Front Row: Sylvie Finer, Dail Frates (Executive Director), Christine Blaiklock, Lisa Burrell, Katie Merrill (Secretary), Susan Copeland Fundraising Chairman,
Back Row: Bettyanne McGuire(Vice President), Norm Frates (President), Jim Godfrey (Treasurer), Dennis Shillen, Nerissa Edwards (Volunteer Coordinator), and Ron Jaynes
Zack's Place Board of Directors
ZP is fortunate to have the experience and creativity of its volunteer board of directors. Including entrepreneurs, special educators, and sports champions, board composition reflects ZP's vitality as well as its viability, and our directors contribute to the business acumen, volunteer ethic, and spirit of adventure upon which ZP is based.
Board President
Norm Frates, Jr.
Norm is the Vice President of mortgage lending for Mascoma Savings Bank in Woodstock Vt. As the founder of Zack's Place and the father of Zack who had Cerebral Palsy he was inspired to develop a great place for special needs people of all ages. He wanted them to come and experience a welcoming, educational, active community center in downtown Woodstock. Norm also serves his community through participation in the Woodstock Rotary Club, Vermont Special Olympics , past president of the Woodstock Ski Runners and been involved in various nonprofit boards throughout the Woodstock area.
Bettyanne McGuire
Vice President
Bettyanne is a relative newcomer to Woodstock . She is a retired New Jersey attorney who specialized in special needs estate planning, guardianships, and advocacy for adults and children with disabilities. She has served as chair of the board of a large New Jersey mental health services provider with a $28,000,000 budget as well on her local New Jersey School Board where she chaired the finance and collective bargainning committees. Bettyanne's past experience and knowledge of the issues confronting the families of persons with special needs allows her to bring compassion and insights to the special population served by Zack's Place.
Jim Godfrey
Treasurer
Jim is a Partner with the accounting firm Tyler, Simms, & St. Sauveur, in Lebanon, NH. Jim's specialization in the firm is working with not-for-profit organizations for which he has a solid understanding of their needs, and the myriad of issues that they face. After graduating from Woodstock Union High School in 1984, Jim attended the University of Vermont. Jim was raised in Killington along with an older brother with special needs. His professional and personal experiences allow him to contribute meaningful input to the Board and help ZP achieve its mission. Jim is also a member of the Rotary Club of Woodstock. He currently resides in Killington with his wife Eileen and son Lucas, a freshman at Woodstock Union High School.
Katie Merrill
Secretary
Katie began her career in the hospitality business, coordinating special events and fundraisers for ten years; and in 1999 was considered one of the top 100 women in business in Phoenix, Arizona. After having her son Jacob, she began working with a non-profit and assisted in creating a day program for undocumented workers which focused on solving problems associated with illegal immigration. Currently Katie works at Vermont Law School.
Christine Blaiklock
Christine is the Director of Student Services for the Rutland Central Supervisory Union. Prior to this position she was a special education teacher at the Woodstock Elementary School for eleven years. From her work at the elementary school she has a connection to many of the families and participants at Zack's Place. She moved to Woodstock Vermont from Connecticut in 2000 with her daughter Ashley.
Dennis Shillen
Dennis is a senior partner at the Woodstock law offices of Shillen and Mackall, P.C. As a personal injury defense attorney, Dennis advocates for victims' rights. Dennis is also a long-time member of the Woodstock Rotary Club and an active supporter of several area cultural institutions including Pentangle Council on the Arts and Billings Farm and Museum.
Nerissa Edwards
Having skied in Vermont during her childhood, Nerissa finally moved to Waterbury in 1989 and then South Woodstock in . She has worked as a Counselor at Montpelier High School, Crossett Brook Middle School, Thatcher Brook Primary School, Reading Elementary School and Albert Bridge School. She is currently a counselor at Woodstock Union High School. She has a strong belief in community service and has subsequently worked with students on all ages on many different service projects. A memorable project was helping dig mud out of the Bethany church with 20 high school students after the Flood of '92. It never occurred to her that she would have a similar experience here in Woodstock after Irene. Nerissa is a Make A Wish of Vermont Wish Grantor. She is also on the Board of Shir Shalom. Her partner Jim and her children Austin and Sawyer have all volunteered at Zack's Place
Ron Jaynes
Ron Jaynes recently retired as President from Jaynes and Berge Inc. He has lived in Woodstock since 1971. He received his BA in Business Administration from the University of Georgia. He has served on many local boards including:
Woodstock Elementary
Woodstock Union High School
Woodstock Foundation Advisory Board
Vermont National Bank Advisory Board
Unitarian Universalist Church
Mertens House
Currently serving on the following Boards:
Lawrence and Mary Rockefeller Woodstock Foundation Fund
Woodstock Associates
Wise Development Committee
Zack's Place
He was recipient of the Woodstock Recreation Center Volunteer of the year award 1991
Chairman of the Woodstock School Fund
Interests Volunteer Work, Improving his Spanish, Travel and Sports
Susan Copeland
Susan and her family moved to Vermont five years ago and she loves the area that they now call home. She lived in Gloucester Ma for 25 years, where she served on the Board of Directors of the Schooner Adventure, and was actively involved in the civic affairs of the community. Presently she is the President of Lucy Mackenzie Humane Society and a member of the Zack's Place fund raising committee. She spends her free time with five Alpacas, three dogs, two college-aged children and her husband, Bill, on their farm in Quechee.
Lisa Burrell
Lisa Burrell is an Account Executive at Woodstock Insurance Inc., a company servicing commercial and personal lines of insurance. The daughter of a local farming family, Lisa's roots lie deep in Woodstock. She continues to live in the Woodstock Area with her husband Todd, and daughter Jessica, who has Cerebral Palsy. Jessica came to Zack's Place the very first day it opened in 2006, and has been there almost every day since enjoying her friends and the activities they share. From its early days, Lisa became involved in helping out at Zack's Place, pitching in with bake sales and organizing parent and caretaker activities. She eventually organized a ZP Parents Group to help with coordinating family events and field trips. Lisa is a dedicated mother and she and Jessica enjoy time together, baking, "sugaring", and creating goods to sell at local farmers markets. As an avid member of the Prosper Home-Makers Club, she meets monthly to share her homemaking skills with friends and help with a local fundraiser "The Chicken Pie Supper". She recently became one of the local artisans who sell crafts and homemade foodstuffs at the newly opened Home Grown Market in Woodstock next to the Pizza Chef restaurant.
Sylvie Lavoie-Finer
Has had the good fortunate of becoming a Woodstock resident just last year! I have 2 awesome children (of course I think so), Brielle who is also a volunteer at ZP is a senior at WUHS. Dustin, who attended WUHS, is a now senior at McGill in Montreal. I own & operate Finer Vermont Tours, a wholesale tour company, planning & organizing group tours since 1984, serving primarily the mature market; to Vermont, NH, Maine, Quebec City, Montreal, & Ottawa. I greatly enjoy the outdoors with back country / cross country skiing, hiking, kayaking; and also doing yoga on a regular basis.
I've had special needs people in my life growing up and perhaps this has drawn me to ZP. My best friend Joyce in Elementary School had cerebral palsy. We so enjoyed each other's company. I have fond memories of sleepovers at her house and just being giddy girls. Then when I was 16, I lived with a family and shared a room with their 2 year old son Bobby, who has Down syndrome. He is now almost 40 and has been surrounded by so much love in a family with 8 children. I often think, if they lived nearby, he too would enjoy ZP.
I am looking forward to volunteering and meeting new people at ZP. I feel honored and blessed to be part of this amazing, loving place with such special folks; both participants & staff!
Special Olympics on March 7, 8th and 9th at Suicide 6
