Music Mobile is operated by full and part time staff, volunteers, and a Board of Directors that consists of community-minded individuals involved in business, education, organizational development, human services, and the arts. The Board meets monthly to provide support for Music Mobile’s mission, finances, fundraising, and programs.

 We’re pleased to introduce you to our Board of Directors.
 

Fred Newdom, ACSW, is president of ProAct Consulting Services, specializing in organizational development and advocacy work, with groups such as the National Council for Independent Living, Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy, The NYS Community Action Association and the NYS AIDS Coalition.

Fred serves as legislative representative of the NYS WIC Association and is vice-president of the Saratoga Foundation for Women Worldwide. He also teaches courses in social policy and practice at the Smith College School for Social Work and SUNY Albany School of Social Welfare.

Meghan Johnston first moved to the Albany area in 1982 to attend graduate school at SUNYA’s School of Social Welfare.  Since 1975, she has worked as a social worker, community organizer and administrator in not-for-profit organizations, and in 1998, founded her own consulting firm to continue doing change work with nonprofits, schools and other community organizations.  

Meghan’s work includes governance training and consultation, strategic planning, leadership coaching, management assessment and restructuring consultation, and leadership succession planning. She works primarily with small and medium-sized nonprofits, schools, community groups and businesses on the East Coast.  Her favorite current project is developing and delivering a curriculum for ethical decision-making in human service organizations, called Ethics in Action. 

Meghan is past president and a current board member of the Board of Directors of the Capital

District Women’s Bar Association Legal Project. She lives in Castleton with her husband John Heck.  Meghan and John have two children, Molly (17) and Elijah (25) Johnston-Heck.

As Vice President for Finance for Girls Incorporated,
Bryan Lavigne is responsible for all financial aspects of this non-profit that inspires girls to be strong, smart and bold. Previously Bryan was Executive Director of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northeast New York. 

Bryan has a B.S. degree in Marketing and Management from Siena College and is currently pursuing an MBA in Health Systems Management from Union Graduate College.  Committed to community service, Bryan currently is a member of the Music Mobile board of directors.  He has also served on the boards of Child’s Nursing Home, Child’s All Ages (a licensed home care agency), the Hudson-Mohawk chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He also volunteers at Community Hospice, the Capital District Gay and Lesbian Community Council, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Brenda Smith is an associate professor in the School of Social Welfare at the University at Albany.  She came to Albany to teach in the School of Social Welfare in 1999 after receiving a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration.  She teaches social work courses related to policy, community work, organizations, and research. 

Most of her research addresses the child welfare system.  She started her career as an organizer for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) and the Infant Formula Action Coalition (INFACT).