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 the President for the Newton Conservators, the founder and current Treasurer of the Newton Tree Conservancy, and formerly served as our Treasurer. 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 does cat rescues. Katherine frequently runs on the trail.

Alex grew up in and lives in West Newton. He is a recent graduate of the University of Miami currently working as an analyst in the insurance industry. 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.

Don has lived on Winslow Road adjacent to the Park for 40 years. In 2015 he retired from Salem State University after 19 years as the Director of the Center for International Education. All this time he and his family have happily utilized the Park’s resources such as the tennis courts, playing fields, softball field, dog park, the LifeCourse, and other trails. Currently, his focus is removing as many invasive plants as possible. He is a member of the Friends of Hemlock Gorge and Newton Conservators and serves on the Board of Green Newton.

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 currently serves on the Conservation Commisson. In addition, he is an avid birder, bicyclist, and a former columnist for Village 14, Newton’s former 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.