BOARD & COMMITTEES
2011-2012 BOARD of DIRECTORS
MyRWA Board 2011-2012 photo courtesy David Mussina
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President
John Reinhardt is the Branch Chief for Industrial Wastewater Policy and Regulations for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Mr. Reinhardt has 30 years of professional experience in environmental policy analysis, ranging from industrial wastewater, drinking water, toxic substance control strategy development, and hazardous waste. His long term involvement with MyRWA started in 1988 as part-time executive director for 3 years; chairing the Water Quality Committee since 1999; serving on the Board of Directors since 1997, including president from 1997 to 1999, as well as the current President since 2007. A long time resident of the Watershed, living in Somerville, John has also served on the Somerville Conservation Commission since 1994.
Vice President
Michael Fager’s experience as an attorney and naturalist strongly informs his board leadership in water quality, land use and other policy issues that face the Watershed. His ecosystem approach starts with understanding and preserving the often neglected, but surprisingly resilient biodiversity of our watershed and other natural resources. His dedication to the watershed is born of a clear vision of both the opportunities and the responsibility to enhance the quality of the natural environment that is the Mystic River Watershed. In addition to his J.D. from the New England School of Law, Fager has a B.S. in Natural Resource Studies from the University of Massachusetts/Amherst and is an attorney in private practice in Somerville. He is an avid birder, outdoorsman and Red Sox fan.
Treasurer
Minka vanBeuzekom brings her experience managing business concerns in the biotech sector to provide skillful accounting and financial management to MyRWA as Treasurer. She has been active in Cambridge environmental issues for more than two decades, including seven years volunteering and working with MyRWA on financial and water quality issues. She holds a Master's degree in public health with concentration in epidemiology & environmental health. As a newly-elected Cambridge City Councilor (2012) and a Cambridge resident for more than 30 years Minka is committed to MyRWA for the sake of her own grandchildren and local residents. She works tirelessly to revitalize the Mystic River, an urban jewel that deserves our attention.
Secretary
Mark Jacobson has an M.S. in environmental science from UMass/Boston, and is the manager of Charles River Canoe & Kayak and the Weston Ski Track. Mark brings the discipline of a small business leader to help guide MyRWA and promote recreational activity on the area’s water bodies. For the past four years he has organized the paddling portion of the Mystic River Herring Run and Paddle, and in 2006 and 2007, he was the race director for both the paddle and run. Mark is a Lexington resident and has spent much of his life in the Mystic River Watershed.
Members
Karen Grossman acts as a catalyst on the Outreach and Fundraising Committees initiating and publicizing projects to educate others, encourage membership, increase involvement, further the mission and enhance the financial stability of MyRWA. She has been a community builder assuming leadership positions in other nonprofit organizations. As President of the Friends of Spy Pond Park since 2004, Karen promotes appreciation and respect for our natural resources. She earned a B.S. from Syracuse University, a M.Ed. from Boston University, and is a retired speech and language pathologist. Karen has been a resident of Arlington for 38 years and lives on the banks of beautiful Spy Pond.
Lori Kennedy is an environmental engineer specializing in sustainable water resources planning and "green" storm water management. Lori holds an M.S. in environmental engineering from the University of California, Davis and a B.S. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Lori brings her expertise toward protecting and restoring the Watershed to her work on the Policy Committee. She enjoys hiking, bicycling, and kayaking and is a resident of Arlington.
Clay Larsen is a landscape designer who has worked for over 20 years as a contractor, horticulturalist and designer. His recent work in storm water management and urban watershed restoration is helping develop and improve current irrigation, habitat restoration and other important influences affecting water quality at residential and municipal levels. Clay holds a Bachelor’s in Landscape Architecture from the Boston Architectural College, is a resident of Malden and an avid cyclist.
Carolyn Mieth, a resident of Cambridge, has been a member of MyRWA for ten years and a board member for eight. Among Ms. Mieth's activities are the following: co-founder of the Coalition for Alewife, a coalition of residents from Arlington, Belmont and Cambridge formed to protect and enhance the Alewife Reservation, Co-President of the Association of Cambridge Neighborhoods, President of The Cambridge Club, Co-chair of the Belmont Unitarian Alliance, and First Church Chair of the Flower Committee. For her environmental work in the Alewife Reservation, she has received awards from Cambridge ECO, the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions, and the State Legislature.
Steve Murphy is an Arlington resident who joined the MyRWA Board in 2009 where he sits on the Finance Committee. He has been an active volunteer at MyRWA since 2006, and acted as Project Manager for MyRWA’s 2006-07 Find-It-and-Fix-It (FIFI) program. Steve’s professional experience is primarily in finance and engineering. He is presently a Business Operations Principal at EMC Corporation. Previously, he was an Executive Director, Equity Research at Oppenheimer & Company, where he led several technology-sector research teams, and an Associate at PRTM Management Consulting. He holds a B.S. in Industrial & Management Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and has done coursework in Environmental Management at Harvard Extension School.
Michael O'Brien supports outreach activities including mailings and events. He has a B.S. in chemical engineering from Gonzaga University and a Masters Degree in Engineering Management from Northeastern University. Michael worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an environmental engineer (permitting/closing hazardous waste facilities and permitting industrial/municipal wastewater discharges) from 1972 until retirement in 2005. He has participated in seven Earthwatch environmental projects around the world). In addition to his other volunteer work, Mr. O’Brien enjoys gardening, is a member of the Friends of the Mystic River and a resident of Medford.
Maria Simoneau brings her expertise in marketing, development and program management to MyRWA as Chair of the Outreach Committee. Since joining the Board in 2008, she has planned events, developed a program to engage constituents in the twenty-two cities and towns in the Watershed, and has worked closely with staff to increase membership, achieving almost threefold growth. Maria has a B.S. from Boston College, an M.B.A. from Babson College and works as a program coordinator at Harvard University. She is a resident of Arlington and sails in Boston Harbor where the Mystic reaches the ocean.
CURRENT COMMITTEES
MyRWA has three committees that work both independently and jointly, which include the Committee on Water Quality (COWQ), the Outreach Committee, and the Policy Committee. The Committees meet monthly with roughly half of the meeting dedicated to individual committee discussion, planning, and strategizing, while the rest of the meeting is devoted to the joint committee engaging in relevant discussion including occasional guest speakers. Please join us! Committee Meetings are free and open to the public. Please see our calendar for the next meeting date.
The Outreach Committee increases participation, communication, and raises awareness of the watershed among volunteers, community members, and organizations. The Outreach Committee organizes recreational and educational events, river/lake cleanups, our annual Mystic River Herring Run and Paddle, and field activities. We also publish MyRWA's Newsletter, plan our media strategy, and create watershed-related educational materials. Chair: Maria Simoneau
The Policy Committee is charged with providing support to the Executive Director and Board of Directors on policy matters. The Policy Committee also tracks and responds to federal, state, and local projects and initiatives to protect MyRWA interests throughout the watershed. Chair: Position Currently Open
The Committee on Water Quality (COWQ) provides technical assistance for MyRWA projects and guidance for the water sampling efforts (i.e., the Mystic Monitoring Network). The committee discusses aquatic chemistry, modeling, hydrology, biology, and water quality regulation and engineering as related to the Mystic River Watershed. Chair: John Reinhardt