The Community Group

Peter Beatty, President
Mary DeFranscisco
Celeste DiFruscia, Clerk
Patricia Driscoll
Patricia Flynn
Ellen George
Lucy Hulse, Treasurer
Robert Lavoie
Mary McCauley Manzi
John Reilly
Thomas Smith
Susan Stott
Nestor Louis Torres
William Webber

Peter J. Beatty currently resides in Andover and has lived in the Merrimack Valley for the past twenty-five years. He is a Field Manager at Philips Medical Systems in Andover, MA. He has been affiliated with the board since his son attended Prospect Academy, a school which was founded by The Community Group. Peter and his wife Nancy Kendrick enjoy traveling and attending the school events of their two children. Peter has a BA from Holy Cross, an MA from the University of Colorado in education, and an MBA from Boston University. Peter currently serves as President of the board.
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Mary T. DeFrancisco grew up in North Andover. Mary received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1978 from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester. She received a Juris Doctor Degree in 1981 from Suffolk University Law School in Boston. Mary's work has always involved children's issues, first for over 13 years as an Assistant Register in the Probate and Family Court Department of the Massachusetts Trial Court and since, in high school aged religious education and sacramental preparation at her home parish of St. Augustine. Mary resides in Andover with her husband, Mark, and their three children.
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Celeste McDonald DiFruscia is a former high school teacher, practicing attorney, and president of QUOTA International of Lawrence. She is the current President of AARP Chapter 2817 and a Staff Officer in the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. Celeste currently serves as Clerk of the board.
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Pat Driscoll is the Executive Director of Girls Incorporated of Lynn, a youth development agency that inspires girls to be strong, smart and bold. She serves on the board of Lynn Home for Young Women as Vice President and is a member of the Lynn Business Partnership's executive committee. Pat was instrumental in the development of the Lynn Non-Profit Business Association. Pat is a graduate of Boston College and the parent of two Community Day Charter Public School students.
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Judge Patricia Flynn has been an Associate Justice with the Juvenile Court in Middlesex County since her appointment in 2003. Judge Flynn is a member and current Vice-President of the Board of Trustees of Lawrence General Hospital, and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Notre Dame High School in Lawrence, MA (a Cristo Rey high school). Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge Flynn practiced law for 20 years in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Judge Flynn has served as President of the board, and served on the Steering Committee for the establishment of Community Day Charter Public School.
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Ellen George graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in Exceptional Citizen Education in 1981. She has worked as a Special Education teacher in public schools, and joined Community Day Care in 1981 in the Latchkey after school program at Wyman Street. Ellen then moved to be the head teacher in the kindergarten class. Ellen also serves on the board of the Professional Center for Child Development in Andover.
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Lucy Hulse is the Chief Financial Officer of Wide Horizons For Children, Inc., based in Waltham MA. WHFC is one of the largest private, non-profit adoption placement agencies in the U.S. A former business manager at Community Day Care of Lawrence, she also serves as Treasurer of the Board of Directors of the River Valley Charter School Foundation in Newburyport, Massachusetts, and is a former trustee of the River Valley Charter School. She holds an MBA degree from Babson College.
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Bob Lavoie is a shareholder of the firm Devine Millimet and chairs the Real Estate Practice Group. In his practice, Bob represents commercial real estate developers, owners, and buyers in land development and land use permitting matters, including Brownfields and M.G.L. Chapter 40B affordable housing, as well as representation in connection with complex real estate title matters. Bob represents a variety of businesses, including national and regional telecommunications companies, before local zoning and planning boards. Bob's depth of experience has earned him an appointment by the Amesbury Mayor to be the Amesbury Commissioner to the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, serving in the capacity of Vice Chair. Bob has also been appointed by the Mayor of Amesbury to co-chair the Master Plan Steering Committee. Bob has served on the TCG board since 2005.
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Judge Mary McCauley Manzi serves as a Probate and Family Court Justice at the Fenton Judicial Center in Lawrence, MA. She was appointed to the bench in 1986. She is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School and Emmanuel College. As a Justice, she has been involved with the Task Force on Mediation in the Probate and Family Court and served on the Supreme Judicial Court Committee on Ethics. Out of the courtroom, Judge Manzi was instrumental in the creation of the Community Day Charter Public School, and has continued to be an advocate for us in the community.
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John Reilly is a Senior Vice President at Fred C. Church, Inc. John heads up the firm's Employee Benefits Division and has been with the company since 1996. He is a graduate of Phillips Andover and Boston College. In addition to the TCG board, John also sits on the Board of Governors for Saints Medical Center in Lowell, Massachusetts and the Board of Directors for the Lawrence Boys & Girls Club.
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Thomas Smith is a trial attorney at Caffrey and Smith, P.C. who practices in the state and federal courts and agencies of Massachusetts. In addition to handling complex and varied civil litigations, Tom advises and represents individuals and businesses involved in governmental investigations and criminal proceedings. Tom also acts as outside general counsel to a number of companies and non-profit organizations operating in Massachusetts. Prior to joining Caffrey and Smith in 1997, Tom was an Associate at the Boston law firm of Ropes & Gray in its litigation department. Tom also served as a Special Assistant District Attorney in Middlesex County, representing the Commonwealth in numerous criminal trials in Cambridge District Court. Tom is a member of the Boston Bar Association, the Lawrence Bar Association, the Massachusetts Bar Association, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, and the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys.
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Susan Stott began her service on the board of The Community Group while she was a Senior Planner for the City of Lawrence. After completion of a Master's in City and Regional Planning at Harvard University, Susan served as the first Town Administrator in the Town of Middleton, MA. She left Middleton to become Assistant Business Manager at Phillips Academy and served in a variety of roles there for more than 20 years until her retirement in 2003. Susan is a founding member of Andover Community Trust, with a mission to advocate for and develop permanently affordable single family housing in Andover, MA. In addition, she is a Trustee of the Andover Village Improvement Society, which has preserved and manages more than a thousand acres of open space in Andover. The best action Susan has taken, while on the board of TCG, was to hire Sheila Balboni, first to initiate the Family Day Care program, and then as Executive Director.
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Nestor Louis Torres
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William Webber
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