Meet Our Board of Directors

Wendell Rizzo and his wife Julie moved to Meredith shortly after his retirement. During his career, he held management positions in both public and private companies and also worked as an independent consultant primarily in the computer and software industries. He also serves on the board for his neighborhood association. For many years, Rizzo and his wife were very active in a state-wide adoption information and support organization. They have four young grandchildren, who keep them very busy. Both Rizzo and his wife spent many summers in the Lakes Region and moving to Meredith was a mutual goal from an early age. He is a member of GMP’s Design Committee, Sculpture Installation Team and Swasey Park Subcommittee.

Later in his career, he also founded and managed a start-up company where he focused on bringing professional management practices to smaller growing organizations.

Bill continues to spend some of his time dedicated to volunteer work which he has done for many years.

He lives in Meredith, NH with his wife and he has two adult daughters.

Since relocating to Meredith, he has also been an active member of the Ground team for the GMP Sculpture Walk and has been active in helping drive the new Lakes Center for the Arts Initiative which is co-sponsored by the GMP. He is also an active skier, hiker and boater. Ron is married to Karen Jonash who is a teacher and artist in the community. They have six adult children living in Boston, Burlington, VT. Boulder, and Portland, Oregon and six grandchildren…. so far.

Prior to 2016, Ron was a managing partner at two global consulting firms, (Arthur D. Little and The Monitor Group) where he founded and led their global Innovation and Technology Management practices for 30 years. Prior to that he headed global economic development practices where he led numerous economic development initiatives over a 20- year period at the local, regional, and national levels and across many sectors including tourism and hospitality, health care, manufacturing, and high-technology — in both rural and urban areas.

Prior to his professional career, Ron served as Economic and Community Development coordinator for the City of San Francisco for 5 years, and attended undergraduate and graduate school at Princeton University where he was a varsity oarsman and received degrees in Economics and Engineering and a MFA in Architecture. He was born and raised outside of Cleveland Ohio where his father was head of rocket propulsion systems for NASA during the 1950s and 1960s.

Caroline is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, Franklin Pierce School of Law and spent nearly thirty years as a practicing attorney. Her most recent position was Associate General Counsel, M&A and Venture Capital for Syngenta, a multi-national corporation. She is currently working as a Director of Career Services at her alma matta in Concord.

Caroline is passionate about community engagement, having previously served on local boards and committees, including as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Research Triangle High School, a Founding Director of the North Carolina Innovation Foundation, Founding Director of the Research Triangle Park Licensing Executives Society, Chair of the Women in Science and Engineering Committee, Chair of the Knowledge Workforce Committee for the North Carolina Technology Association and Committee Chair for the Wake County Superintendent’s Advisory Committee. She has served on National Boards including as a Director of the Licensing Executives Society, USA & Canada and the Board of Governors for the Certified Licensing Professionals. She is currently a member of the Greater Meredith Program Economic Development Committee and the Career Partnerships Subcommittee.

Caroline and her husband purchased their home in Meredith in 2013 and became full time residents in 2020. They have two adult sons and a three year old labrador retriever.

Karin Nelson
Office Manager – Salesperson
The Laconia Daily Sun

I have been fortunate to have a long history of community involvement and public service. Originally from California, I helped develop programs focused on youth safety and support, including the Child Safety Expo, Operation Child Safe, and the City of Santa Clarita’s Anti-Gang Task Force. Through these efforts, I worked with schools, local law enforcement, municipalities and community organizations to create opportunities for at-risk youth to find positive paths.

Since moving to New Hampshire in 2007, I have had the pleasure of working as an Office Manager and Salesperson at The Laconia Daily Sun while remaining active in my church and community. I enjoy contributing wherever I can.

Community Programs in New Hampshire:
● Create trays of baked goods and deliver them to rehabilitation centers and senior
apartment buildings during the Christmas season.
● Rally the Daily Sun staff to contribute to the St. Vincent De Paul turkey drive.
● Volunteer with the Greater Meredith Program Fundraising and Design and Beautification Committees.

Community Programs in Santa Clarita (1995–2007):
● Founded the Child Safety Expo to connect families with resources on child safety in schools, recreation, and the community.
● Created Operation Child Safe, later merged with the LA County Sheriff’s Safe House program, fostering neighborhood watch efforts to protect children.
● Served as a facilitator for the City’s Anti-Gang Task Force, building coalitions among city leaders, schools, law enforcement, and youth organizations to redirect at-risk youth toward education and career opportunities.
● Helped develop We Care for Youth, a gang-intervention program offering job training, mentorship, tattoo removal support, and exposure to positive role models.
● Volunteered with the LA County Sheriff’s Department’s Community Relations team and COBRA unit, supporting crime prevention, intervention, and youth outreach.
● Served on the City of Santa Clarita Parks & Recreation Commission for seven years.
● Served on the Board of Directors of the Santa Clarita Committee on Aging

Cathleen (“Cathy”) Sleeper is the Branch and Business Development Manager of the main office for Meredith Village Savings Bank (MVSB), located on 24 State Route 25. She was previously the Branch Services Manager for MVSB’s Ashland office and has been a familiar face to the communities of Ashland, Plymouth and Meredith for 10 years.

Cathy began at MVSB in 2009 as a teller in office she now oversees. She was quickly promoted to Customer Service Representative in 2010 and again to Teller Supervisor in 2013. She became Branch Services Manager for MVSB’s Plymouth and Ashland offices in 2016. Cathy has been an active member of the Career Partnership Program for the Greater Meredith Program.She also has been a longtime volunteer for the Inter-Lakes School District and for various organizations in local youth sports. Cathy resides in Meredith with her family.

Stacie brings with her a strong background in education, civic engagement, and community leadership. She met her husband at Plymouth State College, and together they have been married for more than 30 years, raising their two sons in Londonderry. During her years there, she taught kindergarten at Moose Hill School and also served as PTA President at Matthew Thornton School and President of the Londonderry Goals Association. Her civic involvement includes working as Town Clerk/Town Moderator Assistant in Londonderry and serving as an election official both there and now in Moultonborough, contributing to the integrity of the voting process. A certified K–8 teacher, Stacie has dedicated her career to fostering growth, confidence, and community; whether in the classroom, on the ski slopes, or through her leadership roles.

Since moving to the Lakes Region, she has been eager to get locally involved, give back, and volunteer her time to support the community she now calls home.