Meet Our Fundraising Arm!

Emily Williams
(she/her/hers)

BSCF Board Member, Brookline Senior Center Director

Emily Williams is director of the Brookline Council on Aging and Director of the Brookline Senior Center.

Ruthann Dobek

Honorary Advisor to the Foundation, Retired Director of the Brookline Senior Center

After a 42-year career at Brookline Council on Aging/Brookline Senior Center, 23 served as the Center’s Director, Ruthann Dobek retired April, 2025.

During her tenure, Ruthann:

Raised $4,380,000, through a capital campaign, to design, build, and furnish the Senior Center, Secured grants for programs and services, Worked with the Senior Center Foundation to establish the Foundation’s endowment, Started the first BSC Craft Fair in 1984, Designed the Home and Escort Linkage Program (HELP)

Created employment opportunity programs for older adults, Implemented new transportation programs and established Transportation, Resources, Information, Planning & Partnership for Seniors (TRIPPS), Created the Volunteer Program, including the intergenerational SHOP program, Produced informational and educational publications for the community (Brookline Beacon, Elder Resource Guide, Ask a Geriatrician, etc.), Fostered and maintained partnerships with town agencies and other social service agencies in the larger community, Mentored and supervised student interns, high school through graduate school, in the field of aging, Increased BSC capacity around diversity, Served as Co-chair of Age Friendly Cities Committee, resulting in Brookline being named the first Age Friendly community in New England (under World Health Organization standards), Co-founded Brookline Community Aging Network (BrooklineCAN) with renowned gerontologist Frank Caro, Ruthann was the Recipient of:

Boston University School of Social Work Alumni Association award in recognition of Outstanding Contributions to the Field of Social Work – 2001, Massachusetts National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Social Worker of the Year Award – 2008, Massachusetts Councils on Aging (MCOA) Innovator of the Year Award – 2015, Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC) Distinguished Employer Award – 2018

Nancy Daly

BSCF Board Member, Co-Chair Emeritus of Age-Friendly Brookline

Nancy Daly is a strong advocate for older adults in both her political and community activities. She served as co-chair to Age-Friendly Brookline while on the Select Board. She served 12 years on the Select Board, 8 years on the Town’s Advisory Board, and continued to be a Town Meeting Member. In 2015 she raised $11,000 for our respite program competing in Brookline Rotary’s Dancing with the Stars.

Barr Jozwicki

BSCF Board Member, BMS Board Member

Proud grandfather of six, father of four and husband to Joyce. Barr has lived in Brookline for over 45 years. With an MEd from Loyola University, he served in the Teacher Corps in Chicago. He is a professional sculptor and community activist. Barr has been a town meeting member since the ’80s and served as the director of Friends of Brookline Seniors, the PAC that led the successful fight to build the Brookline Senior Center, of which he is treasurer.

Kevin Lang

BSCF Board Member, Laurence A. Bloom Professor of Economics, Boston University

Dr. Lang is the Laurence A. Bloom Professor of Economics at Boston University.  He holds a BA from Oxford University, an MSc from Université de Montréal, and earned his PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  He served on the Brookline School Committee (1996-2009) and as a town meeting member 1993-2012.  He is an elected Fellow and former President of the Society of Labor Economists.

Betsy Pollock, MSW

President of Brookline Senior Center Foundation

In 2019, Betsy Pollock retired from her position as Director of Social Work at the Mt. Auburn Cambridge Independent Practice Association. She holds a BA from Simmons College and an MSW from the Ohio State University School of Social Work. She is a member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers of the National Association of Social Workers. Since 1986 she has been President of the Board of Directors of the Brookline Senior Center. She was chair of the Human Relations-Youth Resources Commission from 1976-1986. She was a Town Meeting member from 1986-1993. She is a lifelong resident of Brookline and a community activist.

Yolanda Rodriguez

, BSCF Board Member, Chair of the Council on Aging

Yolanda Rodriguez is Chair of the Council on Aging and a member of the Board of Directors for Springwell. She was a Town Meeting member for 8 years, stepping down to serve as the first Teacher in Residence for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in Washington, D.C. After retiring as Department Head of Mathematics (Grades 6-12) for Wellesley Public Schools, Yolanda found the active community at the Senior Center, joining the Council in 2011.

Michael Roper

BSCF Board Treasurer, President & CEO of Suburban Home Health Care and Suburban Homemaking & Maternity Agency

Michael Roper is the President & CEO of Suburban Home Health Care and Suburban Homemaking & Maternity Agency which have been family owned and operated Brookline businesses since the 1970s. The focus of both organizations is to support the health and overall well-being of seniors living independently in the community. Michael has spent his entire career in community service between various public safety and social service roles.  He currently serves on several non-profit Boards and lives in Brookline with his wife Linda and their two elementary school aged children.

Suzanne Salamon, MD

BSCF Board Member, Geriatrician, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Dr. Salamon is a geriatrician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. She serves as a volunteer in the Brookline Medical Reserve Corps and the Community Emergency Response Team. She received the 2012 Public Health Leadership Award from Friends of Brookline Public Health and she writes a monthly column about health issues for the Brookline Senior Center newsletter.

Carol Sapoznik

BSCF Board Member, Owner, Olive Connection

Carol and her family own the Olive Connection, a specialty gourmet shop on Beacon Street in Brookline since 2015 after a career of 40 plus years at Crate and Barrel where she was Regional Vice President East Division and International. She has served 2 terms on the board of the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts and is presently chair of the Women’s Advisory Network and a member of the Business Development Committee and Scholarship Committee. Carol is President of the Garden Club of Brookline. She shares her passion for championing the development of women and girls, building relationships, and her belief that ‘every day you can make a difference. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin School of Human Ecology, where she is the Executive in Residence of Retail for 2022. Carol is a member of The Boston Club and a supporter of Reach of Waltham supporting the families suffering domestic violence. A resident of Brookline since 1988.

Kim Smith

BSCF Board Member, Senior Health Policy Analyst at Massachusetts Center for Health Information and Analysis

Kim Smith has been active in Brookline for many years. She has served on Town Meeting since 2009, and has also served on its Advisory Committee, including as chair of its Human Services Subcommittee. Kim is a Senior Health Policy Analyst at Massachusetts Center for Health Information and Analysis and previously worked for a disability agency in Maryland state government. She holds a BA from Oberlin College and a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. She also pursued further graduate training at the Heller School of Brandeis University.

Neil Wishinsky

BSCF Board Member, Brookline Town Moderator

Neil Wishinsky has been involved in Brookline government for over 20 years including 6 years on the Select Board; 4 as its Chair, and as town meeting member (2001-2023). Professionally, he has held various positions with the U.S. Department of Labor regulating employee benefit plan fiduciaries. He is a graduate of the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and has an MBA from Boston University. He and his wife Susan have lived in Brookline since 1981.

Neil currently serves as the Town Moderator.

Sonia Wong

, BSCF Assistant Treasurer, Retired John Hancock Life Insurance Company Annuity Service Quality Control Specialist

Sonia Wong is a retired John Hancock Life Insurance Company Annuity Service Quality Control Specialist. Post retirement, Sonia served as a Brookline Senior Center Assistant. During her tenure, Sonia served as a trained SHINE counselor. After over a decade, Sonia retired in January of 2025 from her town of Brookline role.

Sonia and her husband Will have resided in Brookline for over 40 years.

Anja Kuhlman
(she/her/hers)

Senior Office Assistant of the Brookline Senior Center Foundation

Senior Office Assistant of the Brookline Senior Center Foundation

Deborah Good Miller
(she/her/hers)

Administrator/Development Manager of the Brookline Senior Center Foundation

Debbie is responsible for managing Foundation activities, including orchestrating fundraising initiatives and events, providing administrative support for the Board, and writing promotional materials.

She is the former Executive Director of the Brookline Chamber of Commerce where she collaborated with Brookline business people, the Town, and community stakeholders. Together, they created memorable events such as “The Breakfast of Champions,” “Holiday Prep Pop Up,” “The Annual Women’s Panel,” “Hearty Gras,” and “Oktoberfest.”

She managed “Restaurants for Brookline,” paying local restaurants to make meals for the Brookline Food Pantry, the Brookline Senior Center, and the Brookline Teen Center, and was responsible for securing funding and running “The Brookline Business Bootcamp,” a series of no cost marketing workshops, taught by experts from Boston University.

Prior to working with the Chamber, Debbie served as the Development Director of the Brookline Community Mental Health Center. She is a former PTO President of the currently named Florida Ruffin Ridley School. Debbie has a BA from Brown University and a MSW in Administrative Management/Gerontology from Boston University.