Endicott Center for Civic Participation (ECCP)

Bill Bolt lives in Beverly MA and is the father of 3 grown children and a grandfather to two girls. He is married to Noreen Bolt for 40 years. One daughter , Maggie, attended Endicott in the mid 2010’s and received a Bachelors and Masters in Education and is currently a teacher in Somerville MA. His oldest daughter Sarah is married and the mother of his 2 granddaughters. She works for Bose. His youngest is his son Brendan works at Zoll Medical and is getting married in 2027.

ABIOMED

Bill joined Abiomed in Danvers, MA, in June 1982 and retired in 2019. His last position (2015-2019) served as an Executive Corporate Officer and the Senior Vice President of Quality, Regulatory and Clinical Operations where he was responsible for the global management of the clinical trial and research, regulatory and quality functions.

He was responsible for all Global Impella Regulatory approvals and clearances, including the initial 510(k)’s and later all PMA approvals for the Impella platforms as well as EU and Japan approvals for Impella. From 2006 to early 2015, he was leading Global Product Operations, which included the engineering, quality, product development and regulatory functions.

He was responsible for all Quality and Service functions from 2003-2006. He led the AbioCor Total Artificial Heart program from 1999-2003, as well as all product  development and engineering activities on the Abiomed temporary ventricular assist devices (BVS and AB5000 systems) over that same timeframe.

From 1994 to 1998, he was the President of the former dental subsidiary, ABIODENT.

Prior to that, he served the company in various roles, from Vice President of Engineering to Vice President of Operations and was responsible for the first commercial product developed by Abiomed, the BVS 5000.

Abiomed was acquired by Johnson and Johnson in 2022.

AVCO/Kontron

Prior to Abiomed, Mr. Bolt was employed after graduating with a BSEE from Northeastern from 1975 to 1982 by Kontron/AVCO Medical Products where he worked in the engineering support and development of medical life sustaining devices like Intra-Aortic Balloon pumps and acute Cardiac Assist systems.

Education

Mr. Bolt received both his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and Master of Business Administration from Northeastern University.

In 1983, while in college, Tim co-founded a company that produced a service for libraries that summarized articles in popular magazines, which was purchased by EBSCO Industries, Inc. Tim oversaw the growth that resulted in EBSCOhost becoming the world’s leading online research service for academic institutions,  He guided the company to strong organic growth combined with more than 70 strategic acquisitions and partnerships with hundreds of publishers. When Tim retired in 2024, EBSCO Information Services had over $2B in sales.

In 2021, Tim was inducted into University of New Hampshire’s Entrepreneur Hall of Fame.  In 2023, he gave the Commencement address at UNH’s Paul College of Business and Economics and received an honorary Doctorate in Business degree.

Tim believes in protecting the environment and has donated solar arrays to several institutions on Boston’s North Shore.  Tim’s multi-structure, 2 ½ mile stonewall restoration at his farm was recognized as Best Historic Renovation by Builder and Remodelers Association of Greater Boston in 2023.

Tim has built an extensive collection of historical artifacts related to American history and is a Founder and past Board Member of the Museum of the American Revolution. Tim is a member of the Board of Trustees of Endicott College, a member of the Board of Change is Simple, and a member of the Board of Trustees of Historic New England.

Tim lives on the North Shore of Boston with his wife Emily and they have two children.

Widely regarded as one of New Hampshire’s top lobbyists, Jim Demers serves as President & CEO of Demers, Prasol & Thomas Inc. Jim is a former member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives and former congressional candidate. He has over 45 years of experience in the legislative, regulatory and political fields. Having served as both an in-house government affairs representative overseeing numerous lobbyists to his current work as a contract government affairs leader, Jim recognizes the needs of having an advocacy plan that includes strong internal and external communications. He has played active roles in numerous presidential campaigns, he serves on the Board of Trustees of Endicott College and the advisory board of the NH Institute of Politics. He was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve on the Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation. Jim is a graduate of the University of Miami and he holds an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University.

Dr. Charles F. Desmond is a senior education and civic leader with extensive experience in governance, executive management, and public policy. He currently serves as Senior Fellow Emeritus at the New England Board of Higher Education, advising the President and Board on strategies to expand educational opportunity and strengthen workforce readiness across New England.

From 2021 to 2024, Dr. Desmond served as President of the Hildreth Stewart Charitable Foundation, working closely with trustees to steward philanthropic resources and strengthen nonprofit partners. Previously, he was Chief Executive Officer of Inversant, a statewide children’s savings account initiative focused on improving postsecondary access.

Appointed by Governor Deval Patrick, Dr. Desmond served on the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education from 2008 to 2015, including seven years as Chair, helping to shape statewide higher education policy. His career includes a 30-year tenure at the University of Massachusetts Boston, where he held senior leadership roles in student affairs, academic administration, and community engagement.

A Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Desmond holds an Ed.D. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and is a decorated U.S. Army veteran, awarded the Silver Star and Bronze Star Medal with V Device for valor.

Victoria Esser is the Founder of Belle Haven Consulting, LLC where she advises companies, individuals and non-profits. She is a seasoned advisor to the highest levels of leadership, including C-suite executives and Presidential Cabinet members. Her experience includes strategic messaging, earned media, content marketing, stakeholder engagement, digital initiatives and policy and advocacy. 

Prior, Victoria was a Partner with Finsbury Glover Hering (now FGS Global), a leading global strategic communications consultancy, where she specialized in strategic messaging, media counsel and integrated communications campaigns across the firm’s technology, financial services and policy and advocacy practice areas. She served as Global Chair of FGH’s Corporate Reputation and Leadership Strategies practice group.

Victoria previously served in the Obama Administration as Assistant Secretary, Public Affairs in the U.S. Treasury Department, where she was the chief communications advisor to the Treasury Secretary and directed strategic positioning, media relations, stakeholder engagement, and social media for the Department.  She received the agency’s highest honor, the Alexander Hamilton Award.  

Esser was previously Deputy Assistant Secretary for Digital Strategy at the U.S. State Department, where she spearheaded the digital public affairs strategy to advance U.S. policies and oversaw the Department’s digital media platforms.  

Victoria was a Managing Director of The Glover Park Group, where she managed complex situations for clients, and corporate reputation and global communications initiatives for a range of organizations. Earlier, Victoria was a Vice President with Robinson, Lerer and Montgomery. She began her career at the Centre International des Enterprises à Succursale in Paris, France.  

She has a M.A. in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University and a B.A. in Political Science and French from Colby College. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and has been published in media like Politico, Fast Company, and Global Asia.

Meghan Fennell brings two decades of experience in communications and managing global partnerships. She currently serves as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) campaign lead for Deloitte Global.  She previously served as a Director in Global Talent at Deloitte and, prior to that, worked for The Monitor Group in both Cambridge, MA and London, UK. Early in her career she helped launch the inaugural Clinton Global Initiative in NYC.

Meghan brings a deeply held passion for supporting women in business, leadership and society and founded the Spark Collective, a local organization aimed at building community among women in Massachusetts. She speaks at events on topics related to gender equality and the future of work, including TEDx Endicott College, Harvard Business School Women in Leadership Conference, UVA Darden School of Business Women in Leadership Summit and has appeared on NBC and in Fortune magazine.  She serves on the Board of The Cabot Performing Arts Center in Beverly, MA, and lives on the North Shore of Massachusetts with her husband and two teenage children.

Ed Kania is the Managing Partner of FarField Partners LLC, a personal investment and advisory firm. In 2000, he co-founded Flagship Pioneering, a highly regarded life sciences venture creation and investment firm based in Cambridge, MA. Ed served as Flagship’s Chairman through 2014, gradually transitioning his responsibilities over the following years and formally stepping away in early 2020. He continues to advise entrepreneurial CEOs across the country.

Ed began his venture capital career in 1983. Prior to founding Flagship, he spent 17 years at Morgan, Holland Ventures—first as an associate, then as a general partner. In 1995, upon becoming Managing Partner, he led the firm’s rebranding as OneLiberty Ventures. Earlier in his career, Ed also worked as a general manager for a large outdoor resort in Connecticut.

Throughout his career, Ed has closely integrated his roles as investor and company-building partner. His direct investment experience spans over 100 companies, several of which are publicly traded or have been acquired by major public corporations.

Ed currently serves on the board of directors of TransMedics (Nasdaq: TMDX) and several private companies. He also sits on the advisory boards of Ashford Capital, a long-term investor in high-growth, pre-institutional public companies, and Marcus Partners, an integrated real estate investment, management, and development firm. Additionally, Ed is a member of the board of directors and executive committee of Business Executives for National Security (BENS).

He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Dartmouth College (1979) and an MBA from Harvard Business School (1982). At Dartmouth, Ed was an All-American track and field athlete and a national and collegiate record holder.

Ed and his wife, Ann, reside in Peterborough, NH, and also spend time in Delray Beach, FL, and Mont-Tremblant, Quebec. They have three daughters.

Ambassador David C. Miller, Jr. is a partner and founding investor of Torch Hill Capital, LLC, a private equity firm. In his private sector career, he worked for a decade in international positions for the Westinghouse Electric Corp. In addition, he provided international business advisory services to several major US corporations and has managed investments for high-net-worth individuals in privately held companies. 

Ambassador Miller was Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs on the National Security Council (NSC) staff at the White House from January 23, 1989, to December 31, 1990, during the George H.W. Bush Administration. His NSC accounts included Africa as well as counterterrorism, counter-narcotics, and hostage rescue. He served as the U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania from 1981 to 1984 and to Zimbabwe from 1984 to 1986. During his Zimbabwe tour, he led the South Africa Working Group in addition to his bilateral responsibilities in Harare. 

Following a year in Vietnam working on projects primarily for the Advanced Research Projects Agency, he was selected as a White House fellow for 1968 to 1969. He served as a Fellow with the Attorney General and the following year became his confidential assistant. In 1970–1971, he was the Director of the President’s Commission on White House Fellows while also working with the Counsel to the President. 

He founded and serves as Chairman Emeritus of the Special Operations Fund, which provides scholarships for the widows and children of deceased members of special operations military units. He has lectured and written on foreign policy management, including chapters in three volumes on low-intensity conflict: Low-Intensity Conflict: Old Threats in a New World; Gray Area Phenomena: Confronting the New World Disorder; and Managing Contemporary Conflict: Pillars of Success. 

Ambassador Miller also co-authored, with David Gordon and Howard Wolpe, The United States and Africa: A Post-Cold War Perspective, an American Assembly book published by W. W. Norton & Co.

Ambassador Miller graduated with honors from Harvard College, received a JD from the University of Michigan Law School, and an honorary Doctor of Law from Lewis and Clark. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the District of Columbia Bar.

Paul Hart Miller is a native of Lake Charles, Louisiana, where he gained early political experience working in the Louisiana Legislature, various political campaigns and volunteering for organizations and causes he believes in. This foundation in public service evolved into a long- term commitment to volunteer efforts. He currently serves as Chair of the JFK Hyannis Museum Foundation Board of Directors and has been a long-time dedicated member of the New Frontier Network of the JFK Presidential Library Foundation and the 1787 Society of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate. 

Paul serves as the Administrative Director of Business Development and Network Operations at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Beyond healthcare and politics, Paul has been involved with many not-for-profit efforts. He was awarded Officer Emeritus status of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, after having served at the national, regional, and district levels, and he formerly served as Co-Chair of the Community Advisory Board for WGBH public media. He continues to foster civic engagement as the co-founder and co-chair of the McLeod Endowment Programs at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, which includes a professorship, scholarship and an annual lecture series dedicated to promoting public service.

Paul is also a National Advisor for the American Exchange Project, a domestic exchange program for high school seniors. He formerly served as Chair of the National Advocacy Coordinating Committee of the American Heart Association. Paul was the first to hold the position of National Director of Volunteer Development and Engagement with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. 

Paul and his wife, Susan, have been married 42 years and reside in Monument Beach, Massachusetts. He maintains a special connection to Endicott, as his late mother, Ann Hart Miller, was a 1956 graduate of Endicott Junior College.

Matt Milley is a Boston area native with a long commitment to service and leadership. After graduating from Tufts University in 2012, Matt commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, where he would serve in many roles for the following nine years, culminating in commanding an Infantry company.

Following his time on active duty, Matt worked in several management positions for Amazon before returning to Boston to become CEO of Bickford’s Family Restaurants. He is also the chairman of Toast to St Jude, an annual Boston-based fundraiser that has raised over $1.5 million for St Jude Children’s Research Hospital

After graduating from Yale in 1979, Jon worked for eight years at a private investment firm in New York City.  He joined Wellington Management Company, LLP in 1987 to manage Wellington Trust Company, NA, the firm’s national trust banking subsidiary, and retired as its President and Chairman in 2009.  In 1995, Jon was elected a Partner at Wellington Management, adding global relationship management and corporate operations oversight duties. 

Since retirement, Jon has served a variety of organizations in the non-profit sector.  He is a current board member and Treasurer at RootNS, a youth-training social enterprise in Salem, MA, a Trustee of Endicott College in Beverly, MA, and a Trustee of Northeast Hospital Corporation in Beverly. He is the former chair of the board of the Essex County Community Foundation, where he remains a board member; a former board member and treasurer of Brookwood School; and a past president and trustee of the St. Thomas More Catholic Center at Yale University.  In addition, Jon serves in volunteer and advisory roles for several other nonprofit organizations.  

A former Marine Corps Reserve Officer and Gulf War veteran, Jon is a volunteer pilot for the Veterans Airlift Command and a member of Business Executives for National Security.  He lives in Manchester, MA with his wife and has two daughters.

Tracie Potts is the Eisenhower Institute’s Executive Director. She joined Gettysburg College with a wealth of media experience focused on public policy, along with years of educational advocacy for and with students.

Mrs. Potts spent three decades as an award-winning broadcast journalist, most recently as senior Washington Correspondent for NBC News Channel, the affiliate service of NBC News. Based on Capitol Hill, she covered four Presidential administrations, Congress and the federal government for 200+ local morning news programs, MSNBC, CNBC and foreign news organizations. Outside politics, Potts reported abroad from the 2012 Olympics, the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Princess Kate, the selection of Pope Benedict and the death of Nelson Mandela. Before working in Washington, she was based in the network’s Los Angeles bureau and served as an anchor and reporter at local stations.

Potts serves as vice chair of the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism Advisory Board, after being selected as a 2017 National Fellow. Her “Forgotten Voices” project on the Affordable Care Act was honored with a Dateline Award from the DC chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. Other fellowships include the Loyola Marymount Journalist Law School, Mayo Clinic Journalist Residency, National Press Foundation, the Poynter Institute and the Journalism Center of Children and Families and the Michelle Clark Fellowship from the Radio Television News Directors Foundation.

Potts was an instructor for NBC University and the News Literacy Project. Her lesson on NLP’s “Checkology” digital learning platform has been used by more than 100,000 students and educators worldwide. She also taught journalism at Knoxville College and Biola University. Potts was appointed to the National PTA Board of Directors and serves as a family engagement trainer, facilitator and speaker on its governance team. She is currently an advisor for the non-profit Learning Heroes and the federally-funded Statewide Family Engagement Center for Maryland and Pennsylvania.

Potts completed Northwestern University’s Accelerated Masters Program, earning Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from the Medill School of Journalism.

Chris Walsh serves as Director, Freedom and Democracy at the George W. Bush Institute.  In this role, Walsh manages communications, evaluation, and public policy research projects that advance freedom and democracy in the world. He also develops and implements efforts to make the Bush Institute a welcoming place for today’s generation of dissidents and democracy advocates, overseeing visits for training, inspiration, and insight.

Prior to joining the Bush Institute, Walsh worked with the International Republican Institute (IRI) in Washington, D.C. As IRI’s program officer for Central and Eastern Europe, he coordinated political party building and civic advocacy programs in the Balkans and Turkey.

A native of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Walsh is a graduate of American University with a B.A. in International Studies.  He currently lives in Dallas with his wife and four young children.

Laura engages with stakeholders and EY leadership to anticipate, navigate, influence and manage strategic policy risks and opportunities across the businesses.

Laura has over 20 years of experience at the intersection of the business, government and nonprofit sectors.

Prior to joining EY, Laura was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at the US-Japan Council, leading a team dedicated to strengthening business and government ties across the Pacific. She previously held roles at the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Senate, and a global risk consultancy. She also cofounded a nonprofit dedicated to international educational exchange and youth leadership development.

In addition to her role at EY, Laura serves on the board of All Hands and Hearts, a nonprofit that empowers volunteers to help communities impacted by natural disasters.

Laura is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and holds a Master of Philosophy in International Relations from the University of Cambridge. She earned her BA in History and International Relations magna cum laude from Harvard University.

Laura has spent her career building connections between the business, government, and nonprofit sectors because she believes that a more interconnected working world is key to addressing society’s challenges. She is devoted to bringing diverse stakeholders to the table to address climate change and dedicates much of her personal time to empowering youth, women, veterans.