Coastal Neighbors Network Board of Directors & Staff
Andy was born in Dartmouth and is the owner of Silverbrook Farm on Chase Road. Andy has an MBA from University of Maine and operated a medical billing business until he decided to farm his family land in 2000. He is also a gay rights activist who helped found and then co-chaired the Marriage Equality Coalition in 2003. Andy retired from farming in 2015 and is currently working for Home Instead, a Home Health Care Agency, and pursuing certification in this field. Andy’s experience in running a small business, farming and community organizing bring a wide range of valuable skills to Coastal Neighbors Network.
Steve Kiechel: Board President
Steve moved to Dartmouth in 2010 from Toledo, Ohio where he practiced orthopedic surgery for 40 years. He specialized in the challenges of geriatric orthopedics and was also involved in setting up a foundation to provide affordable medical/hospital care for the Amish/Mennonite community. His experience in the changing landscape of healthcare is valuable and we are thrilled to have him chairing the Health Connections Committee.
Terry has worked with nonprofit organizations for most of her career, beginning in public relations and fundraising for Boston area hospitals. Her later work was as an association executive, first in partnership with her husband, Peter, managing their own company and later with the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences. She also taught marketing at Lesley University’s graduate program in management of nonprofit organizations. Terry is active in her church, sings in several choirs, and is grateful to have settled in such a beautiful and welcoming community. Her children and grandchildren live in Minnesota and Oxford, England – and love summering on the Southcoast!
Chris Strasser: Treasurer
Chris moved to the beautiful SouthCoast from Philadelphia in 2017 after he retired from a career in hospital administration. With a Masters in Public Administration, Chris led supply chain operations in a number of southeast Pennsylvania hospitals and health systems for nearly 40 years. In addition to his volunteer work with Coastal Neighbors, he enjoys being a member of DNRT, the YMCA, the Allendale Country Club and the New Bedford Yacht Club. Along with his wife, Mary, Chris especially enjoys hosting their three adult children and their families.
Margot is a freelance copy editor for General Reinsurance Corp., where she delights in untangling sentences in articles translated from German and Korean, and leans on a background in marketing/communications primarily in the financial industry, an MS in Educational Psychology and paralegal work in Litigation. She served for a decade on the board of trustees at the Darien Library and the Darien Land Trust in Connecticut.
Gay Gillespie
Gay Gillespie grew up in Colorado, but spent every summer visiting grandparents in Westport and outside Toronto. Moving permanently to Westport in 1973, Gay involved herself with numerous organizations. With her love for the Westport River and coastal environment, the Westport River Watershed Alliance was her “home” for over 30 years where she was the Executive Director and more recently Development Director, leading the Capital Campaign for the new River Center. Gay is a graduate of UMass Dartmouth and Leadership South Coast. With a passion for the arts and her community she is currently serving on the boards of the Westport Cultural Council and Westport Friends of Council on Aging.
Margaret has worked in Local Government, Banking, Financial Planning and for an Elder Law Attorney both in the UK and New England. She was office manager for Mass Audubon’s Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary for nine years and together with her husband she owned & operated the Henley House B & B in Padanaram for 14 years. Amongst many other hobbies & interests she is a very active volunteer for the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra and sings in the South Dartmouth Congregation Church Choir & the Greater New Bedford Choral Society. Margaret lives in Padanaram Acres with her husband & is owned by her West Highland Terrier Wally! Margaret is a co-chair of the Events Committee.
Mia is an attorney in the Trust & Estate department of Fletcher Tilton, PC. She formerly worked as a Legal Aid Attorney in New Bedford, and then represented parents in special education and guardianship matters while living in Chicago. Mia has lived in Dartmouth for 25 years, and is a member of Dartmouth’s Sister City Delegation Committee. She is a graduate of Vassar College and Suffolk University Law School. Mia is a member of the Membership Committee.
Connie Macdonald
Connie spent her 40 year career as a System Engineer working with computer systems in the Newport RI area. She is a graduate of Bridgewater State University with a Degree in Mathematics and minor in Secondary Education and Physics. For the last 48 years, she has resided in north end of Westport with her husband Jack. She participates in the community as a volunteer with the YMCA Sharing the Harvest Farm and the Westport Council on Aging Technology program. She is an avid gardener, loves a variety of sports, and constantly has several books on her eReader. She was raised on the northshore of Massachusetts but can't imagine a better place to live than Westport. She is assisting Coastal Neighbors with a variety of technology issues and is on the Events and Membership committees.
Dock Murdock
Dock Murdock, President of Murdock Associates, has served nonprofit organizations for 35 years developing fund raising and direct marketing programs. Dick has been a frequent speaker for the Direct Marketing Association Nonprofit Federation and Women in Development. He taught direct marketing at the Fletcher School of International Business at Tufts University. He is a graduate of Colgate University, and a member of several bluegrass bands. Dock is on the marketing committee.
Lee Carroll
A South Shore Massachusetts native, with a life long love affair with the Southcoast, particularly Horseneck Beach, Lee moved to Westport in 2022. His hobbies include travel, local history, geneaology, creative writing, cooking, attending live performances, Amateur "Old School " DJ work, vintage audio equipment and all manner of recorded media from the last 100 years. Past work experience has been in the service/distribution industries as a Facilities Manager, Project Manager, Industrial Engineer, Operations Manager and Purchasing Manager. Lee hopes to apply his acquired skills to benefit the Westport/Dartmouth Community as part of the Coastal Neighbors Network. He greatly appreciates this opportunity as a volunteer and Board Member for our village.
Patricia Cashmore
Pat is a third generation Californian appreciating her family's early pioneer days when her great grandfather constructed a toll road, owned a stage coach business and was elected sheriff. She has never stopped thinking like a pioneer. She graduated from Marquette University AB, Boston College MSW and holds a 2 year certification in Family Therapy. Much of her professional life was practiced in health care settings. She closed her private practice at age 80 to travel abroad. Pat has 4 children and 10 grandchildren. Her avocations include 'Betty's Book Club', genealogy, piano lessons and national interests. She joined Coastal Neighbors network as a Service Member one month after its founding. She sits on the membership committee and on the Board of Directors.