Board of Governors

The Newtown Scholarship Association is staffed by a Board of Governors of up to 19 volunteer members. The full board meets monthly, and various committees meet on an as-needed basis. Committees include Awards, Governance, Finance, and Development & Fundraising Events. Board members are required to participate on committees and, over time, serve as officers.

Board Of Governors, as of November 2023

OFFICERS

Ted Kohler, President
Cindy Carlson, Vice President
Azian Anuar Kearney, Treasurer
Margaret McCarthy, Assistant Treasurer and Corresponding Secretary
Dawn A. Bogdan D.D.S., Recording Secretary

MEMBERS

Sherri S. Baggett

Sherri is Business Manager at The Bee Publishing - publishers of The Newtown Bee, The Bee Extra and Antiques, and The Arts Weekly. She was raised in Newtown, attended our local schools, and returned after college to plant her roots in her hometown. Sherri holds a B.A. in Communications from Hood College.

Jay Bartel

Jay Bartel and his family built their home in Newtown in 2020. Despite the frustrations of building a home during the Covid-19 pandemic, Jay could not imagine a better community to raise his family in than Newtown. ‘Nicer in Newtown’ is not only a cute play on words, but a state of mind. It is one of the main reasons that Jay joined the Newtown Scholarship board in 2022, to give back to the community and help those in need achieve their higher education ambitions. Jay graduated from Northeastern University and currently is the Director of Amazon Sales for Edgewell Personal Care Products. Outside of work, Jay enjoys spending time with his three children; Dylan (26), Nicole (23) and Hayes (9) and his wife, Jenelle.

Dawn A. Bogdan D.D.S.

Dawn has been practicing dentistry in Newtown since 2000, and established her own dental practice, Dr. Dawn A. Bogden DDS, in 2008. She is actively involved with Saint Rose School as Chair of the school's Script Program, and works with Mission of Mercy to provide dental care for those who can't afford it. Dawn is the mother of two girls, and has lived in Newtown since 2003. She holds a B.S. in Biology from Union College, and a D.D.S. from New York University School of Dentistry. Dawn joined the NSA Board in 2013, serves as the Recording Secretary, and is a member of the Awards Committee.

Cindy Carlson 

Cindy and her family have lived in Sandy Hook since 2000.  She worked in Library Media Center at Sandy Hook School from 2011 to 2017 and is a past Vice President of the SHS PTA. Cindy is the Director of Communications and Major Giving Officer of WMNR Fine Arts Radio in Monroe, CT. She and her husband Tim are the parents of three children, all Newtown High School graduates.  They are active in many ways around Newtown and at their church, Good Shepherd Lutheran. Her favorite place in town is Newtown Centre of Classical Ballet, where she has been a student since 2000. Cindy holds a B. A. in Communication Arts from Villanova University and an M.A. in Communication from the University of Pennsylvania. 

Stephanie DeBartolomeo

Stephanie has worked for global companies including PepsiCo, CBS and Allied Domecq Spirits/Wines in financial planning roles and then predominantly in global brand marketing. She received National Marketing Innovation, Excellence and Marketer of the Year awards and was nominated for BrandWeek’s “Top 40 Marketers Under 40” annual feature. Her re-branding work also earned Advertising Age’s Annual Advertising Award. She has appeared on CNBC and in national publications including Wall Street Journal, LA Times and Vogue magazine. Stephanie is an adjunct professor of both undergraduate and graduate marketing courses teaching at several area universities. She also helps small business clients with integrated and digital marketing and communications efforts. Stephanie holds an MBA in International Business and Marketing from the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University. She is Board Chairperson of the St. Rose School Advisory Board here in Newtown where she and her family have happily lived since 1995.

Emily Howard

Emily is a stay at home mom who was previously a Special Education Teacher in both Stamford, CT and New York City Public Schools. Emily attended Newtown public schools from kindergarten through high school and joined the board of Newtown Scholarship in 2020. Emily and her husband moved back to Newtown in 2008 and have two children. She holds a degree in Elementary and Special Education from Providence College and a Master of Science in Curriculum Development from Western Connecticut State University.

Azian Anuar Kearney

Azian is a Partner at Nanavaty, Davenport, Studley & White, LLP specializing in Audits and Financial Statements. She has over 30 years of experience in both private and public accounting. Azian was a senior member of the Audit team at Nanavaty, Nanavaty & Davenport, LLP for nine years before pursuing controllership positions in private industry. She has held corporate controllership positions at both non-public and non-profit entities, including Maplewood Senior Living and Immaculate High School. She came full circle by re-joining NDSW as a Partner in 2020. Azian holds a B.B.A. with a dual major in Accounting and Business Management from University of Miami, FL. She is licensed to practice as a Certified Public Accountant in the state of CT and is a member of the AICPA. She has lived with her family in Newtown since 1998.

Linc Keil

Linc and his wife purchased their home in Newtown in 2007 with plans of raising a family. Today they live in the same home and have three children. Linc has worked at Newtown Savings Bank since 2012 and currently serves in the role of VP, Treasury Manager. Prior to that, he was a Finance Manager at Sikorsky Aircraft. He holds both a B.B.A. and M.S. in Accounting from University of Connecticut.

Patrick Kelley

Patrick is Senior Vice President - Senior Commercial Lender at Savings Bank of Danbury where he is responsible for management of the commercial lending division. Prior to that he served as First Vice President - Commercial Lending Team Leader at Liberty Bank where he had oversight of the Connecticut market commercial lending team. Patrick’s other nonprofit involvement has included City Center Danbury, Sandy Hook Organization for Prosperity (SHOP), United Way of Naugatuck/Beacon Falls (Campaign Chair), and the Newtown Rotary Club. He holds degrees in Finance and Spanish from Canisius College in Buffalo, NY, and graduated with honors from ABA Stonier National Graduate School of Banking, University of Pennsylvania. Patrick has lived in Newtown for over 30 years and attended Newtown public schools.  He joined the NSA Board in 2015.

Ted Kohler

Ted is General Manager at Litchfield Country Club in northwest Connecticut where he leads the staff and manages all operations for this private, member-owned golf club. He is the first General Manager in the 130 year history of the club. Prior to that, Ted was Membership Director at Bull's Bridge Golf Club for nearly fifteen years. He joined the Board in 2013, co-chairs the annual golf outing, and is currently serving his second term as NSA President. Ted holds a B.B.A. from University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Margaret McCarthy

Margaret is a stay-at-home mom who was previously an IT Project Leader at Pepsi Cola Company. Prior to Pepsi, she was a Senior Consultant at Andersen Consulting. Margaret joined the NSA Board in 2014, and serves as Assistant Treasurer. She has also served Newtown Congregational Cooperative Pre-School as Vice President of the Board. Margaret is involved in local school and church activities, volunteering with the PTA of Newtown schools, and teaching religious education at Saint Rose for more than 10 years. She is also a lector and eucharistic minister. Margaret holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Fairfield University.

Meghan Miller

Meghan has been an Associate Director of Student Financial Assistance at Sacred Heart University since 2022. Meghan previously worked in Intercollegiate Athletics in a variety of positions, most recently as the Senior Associate Director for Compliance and Student Services at Fairfield University and Sacred Heart University. She holds a BS in Human Movement/Sports Science from Sacred Heart University and an MS in Management of Sports Industries from the University of New Haven. Meghan and her family have lived in Newtown since 2016.

John W. Morlock

John has been the Chief Financial Officer of Total Team Solutions since February 2004. Previously, he was the Controller for Zanett Inc., a publicly traded IT consulting and outsourcing company headquartered in New York City with operations in multiple cities across the United States. Prior to that, John held positions of increasing responsibility managing the internal audit and corporate financial reporting functions at Texaco and then as Director of Merger and Acquisition Services at PricewaterhouseCoopers where he worked on more than 40 transactions ranging in value from $20 million to $4 billion. He has been a Newtown resident since 1992. John graduated from Bucknell University with a degree in accounting and earned his Masters of Business Administration in finance from the Leonard Stern School of Business at New York University.

Rebecca Osborne

Rebecca is currently self employed. Prior to starting her own business, she was the Physical Education Teacher and Coach at New York City's Brearley School for 13 years, where she specialized in Lower School PE and coached soccer, swimming, and track & field. She attended Newtown schools through high school, and graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a B.A. in Education concentrating on Physical Education. Rebecca joined the NSA Board in 2015 as a 3rd generation board member.

William Plunkett

Bill is the Director of Guidance at Staples High School in Westport where he leads a team of school counselors and serves as a member of the school administration. He graduated from Colgate University with a BA in Philosophy, then went on to Harvard Graduate School of Education for his master's degree in school counseling and Sacred Heart University for his sixth year degree in educational administration. Bill and his wife moved to Newtown in 2012 and have two sons who attend Middle Gate School. He joined the NSA Board in 2018 and serves on the Awards Committee.

Julie B. Savino

Julie is the Associate Vice President, Student Financial Assistance at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield CT, a position she has held since 1987. She has been employed in financial assistance with SHU since 1979. Julie has been a board member of the Newtown Scholarship Association since 2004 and has served as Assistant Treasurer, Vice President, and President. She is currently Chair of the Awards Committee. Julie is involved in a number of professional associations and boards including Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority (CHESLA), Connecticut Student Loan Foundation (CSLF), Connecticut Planning Commission for Higher Education, Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges (CCIC), The College Board, and Connecticut Higher Education Trust (CHET). She has served on the nonprofit Boards of Newtown Memorial Fund, and the Vincent J. Maiocco Scholarship Foundation. Julie holds a B.S. in Accounting, and a Master of Arts in Education Administration, both from Sacred Heart University. 

HONORARY MEMBERS

Barbara Borst (1935-2022)
The Honorable William J. Lavery
Betty Lou Osborne (1925-2013)

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS

Dr. Kimberly Longobucco
Principal, Newtown High School

Christopher Melillo
Superintendent of Newtown Public Schools