Current Hours
(As of 9/11/2026)

Office/Phones:
Monday – Friday	8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Friday	8:30 am – 12:00 pm
Council Thrift & Donation Site:
Monday	10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Tuesday & Thursday	10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Friday	10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday	10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Council offices and all programs are closed on most major holidays. We follow the Needham Public School weather closings.

Joan Halford

Joan has built a multifaceted career at the intersection of education, journalism, and social justice. During her 30 years in the Washington, D.C. area, she served as a social justice program director, education magazine editor, federal education policy analyst, and ESOL teacher and teacher educator. She also served on the board of Progreso Hispano Literacy and Citizenship Center in Alexandria, VA.

Since moving to Needham in 2018, Joan has worked as an independent writer, producing major reports on foster care reform and LGBTQ youth. She is also a licensed architectural color strategist with a holistic interior design firm focused on wellbeing. As a French speaker, Joan brings a strong multicultural perspective to all her work.

Joan first connected with the Needham Community Council as an ELL tutor. She and her husband, Shawn—a public television executive—love Needham’s natural beauty and vibrant culture. They enjoy gardening at the Needham Community Farm and spending time with their adult children.

Holiday Dinners

Christmas Dinners:

Temple Beth Shalom will once again join hands with the Needham Community Council to provide dinners on Christmas Day. Temple Beth Shalom will be preparing and delivering a Christmas dinner on December 25th to residents that might otherwise not have a special meal. Please call the Council to reserve your Holiday meal. Limit of two meals per household. Please phone early to make your reservation 781-444-2415.

Proof of Residency

To participate in the Holiday support from the Council this year, we will be requiring proof of residency. You will need to show one of the following documents to prove that you reside in Needham:

Valid driver’s license or Mass ID
Utility bill with your name and address
Copy of your lease agreement
This letter with your name and address

Myra Anderson

Myra has been a friend of the Council for many years and joined the Board in 2023. She has been an incredible asset to the Council through her work with community outreach, Party for the Pantry, and the Council Thrift.

Before Myra elected to stay home with her daughters, she practiced law in New York and London. Passionate about helping others, it was during this time, Myra began volunteering at her church, Needham schools, and after-school programs.

Myra currently supports and serves on the Leadership Council of the Bowdoin Street Community Health Center in Boston and also serves on the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Leadership Board. She was a volunteer with the homeless ministry of the Cathedral Church of St Paul in Boston as well as a Circle of Hope founding board member and represented the Circle of Hope as a “star” in Dancing with the Needham Stars, which raised money for the Needham History Center.

Myra and her husband, John, have lived in Needham for over twenty years. Their daughters, Mimi and Claire, both graduated from Needham High School and currently live in New York City.

Myra holds a BA in economics from The University of Chicago and JD from NYU School of Law.

Jen English

Jen joined the board of directors in 2023. After a severe ankle break in 2008, Jen was introduced to the Council’s medical equipment closet through a neighbor and has been a supporter ever since. In addition to her board responsibilities, Jen greatly contributes to merchandising the Council Thrift and planning the spring fundraiser, Party for the Pantry.

Before Jen elected to stay home with her family full-time, she was a Certified Public Accountant employed at KPMG Peat Marwick and the Gillette Company. She currently is the Board Treasurer for the Needham Pool & Racquet Club, and previously served as Board Treasurer for the Carter Nursery School.

Jen and her husband Ted have lived in Needham for nearly 25 years, and have three children, Teddy, Remy and Addie.

Jen holds a B.S. in Business Administration degree with a concentration in Accounting from Boston College.

Matthew Eckhouse

Matt is a business leader who most recently served as President of Professional Services at UNFI. Previously, he spent a decade at Staples including roles as Chief Sales Officer for Staples Advantage, President of Staples Promotional Products and Area Vice President of Print Ecommerce and Sales. He began his career as a consultant with Boston based Parthenon Group. Matt holds an MBA from Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business and a BS in Economics from Harvard University.

Matt moved to Needham in 2014, where he lives with his wife and two daughters. Passionate about ensuring the community actively supports all of its members, he is deeply committed to local civic engagement. Outside of his professional life, Matt enjoys woodworking, fishing, and spending time outdoors with his family.

Leigh McCloskey

Leigh, his wife and two young children have lived in Needham since 2019. Leigh graduated from Boston University with an MBA in Finance and was a dual Business and Environmental Studies major at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA. He works as a wealth management advisor at The Bulfinch Group and previously spent over a decade helping run his family’s small business in Haverhill, MA.

Leigh was recruited by a current board member and was thrilled to find an opportunity to provide community service in the town he now calls home. He credits his mother with instilling in him the importance of giving back, and previously volunteered as a Big Brother for nearly 10 years, where he remains involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern MA today.

When not working or volunteering, Leigh enjoys spending time with his young family at Perry Park and likes to cook, travel and root for the local sports teams.

Deb Tormey

Deb has been a member of the Needham community for over 25 years. She and her husband raised their two daughters here, both graduates of the Needham Public Schools.

A longtime supporter of the Community Council, Deb values active involvement in local organizations. She has served as President and Treasurer of the Broadmeadow PTC and as Treasurer of the Needham High School HS Athletics Boosters.

Deb currently works for Needham Community Education, a department of the Needham Public Schools, focused on providing enrichment classes to the local community.

Linda Farley

President

Linda Farley has a BA from the College of the Holy Cross and an MBA from Northeastern University. She has 30+ years of professional experience in human resources in a variety of industries. Since 2018, she has led Human Resources & Learning and Development team for Needham Bank.

A Needham native, Linda returned to Needham in 2000 where she and her husband raised their three children.

Linda has been a NCC Board and Executive Committee member since 2019. She has played an active role on the Leadership Committee recruiting new Board members. In addition to supporting the NCC, she serves on the Board of the Greater New England Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Rajesh Thomas

Rajesh joined the Needham Community Council Board in 2025. He first connected with the Council in 2015, shortly after moving to Needham with his family from Chicago, eager to give back and build connections in his new community. He has been deeply involved with the Council, contributing in a variety of ways—from office support and database work to teaching seniors how to use iPads to delivering groceries to homebound food pantry families.

Rajesh is an medical technology executive specializing in innovation, commercialization and product strategy. He has worked in several medical device companies including Boston Scientific, Baxter Health Care, Sanofi Biosurgery and Fresenius Medical Care. He holds an MS in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Iowa and an MBA from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago.

Music is also central to Rajesh’s life. He is a drummer and a member of the Indian Community of Needham (ICON). He performs with a band – ICONix – that performed at Music on the Lawn, sharing his love of music with the local community.

Rajesh and his wife Preethy have two children who graduated from Needham High School.

Carol Oberle

Treasurer

Carol has called Needham home for over 20 years, raising her three daughters here and staying actively involved in their schools and community activities through the PTCs. Now semi-retired, Carol spent her career as a CPA working as a controller in the software industry. She is a former board member at the Needham Congregational Church and currently teaches yoga locally through Needham’s Adult Education and Parks & Recreation programs. Staying connected to the community has always been important to her—whether in the classroom, on the mat, or around town.

Susan Mitchell

Susan is a geriatrician and health services researcher at the Hebrew SeniorLife Marcus Institute for Aging Research and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Susan is originally from Montreal. She is a graduate of the University of Ottawa medical school and has a Master’s of Public Health from Harvard University. Her career has largely focused on conducting research to improve the quality of life of older persons with serious illness, particularly dementia.

She moved to the Needham from Canada in 2000. She lives with her partner, has two step-children, and enjoys hiking with her beloved labradoodle through the Town Forest. Susan loves living in Needham and looks forward to contributing to the community.

David Carter

Secretary

David is a Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Fidelity Investments providing legal counsel to the firm’s asset management and operations businesses. David specializes in mutual fund corporate governance matters, including substantial involvement with mutual fund boards of directors, as well as SEC rulemaking processes.

David has held a variety of roles in Fidelity’s legal department since joining Fidelity in 2005. From 2010 to 2014, David led a team of lawyers and project managers who coordinated Fidelity’s response to rulemaking following the financial crisis. Prior to joining Fidelity, David spent five years as associate at Ropes & Gray, where he worked on a broad range of corporate and securities law matters.

David received his A.B. in Economics from the University of Michigan and his JD from Harvard Law School. He has lived in Needham since 2008 with his wife and their two sons

Avery Newton

Avery joined the Needham Community Council Board in 2025 after first learning about the Council through a neighbor and a food drive. She has also served on various town committees, sits on the Board of her alma mater’s Washington, DC Center, volunteers with her hometown’s community foundation, and enjoys playing with local music groups when time allows. Avery is deeply committed to making a positive difference through service, inspired by the tireless example of her late mother.

By day, Avery is Senior Director of Learning & Evaluation for Propel America, a national workforce development nonprofit. She also runs a consultancy supporting school districts and nonprofit organizations with program evaluation, analytics, and data governance. She earned a B.A. in Education Policy from the College of William & Mary and a Ph.D. in Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics, & Assessment from Boston College.

Avery lives in Needham with her husband and three young children. On nice mornings, you can usually find them and their overloaded wagon at French Press.

Rob Ticktin

Rob joined the Needham Community Council board in 2025 and has called Needham home for 20 years. He is an owner of Hawthorn Properties, a Needham-based real estate brokerage firm. A former home builder, Rob brings a deep understanding of real estate and a hands-on approach to helping families buy and sell their homes.

Beyond his professional work, Rob is actively engaged in the community, contributing his time to organizations such as Circle of Hope, the Needham Exchange Club and Needham High School Boosters. Prior to his career in real estate, Rob was a sports anchor with CNN Headline News.

Alrie McNiff Daniels

Alrie has more than two decades of nonprofit experience. Currently director of communications and stakeholder engagement at Point32Health Foundation, she previously worked at FSG, a mission-driven consulting firm; the American Cancer Society; and as a strategic communications consultant. A certified Reframing Aging facilitator, Alrie works locally, regionally and nationally to help organizations communicate more effectively on aging, ageism and issues important to older people.

Alrie’s community and volunteer service includes fundraising for established nonprofit organizations, board roles on neighborhood associations, pro bono support for emerging nonprofits and numerous roles at her children’s schools. She also served on the Board of Directors of the Library Foundation of Needham.

A native New Yorker, Alrie spent time in Washington, DC, California, North Carolina and Virginia during her husband’s Coast Guard career. She and her family moved to Needham in 2003.

Jonathan Kappel

Jonathan is the Executive Director of Principal Gifts for Clark University.

Previous to working at Clark, Jonathan worked as a fundraising professional at the Anti-Defamation League, American Jewish Committee and Clark University where he has returned after 10 years. Jonathan received the Senn-Greenberg award for excellence in staff leadership from the Anti-Defamation League.

Jonathan and his wife, Carol, co-created the Ultimate Pink Drink fundraiser benefiting breast cancer research. He is also a past board member of the Needham Educational Foundation (NEF).

Lynn Gotwals

Lynn Gotwals has been a resident of Needham for nearly 30 years, where she and her husband raised their two daughters.

A retired Needham educator, Lynn has dedicated extensive time to local community organizations. Her volunteer work includes serving as President of the Broadmeadow PTC and holding board positions with the Needham Education Foundation, Needham Steps Up, and the Congregational Church of Needham.

Lynn’s involvement with the Needham Community Council began as a team captain for the Ride for Food, followed by leading Mitchell School’s monthly food drives. She became a Board Member in 2020. Deeply committed to the Council’s values and impact, she is honored to support its ongoing mission.

John Frantz

Treasurer

Currently retired, John was previously employed by The Boston Consulting Group. There he provided consulting services to major corporations, held a senior internal financial management position, and led an Investment Committee with oversight responsibility for the firm’s U.S. retirement plans.

2022 marks John’s seventh year on the Needham Community Council Board. He is also on the Board of the Charles River School, a preK-8 school in Dover, and New England Justice for Our Neighbors, a non-profit that welcomes and supports immigrants. He is active in service and outreach activities with Carter Memorial United Methodist Church in Needham, and serves as the chair of the church’s endowment team, which oversees the church’s endowment funds.

Kathleen Berner

Kathleen is currently the Marketing Lead for Accenture in Boston & Hartford — a role she has held since May 2019.

Previously, Kathleen was the Senior Director of Services Marketing at Staples. She joined Staples in 2010 and held various leadership roles in marketing–driving stores, staples.com and salesforce performance. Prior to Staples, Kathleen started an in-house agency; managed customer service; and implemented an email program for the Upromise College Savings and Loyalty program. She also supported clients at Digitas in the online education, automotive and wireless industries.

Kathleen and her husband live in Needham with their three children. She has volunteered at The Council since 2016 as co-chair of the Annual Holiday Boutique.

In 2010, Kathleen managed fundraising for City of Hope’s Spirit of Life nominee. She currently serves on several committees for the Needham High School PTC and serves on the board of advisors at Research Institute for Learning & Development in Lexington.

Kathleen is a graduate of Tufts University and holds a master’s degree from the Boston College Carroll School of Management.

Lynn Alberding

Past President

Lynn joined the Board of the Needham Community Council in 2015. Prior to joining the Board, Lynn participated in the Council’s English Language Learners tutor training program and volunteered as a tutor with that program for several years. She worked as a one-on-one tutor, a leader of group classes, and as a program administrator. Lynn developed and taught several literature-based classes for Advanced English learners as well as a Beginners English class for Russian speakers, and formalized a process for matching students and tutors that resulted in hundreds of successful partnerships.

Lynn is the Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving at William James College in Newton, MA. Prior to joining William James College, Lynn was the Director of Development at Wondermore, Inc., also in Newton, MA.

Lynn and her husband, Peter, raised three children who attended Needham Public Schools. From 2010 – 2020, Lynn was active volunteer in the Needham Public Schools, most notably with the Mitchell and Pollard PTCs and with the Needham High School Athletic Boosters and the Friends of Music.

Lynn holds a B.A. in Economics from Wesleyan University, and an M.S. in Accounting and an MBA from Northeastern University.

Community Volunteer Resources

We are in the process of creating a community wide volunteer resource guide that will allow you and your family to find opportunities to help in Needham. Please check back again soon.

English Language Learning

English Language Students

Free English language tutoring and conversation classes for adults who live or work in Needham.

Info for Students

English Language Tutors

Volunteer tutors help students who are new to English: an enriching and satisfying experience.

Info for Tutors

Current Events

Events for our ELL Students and Tutors to enrich their learning.

Current ELL Events

English Language Students

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Student Info

Who Can Participate in the Program?

Adults who live or work in Needham are welcome.
There is no cost – all tutoring is FREE.
All levels of learners are welcome!

How Long do Students Meet with a Tutor?

We ask that students meet at least an hour weekly for at least nine months.
Of course you and your tutor can take vacations.

When and Where do Students and Tutors Meet?

Students meet weekly with tutors in the morning, afternoon, evening, or on weekends for about an hour.
Both in person and on Zoom
Space is available at Needham Community Council either outdoors or in the building
At the Needham Free Library

Additional Student Resources

Try these on-line resources: ELL Student Resources

Helpful local community resources: ELL Focused Community Resources

Contact Info

Please email the ELL Program Manager, Sheila Roberts, at
sroberts@needhamcouncil.org

Learning Opportunities

Fall Classes & Groups

The schedule for Beginner English Classes and English Conversation Groups can be found here. Please email ELL Program Manager, Sheila Roberts, at sroberts@needhamcouncil.org or call (781) 444-2415 with any questions.

English Language Tutors

Tutor Interest Form

Tutor Info

Tutor Training

Would you like to join our team of 80+ tutors serving the needs of Needham’s diverse English language learning community?

Fall New Tutor Training
Wednesday Oct 14, 21 and 28, 6:30-8:00pm

Spring New Tutor Training
Wednesday March 17, 24, and 31, 6:30-8:00pm

Tutor Refresher Night
Wednesday Jan 20, 6:30-7:30pm, (snow date Wed Jan 27)

How do I Become a Tutor?

Being an ELL tutor is a rewarding experience and we will help you achieve this goal! We offer new tutor training in the fall and spring and will support you when you begin working with our community of adult learners. If you are over 18 years old and interested in becoming a tutor, these are the program requirements:

Fill out the online tutor interest form (must be over 18 years old)
Sign up for and attend all 3 sessions of the fall or spring training
Complete CORI and Confidentiality forms and submit at the first training session

Please email Program Director Sheila Roberts with any questions.

What Makes an Effective Tutor?

Tutors DO NOT need to know the language of their student or have teaching experience.

Being flexible, welcoming, and open to other cultures is essential.
The training workshop provides a variety of techniques for teaching without the need for translation.
A good ELL tutor can speak English fluently, articulate clearly, and is familiar with American culture.
We support tutors with resources and training.

Different Tutor Opportunities

Individual Tutoring
Conversation Groups
On-line or In person meetings
Special Events – field trips, cooking classes, knitting group

What’s the Time Commitment?

We ask that tutors and students participate for at least 9 months, meeting once a week.
Most meetings last for 1 to 1.5 hours.

When and Where do Students and Tutors Meet?

Students meet weekly with tutors in the morning, afternoon, evening, or on weekends for about an hour.
Both in person and on Zoom
Many students prefer to meet virtually
Space is available at Needham Community Council either outdoors or in the building
At the Needham Free Library

What do English Language Learners Want to Learn?

Most learners want to improve their listening comprehension and speaking skills to communicate better with co-workers, neighbors, school and medical personnel, on the phone, etc.
Many need to read and write better for everyday life or employment.
Many students want to become more familiar with American culture.
Some have a specific goal in mind, such as getting a job, a driver’s license, or a GED, becoming a U.S. citizen, or passing a college entrance test.

Other Resources

Websites Resources for Tutors

There are a number of on-line resources we recommend for tutors of all levels of students.

On-Line Resources for Tutors

Current ELL Events

Event Information

ELL Walk & Talks

Mark your calendars. Walk & Talks will be back in the Fall.

Tuesday 9:30-10:30am

September: 15, 22, & 29
October: 6, 13, & 20

Group leaders: Mary Ann and Lisa

Current Hours(As of 9/11/2026)

Joan Halford

Holiday Dinners

Myra Anderson

Jen English

Matthew Eckhouse

Leigh McCloskey

Deb Tormey

Linda Farley

President

Rajesh Thomas

Carol Oberle

Treasurer

Susan Mitchell

David Carter

Secretary

Avery Newton

Rob Ticktin

Alrie McNiff Daniels

Jonathan Kappel

Lynn Gotwals

John Frantz

Treasurer

Kathleen Berner

Lynn Alberding

Past President

Community Volunteer Resources

English Language Learning

English Language Students

English Language Tutors

Current Events

English Language Students

Student Info

Who Can Participate in the Program?

How Long do Students Meet with a Tutor?

When and Where do Students and Tutors Meet?

Additional Student Resources

Contact Info

Learning Opportunities

Fall Classes & Groups

English Language Tutors

Tutor Info

Tutor Training

How do I Become a Tutor?

What Makes an Effective Tutor?

Different Tutor Opportunities

What’s the Time Commitment?

When and Where do Students and Tutors Meet?

What do English Language Learners Want to Learn?

Other Resources

Websites Resources for Tutors

Current ELL Events

Event Information

ELL Walk & Talks

Current Hours
(As of 9/11/2026)