Friends of RSVP -- Board Members
APRIL MURRAY — President
April has been a member of the Board of Directors for Friends of RSVP for over 7 years. She has been the President of the Board for the past 3 years.
For the past 34 years, April worked in the same Skilled Nursing Facility under several management companies. From May of 2001 to November of 2009, April worked as the Admissions and Marketing Director for Radius HealthCare Center at Worcester. In November 2009, she became the Marketing Director of the Eisenberg Assisted Living Residence and Jewish Home Hospice in Worcester where she currently works.
She was born in Holden, MA and brought up in Worcester where she attended Quinsigamond Community College. She has resided in Auburn, MA for the past 22 years with her husband Christopher. April has 2 children, a son who lives in California, and a daughter who currently lives at home. Her joys in life are her family, friends, and her 2 dogs. April enjoys gardening, knitting, reading, and traveling.
LOUIS SWINAND — Vice President
Lou Swinand is a retired systems engineer and business manager, who worked for Digital Equipment Corporation for many years. He is a graduate of St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, and also has an MBA from Drexel University.
His present interests include photography and videography. Lou is Vice President of the Seven Hills Camera Club and a member of the Advisory Board of Shrewsbury Media Connection. He is also a member of ArtsWorcester and the Worcester Photography Center. He and his wife, Susan, a well known local artist, produce a local cable TV show called, “Arts & Ideas.”
Lou and Susan have lived in Shrewsbury for many years. They have three married sons and seven grandchildren
LIONEL CARBONNEAU — Treasurer
Lionel has been a member of the Board of Directors since March of 2007 and has resided in Rutland, MA since 1972.
He was born and brought up in Newport, VT. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Vermont in 1968.
After moving to Massachusetts after graduation he earned his MBA from Clark University in 1972. Lionel worked for Paul Revere Life Insurance for 30 years. His last assignment was Director of Financial Reporting for the Actuarial Division. Next he worked eight years as Senior Bookseller for Tatnuck Bookseller of Worcester, MA. Since 2006 Lionel has been teaching ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) at Worcester State College and Worcester Public Library.
Lionel is President of the Rutland Lions Club, Treasurer of CENTRAL MASS ONSTAGE and Chairman of the Massachusetts Lions Speech Contest. Lionel also reads over the radio for the sight impaired at Worcester’s Audio Journal. He also enjoys reading murder mysteries.
Lionel has been married to his wife Carolyn for forty-one years. He has three married sons and four grandchildren.
DENISE HERRON — Secretary
Denise was a former Director of the RSVP Worcester Area Volunteers where she also served as RSVP’s Volunteer and Operations Coordinator. Her background includes a variety of experience in the public, private and non-profit sectors.
Denise began her career with the Massachusetts Department of the Trial Court where she spent 7 years as a motions clerk for the Worcester Superior Court Clerk’s Office. She later became a Project Manager at the Alliance for Education where she coordinated the National Grid Contract for educational programming in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Most recently Denise served as Assistant Manager at the Sheriff’s Community Corrections Office in Worcester.
Denise earned an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts from Quinsigamond Community College and attended Worcester State College and Clark University. She currently resides in Auburn with Bob, her husband of thirty-four years and their puppy Olivia. They have two grown children, Melissa and Matthew.
Denise believes that RSVP is a hidden treasure whose dedicated volunteers work tirelessly behind the scenes supporting the greater Worcester community.
JENNIFER PINIARSKI — Member
Jennifer Piniarski is currently employed as the Admissions Director for Saint Francis Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Worcester, MA. Jen has spent her entire career working with the elderly and is dedicated to improving the lives of seniors throughout Worcester county. Jen has been a member of the Board since 2007 and enjoys supporting the RSVP program through Friends. She is originally from Connecticut, and moved to Worcester in 1996 when she married her husband William. They have two young children and currently reside in Oxford, MA.
Jen has also been volunteering for the Alzheimer’s Association of Central Mass since 2004 and was formerly a Regional Leader for the Central Mass Memory Walk, held annually in September. Jen loves spending time with her children and husband, her miniature Dachshund, and enjoys reading, scrapbooking and sewing in her free time.
LYNDA ROSS — Member
Lynda Ross worked for RSVP as a Volunteer Coordinator during 2008 where she helped build the program through increasing membership and reestablishing relationships with stations. She recently accepted a position with Stonehedge Winery since her background, as well as interests, have been affiliated with the wine industry for over 10 years. Her tenure also includes working within various industries focusing on marketing efforts to create awareness and build retention for a host of products and services.
Prior to moving to Massachusetts, Lynda lived in northern California. She is originally from Belgrade, Maine where her family still lives and enjoys visiting frequently. She currently resides in Millbury with her husband Scott, son Jake and daughter Brittany.
DEBRA BOUCHER — Member
Debi Boucher is a Clinical Liaison for Saint Francis Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Worcester, MA. Prior to joining the team at Saint Francis, Debi was an Alzheimer’s Program Director for many years in various settings including long term care and assisted living facilities. Debi has also been a part of the Alzheimer’s Association of Central Mass for many years, held the title of Regional Leader for several years, and has educated countless numbers of families and members of the community at large about Alzheimer’s Disease, including running support groups in several Worcester County towns.
Debi lives in Webster, MA and enjoys spending time with her two adorable granddaughters Jayden and Maylie.
Debi joined the Friends board in 2007 and looks forward to continuing the good work that RSVP does to help others.
ALMA MOREY — Member
Friends’ newest Board Member, Alma Morey of Putnam, CT holds the position of Branch Manager of Bay State Savings Bank’s Auburn branch at 123 Auburn Street, Auburn.
Alma previously served as Assistant Vice President - Branch Administrator at Hometown Bank in Webster, MA and Branch Administration Officer at Westbank in Danielson, CT. She also has financial training experience from her time as an Instructor of the American Institute of Banking in Norwich, CT and as the Training Coordinator for Commerce Bank & Trust Co. in Worcester, MA.
Morey holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic, CT. She serves on the Board of Selectman for the Town of Putnam, CT, and is the Treasurer for the Webster-Dudley Business Alliance.