Jim Pocock
President

Jim is President and Co-Founder of Elevate New England, and also serves on the national team Elevate USA helping the Elevate model launch in cities throughout America. An ordained clergyman, he has served as Pastor of three churches, as well as Development officer for a liberal arts college. Jim and his wife Beth live in Gloucester and have one son, a daughter-in-law and a grandson.

Rhea Gordon
Executive Director

Ms. Gordon is co-founder of Elevate New England and has been the Executive Director since its 2016 inception. Prior to this she founded and was the Executive Director for 20 years of Healthy Futures, a non-profit working with urban public school students in the areas of sexual risk reduction, substance abuse prevention and teen violence prevention.

Theresa Littauer
Secretary

Theresa has long had a passion for education and has volunteered at all levels, from kindergarten through college. She was a collaborator in the development of a character education program in her hometown of Cohasset, involved in the METCO program and served as a mentor and academic coach to students struggling in college. She is also involved in programs serving local senior citizens. She and her husband Tom have five children, all who live in the greater Boston area.

Aaron Jennings
Board Member

As Equity, Diversity, and Excellence Officer for Chelsea Public Schools (CPS), Aaron is committed to leading equity, integrity and a commitment to respecting everyone’s humanity. Before joining CPS, Aaron was the Vice President of Education and Impact for an EdTech startup. He provided thought leadership and technical expertise on chronic absenteeism, whole child approach, and Multi-Tiered System of Supports. A resident of Lynn, MA, Aaron is a first-generation college graduate, having received three degrees, including Doctor of Education Leadership at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Above all Aaron’s desire is to Connect, Serve, and Lead.

Carolyn Breen
Board Member

Carolyn is an active volunteer in several organizations, planning and running events for schools, clubs and church groups. An independent consultant in luxury goods and jewelry, she is an active philanthropist interested in addressing community problems, previously serving with the Metro West Community Foundation. She and her husband Mitch live in Needham and are parents of three girls, ranging from high school to young adult.

Tom Colatosti
Board Member

Tom is CEO of Oasis Technology & Engineering, a 5.000-person company that deploys subject-matter expertise and advanced technology capabilities for cyber security and resiliency, agile software development, systems engineering, and life cycle program management from acquisition to sustainment. Prior to Oasis, CEO of Viisage Technology, Inc., and for more than 20 years, held a number of senior finance and executive operating positions at Digital Equipment Corporation (now HP Corporation). Tom has served on a number of church and non-profit boards and is a decorated Vietnam veteran. Tom is married to Nancy and has two adult sons, a daughter-in-law and a granddaughter.

Ed Faruolo
Board Member

Ed runs his own business consultancy, VitaLincs LLC. He has an exceptional track record for creating and securing sustainable market opportunities for new and existing business ventures. His experiences in challenging and complex categories such as healthcare and financial services allow him to bring a unique set of critical thinking skills to all categories of clients he serves, including Elevate New England. Prior to VitaLincs, Ed served corporately as CMO for CIGNA, as well as senior leadership positions for Lincoln Financial and The Travelers. Ed was president of the Milford Education Foundation and still serves on the MEF board. He is married to Carol and has 3 children and 4 grandchildren.

Jim Westra
Board Member

Jim is Managing Partner and Chief Legal Officer for Advent International Corporation. Prior to joining Advent, he was a partner with the law firm of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, where he served on the management committee and was co-head of the global private equity practice. Jim has represented private equity firms and their portfolio companies for over 30 years, and has also served on the boards of a number of non-profit organizations, including the United Way, the Boston Symphony and the Boston Rescue Mission. Jim and his wife Betsy live in Manchester, MA.

Chris O’Connell
Board Member

Chris is Senior Vice President and Regional Market Executive at Webster Private Bank. Prior to that he served at the Boston Private Bank & Trust Company as Senior VP and Manager of Investment Sales. He has over 25 years of experience in the wealth management industry as both a producer and sales manager. Chris is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and served our nation for six years in the U.S. Army where he completed Airborne, Ranger and Pathfinder training while serving as an infantry officer and earning the rank of Captain. A native Bostonian, Chris and his wife Sue have three children and live in Winchester.

Wen Sailer
Board Member

Wen is a high school science teacher at Brookline High School, who is passionate about education in general and equity issues in education in particular. For over twenty years, she has taught, mentored, and served as a youth group and camp counselor for a diverse population of students and youth, and is keenly aware of the challenges faced by under-resourced students. She, her husband Phil, and their three school-aged boys live in Concord MA.

Wen Sailer
Board Member

Wen is a high school science teacher at Brookline High School, who is passionate about education in general and equity issues in education in particular. For over twenty years, she has taught, mentored, and served as a youth group and camp counselor for a diverse population of students and youth, and is keenly aware of the challenges faced by under-resourced students. She, her husband Phil, and their three school-aged boys live in Concord MA.