Board of Directors
Deirdre Connor Munley - Board Member
Deirdre is a fundraising and strategic planning consultant who has worked in the non-profit sector for the past ten years. Prior to consulting Deirdre served as Director of Operations at CAVU (Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited), an operating foundation which worked to improve the health of underserved children, including the nationally recognized Healthy Weight Initiative and Fruit and Vegetable Prescription programs. She is a co-founder and Steering Committee member of the Regional School Health Coalition, a member of the Clark University Alumni and Parent Admissions Program, the Joint Coalition on Health, and the Young Non-Profit Professionals Network of Boston, and was a semi-finalist for the 2010 Social Innovators Award. She is a lifelong supporter of sustainable agriculture, and is an enthusiastic vegetable gardener and canner. Deirdre holds a BA in Sociology and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in Non-Profit Management, both from Clark University.
Andrea Freeman – Board Secretary
Andrea has been working to support and advance nonprofit organizations’ goals for more than 15 years. As a connector, facilitator, and program director she has been the Director of the Putnam Conservation Institute for The Trustees of Reservations since 2003. Previously she was the Director of Training & Conferences for the Land Trust Alliance in Washington, DC, for eight years. Andrea has a BA in environmental studies and economics from St. Lawrence University and an MS in natural resource policy and planning from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. An avid organic gardener and who loves to cook simple, healthy meals, Andrea is passionate about Growing Places’ mission. She lives in Leominster with her husband, Tim Silva, who appreciates her cooking well enough to clean up after every meal.
Suzanne Hays – Board Member
Suzanne is an independent marketing consultant serving corporate and nonprofit clients that wish to advance their mission, increase their visibility, and enhance the overall success of their organization. Suzanne has 20+ years of marketing and communications experience in the financial services marketplace and previously worked for Fidelity Investments leading large-scale product development and communication efforts to support Fidelity’s retirement services business. Inspired by passionate Growing Places volunteers, the growing relevance of nutrition education and healthy eating, and the organization’s impact on the communities it serves, she became a volunteer in 2009. Suzanne is an active community member, has three young boys, and lives in Harvard with her husband.
Maria Heskes-Allard – Board Treasurer
Maria is Vice President of Commercial Lending and Cash Management of Clinton Savings Bank. Ms. Allard received a B.S. in Business and Finance from New Hampshire College, Manchester, NH, and an MBA in Finance from Assumption College, Worcester, MA. She brings her financial experience and education to GPGP. Ms. Allard has served on numerous boards of non-profits including Board of Trustees at Becker College, Alumni Association Board at Becker College, Business and Industrial Committee at the North Central Chamber of Commerce, and Corporator of Greater Worcester Community Foundation. She is currently serving on the Becker College President Search Committee, and is a Girl Scout Troop leader. Ms. Allard has constructed many raised vegetable and flower beds at her own home in Princeton, MA. She and her family (husband and daughter) share many activities including gardening, horse back riding, kayaking, soccer, and old cars.
Sheila Lumi – Board Member
Sheila Lumi is presently employed as the Community Coordinator for the North Central WIC Program. WIC is a federal and state funded nutrition program that provides nutrition and health education, healthy food, and services to eligible families in the 26 towns and cities of North Central Massachusetts. She lives in Lunenburg, with her husband Rob and a boxer named Clancy. Her hobbies include gardening, maintaining a natural bird habitat, caring for an 8 hive apiary (Sheila’s Local Honey) and promoting local agriculture.
Brenda Piccard-Muniz – Board Member
Brenda currently works for Twin Cities CDC as a housing counselor educating and assisting homeowners to prevent foreclosure and modifying their homes. Also with the CDC, she has been involved in the clean-up and revitalization of the Elm Street neighborhood in Fitchburg.
To her, Growing Places means a lot because of what it represents. The way the program works within the community and encourages each of us to grow our own gardens and work with each other toward a greater purpose. It teaches gardening skills and nutritional values that contribute to the growth of our own food that will help us all live a healthier life.
Linda Russell – Board Chair
Linda is an herbalist and owner of Scentsibilities, an Herb & Aromatherapy shop in Boylston. Prior to opening the store seven years ago, Linda held corporate controller positions at several technology start-up companies and holds an MBA in Finance from Babson College. Linda has always had a love of plants and gardening and has taken a number of horticulture classes at Tower Hill Botanic Garden, Boylston, MA. She has also completed two formal herbal apprenticeship programs. She is an active volunteer with the American Red Cross in Disaster Services and various outreach projects at her church focused on feeding and hunger issues. Along with gardening, Linda loves to read, weave, knit and travel.
Paul Taylor – Board Vice Chair
Paul Taylor is a recently retired pastor and professor with an eclectic background ranging from K-Ar. dating at geo-physics at Yale University to work as a brick mason and book-binding warehouse. He and his wife have two daughters and five grandchildren who give them much wonder and delight. Paul currently does part-time consulting for strategic planning and leadership training, is on the board of trustees for a non-profit managing investments & serving on their committee for community outreach for low-income housing. He enjoys bluegrass music, bee keeping, and olive harvesting in Umbria.
Dolores Thibault-Muñoz – Board Member
Dolores was elected in 2012 as the Ward 4 City Councilor in Fitchburg, MA. She was the Executive Director of the Cleghorn Neighborhood Center in Fitchburg, MA., for the past five years. Dolores participates in many local positive initiatives, she has served as an interim executive director for Growing Places. Dolores is originally from Chicago and was a community organizer. She graduated with a degree in Women’s and Gender Studies with a concentration in Public Policy and Social Justice from DePaul University. She lives in Fitchburg with her two daughters, husband and mother. Dolores has been a Trustee since 2008.