MTC Staff Bios

Abbreviations:
RET: Renewable Energy Trust
JAII: John Adams Innovation Institute

 

Mitchell Adams, Executive Director
MTC’s Executive Director Mitchell Adams assumed his duties on October 1, 2001. Mitch brings to MTC more than 30 years of management experience and a diverse portfolio of expertise in strategy, business process, and systems implementation management. Most recently, he founded and served as Chairman and CEO of a company concerned with the application of advanced information technology in the healthcare systems that subsequently merged with another corporation. As the State’s Commissioner of Revenue from 1991-98, he developed and implemented the successful “Telefile” tax filing system. Previously, he served for six years as Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, and as Dean for Finance and Business at Harvard Medical School for four years. Mitch holds A.B. and M.B.A. degrees from Harvard University.

Christopher B. Andrews, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer
Chris has extensive experience in a variety of management roles in the technology sector. He has co-founded a computer hardware and a software company, has served on the executive management team of several high-growth technology companies, and has overseen the finance, human resources, IT, legal, facilities, and other finance and administration groups in these companies. Most recently, Chris was CFO of Student Advantage, Inc. during a time of rapid growth and a highly-successful initial public offering. Chris is a graduate of Harvard College and Boston College Law School.

Paulette Bertonazzi , Benefits and Payroll Administrator
Paulette works in the administration and finance department and has been with the organization since 1986. Paulette holds a B.A. in sociology from Framingham State College.

Nils Bolgen, Program Manager, Clean Energy Program, RET
Nils has been with the Renewable Energy Trust at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative since 2001. As a Program Manager in the Clean Energy Program, he manages the Massachusetts Green Power Partnership and other initiatives that support the development and financing of renewable generators that serve wholesale power markets. He also serves as MTC’s technical manager for the Community Wind Collaborative. Prior to joining MTC, Nils managed the renewable energy program at the Massachusetts Division of Energy Resources and worked extensively on the Massachusetts RPS regulation. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from North Adams State College and a Master of Environmental Planning degree from Arizona State University.

Martha Broad, Manager, Renewable Energy Markets, RET
Martha is the MTC Renewable Energy Trust’s Manager of Renewable Energy Markets. She has over twenty years of experience as a marketing strategist and manager for environmental products and services in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors. One of her primary areas of responsibility at RET is a demand-side initiative called Clean Energy Choice^SM. Most recently, she was Managing Director of CLF Ventures, the consulting arm of the Conservation Law Foundation where she developed and implemented strategic initiatives and managed teams to provide client services. In addition, she launched and managed a unique for-profit “green” auto insurance agency for CLF Ventures. Prior to that, as General Manager of Rainforest Crunch, she led the startup and management of all aspects of this cause-oriented gourmet candy manufacturer. She received her undergraduate degree from Hampshire College and has an MBA from the Yale School of Management.

James L. Christo, Program Director, Green Buildings and Infrastructure, RET
Jim is Program Director of the Green Buildings and Infrastructure. He is responsible for building relationships with the Trust’s green building partners, and for contributing to the development, management, and implementation of related activities. Prior to joining MTC, Jim worked in various technical service management positions in the private sector. During his ten years with Cytyc Corporation (a medical device manufacturer), he oversaw the creation and development of their customer service operation as their director of service operations. Jim graduated from Brown University with a B.S. degree in Engineering, and from Clark University with a Master’s degree in Business Administration.

Jean Clements, Executive Assistant
Jean assists Renewable Energy Trust Director Warren Leon and provides administrative support to the Trust’s management. She is actively involved in the daily flow of information and operational logistics for the Trust’s many initiatives. Jean enjoys being part of the team that staffs the Clean Energy Tour, and is enthusiastic about increasing public awareness of Renewable Energy and its many benefits. Before joining MTC Jean held positions with internet job board “Net-Temps.com,” Kenda Systems technical recruiting firm, and the computer sales division of Hewlett-Packard. She also enjoyed singing with the Massachusetts-based Curtis Knight Band for twelve years. Having previously attended the University of Massachusetts/Lowell in the Music Education program, Jean is now pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration with the University of Phoenix Online.

Glen Comiso, Director, Life Sciences and Health, JAII
As Director of Life Sciences and Health, Glen is responsible for shaping this new initiative, working with Patrick Larkin and Mitchell Adams. From 1999 to 2003, Glen was a Project Leader at the Boston Consulting Group, and during 2003 he was chosen for their Ambassador Program to work in their Paris office. His work at the Boston Consulting Group resulted in the creation of the LifeTech program for the City of Boston, an undertaking that he subsequently led as Deputy Director of Economic Initiatives at the Boston Redevelopment Authority. Early in his career, Glen was an Engineering Manager at Motorola, Inc. in Scottsdale, AZ, where he led a team of engineers to develop the successful TAMER program for the Department of Defense. Glen holds his MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, and his BS in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of California at Berkeley.

Francis H. Cummings, Program Director, Policy, RET
Fran joined the Trust in 2002 to develop, analyze and negotiate regulatory, legislative and other public policies through which state agencies and other stakeholders can increase the penetration of renewable energy in key markets. For example, he is working with electric utilities and others to help make new green energy choices available to Massachusetts consumers and to streamline the process for interconnecting solar or other ‘customer-sited’ renewable generation. He previously served as Director of Policy for the Massachusetts Division of Energy Resources (DOER) during the 1990s, where he played a key role in the regulatory proceedings and negotiations that achieved agreement on the divestiture of utility generating plants and the creation of the New England wholesale power market and renewable energy tracking system (GIS). During the 1980s, he worked on the financing of hydropower, biomass and other small renewable power projects in New England.

Emily Dahl, Public Information Officer
Emily works in the Communications Department on public relations as well as a variety of writing, editing, and graphic design projects for print publication and the MTC website. Prior to working at MTC, she promoted energy-efficient industrial electric motors at the nonprofit Consortium for Energy Efficiency in Boston. Emily holds a B.A. from Brandeis University in English and American Literature, with minors in Environmental Studies and Economics.

Joseph D. Downing, Chief Operating Officer, JAII 
Joseph D. Downing is Chief Operating Officer for the John Adams Innovation Institute. His career has focused on organizing and investing resources in both public and private settings, including six years in economic development for the City of Boston and ten years in the capital markets specializing in institutional investing and financing for growth companies. His experience includes a two-year Administrative Appointment in Harvard’s University Partners Program and Center for Business and Government and part-time teaching in the Graduate Finance Program at Boston College’s Carroll School of Management. Joseph holds an A.B. degree, cum laude, in Government from Harvard College; an MBA, with a concentration in Finance, from New York University; and an M.S. degree in Finance from the Carroll School.

Bethany M. Gilboard, Director of Health Technologies
Bethany M. Gilboard is the Director of Health Technologies for MTC. In her capacity she is responsible for directing the Statewide Computer Physician Order Entry Initiative that began in 2005 in collaboration with the New England Health Care Institute. The goal of the CPOE project is to have every hospital in the Commonwealth on line with CPOE within four years. Prior to joining MTC, Bethany spent ten years as the Executive Director of the Lowell General Physician Hospital Organization, a 250 member PHO. In that capacity she was responsible for developing both physician and hospital managed care strategy in anticipation of changing market dynamics and pay for performance. Prior to her departure she was instrumental in developing an organizational wide approach to the evaluation, selection and negotiation of electronic medical records for physician offices that included an incentive model for adoption of preferred vendor systems. Bethany also served as Director of Managed Care for the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and began her Massachusetts HealthCare career at Salem Hospital as the Director of Long Term Care and Assistant Director of Corporate Planning. Bethany holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Rochester and a Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in Health Policy and Planning from New York University Graduate School of Public Administration.

Philip F. Holahan, Executive Vice President and General Counsel
Phil also serves as Secretary of the Board of Directors of MTC.

Phil has significant experience in matters related to science and technology policy and public economic development programs. He previously served as the Assistant Secretary and General Counsel of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Affairs and General Counsel of the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education. Phil received his undergraduate degree from the College of the Holy Cross, M.P.A. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University, and J.D. and Master of Laws in Taxation degrees from Boston University School of Law. He is a member of the Massachusetts and New Jersey Bars.

Robert G. Kispert, Program Director, Federal and University Programs, JAII
As the university and federal programs director at the Innovation Institute, Bob is in touch with a wide circle of professionals in this area.

Prior to joining MTC, Bob provided consulting services to a variety of domestic and international technology based firms in the software, instrumentation, consumer electronics, energy, and environmental business sectors. He has served on source evaluation panels for federal and industrial organizations. He is the former President of Dynatech Scientific, Inc., a research and development services, testing, and instrumentation manufacturer serving government, institutional and industrial markets. Bob holds S.B. and S.M. degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is the author or co-author of a number of technical and management reports and papers.

Patrick Larkin, Deputy Director, MTC and Director of the John Adams Innovation Institute
Pat is leading the implementation of the Institute, which is focused on spurring technology-based economic development across the Commonwealth. He brings more than 12 years of economic development experience (nine years with MTC) and a proven track record of success in economic affairs. Among his accomplishments, Pat is responsible for some of MTC’s more celebrated initiatives such as piloting the FedTech program which matured into today’s Cluster’s Program, conceptualizing much of MTC’s Renewable Energy Trust and championing the nationally–renowned Berkshire Connect initiative.

Warren Leon, Director, Renewable Energy Trust
Warren Leon became the Director of the Renewable Energy Trust at the beginning of 2006. During the previous two years, he had served in several other capacities at the Trust, including as Deputy Director. He has worked on energy and environmental issues for more than 15 years. Before joining MTC, Warren was Executive Director of the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association. Before that, he was Deputy Director for Programs at the Union of Concerned Scientists. He is co-author of the popular book The Consumer’s Guide to Effective Environmental Choices (Three Rivers Press, 1999) and also co-authored Is Our Food Safe? A Consumer’s Guide to Protecting Our Health and the Environment (Three Rivers Press, 2002). He received his undergraduate degree from Oberlin College in 1972 and a Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1979.

Sissi Liu, Industry Investment and Development Manager, RET
As Industry Investment and Development Manager at the Trust, Sissi focuses on providing assistance to early-stage renewable energy companies. Sissi comes to MTC from Sentech, Inc., a Bethesda, Maryland-based clean energy consulting firm, where she led policy and market research and analyses on the clean energy sector. She has also had experience in startup business management and corporate finance. Sissi hold a B.A. from Wellesley College in economics and a M.P.P from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University with a concentration in Environment and Natural Resource Policy.

Myles McLaughlin, Director, Information Technology
Myles is responsible for all aspects of computer hardware, software and network systems for MTC. Before coming here Myles worked in diverse fields of information technology for a variety of institutions: hospital information systems, banking and publications. One of his first employment opportunities was on this same campus working for the Massachusetts Microelectronics Center in its computer-aided manufacturing department. Myles is a graduate of Wentworth Institute in computer engineering and a Microsoft certified system engineer.

Dan Mushrush, IT Administrator
Dan has worked in PC and network support continuously since graduating from Fitchburg State College in 1991 with a B.S. in computer science. He lives in Worcester and is MTC’s resident naturalist with an avid interest in the campus flora and fauna.

Jeanne Napolitano, Grants and Contracts Administrator
Jeanne comes to us from Pegasystems Inc., in Cambridge where she served as Paralegal in charge of contract administration. Jeanne holds an M.B.A. from Clark University and a B.A. in theatre from State University of New York at Albany. As a member of the legal department, Jeanne is responsible for the administration, monitoring and compliance of all grants and contracts for MTC.

Joe Nasalski, Senior Accountant
Joe works in the MTC finance department. His primary responsibilities include the month end accounting close and various other daily accounting functions. Joe graduated from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, with a B.A. in finance. Before joining MTC in 2001 he worked as a Senior Accountant at Arch Wireless.

Sudhir Nunes, Senior Manager, International Enterprise

Sudhir has been actively involved with energy innovation for over 10 years, with varied experiences in business development, entrepreneurship and investing.

He is currently a Senior Project Manager at the Renewable Energy Trust, a fund investing $25MM annnually into early and growth stage renewable energy companies on behalf of the State of Massachusetts. He is also responsible for business development, attracting clean energy companies to Massachusetts, and helping local companies establish partnerships around the world. Sudhir recently organized the Clean Energy track of Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick’s Trade Mission to China.

Prior to joining the Renewable Energy Trust, he founded Orca Energy SL, an award-winning startup in Spain focused on new energy storage technology. He also worked in business development for Intelligent Energy, a London-based fuel cell company, and designed commercial aircraft engines for General Electric.

Sudhir holds a bilingual MBA from IESE Business School in Barcelona, an MS in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University. He currently resides in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Sam Nutter, Project Manager, Green Buildings and Infrastructure, RET
Sam is responsible for RET’s Green Buildings and Green Schools Initiatives. He supports all Trust activities related to green building design and construction. Sam also spent threee years at MTC supporting all things solar-related. He ran the Solar-to-Market Initiative, which he later evolved into MTC's current, highly successful Small Renewables Initiative. Prior to joining MTC, Sam developed extensive utility energy efficiency program experience while working at NSTAR, KeySpan, and for various energy services contractors. Sam has a BS from University of Massachusetts, Amherst and an MBA from Bentley College. He is a Certified Energy Manager and a LEED Accredited Professional.

Christine Raisig, Publications Manager
Chief among Christine’s duties at MTC are design and production of the yearly Index, biannual R&D reports, MTC Annual Report and project brochures. As MTC’s Publications Manager since 1994, she is responsible for all printed material published by the organization and the MTC website. She holds a B.A. from Nasson College and completed a graduate program in Communications at Simmons.

Matthew Schemmel, Associate General Counsel
Matthew joined MTC’s legal department in 2002, and is currently serving as the corporation’s Associate General Counsel. Matthew has a broad range of experience in both the private and public sectors, having spent several years in private practice in both Boston and Madison, Wisconsin, and previously serving as Assistant General Counsel for the State of Wisconsin Department Of Transportation. Matthew works directly with MTC’s General Counsel and Executive Management Team to represent the interests of the corporation in the areas of commercial transactions, human resources and employment law, management of all providers of outside legal services and all public law matters, including public procurement, public records and conflicts of interest.  In addition, Matthew oversees and manages the corporation’s contracting function, including the drafting, negotiation, execution and enforcement of all services procurements and grants. Matthew also provides legal advice and assistance to the Renewable Energy Trust and the John Adams Innovation Institute. Matthew holds a Bachelor of Arts in English literature and philosophy from Boston College (summa cum laude, 1988), a J.D. from Boston College Law School (1991) and a Master of Laws from King’s College, University of London (with merit, 1992).

Judy Silvia, Director of Regulatory and Governmental Affairs
Judy’s main focus is on the creation and implementation of the Collaborative’s legislative and regulatory agendas. She is also actively involved in a number of Renewable Energy Trust Fund Initiatives. Prior to joining MTC, Judy was Vice President of Energy Programs for the Associated Industries of Massachusetts. She was actively involved in the restructuring of the electric industry, which took place in 1997 before the Massachusetts’s legislature. Before that, she was the Director of Research and Legal Counsel for the General Court of Massachusetts’ Joint Committee on Energy. Judy has a J.D. from Vermont Law School and a B.S. from the University of New Hampshire.

Diane R. Souza, Administrative Assistant
Diane joined MTC fresh from a career in a real estate office where she provided office management and support. Her people skills are evident as she runs the reception area of the Innovation Center, which is the Westborough campus building in which the John Adams Innovation Institute and the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust are based. Having a family business of electrical contracting in her background gives Diane a keen interest in renewable energy and the advances that are being made in the industry. She provides administrative support to MTC’s Program Review Officer, Campus and Facilities management, and Purchasing Department, and assists the entire organization’s staff with daily operations.

Luanne Spooner, Executive Assistant and Administrative Services Supervisor, F&A
As Administrative Services Supervisor, Luanne supports Mitchell and Phil as their Executive Assistant; manages the administrative team and coordinates administrative services for MTC; and coordinates the logistics for the Board of Director and Board Committee meetings. Luanne brings a wealth of experience based on more than 17 years of service in executive administrative management with MediQual/Cardinal Heath. Luanne has specific expertise in planning corporate events, managing program logistics and vendor relationships. Luanne holds a B.S. in Liberal Studies from Assumption College.

Ian Springsteel, Industry Investment and Development Manager, RET
Ian plays several roles within the Renewable Energy Trust, a division of MTC. First, he finances the manufacturing expansions of renewable energy technology companies in Massachusetts through the $23 million Business Expansion Initiative, which he developed and manages. Ian is also the lead program manager at MTC for the development of the Massachusetts-NREL Wind Technology Testing Center, a new initiative of MTC which will structurally test large wind turbine blades. Finally, Ian also has responsibility for strategic planning and execution of all Renewable Energy Certificate sales for MTC. Prior to joining MTC, Ian worked as an editor and journalist covering finance, business, and government affairs for a variety of national business publications. He holds a BA from Boston University in Comparative Political Economy, and an MPA from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, with concentrations in finance and energy policy.

Michael J. Tavilla, Director of Investments, JAII
Michael Tavilla leads the research, analysis, and writing of the annual Index of the Massachusetts Innovation Economy and spearheads other research reports and projects focusing on technology-driven cluster and economic development. Mike brings more than 7 years of experience in the IT and emerging technology sectors from various roles in high-technology and public policy, professional research and consulting, and economic development.

Prior to his work at the Innovation Institute, Mike was Research Director at the Association for Competitive Technology (ACT), a global, 3,000 member IT trade association headquartered in Washington, DC. Mike has also been an industry and market Research Analyst at the Aberdeen Group and at Forrester Research, both Massachusetts-based, professional high-tech research and advisory firms. He earned his B.A. in Political Science from The George Washington University, studied at Boston University’s London Programme, and did his graduate study at American University.

Greg Watson, Vice President for Sustainable Development & Renewable Energy
After the extraordinary accomplishments Greg made through the first phase of the Trust’s development, he is taking the lead role on the Offshore Wind Collaborative working with the U.S. Department of Energy and GE.

From 1995 to 1999 he served as Executive Director of the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative. Prior to that he has been with: Second Nature as its Director of Educational Programs; The Nature Conservancy’s Eastern Regional Office as its Director; and Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture as Commissioner.

Prior to that, Greg was the Executive Director of the New Alchemy Institute. In 1983, he was appointed Assistant Secretary for Science and Technology within the Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Affairs, a post he held until 1989. From 1983 through 1986 he also served as Deputy Director of the Massachusetts Centers of Excellence Corporation. He became the first Director of the Massachusetts Office of Science and Technology in 1986.

Greg serves on the board of directors of Ocean Arks International and the Henry A. Wallace Institute for Alternative Agriculture. He attended Tufts University where he majored in Civil Engineering. He also developed a self-directed program in Environmental Design Science at Campus-Free College in Boston.

Jennifer Wierl , Accounting Manager
Jennifer joins MTC in the position of Accounting Manager. In this role she will oversee the monthly financial close, preparation of financial statements, and lead the financial reviews with managers as well as being charged with the oversight of the full accounting cycle. Jennifer was most recently with the Office of the State Comptroller as a Business Analyst assisting with new MMARS implementation and then as an Auditor working on business process redesign and the related documentation of those new processes. Prior to her work with the State, Jennifer was a Senior Accountant with Deloitte & Touche. Jennifer is a CPA and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting with a minor in Economics from Bethany College.