Regional and Corporate Management
Patty Abeling
Vice President and CFO
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
Executive Director
Bill joined The Network in 1997 as state director of Florida, a position he held until 2009, when he took on the role of Executive Director. As Executive Director, he oversees The Network’s operations in Florida, Maryland, Pennsylvania, South Carolina 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.
Jim Ashby
President and CEO of CareMeridian
Jim joined the organization in 2006 when The Network partnered with CareMeridian, a leading provider of post-acute rehabilitation services to individuals with catastrophic illnesses and injuries. Prior to joining CareMeridian, Jim served as President and CEO of South Coast Rehabilitation Services and on the board of the National Association for the Support of Long Term Care (NASL). Jim holds a B.A. from the University of Redlands and an MBA from San Diego State University.
Margie Blazier
Vice President of Finance
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 for the Central Region and, most recently, as national business director for The Network, where she supervised a large number of financial professionals. 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
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. Over the next several years, Neil’s management responsibilities included the states of West Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Maryland, which he oversaw as regional executive director. Neil’s current responsibilities as vice president include the states of Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, West Virginia, and the I/DD programs in Ohio and Indiana. 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.
Bill Brosseau
Vice President, Mergers & Acquisitions
As Vice President, Mergers & Acquisitions, Bill plays a leading role in the organization’s efforts to identify, prioritize, complete and integrate acquisitions as well as facilitating transaction management and negotiation. In 2002, Bill joined The Network as a consultant focusing on strategic systems implementations (including Oracle) and acquisition integration management, and was named Vice President, Corporate Systems in 2005, a role he held until 2009. Previously, Bill served in several financial management positions and as Chief Financial Officer of a manufacturing company. He received a B.S. in accounting from the University of Vermont and an MBA in finance from Babson College.
Sean Byrne
Vice President of Financial Planning, Analysis and Reporting
As Vice President and Corporate Controller, Sean oversees corporate finance functions including accounting, tax, treasury and financial planning & analysis. 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.
Lisa Coscia
Vice President, Core Growth and Development
As Vice President, Core Growth and Development, Lisa works with The Network’s development team to identify and support implementation of core growth opportunities. She also oversees The Network's operations in New York. Lisa began her career at The MENTOR Network in 1994 as the program manager for brain injury services in New Jersey, and was promoted to New Jersey State Director in 1997. Before joining The Network, Lisa spent four years as a senior therapist with a home and community-based brain injury rehabilitation program. Lisa obtained her B.A. in psychology at City University of New York and an M.A. with a concentration in clinical neuropsychology from New York University. She has also completed coursework toward a Ph.D. in neuropsychology at City University of New York.
Christopher Cutler
Chief Financial Officer, NeuroRestorative
As Chief Financial Officer of Network partner NeuroRestorative, Chris is responsible for leading the accounting and finance functions of the operating group while actively pursuing opportunities to increase services to persons with neurological impairments. Chris joined the Center for Comprehensive Services (CCS) in 1994 following 20 years of senior administrative experience in hospital settings. CCS joined The MENTOR Network in 1998, and became part of NeuroRestorative in 2010. Chris holds a B.S. in Business Administration and an M.A. in Healthcare Administration from San Jose State University.
Doris Davila
Executive Director
As Executive Director, Doris Davila oversees operations in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri and Texas. She served as Texas MENTOR’s State Director for nine years, during which time she led the start-up of Louisiana MENTOR. A seasoned child-welfare professional committed to serving youth, Doris held a variety of leadership positions in the field of human services prior to joining MENTOR in 1996. She served as a superintendent of a juvenile justice facility for the Texas Youth Commission; she was a key player in one of the state’s five Medicaid Waiver program pilots; and she served as a team leader in a psychiatric hospital for children and adolescents with serious and persistent mental illness. Doris has her M.A. in Educational Guidance and Counseling and a B.A. in Social Work from Southwest Texas State University. Active in her community, Doris serves on various state agency and private provider boards.
Peter DeNatale
Vice President and Chief Information Officer
As Vice President and CIO, Peter is responsible for developing and implementing business and operational systems that support the diverse financial, client, provider and employee needs within The Network. He is also responsible for management and oversight of the computing infrastructure for all corporate, regional and local offices. Peter joined The MENTOR Network in February 2004 with more than 20 years experience as an Information Systems executive, including positions at The Gillette Company, The MathWorks, ISI Systems and Harvard-Pilgrim Health Care. He has special expertise in developing and implementing systems for large national service organizations that operate in decentralized environments. Peter holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Dartmouth College, a J.D. from George Washington University and an MBA from Boston College.
David Doth
Vice President
David Doth is responsible for the oversight and direction of all Network supports and services delivered in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and Wisconsin. Prior to joining The MENTOR Network in December of 2004, David served as Vice President for the Institute for Human Services Management in Bethesda, MD 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 Commissioner of Public Health for the City of Minneapolis. David holds an M.P.A. from the University of Minnesota.
William Duffy
Chief Operating Officer, NeuroRestorative
Bill joined The Network in 2008 and directs all aspects of NeuroRestorative strategic business and program development, including budgeting, contracting and marketing. Previously, Bill was the Chief Executive Officer of Radius Specialty Hospital in Boston, where he continues to serve as a member of the board. He also served as Chief Executive Officer for Commonwealth Communities, overseeing four rehabilitation hospitals across Massachusetts. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Stonehill College.
Robert Efford
Executive Director
As Executive Director, Robert oversees California operations and program growth initiatives including host home expansion throughout the state. 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.
Emerson Foster
Vice President, Field Human Resources
Emerson joined the organization in 2009 to oversee HR operations for The Network’s Cambridge Operating Group as well as for Network partners NeuroRestorative and CareMeridian. Before joining The Network, Emerson spent thirteen years at Stop & Shop Supermarket Company, most recently serving as Senior Director of Community Relations. Emerson is a founding member of Bottom Line, a non-profit college counseling and retention service aimed at increasing the percentage of urban Boston students attaining college degrees, and Men and Women of Action, another non-profit that brings professionals into DYS facilities in Boston to mentor incarcerated youth. He also co-founded an executive search and retention firm where he worked with Fortune 500 companies to source, attract and retain senior level executives, with a special emphasis on recruiting and retaining executives of color. He holds a B.S. from the University of Rhode Island.
Daniel Giurleo
Vice President, Finance Shared Services
Dan joined The Network in 2009 to lead the deployment and management of the newly-created Finance Shared Services Center. In this role, he oversees the delivery of high-quality and cost-effective financial services to the organization while driving continuous improvement. He also serves as the chief liaison between Network leadership, field-based business partners and the functions of the Finance Shared Services team. Dan has extensive accounting and finance experience, having served as a corporate controller for a large, publically held IT services company and as senior director for a shared services team of 70+ individuals based in the United States and India. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Bentley College, and an MBA from Suffolk University.
Shelley Hansen-Blake
Executive Director
As Executive Director, Shelley oversees The Network's operations in North Dakota and Wisconsin. Shelley joined REM Wisconsin as program director in 1994, after serving as a director of residential and vocational services in Minneapolis and northern Minnesota. After serving as program, regional and state director for Wisconsin, Shelley was named Executive Director of Wisconsin and North Dakota in 2007. With nearly 30 years of experience in the field of providing community-based services for adults and children with developmental and other disabilities, Shelley has also taken leadership roles in advocacy and governmental relations at local and state levels. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin.
Judy S. Kalisker
Vice President of Compliance & 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.
Peter Kurylo
Vice President and CFO
First joining The MENTOR Network as state accounting manager for Illinois, Peter Kurylo went on to serve as regional business manager, senior business manager, and now acts as chief financial officer for The Network’s Redwood Operating Group. As the group's finance lead, Peter oversees a team of professionals who support the audit, budget and business management activities of the group. Before joining The MENTOR Network, Peter served for seven years as a senior accountant at The McGraw-Hill Companies. He holds an M.S. in Business Management and a B.S. in Accounting.
Patti Maguire
Vice President
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 Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Rhode Island and IFCS. 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 of Corporate Finance
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. In addition to Corporate Finance, Mike oversees Tax, Treasury, and the Corporate Controller. He 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
Executive Director
As Executive Director, Viviane oversees The Network's operations in Illinois and the Children’s Programs in Indiana and Ohio. Viviane 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 serves as a member of the board of the Foster Family-based Treatment Association (FFTA), and is the president of their Executive Committee. She has also been involved in both national and international work with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). She holds an M.S.W. and a graduate certificate in Global Policy Studies (Political Science) from the University of Georgia. She is currently an MBA candidate at Webster University.
Dwight Robson
Vice President, Public Strategy
Dwight leads the work of the Public Strategy Group, which is responsible for developing and implementing The Network’s agenda with regard to Marketing, Communications and Government and Community Affairs. Prior to joining The Network in 2003, Dwight held senior policy and management positions in Massachusetts state government, most recently as an assistant state treasurer. He also has extensive political experience after holding several key positions in high-profile campaigns for Governor and the U.S. Senate and formerly served on the board of The American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR). Dwight received a B.A. in political science from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell.
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
Dave joined the organization in 2009 to oversee transactions within The Network’s Mergers & Acquisitions function. Prior to joining The Network Dave worked primarily 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.
Al Whalen
Vice President, Field Human Resources
Al joined The MENTOR Network in 2009 to oversee HR operations for The Network’s Redwood Operating Group. During his career as a human resources leader, Al’s focus has been on strengthening operations performance and aligning organizational objectives. Prior to joining The Network, Al held multiple operations and HR leadership positions with national organizations, most recently as Associate Director of HR with Applebee’s International. Al holds a B.S. in Management from the University of Wisconsin - Stout and is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).