Regional and Corporate Management
Patty Abeling
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Patty is responsible for managing the accounting and finance functions for The Network's Cambridge Operating Group. She joined The Network in 2001. Patty started her career as an internal auditor for Union Pacific Corporation. She then managed finance and accounting functions for a subsidiary of Union Pacific and subsequently for GATX Corporation. She has extensive experience in strategic planning, budgeting and forecasting. Additional experience includes regulatory analysis, cost reporting, and financial integration of acquisitions. Patty received a B.S. in industrial administration with an emphasis in finance from Iowa State University. She received an MBA in finance from the Peter F. Drucker School of Management in Claremont, California.
Bill Allen
Vice President, Operations
Bill joined The Network in 1997 as state director of Florida, a position he held until he was named Executive Director in 2009. In 2011, Bill assumed the role of vice president, overseeing The Network’s human services operations in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. Bill has extensive experience overseeing operations in children’s mental health, therapeutic foster care, I/DD waiver services, and ICF/MR. Active in government relations at the state and local levels, he currently serves as a gubernatorial-appointed board member of the Florida Independent Living Council. Bill holds a B.A. from the University of Florida and an M.S. in Counseling from St. Thomas University.
Andrea Beaudry
Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Litigation and Risk
Andrea joined The MENTOR Network in 2001 to head up the Network’s Litigation and Risk Management function. She came to The Network after practicing law for seven years with a mid-sized Boston law firm. In her current position, Andrea manages the Network’s professional and general liability insurance program, which includes claims reporting and litigation management, and oversees The Network’s incident risk management and reporting activities. She also manages The Network’s uninsured litigation. Andrea holds a J.D. from Boston University School of Law and a B.A. from Bowdoin College.
Margie Blazier
Vice President, Finance Operations
Margie has more than 25 years of experience in financial management in a variety of health care and human service settings. Her career at The MENTOR Network includes roles as regional business manager and, most recently, national business director for The Network. A licensed CPA, Margie has extensive experience in accounting, billing, auditing, and acquisition integration. She holds a B.A. in business administration from Mundelein College and has particular expertise in developing and instituting best business practices.
Neil Brendmoen
Vice President, Operations
Neil began his human services career in 1979 as a direct care worker in a state institution for people with developmental disabilities. A strong inclusion advocate, he left the institution in 1980 and joined REM Minnesota as program director where he developed home-like settings and in-home services for individuals in the community. In 1987, he was promoted to executive director and went to Ohio to start a REM operation in that state. As vice president, Neil’s current responsibilities include oversight of human services operations in Arizona, Nevada, West Virginia, and the I/DD programs in Indiana and Ohio. He has a B.A. from Southwest State University and has completed the graduate program in long-term care administration at the University of Minnesota.
Sean Byrne
Chief Financial Officer, NeuroRestorative
Sean oversees The Network's FP&A function, including budgeting, forecasting, modeling and strategic analysis and transaction diligence. Sean joined The Network in 1997 after several years in public accounting, most recently at Coopers & Lybrand and Grant Thornton. A Certified Public Accountant, Sean earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting at Western New England College and his MBA at Babson College.
David Doth
Vice President, Operations
David Doth is responsible for the oversight and direction of all human services delivered in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and I/DD Services in Illinois. Prior to joining The MENTOR Network in 2004, David served as vice president for the Institute for Human Services Management in Bethesda, Maryland, where he worked with states and local governments as a national-level human services consultant. In the 1990s and early 2000s, David served as commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Services, as deputy commissioner of finance, state budget director for the State of Minnesota and as the commissioner of public health for the City of Minneapolis. David holds an M.P.A. from the University of Minnesota.
Robert Efford
Senior Executive Director, Operations
As Senior Executive Director, Robert oversees human services operations and program growth initiatives, including host home expansion, throughout California and Oregon. Robert joined The Network in 2008 as state director for MENTOR Oregon, where he led expansion of residential, foster and day programs into rural, underserved regions of the state. Prior to joining The Network, Robert was director of employment and transition services for a California non-profit organization, where he led innovative program development with California regional centers serving consumers with I/DD. A former development executive with The Walt Disney Company, Robert holds an honors degree from Pepperdine University and is a Rehabilitation Services Administration scholar completing his Masters in Rehabilitation Leadership through the University of Wisconsin.
Bob Fischer
Vice President, Field Human Resources
Bob joined The MENTOR Network in 2010 as HR Director supporting Redwood North before assuming his current role overseeing Human Resources for the entire Redwood Operating Group. Bob came to The Network with more than 25 years of experience in recruitment and management in both the private and public sectors, including ten years with Walt Disney World. His passion is developing a team of HR professionals that support the strategic direction of the company. He has a B.S. in Audiology and a B.A. in Management from the University of Wisconsin.
John Green
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
As Chief Financial Officer for The Network's Redwood Operating Group, John oversees a team of professionals who partner with operations to drive growth as well as conduct budget and business management activites for the group. John's previous roles at the company include management of the reimbursement group, payroll services, real estate and leasing management services, and financial reporting and analysis. John came to The Network with the acquisition of REM, where he spent seventeen years managing the accounting and information technology departments, along with reimbursement analysis, cost reporting, budgeting, rate negotiation, and legislative initiatives. His previous experience as a C.P.A. includes audit experience with Deloitte & Touche, and accounting management in a hospital setting. He holds a B.S. in accounting and finance from Minnesota State University-Mankato.
Judy S. Kalisker
Vice President of Compliance and Compliance Officer
Judy joined The MENTOR Network in 2010 and oversees the organization’s compliance function. Her responsibilities include ensuring that The Network has effective policies and practices that comply with the myriad of laws and regulations governing The Network’s programs. In addition, she oversees compliance-related training, auditing and monitoring of Network activity to ensure compliance with laws and internal policies and practices, and investigation of potential non-compliance. With extensive experience in labor and employment law, Judy worked at Boston Scientific Corporation for several years, where she directed its Corporate Integrity Program before being appointed to lead the Global Compliance and Ethics Investigations function. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Government from Cornell University, and a J.D. from Suffolk University Law School.
Chris Kozakis
Vice President of Treasury, Procurement and Real Estate
Chris joined The MENTOR Network in 2001 to lead the development of the company’s treasury function. Chris has also played a critical role in The Network’s capital markets transactions. In his current capacity, Chris oversees The Network’s treasury, business insurance, procurement and real estate functions. Prior to joining The Network, Chris worked in various accounting and finance roles at a global financial services firm based in Boston. A Certified Treasury Professional, Chris holds a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Massachusetts.
Patti Maguire
Vice President, Operations
Patti joined The MENTOR Network in 1998 as state director for Massachusetts and Rhode Island. In 2002, she became the director of national business development for the Northeast Region. As vice president, Patti oversees operations for Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, IFCS and at-risk youth services in Ohio, Illinois and Indiana. Prior to joining The Network, Patti worked for Charles River Health Management as director of Commonworks, a managed care network of residential treatment providers serving adolescents in the custody of DCF, the Massachusetts Child Welfare agency. She also worked for Wayside Youth and Family Support Network in various clinical and management roles. Patti has a B.A. in mathematics from Holy Cross as well as an M.S.W. from Boston College.
Michael McDade
Vice President, Corporate Finance
Mike oversees The Network's corporate accounting, tax, insurance, audit, financial controls, billing and shared services functions. Mike joined The Network in 2008 after a 27-year career at The Gillette Company and its acquirer Procter and Gamble, where he served in a wide range of financial management roles, most recently as Director of Financial Services for North America. Mike holds a B.S. in Accounting and an MBA with a concentration in Marketing from Bentley College.
Edwin J. Mikkelsen, M.D.
Medical Director
Dr. Mikkelsen is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and a consultant to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services Department of Mental Retardation. Major research interests include: Law and Psychiatry, Administrative Aspects of Psychiatry, and Pervasive Developmental Disorders and Mental Retardation. Dr. Mikkelsen received Massachusetts’ Department of Mental Retardation Special Recognition for Human Rights Advocacy in 2000, the Institute on Dual Diagnosis Award of Excellence for “exemplary innovations in thought and practice regarding people who have dual diagnosis” and the American Psychiatric Association’s 2003 Frank J. Menolascino Award in recognition of his contributions providing psychiatric services for persons with mental retardation. Dr. Mikkelsen maintains a bibliography of more than 90 professional publications and co-authored the book Criminal Offenders with Mental Retardation: Risk Assessment and the Continuum of Community-Based Treatment Programs. Dr. Mikkelsen has been the Medical Director for The MENTOR Network since 1990.
Gerry Morrissey
Vice President, Quality Assurance and Service Development
Gerry joined The Network in 2007 as Senior Director of Program Services, before being promoted to his current position where he oversees the Quality Assurance and Survey departments of The Network and assists in the development of new clinical and innovative service models. Prior to joining The Network, Gerry devoted more than 30 years of his career to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, serving the long term care community for four years as Assistant Secretary for Disabilities and Community Services, and the I/DD community for more than a decade as the Commissioner of the Department of Mental Retardation. He holds a B.A. in Special Education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, an M. Ed. from Antioch University, and an M.P.A. from Harvard University.
Viviane Ngwa
Senior Director of Business Development
As Senior Director of Business Development for the Cambridge Group, Viviane works with leaders throughout the organization to explore and pursue new opportunities to expand services. In her previous role as Senior Executive Director, Viviane oversaw The Network's operations in Illinois and the Children’s Programs in Indiana and Ohio. She joined The Network in 2002 as State Director for Illinois after having worked in the human services field for nearly a decade. An active advocate for children and families, Viviane holds leadership positions with the Foster Family-based Treatment Association and the Council on Accreditation. She has also been involved in both national and international work with the National Association of Social Workers. Viviane is a licensed clinical social worker who holds an M.S.W. and a graduate certificate in Global Policy Studies (Political Science) from the University of Georgia. She is currently pursuing an MBA from Webster University.
Pam Sande
Vice President, Total Rewards and HR Services
Pam’s primary focus is leading the development and implementation of total rewards programs and HRIS improvements that align with the business strategy and ensuring The Network’s HR Shared Services Center supports the organization through efficient and effective HR and payroll transaction processing. Before joining The Network in 2005, Pam served as a director of compensation and benefits for two large healthcare systems in Massachusetts as well as Vice President of Human Resources for an engineering firm. Pam holds a B.L.S. in Social Work from Boston University, a Masters in Management from Cambridge College, and is ABD in Capella University’s PhD organization and management program. Pam is also co-author of two technical employee benefits books published annually by Aspen Publishers in New York: Quick Reference to COBRA and Quick Reference to HIPAA.
Ed Traisman, M.D.
Pediatric Medical Director
An Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, and The Network’s Pediatric Medical Director, Dr. Traisman is an expert in policy and practice issues related to children with medically complex conditions. He has published and presented extensively on the subject, and is known throughout the country for his expertise in child development and the medical welfare of children. A resident of Evanston, Illinois, Dr. Traisman continues a third generation pediatric practice in the heart of Chicago, where he is also an active member of the attending staff at Children’s Memorial Hospital. In 1998, he received the Physician Recognition award from the American Medical Association. Dr. Traisman has been The MENTOR Network’s Pediatric Medical Director since 2002.
Dave Turgeon
Vice President, Mergers & Acquisitions
As vice president of mergers & acquisitions, Dave leads The Network's efforts to identify, prioritize, complete and integrate acquisitions, as well as facilitating transaction management and negotiations. Dave joined the organization in 2009 after spending much of his career in the environmental sector. Dave managed operations and business development for Browning-Ferris Industries, led business development at United Site Services and served as CEO of National Waste Network. Dave also worked for an investment bank, The Woodbridge Group, Inc., where he led the environmental business segment. He began his career with a national CPA firm in Boston. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Bentley College.