Board Bios

Maureen Miller, Executive Director

Maureen Miller earned an MBA from Boston College, and has 15 years of experience in Finance and Accounting for the Avery Corporation. She is currently Business Manager for St. Joseph Church and School in Wakefield, and has been with the Food Pantry since 2005. She started as secretary for the Board of Directors, and the next year assumed the duties of Operations Director. Under her leadership, the number of volunteers has grown from a handful to more than 60, and the location has moved from a closet in the First Baptist Church to a small but well-stocked grocery store in the Americal Civic Center. Married with four children, Maureen has lived in Wakefield since 1992.

Doreen McGowan, President

After pursuing a BS in Marketing at Bentley University, Doreen McGowan served in administrative positions at Cambridge Trust Company and Campbell and Associates law offices before becoming a home-based travel agent for Cruise Brothers. Her volunteer positions have included terms as president of the Greenwood School Parent-Teacher-Organization, co-chair of the Greenwood School Playground Committee, treasurer of the Wakefield Memorial High School Parent-Teacher-Student-Association, and parent representative on the Greenwood and Galvin School Councils. She has volunteered at the Food Pantry for 7 years, serving on the board for the past four. A mother of two and grandmother of four, Doreen lived in Wakefield for 34 years before moving to Reading. She currently resides in Chelmsford.

Steven Doherty, Treasurer

Steven Doherty earned a Master’s in Accountancy from Bentley University after obtaining an undergraduate degree in Biology from Merrimack College. His career included 37 years in Advertising, serving in accounting, finance & operations positions, and since 2000 as an owner and Senior Partner/Chief Operating Officer of Connelly Partners in Boston. Steven lived in Wakefield for 26 years, coaching his son in the Wakefield Soccer, Basketball & Baseball town programs. After moving from Wakefield to the South End of Boston in 2020 and retiring in 2021, he now spends his time volunteering at Community Servings, and Habitat for Humanity.

Rose Finn, Clerk

Rose Finn pursued a career as a Commercial Lender after earning a BS in Finance from Bentley University and an MBA from Campbell University. She has worked for large national banks and, most recently, for a small non-profit. Married with three grown children, Rose has lived in Wakefield for 30+ years and has been involved with the Food Pantry since 2019.

Melissa Lowry, Director of Board Advancement

Melissa Lowry earned a BSN at Washington State University and moved to Massachusetts to take a job as a Cardiac Nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital. After 6 years as a nurse, she attended Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health graduating with an MS in Health Policy and Management. Afterward, Melissa entered a year-long Administrative Fellowship at UMass Medical Center. She has worked for health plans, hospitals, physician groups and for a consulting firm. Melissa currently works at Beth Israel Lahey Health. She has been a volunteer at the Food Pantry since 2012, holding various board positions. The mother of two grown children, a son in Chicago and a daughter in Washington, D.C., Melissa has lived in Wakefield for more than 26 years.

Neil Adams, At-Large Director

Neil Adams earned a master’s degree from Pennsylvania State University and a bachelor’s from the University of Cincinnati in Ohio, both in Aerospace Engineering. He recently retired as a Vice President of Draper Laboratory in Cambridge after 40 years where he held several engineering and business leadership positions involving program management, strategy, and business development. Neil has been a parishioner of the Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Wakefield for over 30 years where he has been active in leading or participating in committees for finance, budgeting, investing, youth and adult education, and service leadership activities. The parents of three children, Neil and his wife, Kathryn, have lived in Reading since 1989.

Christina Caiazza, At-Large Director

Christina Caiazza is a licensed attorney in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire. She received her Juris Doctor from New England Law | Boston, after earning a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of New Hampshire. Christina has spent her career at Fidelity Investments, holding a range of roles in operations, compliance, and, most recently, as Senior Legal Counsel. Previously, she has volunteered as a lasagna chef as part of the Lasagna Love organization and held a director position on the board of the Massachusetts Association of Women Lawyers. Originally from Wakefield, Christina moved to Reading, MA in her early years, and now resides in Wilmington, MA with her husband (a longtime Wakefield resident) and their son and daughter.

Catherine Dhingra, At-Large Director

Catherine Dhingra holds a BA from Denison University and an MS in Human Service Management from the University of Massachusetts-Boston. With more than 25 years of experience in nonprofit management, community-based public health, and human services, she currently serves as the Manager of the Office of Prevention & Outreach for the City of Medford. Previously, she was the Assistant Director of Health & Human Services for the Town of Wakefield, where she played a key role in developing and implementing community programs. An active member of her community, Catherine is involved in her church, Wakefield Alliance Against Violence, Wakefield Senior Night Committee, the Food Pantry, and other local initiatives. She and her husband, Vake, have lived in Wakefield since 2006 and are the proud parents of two sons attending Wakefield Memorial High School.

Nancy Delaney, At-Large Director

Nancy Delaney graduated with a BA in Spanish from Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. She worked in international transportation for a number of years before joining the global anti-poverty organization Oxfam, where she worked for 30 years. As Director of Brand & Engagement, Nancy was responsible for helping connect the US public with Oxfam’s life saving work. Nancy and her husband moved to Wakefield in 1987 where they raised their two sons. In addition to volunteering at their sons’ schools, Nancy was elected to the Beebe Library Board of Directors and served from 1997-2015. She joined the Wakefield Food Pantry in 2022.