Board of Directors

Alan founded Friends of Cold Spring Park in 2018. He grew up in Newton Highlands, playing in Cold Spring Park in the 1960s, and moved back in 2003. Alan is a mostly-retired career environmentalist, having worked as the Clean Energy Program Director for the Union of Concerned Scientists, and with other non-profits. Alan won an award from the Newton Conservators in 2020 for his work with Friends of Cold Spring Park.

Katherine is also the Treasurer for the Newton Conservators and the founder and current Treasurer of the Newton Tree Conservancy. She is retired, following a career in not-for-profit healthcare financial management. Her interests include invasive plant species management in our parks, and native plant gardening. She is also a founding director of Newton Tree Conservancy, volunteers for Newton Food Pantry, and tutors math in the Boston Public Schools. Katherine frequently runs on the trail.

Alex grew up in West Newton and is currently attending the University of Miami. He spent many Saturday mornings playing soccer at Cold Spring Park. For his Eagle Scout project, Alex co-founded FCSP and coordinated work with BSA Scouts Troop 9 of Waban, FoCSP, and the City of Newton Parks & Rec. Dept. to build new wooden walkways over the muddiest sections of the trail.

Jenn is a Waban resident, and Director of Safe Routes to School. She is a past co-President of the Zervas Elementary School Parent Teachers Organization. She arranged for Sam Jaffe, Director of the Caterpillar Lab, to work with Zervas students and teachers to use the park as a resource.

Bill lives in Newton Highlands, and is a retired special ed teacher. He can often be found in the park’s interior, removing invasive species and cleaning up. He also volunteers at the library, and sings in the Newton Community Chorus.

Bob, who lives in Waban, retired in 2015 after teaching English at Newton South High School for 34 years. He still coaches girls’ tennis there, and he is the founder and president of the nonprofit Friends of Newton Tennis. Bob is an elected member of the Waban Area Council. In addition, he is an avid birder, bicyclist, and columnist for Village 14, Newton’s online newspaper. 

Anndy recently retired as a science teacher at Newton North High School, and coach of their award-winning Envirothon team. She spent eight years doing research in genetics and molecular biology, and worked for more than 20 years as an informal science educator at institutions including the Boston Museum of Science, the New England Aquarium, and the Arnold Arboretum. Anndy’s won awards from Newton Conservators and Green Newton for her work. 

Becky lives near Crystal Lake in Newton Highlands, and is a Professor at Northeastern University.  She is an avid birder and often seen with binoculars in the Park, which is a top birding hotspot in Middlesex county with over 160 species.