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:

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.
• Volunteer at Baystate Correctional Center, MCI Norfolk and South Middlesex Correctional Center for women.
• 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.
• 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
• House Manager for our Bethany House of Hope for women
• 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
• Graduate student at the Boston College School of Social Work

Kurt Hanson

       . Senior Vice President and Senior Relationship Manager in the Non Profit Banking Group

          group at People's United Bank.

       .  20 years experience working exclusively with nonprofit organizations and institutions, 

          providing custimized financial services and solutions.

       .  Board member and treasurer of Roxbury Home, Sophia Snow House, Inc. and Sophia

          Snow Independent Living, as treasurer of Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic    

          Association, and as vice chair of the board of Forest Hills Cemetary.

       .  Serves on the Business Advisory Board of Dean College.

       .  20 years experience in active prison ministry programs in Massachusetts.

       .  Volunteers as a personal mentor to returning citizens, supporting their integration

          through financial literacy training, vocational development, and life coaching.