Leadership

Board of Directors

Board Officers

Gary Alpert

Co-President

Gary Alpert is currently Director of Admissions and Community Outreach at Metrowest Jewish Day School. Previously, he was an educational Specialist at Gateways, and prior to that he was the Director of After School at Jewish Community Day School of Boston (JCDS) for fourteen years and an elementary school classroom teacher for four years. Gary has a B.A. from Brandeis University in Elementary Education, Sociology and Near Eastern Judaic Studies (NEJS) and also holds an Elementary teaching certification from the state of Massachusetts.

Joe Quintanilla

Co-President

Joe Quintanilla, the blind son of immigrants and a Cambridge native, is a development professional and motivational speaker and lecturer on overcoming discrimination, diversity and inclusion, fundraising, board development, networking, competing and volunteering. Joe has been a fundraising professional for more than twenty years with a special focus on working at organizations serving the blind and visually impaired community. Currently Vice President of Development and Major Gifts at National Braille Press, Joe has a BA from Boston College in Communications, and Certificates in Nonprofit Management and in Professional Fundraising from Boston University.

Eric Navales

Treasurer

Eric Navales is a Managing Director with L.E.K. Consulting, a global strategy consulting firm. He has been a Board member of UOD for a number of years and was the organization’s Boston Marathon fundraising runner in 2016.

Debbie Berechman

Clerk

Debbie Berechman is Executive Director, Global Initiatives & Community Engagement, Brandeis International Business School. She has an extensive background in higher education administration, working with all aspects of programming from admissions to alumni relations. Formerly she was the Executive Director of the MBA Program at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Debbie holds a B.A. in Political Science from Brandeis University and an M.S. in Communications Management from Simmons College.

Members At-Large

Jini Fairley

Jini Fairley is currently the ADA Coordinator for the City of Newton. She began her involvement with UOD in 1981 when her oldest child was in 4th grade. She was a volunteer, unit leader and school coordinator for almost 20 years.

Amy Fleischman, MD

Amy Fleischman, MD is a pediatric endocrinologist who has worked at Boston Children’s Hospital for the last 20 years. She was a PTO and school sports program volunteer for the last 11 years. She has a Master’s degree in Clinical Investigation from Harvard/MIT, an M.D. from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and a B.S. in Biology from Yale University.

Kamal Gupta

Kamal Gupta is a consultant with extensive expertise in marketing strategy and analytics, and in patient communications and engagement. She has been an adjunct professor of strategy and marketing both in New York, at Columbia and Fordham, and in the Boston area, at Boston University. Kamal holds a PhD in Marketing from USC’s Graduate School of Business, and a Master of Management in Hospitality from Boston University.

Becky Kekula

Becky Kekula is a TEDx international motivational speaker and advocate for inclusion. She also serves as the Disability Equality Index Director at Disability:IN, the leading nonprofit resource for business disability inclusion worldwide. After receiving a college degree, Becky worked for a decade behind the scenes in the entertainment and news media industries. Currently, she’s working with corporations to help advance disability inclusion and equality. Becky also happens to be a little person. She proudly identifies as part of the disability community. She has spoken at over 350 venues such as companies, government agencies, and schools. This includes nearly a decade of Understanding Our Differences Physical Disabilities unit presentations.

Erika Pond

Erika Pond is a community leader. She worked as a Speech-Language Pathologist specializing in pediatric dysphagia in both private practice and hospital settings. She has been an active volunteer in her community, including volunteering for Understanding Our Differences in her children’s classrooms and as a parent coordinator. Erika has undergraduate degrees in Biology and Psychology from Duke University and a Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Vanderbilt University.

Marisa Serrano

Marisa Serrano is a parent to a child with special needs. She is active in the Brookline Public Schools community serving numerous volunteer and committee roles. Most recently, Marisa worked in Development and Fundraising for On The Rise, a day program for homeless individuals. Marisa studied at The George Washington University, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Northeastern University.

Mark Steward

Mark Steward is a Clinical Psychologist who has worked with children and families in a variety of clinical settings. For the past twenty-five years he has provided consultation to local Independent Schools. Mark received his A.B. from Dartmouth College, and his M.A. and Ph.D. from Boston University.

Founder

Carol Beard

Carol Beard was a Newton resident for over 50 years and was the founder of the program that has become Understanding Our Differences. In the 1970s, when her twin sons were diagnosed as developmentally delayed before their third birthday, she worked tirelessly to give them a “regular” childhood. She was active in many other local non-profit organizations, including a long history with Newton Wellesley Weston Committee for Community Living, now called Pathway to Possible.

Emerita

Beth Mendel

Beth Mendel served as Executive Director of Understanding Our Differences from 1997 to 2011. Currently Executive Director Emerita of UOD, and Member of the Corporation at Perkins School for the Blind, she is retired and enjoys spending time with her family and grandchildren. She majored in mathematics as an undergraduate and went on to earn an M.B.A. degree.

Advisory Board

Nina Berk
Designer

Paula Bress
Teacher of the Visually Impaired, Boston Public Schools (retired)

Ellen Cohen-Kaplan, OTR/L, MAS, CPT
Registered Occupational Therapist

Sunitha Das
Doctoral Student, Harvard University

Barbara Day
Preschool Director and Teacher, EEC Preschool

Debbie DeBotton
Allergic Conditions Advocate

Mary-Ellen Efferen, MEd
Education Specialist, Special Education Planning and Policy Unit, MA Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education

Barbara Fain, JD, MPP
Executive Director, Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety and Medical Error Reduction

David Felton
Senior Vice President, Director of Business Banking at Cambridge Trust Company

Kim Freedman
Program Coordinator of the Child Assault Prevention (CAP) program

Marcia Herrmann, MD
Retired Pediatrician

Linda Hiller
Disability Rights Advocate

Judy Jacobs
Director of Education, Marie Philip School The Learning Center for the Deaf (retired)

Carol Kanin
Finance Director, Niki Tsongas Committee

Carolyn Keller
Founding Head of MetroWest Jewish Day School
Consultant, Keren Or Center for Children with Visual Impairments and Multiple Disabilities, Jerusalem and Brandeis University Cohen Center

Alison Klein, Esq.
Attorney

Judy Levin-Charns
Special Education Administrator

Deborah Marlino
Professor of Marketing, Business School Associate Dean (retired)

Mary Beth McIntyre
Principal, Win-Win Giving

Jenny Mckee-Heinstein, OTR/L
Registered Occupational Therapist

Fran Osten, MEd
Instructor Emerita, Lesley University, The Threshold Program

Mary Margaret Pappas
Consultant

Nathan Persampieri
Disability Advocate

Ellie Pierce
Research Director, The Pluralism Project, Harvard University

Janet Porter, MS, MEd
Volunteer

Gina Quintanilla
Perkins Library Outreach and Newsline Specialist

Katherine Read
Community Leader

Liz Richardson, MA-CCC, CPHQ
Speech/Language Pathologist

Rachelle Ross
Teacher

Dale Smith
Consultant

Jan Spiro
Business Manager, Publishing/Law

Jody Steiner, CI, CT, TC
Educational ASL/English Interpreter, EDCO Collaborative

Jennifer Stone, PhD
Psychologist

Tassy Warren
Deputy Director & Chief Program Officer, Center on the Developing Child

Mari Young
Kit Coordinator, Understanding Our Differences

JoAnne Zangrillo, MSW
Clinical Social Worker

In Caring Memory:
Debby Doktor
Educator

Staff

Rebecca Lubens

Executive Director

[email protected]

Rebecca has extensive experience with nonprofit organization leadership, with expertise in communications, program development, fundraising, board relations and community outreach. Rebecca received an A.B. in American Civilization from Brown University and an M.S. in Communication from Boston University.

Jenni Acosta

Director of Curriculum, Growth and Technology

[email protected]

Jenni has developed and delivered programs, coordinated volunteers, and shared the mission of nonprofit organizations in Austin, TX, and the Boston area. She has a Master’s degree in Medical Anthropology from Case Western Reserve University.

Mark Murphy

Director of Development

[email protected]

Mark has worked in the field of non-profit fundraising and development for over 7 years. He is also a military veteran, having served for 9 years as an Officer in the Massachusetts Army National Guard. Mark has an M.A. in Theology from St. John’s Seminary in Boston.

Betsy Lanjuin

Operations Manager

[email protected]

Betsy, a longtime Newton resident, has many years of experience in all aspects of non-profit management. Betsy has a Bachelor’s degree in German and French from Tufts University.

Mari Young

Kit Coordinator

[email protected]

Mari spent almost a decade volunteering and coordinating UOD at Horace Mann Elementary School, and has a background in teaching and special education. Mari has a B.A. in Science from Boston University, specializing in Marine Biology and Earth Science.

Lisa DiPalma

Program Coordinator

[email protected]

Lisa has been a volunteer, school coordinator, and an Advisory Board member for UOD for almost 10 years. She is a passionate advocate for Newton families and is an active member of Newton SEPAC and Newton PTO Council. She has a B.A. in Psychology from Northeastern University.

Punam Sharma

Program Coordinator

[email protected]

Punam has been a school volunteer in Newton and Boston for the past 10 years and a practicing attorney since 2002. She has a J.D. from Suffolk University Law School and a B.A. in English and Sociology from Stonehill College.

In Caring Memory

Suzanne Freudberg was our Administrative Assistant for 8 years, until her sudden passing in October 2021. Suzanne’s first career was in Sales and Marketing in the publishing industry. She was a PTO and school volunteer in a variety of roles for over 15 years and had a B.A. in American Studies and Psychology from Brandeis University.

Medical Advisory Board

Ellen Elias, MD
Director, Special Needs Clinic
The Children’s Hospital
Aurora, Colorado

Ann Fulton, MD
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology
Children’s Hospital Boston

Kenan Haver, MD
Assistant Professor in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
Associate in Medicine, Division of Respiratory Diseases, Children’s Hospital, Boston
Director Pulmonary Division Asthma Program
Co-Director, Center for Aerodigestive Disorders

Lise Johnson, MD
Director of Newborn Nurseries at Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Instructor in Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School

Margaret Kenna, MD, MPH
Professor of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School
Children’s Hospital Boston

Lori Laffel, MD
Chief, Pediatric, Adolescent and Young Adult Section
Joslin Diabetes Center

Thomas LeBrun Kemper, MD
Professor, Anatomy & Neurobiology
Boston University School of Medicine

William Mitchell, EdD
Senior Psychologist, Department of Neurology
Children’s Hospital Boston

Audrey Nathanson, RN, BSN
Clinical Research Nurse, Harvard Thorndike Clinical Research Center,
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Page B. Pennell, MD
Director of Research, Division of Epilepsy
Department of Neurology
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Harvard Medical School

Daniel Steinberg, MD
Director, Allergy & Asthma Center of Massachusetts
Chestnut Hill, MA
Assistant Clinical Professor
Tufts University School of Medicine

Naomi Steiner, MD
Clinical Associate Professor, Boston University School of Medicine,
Pediatric Development & Behavioral Department