Board
Our Board
Brian Bossman
President
Elia Perez Tessicini
Vice President
Elia Perez Tessicini
Vice President
Elia Tessicini serves as Director of Global Payments for American Express where she has worked since 2002. During her tenure at American Express she has led high-performance teams and acted as a champion for multiple company initiatives. Prior to American Express, Elia worked in consulting and sales roles. She holds an MBA from Boston College and a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Elia resides in South Hamilton, Massachusetts with her eight-year old daughter Alessandra. Outside of work she enjoys cooking, swimming, and spending time with her family.
Michael McLaughlin
Treasurer
Michael McLaughlin
Treasurer
Michael McLaughlin is Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer & General Counsel at Henley Enterprises. Formerly he was a Partner at the Boston boutique law firm of Lerner & Holmes PC. He joined the firm in 2005 where his practice focuses on complex real estate and general business transactions throughout the United States serving a wide variety of national and local clients. Prior to joining Lerner & Holmes PC, Michael was an associate in the Real Estate Department at Goodwin Procter LLP in its Boston office. Upon graduating from law school, Michael worked as a Law Clerk to the Justices of the Superior Court of Massachusetts. Michael received his Bachelor of Arts from Boston College, Cum Laude, and his Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School. Michael has been involved with numerous charities during his legal career including The Trust For Public Land and Habitat for Humanity Greater Boston. He became involved with CCALS following a close friend’s diagnosis with ALS. Michael lives in Lincoln, Massachusetts with his wife and their three sons.
Ron Hoffman
Clerk
Ron Hoffman
Clerk
Ron Hoffman co-founded the Gordon T. Heald ALS fund along with Elizabeth Heald following the death of her husband Gordon on October 30, 1998. In time Ron’s work led to the creation of the nonprofit organization Compassionate Care ALS. He has served as founder and director working with thousands of individuals, families and communities living with Lou Gehrig’s Disease in the US and around the world. He facilitates and guides intimate discussions for those engaged in the complexities of living with and dying with this catastrophic illness. Ron’s work helps examine the myriad of choices and possibilities that people confront including the process of death and dying and the questions that arise as together they create space for dialogue around their decisions.
Ron has been mentored by many great teachers in preparation for his unique path in the world, including Roshi Joan Halifax of the Upaya Institute, the late Steven Foster, his wife Meredith Little and Dr. Scott Eberle of the School of Lost Borders, Jeffrey Duvall, co-founder of the Men’s Council Project, Tom Daly, Phd. of the Living Arts Foundation and Julie Brown Yau, Phd. of Embodied Wisdom who was instrumental in the co-creation of the Cultivating Compassion Education Series. Ron leads in-services and trainings for hospice workers and health care professionals. He also lectures regularly to nursing students at UMASS Boston. Ron has served two terms as a board member of the Hospice and Palliative Care Federation of Massachusetts. He is a former board member of Men’s Leadership Alliance of Boulder, Colorado. Ron is the author of Sacred Bullet, Transforming Trauma to Grace While Tending the Terminally Ill, a book that sheds light on living with grace in the face of mortality. Ron serves in many ways as a resource for individuals and organizations around the country. Originally born in Richmond, Virginia, he currently lives in West Falmouth, Massachusetts.
Luke Baxter
Luke Baxter
Luke Baxter was introduced to CCALS when his Aunt was diagnosed with ALS. After she passed Luke was so moved by the guidance and wisdom offered by Ron Hoffman and CCALS, he joined the staff as a Care Coordinator. He has been active with CCALS ever since, currently serving as a board member. Luke is a Managing Partner at Dakota Wealth Management in Peabody, MA where he oversees Systems and Technology firm wide.
Ed Hurley
Ed Hurley
A native of Holyoke , MA, Ed is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame. After working for 7 years as the Executive Assistant to 2 Presidents at Springfield College, Ed began a 36 year career with the YMCA. Following 7 years at the YMCA of Greater Worcester, Ed became the CEO of the Hockomock Area YMCA-a regional YMCA with more than 30,000 members and 4 branch facilities serving 15 communities in southeastern MA-in 1993. Ed led several successful capital campaigns raising tens of millions of dollars and more than $1.5 million annually to support local families and meet new and emerging community needs. During his 28 years at Hockomock, Ed served on numerous community Boards.
Ed and his wife Sue have 3 adult children and 4 grandchildren. In retirement Ed's passion is to continue the legacy and inspiration of his sister Cathy who faced her ALS diagnosis with courage and was committed to helping others in their battle against ALS. Cathy was supported by CCALS and her entire family wants to help ensure that others benefit from that same amazing support provided by CCALS.
Chris Lambton
Chris Lambton
Chris Lambton is a media personality and lifestyle expert based on Cape Cod, MA with his wife Peyton, daughter Lyla James and son Hayes Jennings. Chris is a judge on Discovery Plus’s Clipped, host of DIY Networks "Lawn and Order", "Yard Crashers" and appears with Peyton on HGTV's "Going Yard" where they transform backyards, one house at a time. Chris also appears on HGTV and DIY Networks specials “HGTV’s The Rose Parade”, "HGTV Dream Home", "HGTV SmartHome", “Tree House Special”, “RV Special” and "Blog Cabin".
Since 2007, Chris has been living in his hometown on Cape Cod and running the family’s landscape business, E. Lambton Landscaping, alongside his brother Erik. Prior to that, he was a teacher and varsity boys’ basketball coach at New York City’s High School of Economics and Finance. He holds a degree from Providence College in Rhode Island and was part of the Big East Conference Academic All-Star Team in 1998 and 1999. He is an elected Selectman in Dennis and Chair of the Selectboard.
Chris is very involved with Compassionate Care ALS (CCALS) as a result of his mother’s fight with Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), a disease associated with the degeneration of nerve cells in specific areas of the brain. He continues to give back to the organization as often as possible.
Adrienne Martin
Adrienne Martin
Adrienne Martin’s husband, John was diagnosed with ALS in October of 2016 and passed with ALS in October of 2018. She previously ran her own business as an acupuncturist and health and wellness advocate. She ran a physical business as well as website, blog, youtube channel and social media presence.
Kenny Meharg
Kenny Meharg
Kenny Meharg is a client-focused Tax Director for the firm PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC). In this role he advises Boston based alternative investments clients on various partnership tax issues and the treatment of complex financial products. He holds an MBA and MS in Accounting from Northeastern University and a Bachelor of Arts - College of Humanities & Fine Arts from the University of Massachusetts – Amherst. Kenny resides in Andover, Massachusetts with his spouse Lindsey, and children Charlie and Max. Outside of work he enjoys golfing, skiing, yard work, and spending time with family in York Beach, ME.
Peter Quinn
Peter Quinn
Peter Quinn was introduced to CCALS several years ago, during the four-year process of his diagnosis for a neurological disease. While his disease, Primary Lateral Sclerosis, prematurely forced his retirement from his professional career as a management consultant, Peter remains active, serving on multiple boards and holding onto the joy and inspiration that his physically active life has always given him.
Holding an undergraduate degree in mathematics and a graduate degree in business, Peter enjoys trying to develop his aptitude for exploring potential solutions to management challenges. Peter has three children. Peter lives in Boxborough, MA, where he is sometimes seen on his recumbent trike or sitting outside in his walker as the snow falls. Peter shares anecdotes from his journey with the disease on his blog, “El Cap.”
Darlene Salatto Rose
Darlene Salatto Rose
Darlene currently resides in East Hampton, NY and has been on an extended sabbatical since leaving her Senior VP of Design position at Robert Abbey, Inc. after her husband’s death from ALS in March 2010. She has enjoyed a long, successful career as a design professional in both the apparel and home furnishing industries. Eighteen of those years were spent working side by side with her husband Jeffrey. Darlene enjoys exploring her various interests and passions that include volunteering her time to local charities on the east end of Long Island, Yoga and Meditation, Traveling, Gardening and Cooking.
Mikell R. Scarborough
Mikell R. Scarborough
Mikell R. Scarborough was born in Charleston, SC. He is married to the former Mary LeMacks and they have three children, Ross, Elizabeth and Thomas.
He attended public schools in Camden, SC and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from The University of the South in Sewanee, TN in 1980. He obtained his Juris Doctorate from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1983. He worked as a judicial law clerk to Circuit Court Judge Owens Cobb and Supreme Court Justice Lee Chandler. He served as Assistant Solicitor to Donnie Myers in Lexington, SC from 1985-1987. After private practice in Columbia, he returned to Charleston in 1991. He was a solo practitioner from 1999 until his appointment as Master in Equity on June 21, 2003.
Mr. Scarborough was appointed a member of the Charleston County Planning Commission in 1992 and served as its chairman from 1996 – 2003 during which time he oversaw the creation of the first Charleston County Comprehensive Plan and the subsequent Land Development Regulations. He represented the Charleston County Election Commission from 1999-2003 and served as an assistant Charleston County attorney from 1998-2002. He was a member of the board of directors for the Charleston County Public Defender Corporation and served as proxy to the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments from 1999-2003. He served on the vestry of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church from 1998-2001 and as Senior Warden from 2016-2018.
Peter Vaughn
Peter Vaughn
Peter is the Founder and Managing Director of Vaughn Advisory Group, LLC, where he advises organizations on strategy, marketing, and overall business growth. As an executive coach, he helps individuals navigating career transitions to clarify their value and intentions, build confidence, and develop strategies to achieve meaningful career growth and business impact. Prior to launching his advisory practice, Peter had more than two decades of global leadership experience with American Express, where he held a range of senior marketing, product development, and business management roles. He also served as the first Chief Experience Officer at Avenues: The World School, helping define and shape the student and parent experience across its global network of campuses.
In addition to his advisory work, Peter serves on the board of Vail Resorts, Inc. and is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology in Queens, New York. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business economics from Brown University and an MBA in international marketing from INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France.
Peter lives in Montclair, New Jersey with his wife, Mary Anne. They have two daughters, Olivia and Maggie. Peter’s extended family has been connected to CCALS for many years, having known Gordon and Betsy Heald for decades. Peter’s mother, Nancy, recently passed after a 17- year battle with ALS, during which the CCALS team was instrumental in supporting her, her caregivers, and the family.
Guide Council (Board of Advisors)
Jan Cellucci
Jan Cellucci
Jan Cellucci has worked in and advocated for a wide range of libraries in the United States and Canada since 1974. In her professional career she has held positions as an assistant public library director, an elected public library trustee, a school library director, a university preservation-conservation manager, an associate university librarian and a national library commissioner. She is the former first lady of Massachusetts and has been an advocate for ALS care since her husband, Paul, died with ALS.
Lisa Genova
Lisa Genova
Lisa Genova graduated valedictorian, summa cum laude from Bates College with a degree in Biopsychology and holds a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University. She is a New York Times best-selling author whose novel Still Alice was adapted into the Academy Award-winning motion picture starring Julianne Moore and Alec Baldwin. Genova’s new novel Every Note Played focuses on dealing with the impact of an ALS diagnosis. She is intimately aware of the work of CCALS.
Anne Trupiano
Anne Trupiano
Anne was the Vice President of Claims/Administration and co-owner of TRU-Services in Beverly. Ms. Trupiano attended Quinsigamond College in Worcester, Massachusetts. In 1979, she began her insurance career at State Mutual Life Assurance Company of America (now Allmerica Financial) in Worcester as an Underwriter, and was later promoted to Manager of the Evidence of Insurability/Group Insurance Division.
In 1990, Ms. Trupiano joined American Specialty Underwriters where she expanded her role in the claims area over the next six years, and was appointed Claims Manager in 1993. She joined ASU Services LLC (which later became TRU Services LLC) full time as Vice President/Claims in 1999.
Jerry Trupiano
Jerry Trupiano
Jerry was the President and co-owner of TRU-Services in Beverly, MA. Mr. Trupiano received his B.S. in Business Administration from Nichols College in 1984 and began his career at State Mutual Life Assurance Company. Over the next two decades he managed and directed underwriting efforts at various companies including Medical Reinsurance Underwriters Inc., Health Reinsurance Management, Inc., and R.E. Moulton, Inc. In October 1997, Mr. Trupiano was appointed President of ASU Services LLC, a newly formed subsidiary of ASU International Inc, and went on to form TRU Services LLC in 2001. He has been involved with CCALS since 2001, when his mother Pat had ALS.
Elizabeth P. Heald
Elizabeth P. Heald
Elizabeth P. Heald is the cofounder of the Gordon T. Heald ALS Fund. Betsy’s lifelong commitment to quality education started with five years of elementary teaching and includes 21 years of service on the board of The Winsor School, with seven years as board president. While Betsy calls herself a “professional volunteer,” she helped her husband Gordon run Wicker Tree Catering and after his death, she ran the business. In addition to her commitment to helping families challenged by ALS, Betsy has continued Gordon’s legacy as an advocate for the environment and conservation by following in his shoes as a board member for the Salt Pond Areas Bird Sanctuary in Falmouth.