Mary Caddle, President

Mary is the parent of two children in Melrose Public Schools and an active school and community volunteer. Professionally, her background is in math education research with a specialty in teacher preparation and students' mathematical thinking. She has the privilege of working with preservice educators as they embark on their careers. She has a strong commitment to teacher-driven initiatives and collaboration, and believes that the Melrose Education Foundation is an invaluable partner in this work.

Meghan Rosenberg, Vice President and Grants

Meghan has spent her career in the education field, teaching middle school Humanities, writing curriculum for local nonprofits, consulting with school districts across Massachusetts, and currently coaching teachers and administrators in Boston Public Schools. She’s an active community member in various Melrose organizations, including the Lincoln PTO. She knows firsthand the many constraints on teachers, and is thrilled to be part of an organization that supports the magic and creativity that bring joy to classrooms while also bringing parents and community members together.

Allie Karthaus, Treasurer

Allie is the parent of two children and an active participant in the Melrose community, where she has contributed her time and energy to supporting local political and educational initiatives. Professionally, she is a licensed psychologist and co-owner of a psychotherapy practice, where her primary focus is on business operations, financial oversight, and organizational systems. In this role, she has developed expertise in managing budgets, streamlining processes, and ensuring long-term sustainability. Allie is eager to bring her blend of professional experience to the Melrose Education Foundation Board. She looks forward to supporting the Foundation’s mission of expanding opportunities and enriching educational experiences for Melrose students.

Jeff Bentley, Secretary and Community Events

Jeff has worked in several roles in the education field, currently focused on college financing. He has 3 children in the Melrose school system, and has served on both the Horace Mann Elementary School and Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School site councils. He currently serves on the Melrose Youth Soccer board and coaches in various sports.

Lisa Lewis, Community Events

Lisa is the parent of two graduates of the Melrose Public Schools and is an active school volunteer. She is a community leader on issues related to public education, founded an alliance of parents working to support the school system, and has served on the board of a local non-profit. Lisa believes that strong community involvement exemplifies the value placed on education, a critical message for educators, students, and parents. She believes that even small grants provided by an education foundation can support and encourage creativity, engagement, and excitement in teaching and learning – for both educators and students.

Maria Restrepo, Community Events

Abigail Law, Grants

Abby is a parent of two children, a Winthrop parent, and an active member of the Melrose community. She is excited to combine her professional experience in project management/process improvement with her personal commitment to a strong public school education for all students as a member of the Melrose Education Foundation board.

Matt Brookner, Grants

The parent of a Hoover student and a preschooler, Matt is excited to join the Melrose Education Foundation board and help teachers provide transformative educational experiences to our community's students. In his non-parent life, he works as a survey researcher and program evaluator, and has previously served on the board of a number of community organizations.

Paul Carroll, Communications

As a marketing professional, Paul has supported a variety of Melrose-based organizations with graphic and web design, creative problem solving, and communication strategy. He joins the board of the Melrose Education Foundation to support the organization’s outreach and communications efforts with an eye toward social media engagement.

Dara Klein, Communications

Dara is the parent of a Melrose Public Schools student and a preschooler and is excited to support the Melrose Education Foundation's work on behalf of students and educators. Professionally, she works in nonprofit leadership, helping volunteers and organizations build meaningful partnerships and strengthen community impact through volunteer engagement, leadership development, and fundraising. She is passionate about expanding opportunities that enrich learning and spark creativity and is excited to contribute to MEF's efforts to support innovative educational experiences.

Lauren Wilkie, Fundraising

Lauren is the proud parent of two Melrose Public Schools students and a proud supporter of the Melrose community. She brings experience in nonprofit leadership, philanthropy, and youth advocacy to her role on the Melrose Education Foundation board, and looks forward to helping educators spark creativity and innovation that enriches the learning experience for all students.