Candidates for Election

2022 – 2023 Executive Board

Candidates for Election

President: Erin Hastings

Someone asked me recently what I would be doing if I wasn’t a dispatcher. I couldn’t come up with an answer. I have loved this job since the first day I sat at the desk which, in all honesty, was not planned. I was 19 years old and happened to be at the fire station during a structure fire call. After the third radio call to “station,” I decided to answer. I then spent the next few hours making phone calls and answering units. After that, and before 911 came to the area, I had an emergency phone and remote radio in my home. When 911 came to the area, I worked a single seat dispatch for a town. I then went to a regional dispatch for 20 years before becoming the Executive Director of Westcomm.

I started attending MCSA meetings the first year it was established. I realized right away the value this had. I was surrounded by people with the same passion for 911 as I had. As a dispatcher, I started learning about the “new” E911 system that was coming our way and what it could do. I learned about standards in the industry, how other centers did things, what their unions were like. Throughout the years, I was able to learn about technology and standards before they were introduced into my center. I also learned an awful lot about the State 911 Department and grants and how they both affected me as a dispatcher. Most importantly, I learned leadership skills. This was not only from the trainings offered by MCSA, but also from the exposure to, and interactions with, the leaders in the room.

I recently expressed to the EBoard that I felt we had strayed a little bit from our mission. I didn’t feel that current members were getting the same things out of MCSA that I got. I told them how I would not be where I am today without MCSA. We started discussing ways to get back to our original mission. That same night, President Goodwin announced he would not be seeking reelection.

Call it fate, or even karma. Either way, I didn’t feel like it would be right for me to say it’s time for change and then not take the opportunity to run for a position that could affect change. I feel I owe it to my mentors, the previous leadership in MCSA, to pay it forward. I want to see every dispatcher in the state given the same opportunity that was afforded to me by MCSA.

Vice-President: Anthony Gentile – Wilbraham RECC

Anthony started his public safety career as a call Firefighter in his home town of East Longmeadow after high school graduation. He retired after 20 years of service.  In 1997 Anthony was sponsored through the Massachusetts Reserve Police Academy where he graduated in early 1998. In May of 1998 Anthony started his career in Wilbraham as a Public Safety Dispatcher where he still works today. In 2019 Anthony was appointed Dispatch Supervisor by the Wilbraham Board of Selectmen to lead Wilbraham Central Dispatch.  Shortly there after, Anthony was given the complex task of regionalizing Wilbraham and Hampden.  After several months of hard work, in May of 2021 Wilbraham regionalized with Hampden creating Massachusetts newest RECC. Anthony was then appointed as the Regional Communications Director of the Wilbraham RECC by the Board of Selectmen.

Anthony could not have obtained his accomplishments if it were not for the Massachusetts State 911 Leadership Grant. Anthony was selected, attended and graduated from the Communications Center Managers course in 2018. It allowed him to gain the knowledge and skills needed to positively lead a Communications Center.

Anthony wanted to give back to MCSA to help other dispatchers and dispatch centers. He was elected as Hampden/Berkshire Regional VP in 2020 and holds that position today. Anthony believes there is nothing more rewarding than serving the public.

Anthony is also the Chair of the Western Mass. Regional Interoperability Committee, a position he has held since 2021.

Anthony looks forward to serving in the position of Vice President for MCSA and will work with all Executive Board Members to continue providing information and training to our member communities.

Vice-President: Rob Verdone – Southeastern MA Regional 911 District

I am honored for the opportunity to run for the Vice-President position at MCSA.  I have enjoyed a long and diverse career in public safety operations at all levels of government.  As I have progressed through these various roles, my passion has always been service to the public, duty to the mission, respect for my team, and developing my profession.  Public safety communications and 9-1-1 is in a transition period and the next few years will set the course for our craft.  I believe that the mission of the MSCA is to be the collective architect of the future of this public safety profession.  Through public education, professional development, accountability, and the development and adherence to standards we can jointly continue to move the needle toward enhanced recognition and benefits.

My unique operational and administrative background coupled with a strong commitment to collaboration with the incoming president and 9-1-1 community-at-large position me to effectively support this organization’s charge.  My career started as a young dispatcher in a single position center where I began to learn the ropes.  Later I would start working as a firefighter and ALS responder for a busy department.  During this time I took the lead in several projects to renovate the communications center, and deploy a new CAD/RMS and radio system.  My career led me to leave the fire service and EMS to take up an active duty role in the United States Coast Guard.  My time with the USCG brought me around the world enforcing international laws, conducting drug interdictions, alien migrant interdiction operations, and responding to search and rescue and major incidents.  Being a member of that service found me responding to the earthquake in Port Au Prince, Haiti as well as other major national and international disasters and emergencies as well as prosecuting major law enforcement missions and conducting high-value operations such as POTUS protection.  I left the USCG after over a decade of service which included numerous certifications including graduation from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, National Motor Lifeboat School, National Intelligence Academy, the National Search and Rescue Academy, National Radiological Detection Level 1 and 2 operator’s course and attaining certification as a use of force and law enforcement instructor.  Closing out my career I was able to hone my leadership schools as the Command Intelligence, Operations, and Law Enforcement Program Officer for my unit. Concurrent to my duties in the CG, I volunteered my time and later became a staff member of a county emergency communications effort to revitalize and modernize a system in Massachusetts. Through this, I was able to deploy a considerable amount of new programs, technologies, and best practices, which are still used today.  I also worked as a member of a call fire department and was promoted several times prior to my departure. I transitioned out of active duty and landed a position with the Department of Defense as a civilian employee for the Emergency Management division of a large nuclear asset facility.  In this role, I initiated another CAD and RMS upgrade and replacement as well as an overhaul of the emergency operations and communications center.  Massachusetts called me back to take a position as the deputy director of emergency management and 9-1-1 for the City of Chelsea.  Chelsea offered me the opportunity to fill leadership roles throughout the USAI program and other homeland security roles at a local level.  My focus in Chelsea was the improvement of training, resources, and the working conditions of the 9-1-1 staff.  A cornerstone of my leadership culture was trusting my staff, giving them the tools they need to make good operation decisions, and expecting them to do so.  While at Chelsea, I was presented with an unbelievable opportunity to build a new RECC in Southeastern Massachusetts.  I lead that project from a concept/idea to the high-performance center it is today.  SEMRECC was developed to be staff-centric with a steadfast commitment to fostering an environment where every employee from the most junior to the most seasoned embodies a public safety mindset, makes decisions, and uses their tools, judgment, and experience to do good work for the public. SEMRECC went from a 3 positions center in a police station to a 10-position dedicated multi-million-dollar facility charged with handling one of the most complex jurisdictions in Massachusetts.  I am proud to have earned my BS in Law and Legal Studies from Post University, as well as being an alumnus of Harvard Kennedy School after earning my Public Leadership Credential.  I am currently continuing my professional and academic development by studying as a master’s degree candidate at Harvard University.  Currently, I serve as a member of the Southeast Massachusetts Homeland Security Council, the Chairman of the Southeast Massachusetts Homeland Security Council Interoperability and Intelligence committee, and serve on the State Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC).  I am proud to be married for 8 years and my wife and I recently welcomed our firstborn son, Eli.  I am excited for the future of MCSA under the leadership of our President Apparent Erin Hastings, a consummate professional and passionate leader as well as the other future members of the E-board.  There is a lot of hard work ahead and I would be humbled and honored to help in this roll.

Secretary (Incumbent): Gregory Lynskey 

Gregory Lynskey is currently Communications Center Director for the South Worcester County Communications Center (SWCCC) which serves Webster and Dudley. Greg has been a member of MCSA since 2015 and has been an elected member of the board since 2017, serving as Secretary since 2019. Greg currently assists with the MCSA social media and website committees in addition to his role as a Secretary. He also serves as recording secretary for his agency’s Board of Directors and Operations Board and recently served as Secretary for the Town of Webster Town Administrator Screening Committee.

 Greg began his career in public safety in 2003 with the Town of Webster as both a volunteer with the former Webster Rescue Squad and as a part-time dispatcher. Greg continued in his role as a dispatcher for the Town of Webster until 2014 when he was appointed as the Communications Center Director for the SWCCC which was a newly created entity to provide dispatch services for the Towns of Webster and Dudley. Greg continues in this role today. Greg also has prior experience with the WPI Campus Police Department as a dispatcher and in the private sector as a scheduler/planner with two different manufacturing companies.

 In addition to serving on the Board for MCSA, Greg also currently serves on the Fire District 7 Radio Committee, Fire District 7 Mutual Aid Committee, Central Regional Homeland Planning Council-serving as Chair of the Interoperability Subcommittee, and will soon be joining the Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee.

 Greg is a graduate of the Communications Center Supervisor program in 2018.

Treasurer (Incumbent): Warren Gould

Warren Gould started his career with the Town of Boxford in 1981 as a Call Firefighter. He joined the Town of Boxford Communications Department in 1986 as a per-diem dispatcher, and became a full-time dispatcher in 1987. In 2000 he became the Director of Communications for the Town of Boxford, a position he’s held since that time. Warren is also a lieutenant on the Call Fire Department in Boxford. Warren holds an Associates Degree in Automotive Repair and a Bachelors Degree on Mechanical Engineering.

Essex County

Regional VP (Incumbent):

Laura Kilgour
Public Safety Clerk Coord.
Amesbury Police Department

Regional VP (Incumbent):

James Officer
Patrolman
Gloucester Police Department

Bio:

My name is James Officer and I am a sworn Police Officer for the City of Gloucester Massachusetts. I have been a PO for the past thirty-four years and for the past ten years, my assignment by seniority has been working in the dispatch center. I work the evening shift as the senior dispatch officer and Telecommunicator.

I am very passionate about dispatching, radio communication and broadening my knowledge within the communication field. I have member of MCSA for several years and have served as the Essex County Vice-President for the past two years.

SE Region: Barnstable, Bristol, Plymouth, Norfolk and Dukes Counties

Regional VP (Incumbent):

Brian Kamp
Public Safety Communications Manager
Westwood Public Safety

Bio:

Brian Kamp is seeking re-election to the southeastern region VP, a position he has held 2019.

In 2011, Brian started his career in public safety as a communications officer for the Town of Westwood. During his tenure, he has served as; a communications officer, communications training officer, reserve police officer, and firearms licensing officer. Brian currently holds the position of Public Safety Communications Manager in Westwood. He is also a proud member of the Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council Operational Support Unit, and he sits on the advisory board for Blue Hills Regional High School Criminal Justice program.

Brian earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice, and is expected to complete his B.S. in management at Northeastern University in 2023.

In 2018, he completed the Communications Center Manager program from Fitch & Associates. Brian was awarded the Massachusetts State 911 Leadership Scholarship from the Massachusetts State 911 Department which funded attendance at the program. Finally, in 2022 Brian successfully completed the National Emergency Number Association Center Manager Certification Program (CMCP).

Regional VP (Incumbent):

Patrick Feeney
Operations Section Chief
Southeastern Mass. Regional 911 District

Bio:

I am seeking re-election as a Co-Vice President for the Southeast Region, a position I have held since 2020.  I am proud and honored to serve in this role and look forward to continuing the mission of the MCSA and the progressing our craft, truly molding into its own entity of public safety.

I began my career in public safety, while attending college, in the private security industry where I served in multiple different roles, including in the command centers, sparking my love for public safety dispatch and communications.  I graduated from Stonehill College in Easton in 2009, earning a B.A. in American History and a B.S. in Criminology.  In 2011, I went on to serve as Public Safety Dispatcher with the Town of Needham, primarily as Police Dispatcher, where I remained until 2019.  While there I gained valuable experience and knowledge.  Seeking new opportunities, I transitioned to SEMRECC, serving with the District since the go-live in 2019.  I began my career at SEMRECC originally as a Communications Officer, then as an Operations Supervisor, and now as a member of the Executive Staff, as the Operations Section Chief.  In addition, I am a member of the Metro-LEC Operations Support Unit (OSU) and am a Specialist with the Mansfield Emergency Management Agency, volunteering time to the town of Mansfield and its community with emergency management operations, such as shelter operations, traffic control, flood control and mitigation, among other services.  As a member of Mansfield EMA, I also volunteer as a member of the Communications Unit and Rehab Unit, providing operations support for not just the town of Mansfield, but other surrounding communities in Norfolk and Bristol Counties.

Middlesex-Suffolk Counties

Regional VP (Incumbent):

Corey Swift
Communication Supervisor
Wilmongton Police Department

Regional VP: Kevin Lessard
North Middlesex RECC

Bio:

My name is Kevin Lessard, I have served in Public Safety Communications for sixteen years in Massachusetts, and now am the Executive Director of the Northern Middlesex RECC representing the communities of Tewksbury and Dracut.  I’ve been a member of MCSA and have attended meetings since 2011 when I was the Brookline Public Safety Communications Chief Dispatcher and can attest to how vital this organization is to the initiatives and programs that our industry is involved in and should continue to meet active in.  There are so many important tasks being undertaken by PSAP and RECCs at this current moment and it would be my pleasure to again serve on this board as a Regional Co Vice President for my region.  I am a proud alumni of the CCM program having graduated in 2012, also am a graduate of the CMCP program in 2019, hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Westfield State University, a Master’s in Public Administration from Suffolk University, and have achieved the ENP designation from NENA in 2021.  It would be an honor to work alongside all of you and would appreciate your vote for my position on the MCSA Board.  In my spare time I enjoy spending every moment I can with my wife and 2 year old son who brings so much joy to our family. Thank you.

Worcester County

Regional VP (Incumbent):

Chris Carleton
Supervisor of Communications & Records
Town of Northborough

Bio:

I began my career as a Dispatcher with the City of Marlborough in October of 1999. In November of 2009, my wife and I decided to move to Montana, and I continued to dispatch for a regional center. We decided to move back to New England and in August of 2012 I was hired by the Town of Northborough as a dispatcher and in January of 2016 I was promoted to Communications Supervisor which is the position I currently hold. I am a member of the Fire District 14 Communications Team as a COM-T, an At-Large member of MA NENA, a member of the MA COMU planning committee and currently one of the Worcester County Regional Vice Presidents of the Massachusetts Communications Supervisors Association.

Regional VP (Incumbent):

Barbara Boiteau
Lead Dispatcher
Town of Sturbridge

Bio:

I started working for Sturbridge Police Department 10/89 and was hired a full time dispatcher for this agency 9/90.  I was introduced to the Mass Communications Supervisors Meeting when they were being held in Northampton at the Blue Bonnet since the mid to late 90’s.  I have put in my nomination to be re-elected to Worcester second VP.  During the years of service I have seen the technology of dispatching grow tremendously to what it is today.  I have had the pleasure to get to know several MCSA members throughout my career and do not hesitate to assist any other member when I can.  It is a profound sense of accomplishment to give my knowledge to new members as I learn from them as much as they learn from me.

Regional VP:

Dan Walsh
Clinton 911

Hampden & Berkshire Counties

Regional VP (Incumbent):

Anthony Gentile
Communications Supervisor
Wilbraham Public Safety Communications

Bio:

Anthony started his public safety career as a call Firefighter in his home town of East Longmeadow after high school graduation. He retired after 20 years of service.  In 1997 Anthony was sponsored through the Massachusetts Reserve Police Academy where he graduated in early 1998. In May of 1998 Anthony started his career in Wilbraham as a Public Safety Dispatcher where he still works today. In 2019 Anthony was appointed Dispatch Supervisor by the Wilbraham Board of Selectmen to lead Wilbraham Central Dispatch.  Shortly there after, Anthony was given the complex task of regionalizing Wilbraham and Hampden.  After several months of hard work, in May of 2021 Wilbraham regionalized with Hampden creating Massachusetts newest RECC. Anthony was then appointed as the Regional Communications Director of the Wilbraham RECC by the Board of Selectmen.

Anthony could not have obtained his accomplishments if it were not for the Massachusetts State 911 Leadership Grant. Anthony was selected, attended and graduated from the Communications Center Managers course in 2018. It allowed him to gain the knowledge and skills needed to positively lead a Communications Center.

Anthony wanted to give back to MCSA to help other dispatchers and dispatch centers. He was elected as Hampden/Berkshire Regional VP in 2020 and holds that position today. Anthony believes there is nothing more rewarding than serving the public.

Anthony is also the Chair of the Western Mass. Regional Interoperability Committee, a position he has held since 2021.

Anthony looks forward to serving in the position of Vice President for MCSA and will work with all Executive Board Members to continue providing information and training to our member communities.

Regional VP:

Nina Barszcz
Westfield Public Safety Communications

Bio:

I hope to be able to represent Hampden and Berkshire Counties for the Association.

Regional VP:

Khristy Lord
WESTCOMM

Bio:

I started my career in public safety in 2002 as a dispatcher, progressing to an online LEAD, supervisor, quality assurance and quality improvement analyst to my current position as a deputy director. Not only have I held various positions, I have worked at different types of centers – primary, secondary, limited secondary, and regional – and witnessed the advancement of the 911 equipment from MARS to Vesta and now NG911.

Regional VP:

Johnathan Danek
Wilbraham RECC

Bio:

Franklin & Hampshire Counties

Regional VP (Incumbent):

David Squires
Communications Director
Belchertown Police Department

Bio:

I’m seeking re-election to the position of Regional Co-Vice President for Franklin/Hampshire Counties and have declared my candidacy. I have held this position for numerous years and would like to continue representing dispatchers in these areas of the Commonwealth as well as MCSA as a whole.

I have been involved in the field of emergency communications since I was in college in 1992. I started working part time in the Town of Warren in 1992, added the Town of Monson in 1993 and started working full time for the Town of South
Hadley March of 1995. In April of 1995 I was offered a position in my hometown of Belchertown but still remained part time in that town as well as Monson. In Belchertown, I obtained the position of Senior Dispatcher in 2000 and the position
of Administrative Assistant to the Chief/Communications Director in 2016. I also presently work part time for the Towns of South Hadley and Wilbraham. In the past, I have worked part time for the Towns of Amherst, Monson and Winchendon.

I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Western New England College now University with minors in business and education. I have taken several courses over the years inclusive of the APCO Communications Center
Manager training.  I presently serve as an advisory member to the Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School in Northampton where I have been a substitute teacher. I enjoy interacting with the students and public in general to educate
everyone about the role of telecommunicators. I am a past member of the Pathfinder Regional Vocational School Committee.

I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this statement and pledge to continue to represent MCSA in the future if you allow me the privilege of serving you for another term.

Regional VP (Incumbent):

Charles “Butch” Garrity
Dispatch Supervisor
MSP Regional Comm. Center Shelburne Falls