Meet some of our Associates...

Ralph I. Fine, LLB, B.A.
ED Mentoring, Governance, Non-Profit Start-ups, Fundraising, Strategic Planning.
Ralph is a highly experienced former corporate lawyer, former owner of Boston’s The Real Paper, former Chairman of the Finance Commission of the City of Boston, the founder of several non-profits, including Hemisphere Initiatives, a former executive director and Interim Executive Director of several major national non-profits, including the Nobel prize-winning International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War and the Washington Office on Latin America, and a distinguished member of numerous for profit and non-profit Boards of Directors. Ralph’s current passion is mentoring promising new Executive Directors, helping new non-profits get established, and helping Boards of Directors improve  governance policies and practices.  Ralph has a law degree from Columbia, and a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania.

Susan L. Davy
Finance & Administration, Turnaround Management, Construction Administration, & Institutional Master Planning

Susan is a senior nonprofit executive with over 30 years of experience in educational, cultural, and community-based nonprofit institutions, including some of the largest museums in New England. Her special expertise includes institutional financial analysis, modeling and budgeting, information technology services and facilities planning and construction project management as well as staff coaching and development. Susan served eight years as the VP of Finance and Administration at the New England Conservatory of Music, six years as Director of Finance and Administration at Peabody Essex Museum where she managed $100 million in net assets, a $16 million annual budget, and a $100 million capital budget related to the new combined museum, and three years as Director of Finance and Operations at Isabella Steward Gardner Museum in Boston. She also served for several years as the Executive Director of the Cambridge Montessori School. Susan gets special pleasure in coaching staff and creating lasting systems for financial stability. She received her Masters in Business Administration from George Mason University, her BA in American Studies from George Washington University, and a Teaching Diploma from Washington Montessori Institute in Washington DC.       

David Orlinoff, MBA, MS
CFO, Finance Consulting and Training, Board Development

David has over 30 years of financial management experience, the majority in nonprofit settings. After serving for six years as VP of Finance and Administration at Combined Jewish Philanthropies, since 1996 David has been an interim CFO for such diverse organizations as Boston Ballet, Education Development Center, Bridge over Troubled Waters, Neighborhood Legal Services, MSPCC, and Advocates, Inc. He has provided technical assistance and other training and consulting support to social service providers, schools, community-based organizations, and private foundations. He is a former board chair of a grant-making foundation and currently serves on the board of Third Sector New England and the audit committee of United Way of Mass. Bay and Merrimack Valley. He teaches financial management for nonprofits at Boston University and Northeastern University, and through the Arts and Business Council he has trained over 125 nonprofit board members. David received his undergraduate degree from UCLA and has an MBA from Harvard Business School and an MS in Accounting from Bentley College.

Gloria Franqui, MSSS
Professional Interim Executive Director. Specialist in turnaround services. Extensive success in creating nonprofit innovation, change, and growth

Gloria has over 25 years of leadership, capacity building and management experience in the nonprofit sector. In addition to work as an IED she has held senior management positions in several human services and health organizations, including serving as chief executive officer. Gloria is passionately committed to assisting nonprofits. Her strengths include organizational assessment, transition leadership, governance, human resource management, strategic planning, executive coaching, and staff team building. Through her leadership, business growth strategies and management skills, she brings a proven ability to manage day-to-day operations during challenging periods of transition. Gloria successfully transformed a financially struggling human services organization in central MA reversing operating income losses that had mounted for 26 years. She returned the agency to neutral cash flow in three years. During ten-year tenure as CEO, Gloria   increased profitability and name recognition, resulting in a 215% growth in operating income. She also raised almost $10 million in contributions, state contracts and donated services. Gloria has also held several IED positions with area non-profit organizations, most recently for a Cambridge agency promoting childhood development. Gloria brings a high level of energy to all her endeavors helping nonprofits sharpen their focus, make more of their resources, and more effectively achieve their mission.  Gloria received her bachelors from Hunter College and a Masters of Science in Social Services from Boston University School of Social Work.

James H. Ross, B.A., FICB
Professional Interim Executive Director, Specialist in Turnaround Services for nonprofit and for profit organizations

Jamie has been a professional banker, successful entrepreneur and a leader with over 30 years of business experience who has turned his expertise as turnaround specialist to assisting nonprofits addressing business challenges. James recently spent four years as the IED and ED of The Center for Living and Working, Inc. of Worcester MA leading this financially-strapped organization back to financial health. While there he rebuilt the Board and senior management team, reorganized the operations, rebuilt the accounting/reporting system and negotiated the sale of a money–losing subsidiary. He improved staff salaries, increased productivity, and developed a year-round development program. Finally, he substantially reduced the organizations debt and returned them to profitability within six months of arrival. Jamie was an investor, founder and CEO of a successful start-up company in the field if evidence based medicine.  The company was sold to United Biosource Corporation in 2006.  In addition, Jamie spent over 20 years as a professional banker in both the U.S. and Canada.  He spent time in retail banking where he ran a branch system, was part of a strategic planning unit that reported to the Chairman of Scotiabank, designed and introduced a professional internal control system for the Bank of Boston Retail Bank as well as took part in several bank mergers/acquisitions.  Jamie takes gratification in using his organizational, operational and management expertise to assist nonprofits to meet their goals and serve their mission. Jamie received his B.A. from St. Lawrence University, and is a Fellow at the Institute of Canadian Bankers in Toronto, Canada. 

Lynda Fairbanks Atkins, MBA
Interim Executive, Fund Development, General Management and Coaching

Lynda has broad experience in both non profit and for profit organizations, often in times of growth and change, including the integration of three acquisitions in manufacturing firms and overcoming inter-departmental conflict in a major arts organization.  While an Interim Executive Director leading a start-up, virtual organization, she was publicly recognized by a major Washington, DC, research institution for “having brought professional management” to the start-up.  She has been a successful fundraiser and fundraising manager, primarily in education and the arts, where she has designed, built, and expanded departments and donor bases and created long-term, strategic plans.  She has been described by donors and board members as being expert at building client connections, reading people and situations, and thinking broadly and strategically.  Lynda is known for her people management skills and ability to mentor and coach others to success.  Her training experience ranges from board effectiveness, to extensive public speaking for a major oil company, to a number of years as an adjunct lecturer at Northeastern University.  An active volunteer, Lynda has extensive leadership experience in faith-based organizations, has served on the board of the regional Girl Scout Council, and is the co-founder and President of New England Light Opera.  Lynda has a BA in French from Catawba College and an MBA from Northeastern University.

Philip W. Lam, MBA
CFO; Finance Consulting, Special Projects
Phil has completed many assignments for NPT. He is currently serving as Interim CFO for a $4.0 million social service agency in Newton, MA. Phil’s extensive background includes work as CFO in large scale health care: 10 years at Dimock Community Health Center and 11 years with Miriam Hospital in RI; 4 years with Mass DMH, and 5 years as Director of Finance for NE Medical Center. Phil also has worked with many smaller social service agencies. Phil has a BA from Northeastern, an MBA from Babson, and further graduate work with Bentley College.
 

Jean M. Muller, B.A.
Interim HR, HR Problem-solving, Team-Building for Organizational Excellence
Jean is a hands-on human resources professional who has helped both Fortune 500 companies and non-profit organizations large and small. She has held senior executive positions in such organizations as BlueCross and BlueShield of Massachusetts, and Litton/Datamedix. A results-oriented human resources consultant, she is technically competent in all functional areas of HR with success in building teams and relationships to meet organizational requirements. Jean has a B.A in Human Resource Management for Northeastern University.

Jeff Katz, MPA, MSW
CEO, COO; Special Projects in Fund Raising and Organizational Development
Jeff is a senior non-profit executive with extensive experience in program development, legislative affairs, public relations, and development activities. He was Executive Director of Adoption RI for ten years, and Research Fellow at Harvard’s JFK School for five years.
He is a nationally recognized expert on foster care and adoption, with many publications in the press and national journals to his credit, and appearances on TV and radio. Also he has excellent skills in organizational development, non-profit management, and fundraising. Jeff has a Masters on Public Administration from Harvard, a Masters in Social Work from Boston University, and a B.A. from SUNY Albany.

Eliane Markoff, MBA
Special Projects, Client Advocacy, Strategic Alliances and Team Building

Eliane is a creative and results oriented marketing executive recognized for her desire to take on challenging projects.  She led international programs in research and engineering for a high tech company. Eliane spoke on a panel for Best Practices for start-up companies at the 2007 Annual Boston Haifa Life Sciences Initiative. Eliane teaches undergraduate and graduate students Organizational Behavior and Team Management. She was recently invited to join the senior management team of a start-up medical device company.

Eliane is also the co-founder of The Rachel Molly Markoff Foundation, dedicated to helping families cope with childhood cancer (www.artingiving.org). Eliane served on the Board of Overseers at Newton Wellesley Hospital and the Board of Directors of The Brain Tumor Society. Her passion is patient safety and non-invasive diagnoses and treatments as well as compassionate care. An excellent communicator, she connects well with people of all cultures and backgrounds. Eliane earned her Masters in Business Administration from Boston College, and her Certificate in Mediation from The New Law Center.

William A. Ghormley
CEO; COO; Special Projects in Marketing and Development and Executive Coaching
Bill is highly seasoned business executive with extensive senior management and consulting experience, including international work, at Polaroid, Kendall Health Care, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and The Forum Corporation. Bill was also the President of the Marketing Science Institute. Bill’s interest is in marketing and development, with special interest in helping organizations think creatively – “breaking out of the box”. Bill also has extensive Board experience. Bill has a BA in Economics from Stanford, and is a graduate of the Tuck School of Business Executive Program.

PJ Blankenhorn
CEO, Strategic Planning and Implementation, Growth Strategy, Scaling and Replicating for Growth

PJ Blankenhorn is a seasoned executive and consultant with over 25 years experience in both entrepreneurial for-profit companies and non-profits. She enables non-profits to translate their vision into workable plans and to move from strategic ideas to tangible results by helping to identify organizational, technological, cultural and business model issues that are impeding success.   PJ brings direct experience in strategic planning and implementation, line management, marketing, finance, fundraising, and change management.  She was the Executive Director of the Boston Center for Adult Education, and a Senior Director at City Year. On the profit side, she was in senior management at Digital and Lotus and a strategy and reengineering consultant at CSC Index.  PJ holds an MBA from Boston University’s Graduate School of Management and a Masters in Educational Psychology from the University of Chicago.

Fred Balfour, M.Ed., B.A.
COO, Special Projects in Technology, Operations, Web Site Development & Marketing
Fred is an accomplished manager and executive with over 35 years experience in managing businesses in rapidly changing environments, both non-profit and for profit. After getting his masters in education in the 90’s, he spent 10 years working for and then heading up nonprofits focused on national education reform. Previous to that, he managed national and international marketing groups and business units in high tech. A trained industrial engineer, he specializes in using technology in getting work done across time, organizations, and geography. Fred’s strengths are in project management, product marketing, web development and marketing, data bases and data management, Microsoft Office solutions and training, work process design, and getting disbursed groups to agreement. He develops easy-to-use computer solutions that improve productivity across the organization. He has a masters in education from Harvard and a masters in industrial engineering from Wayne State University in Detroit.

Linda J. Battaglini, MS/MBA
VP Strategic Planning; Special Projects in Health Care, Planning and Mergers
Linda brings to NPT clients over 28 years of experience in strategic planning for major health care systems, including extensive experience in merging community hospitals, and organizing complex healthcare management systems. She is currently in an interim strategic planning assignment with a community healthcare system in Massachusetts. She also has extensive experience in turnaround situations, community affairs, government relations, revenue growth, and facility master planning. She is a creative designer and
builder of initiatives that generate grant funding and new revenues, or that secure difficult regulatory approvals. Linda’s MS Accounting/MBA is from Binghamton University in New York, and she has a BA in Mathematics from Harper College, also at Binghamton University.

Michael Donham, BA, MBA
CEO; General Management
Mike has over 35 years experience in senior management jobs, primarily in non-profits. Culminating as CEO of Center House in Boston for 20 years, he has amassed a wealth of experience in all aspects of managing non profit organizations from board and human resource relations (including diversity sensitivity and recruitment) to finance, contracting, budget & proposal development (including grant writing), to fundraising, public relations, and government and community relations. In ancillary positions, he was the President of an international trade association in mental health rehabilitation and a pioneering member of a Massachusetts human services trade association where he was instrumental in reform efforts to restructure the fundamental relationship between the human service community and the Commonwealth. He was also member of a Dukakis administration task force charged with designing and implementing reform of the Massachusetts mental health system. As a consultant, his jobs include helping two community health centers achieve JCHAO accreditation, steering a public charter school transition from a contracted management to a Board-directed one, and leading a small community agency to complete a successful first-time strategic plan. As a volunteer, he convinced the Town of Watertown to offer a Town Fair and has been its Chairperson since inception. The Fair now attracts upwards of 15,000 people each year. Mike sees himself as ideally suited for a medium-size organization that needs help from a generalist leader with a broad perspective, not a more focused, technical expert. Mike has a BA from Haverford College and an MBA from Harvard.

D. Alison Buckser, MPH
Interim Executive Director, Health Care Program Development, Grant Writing  

Alison has over 10 years of health care policy and program design and implementation experience in several states. She is the author or co-author of seven major publications and research papers in community public health matters. Recently she has turned considerable talents to professional nonprofit interim executive management with NPT. She served for seven months as the IED of a Rhode Island English as a Second Language agency, where she revitalized the staff and helped the agency rebuild its core program to the extent that it won one of three awards given from the state. Her consulting skills include project development and implementation, grant writing and management, community development, advocacy, consensus-building, government relations, and policy analysis. Alison is looking for new opportunities to put these skills to work as an Interim Director. She has served on numerous nonprofit Boards and held important leadership positions in several. Alison received her B.A. from Brown University, and her Master in Public Health from the Yale University School of Medicine.

Bruce Marquis
Financial Services & Board Consulting Services
Bruce has 35 years of management experience in both the business and non-profit fields, as well as substantial volunteer leadership experience. He has served as the chief executive officer of the National Spinal Cord Injury Foundation, the Massachusetts Brain Injury Association, and Northern Lights Alternatives New England. In business, he has been the owner-executive of Results Service Co., Inc. and Family Salons, Inc. which currently operates two full service beauty salons on the south shore of Massachusetts. As a volunteer, Bruce served as President of the Massachusetts Health Council, Governor's Appointed Chairperson of the Statewide Advisory Council for the Office for Children, and currently serves as Chair of the Board of the United Way of Greater Plymouth County.

William R. Rollins, Esq.
Legal Consulting and Services
Bill has been providing comprehensive legal services in all aspects of nonprofit law in Massachusetts since 1970. As a member of the first group of VISTA lawyers, Bill served in New Orleans and Houston from 1968-1970 assisting grass roots community organizations. Bill currently is counsel to several health and human service organizations throughout the Commonwealth. Areas of expertise include corporate organization and governance, risk management, employment law, regulatory compliance, and real estate transactions. Bill is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the
Boston College Law School (JD).