Board and staff biographies

Kathleen Walrath, President of the Board of Directors, Member of Stewardship Committee

Kathy and her husband Tom joined the Falmouth community part-time in 2000 and then in 2015 transitioned from the suburbs of Chicago to a full-time resident in Teaticket.  Kathy joined the Friends of Nobska Light as a committee member in 2016; board member since 2017; vice president in 2018 and president March 2019. Her passion for boating off the coast of Falmouth with views and navigational guidance from Nobska Light ignited the relationship with FONL.  A graduate of St. Xavier University with a master’s degree from the University of Illinois, Kathy, now a semiretired healthcare executive, is known for a collaborative leadership approach yielding strategic outcomes in a competitive environment. Her experience with volunteer structures, education, safety and client satisfaction contribute to the strength of the FONL board.

Patrick Burke, Member of the Board of Directors, Member Facilities & Finance Committees 

Pat, his wife Patty, and their three daughters have been summer residents of Falmouth since 2000 and now enjoy the beauty of Nobska Light from their home in Woods Hole.

Pat’s professional career began in the consulting practice of Arthur Andersen & Co. in Boston. From there he has held leadership positions in the manufacturing industry and founded Waverly Partners, Inc. to acquire and improve specialty manufacturing businesses. Pat has served on numerous not-for-profit boards focused on education and the arts in the Philadelphia region.  He holds degrees from the University of Notre Dame and Stonehill College where he serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees.

Pat joined the Friends of Nobska Light as a board member in 2017 and began services as Vice President in 2021. 

Lara Balter, Member of the Board of Directors and Treasurer 

Lara has been summering in Woods Hole at Nobska Point for most of her life. She has enjoyed watching her 4 children play on the same grass, rocks and paths that she did as a child.  A particularly fond  memory is her first ride on the Shining Sea Bikeway during it’s inaugural summer to get ice cream in Falmouth center! She and her husband, Steve, realized a long-held dream and purchased the home their family had always rented in 2018. The preservation and history of the Lighthouse and its’ surrounding area have always been of particular interest to her. A graduate of Wesleyan University and the University of Hartford she has a background in accounting and is the founder of a charitable foundation working in the field of mental health.  

Commander Carissa April, USCG Retired, Member of the Board of Directors, Member of Capital Campaign Committee

Carissa serves as a Board member and Capital Campaign Committee member, bringing to bear over 22 years of experience executing a broad range of U.S. Coast Guard programs and many thousands of hours standing the watch at sea and ashore.  Carissa first came to Cape Cod in her second tour of duty, as the Executive Officer on the CG Cutter Monomoy in Woods Hole; here, she met her husband and, over time, became a Falmouth local.  Carissa has fond memories of being invited to Nobska—it was then the Coast Guard Group Commander’s home—for meals, watching the fireworks, and meeting up with Flying Santa.

John Cook, Member of the Boards of Directors

John Cook and his family have been summer residents of Woods Hole for 20 years. This is a special place for the Cook family, and they cherish their time by the ocean. John retired from Fidelity Investments after a successful career, and enjoys spending his time in Woods Hole with family and friends. Nobska Lighthouse holds many fond memories for their family, and he looks forward to contributing to the board with his finance background.

David Forsberg, Member of the Board of Directors

David has worked  in a number of government and not for profit positions. After completing military service, he worked in the family insurance business, but eventually left to pursue careers in  social services and government. He graduated with a degree in Religion from Bowdoin College and did graduate work at Boston University and Harvard Divinity School. He served on the Worcester  City Council, as HUD Regional Administrator for New England, Secretary of Health and Human Services for Massachusetts, Chief Development Officer for the City of Worcester and Massport, and President and CEO of The  Worcester Business Development Corporation. Earlier in his career he was an urban ministry advisor to the Lutheran Bishop for New England and headed Lutheran Social Services of New England. He is an Army veteran and resides in Falmouth  with his wife, Ann. They have two adult sons and one grandson. He enjoys fund raising for worthy causes, especially Nobska Light Station.

Stephen Levy, Member of the Board of Directors, Member of Facilities and Finance Committees

Steve and his wife Sandi have owned a summer home next to Nobska Light for nearly forty years.  While living on Nobska Point, Steve has been actively involved in efforts to preserve and enhance the scenic beauty and residential character of the Nobska neighborhood and the Nobska Keeper’s House.

After his service as an officer with the U.S. Army Security Agency he joined Cambridge based BBN Corporation in 1966.  He was Chief Executive Officer of BBN from 1976 to 1994 and retired as its Chairman in 1995. Among BBN’s many notable technological achievements was its role in the development of the ARPANET, the forerunner of the modern Internet.  

Steve has served on many corporate boards and was also a member of the boards of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, the American Business Conference, and the Center for the Quality of Management.  He is past Chairman of the American Electronics Association, the Massachusetts High Technology Council, and the Massachusetts Telecommunications Council. Steve holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Massachusetts in May 2001.

Jeffrey Thomas, Member of the Board of Directors, Member of Facilities Committee and oversees the Caretaker Program

Jeff joined the Friends of Nobska Light the day that the Coast Guard passed the Stewardship of Nobska to the Town of Falmouth and the Friends. He is a member of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, and has such been providing tours and public access to Nobska since 2008. An Engineering graduate of the University of Connecticut, Jeff retired after having been a Technical Project Manager in the Massachusetts Computer Storage Industry for much of his career. His  experience includes leadership of people, projects, in various positions in the private sector and Coast Guard Auxiliary, as well as his years of boating, navigation, and search and rescue training, he complements the board with these skills.  Jeff joined the board in 2017 and quickly assumed a leadership role for the volunteer program. 

Karen Falcone, Member of the Board of Directors

Karen, her husband Lou, and their two sons have lived in North Falmouth their entire lives. They have passed Nobska Light on countless family boating outings and always thought the lighthouse symbolized family, fun, and the Cape.  Karen has over 25 years of professional experience in the computer industry and holds an MBA from Bentley College and a Bachelor of Science degree from Providence College.  Since retiring to North Falmouth, Karen has become interested in preserving the wonderful history of our shoreline.

Robert Mascali, Member of the Board of Directors

Bob is an attorney with over forty five years’ experience in the nonprofit, government and private sectors.  In addition, Mr. Mascali is a member of the Select Board for the Town of Falmouth and serves as Falmouth’s representative on the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority. Additionally, he serves as a board member of the Falmouth Economic and Development Corporation, the ARC of Plymouth and the Upper Cape and the Friends of Nobska Lighthouse.

Mr. Mascali is admitted to practice law before the courts in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of New York and is affiliated with law firms in both states. He concentrates in the areas of Special Needs Planning for persons with disabilities and their families and care givers, Long-Term Care Planning, Elder Law and Estate and Trust Planning and Administration. 

Greg Mazmanian, Volunteer Coordinator

Greg’s passion for lighthouses and seafaring history stems from his youth. His dad was a WWII veteran in the United States Coast Guard. “My dad would share many stories of his tour of duty aboard a destroyer escort in the North Atlantic along with a short stint in a lighthouse.” When the opportunity arose to join the Friends of Nobska Light, Greg did not hesitate. Having recently retired as a Senior Director of Finance from one the largest technology companies in Massachusetts, Greg began as a volunteer tour guide in 2018 and later as an event lead in 2019. His family has owned a home in Falmouth since 1985 where he now resides full time.  “Nobska has always been the go to spot for my family. With Nobska’s majestic views and history of a keeper’s life, one cannot help being drawn to this local gem.”  Greg continues to share this magnificent landmark with the Cape Cod community and visitors alike. The Board of Directors has recently confirmed Greg as the Tour Guide Manager. Greg hopes to expand the volunteer network as the Friends open the Maritime Museum complex in the near future.