Board of Directors

At Bethany House, we are blessed with a very engaged and active Board of Directors who come from very diverse backgrounds.  The collective wisdom and knowledge of this Board is essential to our success.

Board Members and Officers:

Ruth Raichle

• President and Co-Founder of Bethany House Ministries
• Founder Our Lady of Mercy Dominican Laity Chapter at Norfolk Prison
• Massachusetts Department of Corrections Chaplain - 30 years
  • Chaplain at Plymouth Forestry Camp
  • Chaplain at MCI Norfolk
  • Chaplain at Pondville Correctional Center
  • Chaplain at MCI Cedar Junction
  • Chaplain at Bay State Correctional Center
  • Volunteer MCI Framingham
• Former member of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary
• Former member of the Dominican Sisters of Bethany

Sr. Kathleen Denevan OSF LICSW

• Secretary of the Board of Directors and Co-Founder of Bethany House Ministries
• Massachusetts Department of Corrections Chaplain at MCI Norfolk and Pondville Correctional Center prisons for 23 years. 
• Active volunteer at MCI Norfolk
• Member of the Franciscan Sisters of Milwaukee, WI
• Psychotherapist for Family Counseling and Guidance
• Former Special Ed. Teacher
• Former Board Member, Cardinal Cushing School and Training Center

Paul Minear

• Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bethany House Ministries                             
• Bethany Volunteer and Active in Prison Ministry for the past 16 years at MCI Norfolk.
• MCI Cedar Junction and South Middlesex Correctional Center.                                   
• Graduating Student at St John’s Seminary Masters in Ministries Program                
• Training Facilitator for the Virtues Protecting Gods Child program at Immaculate Conception Parish
• Executive Sales Representative at Liberty Mutual Insurance Company

Thomas Lyden

• Treasurer and Finance Committee Chairperson, Bethany House Ministries
• Active in Prison Ministry and a prison system volunteer for the past 10 years at MCI Norfolk.
• Facilitator of Restorative Justice Reading Groups and Victim Offender Education Groups at MCI Norfolk and an active participant in Restorative Justice programs serving the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
• Industry consultant for Engineering, Productivity and Strategic Planning.
• Retired Vice President of Engineering and Manufacturing for the Gillette Corporation, Boston MA
• Retired Officer of Proctor and Gamble Co. Cincinnati, OH

John Kilbride

• Fundraising Director of the Board, Bethany House Ministries
• Volunteer in Prison Ministries
• Former Chairman of the Board for Bridge House in Framingham, MA
• Math Tutor in Adult Education at Mother Caroline in Roxbury, MA
• Former Product Manager at Gillette Corp, Boston, MA
• Industry Consultant for Database Management and Financial Software
• Manage program for IT student placement in the USA from the University of Cork.

Board Members:

Frank Collins

• Practicing Attorney in Fall River, MA
• Member of the Massachusetts Bar for 39 years
• Retired Colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve
• Volunteer MCI Norfolk and Sacred Heart Parish Food Bank and Soup Kitchen in Fall River, MA
• Former Trustee- St. Anne's Hospital- Fall River, MA

Dr. James Collins DDS

• Member of the Board of Directors and a Volunteer.
• Active in Prison Ministry for the past 25 years.
• Member of Cursillo and REC Teams at MCI Norfolk, Old Colony and Bay State Correctional Centers
• Practicing Dentist and contributor of dental care services to men and women in need as they leave prison.
• Active member St Basil’s Cursillo Community and Supporter of Cursillo Ultreya Reunions at MCI Norfolk and Bay State Correctional Center
• Active Member of the La Salette Faith Community

Patrick Dempsey

• Member Board of Directors and Finance Committee of Bethany House Ministries
• Active in Prison Ministry and prison system volunteer for the past 16 years at MCI Norfolk.
• Mathematics Faculty Member for Boston University’s Prison Education Program.  http://www.bu.edu/pep/
• Mathematics Lecturer at Curry College Milton Massachusetts and Lasell College, Newton Massachusetts
• Retired Vice President of Engineering and Information Technology  for GTE Government Systems Corporation, Waltham Massachusetts

Dr. Susan Minear MD

• Bethany Volunteer and active in Prison Ministry for the past 20 years at MCI Norfolk, MCI Cedar Junction,Bay State Correctional Center  and South Middlesex Correctional Center for women.
• Council member, Our Lady of Mercy Dominican Chapter at MCI Norfolk
• Pediatrician at Boston Medical Center
• Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Boston University School of Medicine
• Specialist in Child Behavior and Development

Kenneth Neelon

• Member of the Board of Directors and a Volunteer.
• Volunteer in Prison Ministry past 25 Years
• Founder and Leader of the Bethany Men’s Aftercare Group at Our Lady Help of Christians, Newton, MA
• Former volunteer, Old West Church/ St John’s Soup Kitchen Boston MA
• Coordinator and Leader of Inside Cursillo Programs and Bethany Christmas Gift Program
• Volunteer and Caregiver for the Homeless men with AIDs at Seaton Manor in Brighton MA
• Retired Lincoln Labs/MIT

Gary Stewart

• Member Board of Directors and Manager of the Hope Chest Thrift Store.
• Massachusetts Parolee since 2004 after serving 22 years inside the Massachusetts Prison System
• One of the first Massachusetts Parolees approved for volunteer service inside.
• Volunteer at Baystate Correctional Center, MCI Norfolk and South Middlesex Correctional Center for women.
• Christian 12-Step Program leader at MCI Cedar Junction
• Count Down to Freedom Program Leader at Pondville Correctional Center.
• Public speaker for youth groups and at various Parishes, Universities and Colleges in Greater Boston area.

Ed Poole

• Board Member of Bethany House Ministries.
• Member of the Bethany Finance Committee and Bookkeeper
• Active in Prison Ministries and volunteer at South Middlesex Correctional Center.
• REC team member at SMCC & Bridgewater State Hospital.
• Speaker at various churches and facilities focusing on prison ministries and re-entry.
• Parolee since 2007 after serving over 21 years.
• Assisting new releases with tax preparation.

Lisa Jackson

• Board Member of Bethany House Ministries
• Retired Superintendent of South Middlesex Correctional Center
• Board Member RIA House, a program that supports women in their recovery from commercial sexual exploitation.
• Case Manager at one of three Safe Houses in New England for women seeking safety from human trafficking.

Joli Sparkman

• Board Member of Bethany House Ministries
• Reentry Coordinator and Case Manager for Bethany House
• Speaker at various churches, Universities, the State House, RIA House, & re-entry programs focusing on prison reform, independent oversight in the DOC,  human trafficking, and re-entry
• Parolee after serving 18 years in the MA Prison system
• Co-Founder of A Stitch in Time Textiles whose mission is to build a profitable business that would provide employment at a living wage, and a supportive work environment for folks who have been released from prison, or victims of human trafficking.