedy’s office in 1977, Gail served as a special assistant to the Under Secretary for Management at the US Department of State, traveling extensively with Presidential delegations to all parts of the world.

After working on Senator Edward Kennedy’s 1980 presidential campaign, Gail joined her husband, Paul, as he traveled the United States, first in his capacity as treasurer and then as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

Upon returning to Massachusetts, Gail focused her attention on fundraising for the American Cancer Society. She served on the board of the Cape and Islands chapter of the American Cancer Society and chaired the first ever Cape Cod Gala. In 2002 she received the American Cancer Society’s Larry Tangvik Award for Fundraising after chairing an even more successful second Gala.

Gail joined the Bessie Tartt Wilson Children’s Foundation upon it’s formation in 2002 and currently serves as its Vice Chair.

Maureen Alphonse-Charles

Maureen joined Gilbert Tweed Associates as Managaging Director in their Wellesley, Massachusetts office. Maureen is building the Not for Profit practice as well as Financial Services.

Maureen has over 10 years of experience in investment management, sales/marketing (Putnam Investments) and corporate finance as well as international private banking (Swiss Bank Corp.). She was also the Associate Director of Admissions for the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

Maureen is on the Board of the National Conference for Community and Justice and was a former President of the LeadBoston Community Board. Maureen is an overseer for the New England Conservatory of Music and Board member of the Bostonian Society. She is on the Career Advisory Board for Boston University’s School of Management and a member of the Tufts Alumni Council. She is also a member of the National Association of Securities Professionals (NASP) and former Boston Fellow with the Partnership. Most recently, Maureen was honored by the Boston Junior Chamber of Commerce as one of the ten outstanding young leaders in Boston.

Maureen holds a B.A. from Boston University (Magna Cum Laude) and an M.A.L.D. from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University.

George M. Coulter

George M. Coulter is a director of business development in the Boston office of RSM McGladrey. In that role, he is responsible for expanding professional services offered to targeted client segments in the areas of health care, higher education, not-for-profit, professional services, technology and manufacturing/wholesale distribution.  Client needs in the areas of audit, tax, and strategic business consulting are resolved through the professional services offered by McGladrey Capital Markets LLP and Retirement Resources. George has over 25 years of professional experience in senior financial management and business development roles in not-for-profit education organizations and Big Four financial and law firms in Boston.

Professional Affiliations

Healthcare Financial Management Association Committee (HFMA)

Co-Chair of Membership Committee, HFMA, MA and RI Chapter

Small Business Association of New England Member (SBANE)

Financial Executive Networking Group Member (FENG)

The Treasurers’ Club of Boston

Community Involvement

Marsh Chapel at Boston University–Advisory Board Member; Head Usher

Bentley College –Member Executive Club; Judge, Bentley College Business Bowl

Founder and Chair of Museum CFO Roundtable

Robert Greenwald

Robert Greenwald is the Director of Harvard Law School’s Health Law Programs, the university’s largest clinical legal service education program and legal services agency.  As director of the Center’s HIV and Health Law Clinics, Robert’s accomplishments include: securing passage of laws addressing HIV treatment access and creating a $50 million first-in-the-nation HIV Medicaid expansion program. Recent initiatives include: Medicaid eligibility and enrollment advocacy for victims of Hurricane Katrina; and conducting research and advising the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on the impact of stigma on high-risk populations accessing care and treatment.

Robert is also an independent consultant serving private, not-for-profit and government sector clients.  Primary law and policy activities include: monitoring and evaluating federal and state statutes and regulations; drafting legislation; advising on legislative advocacy strategies; providing research, writing, training and technical assistance on federal and state health care access law and policy initiatives.

Professional Affiliations

Co-chair, Federal HIV Medicaid/Medicare Workgroup (2002-Present)

Former Board director for AIDS Action Council, Washington DC

Publication

“The Role of Community-Based Clinical Legal Education in Supporting Public Interest Lawyering,” Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review, 2007.

Mary Lassen

Mary Lassen is Managing Director of the Center for Community Change. Prior to her appointment as Managing Director in March 2008, Ms. Lassen served as Board Chair for the Center for Community Change. Ms. Lassen served as President and CEO of The Women’s Union from 1994-2005 In 2006, Mary Lassen was a Senior Fellow at the Boston Foundation, focusing on issues of workforce development and higher education.

After distinguished work in community organizing, Ms. Lassen served from 1984-1993 as Executive Director of the Committee for Boston Public Housing, an organization which piloted early childhood, anti-violence and community building programs in several of Boston’s public housing developments. She is a summa cum laude graduate of Radcliffe College, Harvard University and a featured speaker on such topics as women’s economic security, family support initiatives, and strategic positioning for organizations.

Ms. Lassen currently serves on the OMB Watch Board and the Washington Area Advisory Council for Women’s Economic Security Coalition.

Celina Miranda

Celina Miranda is assistant vice president and charitable giving manager for The Bank of New York Mellon Public Affairs office in New England.  In this role, she is responsible for the distribution of $2 million dollars in grants per annum to community based organizations in the Boston area.

Before joining The Bank of New York Mellon in May 2007, Celina was Program Associate at The Hyams Foundation where she reviewed grants and provided leadership on initiatives in the teen development area. Prior to that, Celina was a Research Associate for six years at Boston University School of Social Work.  There she worked on various research and evaluation projects in the areas of youth violence, substance abuse prevention and foster care.  She also co-directed the NIDA Research Center at Boston University School of Social work from 2001–2002.

Celina is a trustee of the Bessie Tartt Wilson Children’s Foundation, the Rutland Corner Foundation, and the Mabel Louise Riley Foundation.  She sits on the boards of the Chelsea Collaborative, the Latino After School Initiative and Associated Grant Makers.  She also sits on the Work Force Investment Act (WIA) Youth Council in Boston, the Boston Capacity Tank Oversight Committee and the Greater Boston Funders for Women and Girls Steering Committee.

Celina holds a BA from Smith College and Masters in Social Work and Masters in Education from Boston University.  Currently, she is working on a doctoral degree in social work and sociology with a focus on youth development and organization theory.  Occasionally, she is a lecturer at Boston University School of Social work in human behavior and macro social work practice.

Mary L. Reed, President, ex-officio

During her lifetime, Mary L. Reed has served with distinction as one of Greater Boston’s exemplary businesswomen and community activists.

Daughter of Bessie Tartt Wilson, who founded Tartt’s Day Care Center in Roxbury in 1946 as Boston’s first minority-owned day care center, Mary’s first and lasting role-model was a pioneer in entrepreneurship, child welfare and education, and herself a lifetime achiever.

In June of 2002 Mary incorporated the Bessie Tartt Wilson Initiative for Children, Inc. (formerly the Bessie Tartt Wilson Children’s Foundation, Inc.)  a non-profit organization dedicated to the support of programs that enhance the lives of children and families.  The primary goal of the Bessie Tartt Wilson Initiative for Children, Inc. (BTWIC) is to support and empower families and educators through research, advocacy and culturally rich education. In just three years, the foundation has raised over $400,000 for research, educational programs, and policy reform initiatives.

The recipient of several awards for community service, Ms. Reed received the Hyams/Boston Foundation Award for Excellence in 1995 for the Black Church Project, and in February 2000 she was honored by the City of Boston with the African-American Achievement Award.  In April 2001, Ms. Reed and Tartt’s Day Care Center was the recipient of the Henry Hampton Award from Black and White Boston, and in 2007, Ms. Reed received the Boston Children’s Museum’s Ann Bennett Kay Award for services to families and children.  In 2008, Ms. Reed was honored to be recognized as the Ruth Batson Advocate of the Year and received the Women of Justice Award from Lawyers Weekly.  In 2009, she was selected as a Social Innovator.

Today, Ms. Reed serves on the Boards of the University of Massachusetts Foundation, the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries, and the Crittenton Womens’ Union.

Ms. Reed is a graduate of Cambridge College with a Masters in Education.

Tyra Sidberry

Tyra Sidberry is an organizational development consultant with more than twenty years of experience working with nonprofit organizations.  Her background includes a unique combination of corporate and nonprofit sector experience.  During sixteen years in educational publishing, she acquired managerial and organizational structure expertise.

Presently, she manages the Diversity & Inclusion Initiative (DI), a grant program at Third Sector New England (TSNE) with a mission to increase effectiveness and systemic change within individual organizations and the nonprofit sector by promoting cultural inclusion and organizational diversity.  Through funding and technical support from the DI, organizations and the communities that they serve confront institutional racism and other forms of oppression by refocusing groups on mission, vision and values.

Ms. Sidberry is a Dorchester resident and serves on the boards of UrbanArts Institute at the Massachusetts College of Art + Design, the Fund for the Arts at New England Foundation for the Arts, Associated Grantmakers, New England Blacks in Philanthropy and as a community advisor to Ashmont Hill Chamber Music.

Monalisa Smith

Monalisa Smith is Vice President, Community Development Officer for Citizens Bank, Massachusetts.  At Citizens, Monalisa is responsible for working closely with Citizens Bank’s commercial and consumer lending groups to help foster economic development in the community.  She supports Citizens’ Community Redevelopment Act initiatives, such as financial literacy training, Individual Development Account programs and targeted equity investments.  Monalisa was instrumental in developing Citizens Bank’s faith-based lending program. Over the past year, Citizens Bank has underwritten and funded more than $10 million in construction, acquisition and rehab loans to local churches.

Monalisa is a 1998 Black Achievers Award recipient and a 1994 recipient of the City of Boston Award for Community Leadership.  She is involved with the Madison Park Development Corporation, the Roxbury Salvation Army and the Madison Park Commerce Academy and the Roxbury Community College Foundation Board of Directors.

In 2006, Monalisa received the Madison Park Community Leadership Award.  She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in management from Simmons College.

Jed Swan

Jed is Founder and CEO of Swan Capital Partners.  He works with a number of early stage technology, industrial, environmental and media businesses.  He currently serves on the boards of Artaic, Emerson-Swan, Global Water Solutions, Flexcon Industries, and Skidmore LLC.

Prior to founding Swan Capital Partners, Jed worked in the investment Management Division of Goldman Sachs, where he advised ultra high net worth families on complex investment strategies.

Jed received a BA in English from Georgetown University and a MBA from the Boston University School of Management.  Jed is active with several Georgetown University alumni organizations, and is an Advocate at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston.

Wayne Ysaguirre

Wayne Ysaguirre, President and CEO of Associated Care and Education (Associated) was promoted in 2007 after serving in many roles over 17 years. Starting as a teaching assistant, he worked as a program assistant, program director in family child care, and Vice President for Family Child Care and Organizational Development ultimately leading to his current position as President and CEO.

Mr. Ysaguirre serves on the Executive Committee of MADCA, is a member of the Advisory Committee for the Department of Early Education and Care, the Early Education for All Advisory as well as its Public Policy Committee. Most recently, he served on the Governor’s Readiness Project Subcommittee for Early Education as part of a consortium to create a comprehensive, strategic plan for the next era of education improvement in the Commonwealth and is a current member of the Governor’s Early Education and Care Cost Savings Task Force.

He is a past president of the Boston Association for the Education of Young Children (BAEYC), and has served on the boards of many other early education entities such as The Zero to Eight Coalition, Chelsea Human Service Collaborative, and Chelsea Early Childhood Project. Mr. Ysaguirre is also a Children Defense Fund (CDF) Emerging Leader fellow.