Karina Abeddy is an Associate Attorney at Prince Lobel Tye LLP in Worcester, Massachusetts, where she provides comprehensive legal counsel to corporate clients. Her practice focuses on a wide range of business transactions, including entity formation, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and contract negotiation. Ms. Abeddy is skilled in drafting and negotiating commercial contracts and corporate governance documents, and she plays a key role in facilitating due diligence reviews for M&A and commercial financing transactions. Additionally, she represents both lenders and borrowers in commercial financing matters, where she drafts and negotiates critical loan documentation.
Prior to her current role, Ms. Abeddy earned her Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School in 2023. She completed her undergraduate studies at Suffolk University, graduating Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and a Certificate in Paralegal Studies in 2019.
Margaret Asante is an accomplished attorney who counsels clients on a wide range of business transactions, with a particular focus on commercial lending and mergers and acquisitions. She is experienced in general corporate governance, debt and equity finance, and corporate M&A, and is skilled in contract drafting, negotiation, and interpretation.
With a global perspective, Margaret has advised both lenders and borrowers on the financing, construction, and delivery of greenfield and brownfield projects in the energy and infrastructure sectors. Her extensive work spans across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
Margaret holds a distinguished academic background, including an LL.M. from Northeastern University School of Law and an LL.B. from Queen Mary, University of London. She also earned a Master of Arts from The School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, cum laude, from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. She completed her MA at BPP Law School in London, UK.
Adam Beaudry is a Certified Public Accountant with over 21 years of experience serving the Central Massachusetts community. He is the Managing Partner of Adam M. Beaudry, CPA, LLC, a firm he founded in 2017 that provides comprehensive business advisory and tax services to privately held businesses.
Before establishing his own firm, Adam worked for two local CPA firms, where he gained extensive experience in audit and tax services for both privately held companies and nonprofit organizations.
A graduate of Nichols College, Adam earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting in 2005 and has been a licensed CPA since 2010. His deep expertise in financial management and commitment to organizational excellence make him a valued member of the Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public School Board of Trustees.
Kathleen Greenwood brings decades of experience as a dedicated educator and administrator to the Board of Trustees. She earned her Master of Science in Training & Development from Lesley University in 1994 and a Bachelor of Science in Education from Worcester State University in 1974. With licensure credentials spanning Teacher K-8, Principal 5-8, and Superintendent K-12, her expertise covers the full educational spectrum.
Greenwood’s professional journey is highlighted by her significant tenure at the Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public School. She retired in 2015 after serving six years as the Executive Director/Superintendent, where she was responsible for managing the administration, finances, and daily operations of the K-12 school, overseeing a large student body and an $18 million budget. Prior to this top role, she led the school as a Middle/High School Principal and a Middle School Principal. Her hands-on experience started in the classroom, teaching various grade levels and leading teams, including work as a No Child Left Behind Implementation Teacher for the Worcester Public Schools.
Beyond the K-12 environment, Ms. Greenwood is highly skilled in Instructional Systems Design. She spent years in the corporate sector, notably as an Instructional Designer, Developer, and Manager for Bell Atlantic/NYNEX, where she guided the design and development of workplace learning programs and managed staff. She also worked as an Independent Training Consultant, planning and instructing customer service skills training. This dual background provides her with a unique perspective, combining deep practical knowledge of school administration with specialized expertise in designing effective and innovative learning strategies. She excels in areas of Leadership & Supervision, Organizing & Planning, and utilizing strong Interpersonal Skills to build positive relationships with educational staff, students, and parents.
Nicole Mikucka is a Senior Financial Analyst at ACS Industries, a global manufacturing leader, where she plays a key role in building and managing the company’s worldwide financial infrastructure. With extensive experience in corporate finance, she oversees corporate budgeting, directs capital expenditure planning, and manages federal Department of Energy grant funding. She has been instrumental in developing standardized financial processes from the ground up, significantly enhancing visibility, compliance, and accountability across ACS’s global operations.
A proud native of Worcester, Massachusetts, Nicole’s professional journey is rooted in a strong foundation of academic and athletic excellence. A graduate of Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public School, she served as a captain for both the varsity soccer and basketball teams. Her dedication was recognized with the prestigious Administration Award/Grant as a senior.
Nicole earned her B.S. in Business Administration from Worcester State University in just three years. She began her career in accounting at TJX Companies before transitioning to a financial planning role at the corporate headquarters of BJ’s Wholesale Club.
Returning to Abby Kelley as a member of the Board of Trustees marks a full-circle moment for Nicole. She brings a combination of professional expertise and a deep personal commitment to the school’s mission. As a member of the Finance Committee, she focuses on responsible fiscal management and long-term planning, ensuring future generations of students have access to the same opportunities that shaped her own life.
Patrick Royce serves as Chairperson of the Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public School Board of Trustees. He brings more than 20 years of experience in the retail and commercial banking industry, where he has built a career focused on community engagement, financial leadership, and client service.
A proud graduate of Worcester State University, Patrick earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration before going on to complete a Master of Business Administration at Framingham State University. His professional expertise and dedication to fostering community partnerships support the Board’s mission to guide and strengthen Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public School.
Amy Vernon brings over two decades of hands-on experience in urban public schools to the board. Throughout her career, Ms. Vernon has focused on improving student outcomes at a systems level, including co-authoring a narrative analysis of education reform initiatives in Boston to shed light on effective school leadership and change management practices. Most recently, she has focused her professional work on leading strategic initiatives at Tools of the Mind, a growing nonprofit and leading voice in the field of early education. Ms. Vernon earned a Bachelor of Arts from Vassar College and a Master of Arts in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where she focused on school leadership and development. As a trustee and Abby Kelley parent, Ms. Vernon is a strong advocate of public education and is committed to providing all students with high-quality educational opportunities
Shelly Yarnie, MPH, is a public health leader with over 25 years of experience creating equitable and racially just health systems. Currently, she is the Associate Commissioner for Food Security and Nutrition Programs at the MA Department of Transitional Assistance, where she manages the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), serving more than one million Massachusetts residents. In this role, she oversees all food security initiatives, from policy development to program implementation and evaluation.
Before this position, Shelly was the Chief of Equity and Engagement at Planned Parenthood League of MA, where she led the organization’s strategic priorities and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. She also spent over a decade at the Massachusetts Department of Health (DPH), most recently as the Division Director of Global Populations and Infectious Disease Prevention. During her time there, she focused on improving health outcomes and reducing inequities through her work with tuberculosis and refugee health programs.
A native of Worcester and a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Shelly is a strong advocate for creating and delivering equitable health programs for marginalized communities. She is actively involved in her community, serving on the Board of Trustees at AKF and as a Board Member of the Worcester County Food Bank. She is also a member of the Central MA Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, and is an adjunct faculty member at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where she teaches Global Public Health.
N’Simire Bibiche Zagabe-Ndiku is the highly accomplished Senior Pastor of Green Pastures Church of God in Worcester, MA, a thriving, millennial-focused church. An inspiring servant leader, Pastor Bibiche possesses a unique combination of intellectual rigor and deep compassion. Her extensive academic background includes degrees and postgraduate work in Economics and Political Science and Leadership, and she is an ordained minister and a graduate of the Police-Clergy Academy. She previously worked for State Street Bank and Trust as a Retirement Plans Associate and Financial Advisor. Having served in numerous leadership roles within the Church of God over the years, she now guides her fast-growing congregation. She is also a professional French and Swahili interpreter and legal documents translator.
Beyond her ministry, Pastor Bibiche is a dynamic civic leader. She currently serves as the president of the Abby Kelly Foster Educational Foundation and is on the Board of Trustees for the Abby Kelley Foster Charter School. She also sits on the board of directors for WARM (Welcoming Alliance for Refugee Ministry), is the Chair of the Southern New England Church of God Prayer Ministry, and works as a Christian Marriage Counselor and Life Coach. Pastor Bibiche is happily married to Alain Kianda Ndiku, and together they have four children, while also serving as spiritual parents and mentors to many.