Our Team

Rachel Flum joined the Governance Committee of the Food Pantry Board in May 2021 and the full Board in May 2022. She is the former Executive Director of the Economic Progress Institute in Rhode Island where she conducted several legislative campaigns, including paid family leave, SNAP, revenue-raising, and childcare assistance, while working closely with EPI’s Board and leading its staff. In this role, she was also responsible for the strategic direction and fund development activities of the organization. Rachel received the Forty Under Forty Award in 2015. Rachel is a graduate of Wellesley College and Georgetown University Law School and has lived in Franklin for 18 years. She served on the Board of Directors of Sunrise Montessori School in Franklin and on the Vestry for Trinity Episcopal Church in Wrentham.

Suzanne Gendreau is the former owner of The Annarealla Cookie Company, Inc. located in Franklin, MA. Previous to that, Suzanne spent over a decade working in the field of higher education endowment development specifically for both Boston University and Brown University. She is a graduate of Boston University (Ed.M.) and Stonehill College, and is a lifelong resident of Franklin. Suzanne is very active in the community, serving as Treasurer for the Franklin High School field hockey program for 3 years, and as a volunteer with the Friends of Franklin and The Relay for Life. She has served on both the Board of Directors and the Board of Incorporators for Franklin Children’s School. Currently, she manages her family farm in Franklin.

Vicki Coates has over twenty-five years of senior leadership experience in product development, operations and contracting for various Massachusetts health and dental insurance carriers. She received her master’s from Clark University and her undergraduate degree from Colby College. She was a co-founder of the Franklin Education Foundation and the former Partners in Education program at the J.F. Kennedy School in Franklin. She and her husband have resided in Franklin for over 30 years and raised two children, both graduates of the Franklin Public Schools.

Jim Barton owns Allegra Marketing Print Mail located in Franklin, MA with his partner Cynthia Conti. Prior to acquiring Allegra in 2018, Jim spent over twenty years working in the consumer electronics industry as a sales and marketing executive for companies such as Bose, Leviton and Ingram Micro. He is a graduate of Bridgewater State University and resides in Medway Massachusetts. Jim has prioritized community involvement and supporting local businesses at Allegra. Jim and his marketing team work with and for a diverse group of local nonprofits organizations including the SAFE Coalition, the Franklin Cultural Council, Foster Care Essentials and The Franklin Food Pantry.

Judith Perez is a member of the Franklin Freedom Team, a group of community leaders whose mission is to preserve freedom through unity in the community. She brings years of wellness experience to the pantry, most recently running exercise and fitness programs for community members and The Sunshine Club at the Franklin Senior Center. For the past ten years, she has offered integrated fitness and enrichment programs for Kennedy Donovan Center, Behavior Concepts, Inc. Riverside, Hockomock Area YMCA, Garelick Early Learning Center, Bellingham High School, Atria/Enclave, Magnolia Heights, and Senior Centers in Franklin, Bellingham, Medway, and Millis. Judith received her Associate of Science in Sports Fitness and Exercise Science from Dean College, her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Dean College, and her Certification in Early Childhood Education from Dean College. She has lived in Franklin for 17 years with her daughter and before moving to Franklin, owned a catering business in New York City.

Amber Baur has demonstrated strong senior leadership for over 30 years in areas of Operations, Service Management and Employee Development. Born and raised in CA she earned an undergraduate degree in Business Administration and her MBA. She and her family moved to Franklin in 2007 and her son attended Franklin Public Schools.
She finds great joy in volunteering and helping others. Her current volunteer work includes Franklin Food Pantry, coaching Franklin Youth Soccer, and being a docent at Southwick’s Zoo.
She is passionate about the work being done at Franklin Food Pantry and is very pleased to become a member of the Board.

Nancy Schoen recently retired after thirty-six years of teaching, thirty-three in the Franklin Public Schools as a music teacher and K-12 Director of Music. In 2005, she represented Franklin and the Massachusetts Teachers Association as the 2005 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year. Nancy continues to teach in the Franklin Lifelong Learning’s String Program. She is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, (BMus) and Cambridge College (MEd). Nancy continues to be an active volunteer in the Franklin community. She is currently Chair of the Franklin Cultural District Committee and is an active member of St. Mary’s St. Vincent de Paul Society. Nancy and her husband Scott have lived in Franklin for thirty-four years where they have raised their four children.

Roberta DeBaggis Trahan is a lifelong member of the Franklin community. She is a retired Critical Care Registered Nurse having worked in Adult ICU for 44 years, is a graduate of FHS, Saint Vincent Hospital School of Nursing and Worcester State University. She is actively involved as a volunteer with many community organizations: (Vice President of Franklin Downtown Partnership; FPAC/TBB member; Vice President of The Franklin Education Foundation; Chair of Saint Mary Parish Council, FPS Student Wellness Advisory Council member and The Franklin Cultural District Committee. She is a past member of the Franklin School Committee having served for 10 years and has served on various other community organizations in the past).
She resides in Franklin with her husband Roger, has four grown children and 6 grandchildren.

tpowderly@franklinfoodpantry.org

Tina Powderly has 20 years of experience working in a variety of areas in the healthcare industry, including healthcare consulting, community benefits, and hospital business development and strategy. Tina previously was an Executive Recruiter for AMN Healthcare in its executive and leadership division. Tina also has directed the activities of the CEO’s office at Milford Regional Medical Center and worked as an independent consultant in business development at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, helping develop major expansion projects both in outlying communities and in Boston. Tina earned a B.S. in Business Administration from Georgetown University and an M.S. in Health Policy Management from the Harvard School of Public Health. She served on the Franklin Food Pantry’s Board of Directors from 2017 – 2021, including two years as its Chair before joining the Pantry as Executive Director. She has also served on the Hockomock YMCA Board of Managers and as Vice Chair of the Franklin Town Council. Tina resides in Franklin with her husband. They have five children.

ldoherty@franklinfoodpantry.org

Laura joined The Pantry in April 2023 as Associate Director. Laura is a dynamic leader with sixteen-plus years of experience as the Executive Director of an International non-profit organization. She is an innovative and strategic thinker who communicates the vision and mission to donors, volunteers, and staff with great passion. She is exceptional at developing and maintaining relationships with stakeholders to further the organization’s mission and is a proven fundraiser with experience securing major gifts, foundation grants, and annual gifts.