Who We Are
Click below to read more about our leadership, team, and advisory board.Leadership
Andrew Wolk — Founder and CEO, Root Cause
Widely recognized as a leading social innovator and a pioneering teacher of social entrepreneurship, Andrew founded Root Cause in 2004 and now leads its overall strategic direction. He has consulted to dozens of organizations working for civic engagement, economic development, education, the environment, seniors, and more. Andrew recently authored the first in a series of Root Cause How-to Guides, entitled Business Planning for Enduring Social Impact, as well as a chapter in the Small Business Administration’s annual report to the president of the United States on social entrepreneurship and government. He designed and taught one of the first courses on social entrepreneurship in the country for Boston University’s School of Management, who recently awarded him the first ever Rising Star Award, and currently is a senior lecturer in social entrepreneurship at the Sloan School of Management and Department of Urban Studies and Planning at MIT. Andrew began his career as a private-sector entrepreneur, having built and sold a multi-restaurant delivery business in the 1990s. He holds an M.B.A. in Entrepreneurship and Nonprofit Management from Boston University and a B.A. from Lehigh University.
Julie Zack — Associate director, Root Cause
Julie joined Root Cause in 2004 with more than 10 years of experience as a consultant to nonprofits, a program director, and a clinical social worker. While at Root Cause, she has consulted with multiple organizations working on senior transportation, lifelong learning and service, arts education, domestic violence prevention, and youth development. Julie received her M.B.A from Babson College, where she graduated magna cum laude and was honored with the Ralph Z. and Charlotte A. Sorenson Award for academic merit, entrepreneurial endeavors, and service to the Babson community. She holds an M.S.W. from Washington University, and a B.A. in Psychology from Georgetown University.
Susan Musinsky — Co-Director, Social Innovation Forum
Susan joined Root Cause in 2005 as the director of the Social Innovation Forum with a wealth of experience in the nonprofit sector. She served as a consultant to the Greater Boston Arts and Business Council, helping to establish their Business on Board program. She also helped develop and grow LeadBoston, which trains local social-justice leaders. Previously, Susan spent 13 years at the Boston office of the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ), first as a program leader and then as executive director. In her role as NCCJ’s executive director for eight years, Susan worked with leaders of all ages to fight bias, bigotry, and racism in their communities, and helped to grow NCCJ three-fold. Susan has been a member of many local boards and committees, including serving as chair of a Tzedkah Hevra group, and a co-chair of her local school council. Currently, she is vice-chair and founding member of the Watertown Community Foundation’s Board of Directors. Susan holds an Ed. M. from Harvard University and a B.A. in Marketing from the University of Vermont.
Mary Rivet — Co-Director, Social Innovation Forum
Mary joined the Social Innovation Forum in September 2007, bringing experience from both the for-profit and nonprofit worlds. She was a principal at Mercer Management Consulting, where she specialized in strategic planning, management education, and organization change for clients across a wide range of industries. She has also served on several nonprofit boards and committees. Her work for the Social Innovation Forum focuses on developing its consulting services, measuring impact, and planning for growth. Mary holds an M.A. in Economics from Georgetown University, where she was a Graduate Fellow concentrating in Econometrics, Public Finance, and Urban and Regional Economics. She graduated cum laude with a B.S. in International Affairs from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
J. Jean Horstman — CEO, InnerCity Entrepreneurs
Jean has more than 20 years of nonprofit leadership experience, spanning the private, public, and nonprofit sectors and two continents. Before joining ICE as its first CEO, Jean served as the National Director for Civic Engagement and Corporate Citizenship at Citizen Schools. She has partnered with other national social entrepreneurs, serving in senior leadership roles with Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild and BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life), and was also the Managing Director of the Society for Organizational Learning. She spent 16 years working in the United Kingdom and Eastern and Central Europe, where she led organizations responding to societal changes related to post-industrialism, post-communism, urban and economic redevelopment, and globalization. A graduate of Duke University and the City University of London, Jean is a fellow of the Society for Organizational Learning and the Royal Society for the Advancement of the Arts, Manufacturing, and Commerce.
Team
The Root Cause team advances enduring solutions to social problems through strategy consulting, knowledge sharing, social impact research, and the building of sustainable social enterprises.
Katie Barnett — Consultant, Root Cause Consulting
Katie has a variety of experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Most recently, she was a consultant with The Bridgespan Group, where she worked with clients in the fields of environment, youth development, and early childhood education. Her projects have included working on a business plan for a citywide system of out-of-school time programs, analysis of strategic options for addressing global climate change, and assisting with the renovation and reopening of a children’s museum. Katie earned an M.B.A. in nonprofit management and a B.A. in history from Yale University.
Seema Bharwani — Consultant, Root Cause Consulting
Seema has a variety of experience in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. In addition to her work with Root Cause and the Social Innovation Forum, she is a consultant with the Institute for Responsible Investment, where she is working on a research project related to corporate social and environmental reporting. Seema has also worked for the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, where she helped companies develop and strengthen their corporate citizenship programs, and Boston Common Asset Management, a socially responsible investment firm. Prior to moving to the East Coast, Seema was the executive director of a nonprofit organization in Seattle. She holds a B.A. in Spanish and Latin American Studies from Wake Forest University and an M.B.A. and M.S.W. from Boston College.
Jessica Bloom — Research associate, New Sector resident, Root Cause Consulting
Jessica joined Root Cause as a full-time research associate through the New Sector Residency in Social Enterprise program. She will be providing support on internal projects such as Root Cause’s Knowledge Strategy as well as on external client engagements. Jessica has worked with arts organizations throughout Boston and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, and has spent significant time studying and researching in Latin America and Europe. Jessica graduated cum laude from Harvard University with a degree in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations and Latin American Studies.
Laurence P. Chait — Consultant, Root Cause Consulting
Larry has over 30 years of experience in business management and information technology. He has advised senior management teams on achieving and sustaining high performance. His focus is on knowledge management, business process improvement, change management, and strategic business planning. Larry has consulted to Global 100s and start-ups, industrial corporations, professional-service firms, associations, and nonprofits, as well as local, national, and international organizations. He has authored three books on information technology and human resources and is a contributing author of Managing the Learning Process of the Corporation. Larry holds an A.B. in Economics from Cornell University and an M.B.A. from the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration.
Colleen Connolly — Root Cause fellow, Knowledge Sharing
Colleen is developing the Root Cause Knowledge Sharing Awards, a program created to generate relevant and practical knowledge for organizations working to solve social problems. She is currently interviewing select organizations that have developed an innovative practice to address an opportunity or challenge and writing practical, how-to case studies to share knowledge with peer organizations. Colleen is pursuing an M.B.A. from Babson College. She holds a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Iowa.
Anand Dholakia — Consultant, Root Cause Consulting
Anand joined Root Cause in 2005. His recent projects include a business plan for a national system of services for seniors, and a citywide plan for providing out-of-school time to school-age students. Previously, he worked as an independent consultant to nonprofits in Greater Boston and in India, completing projects in strategic planning, business planning for earned income ventures, market research, and financial modeling. Anand also has more than six years of experience working as a technology designer and developer for Fortune 500 companies and early-stage start-ups. He holds an M.B.A. in Global Management from Babson College and a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Rutgers University.
Steven Doll — Root Cause fellow, Social Impact Research
Steven joined Root Cause in the summer of 2007 as a fellow for the Social Impact Research project. Prior to joining Root Cause, he worked with the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea as a member of the civilian support staff. Steven is currently an M.B.A. candidate at Oxford University Saïd Business School, focusing on corporate social responsibility and conflict resources. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland.
Christina Donivan — Operations coordinator, Social Innovation Forum
Christina joined the Social Innovation Forum team in 2008 as the operations coordinator. Her role focuses on planning, systems, and implementation. Christina brings with her experience in the nonprofit sector and education field. Before coming to SIF, she worked as a teacher and tutor at the MATCH School, a charter high school in Boston. Christina also worked as a library assistant in the Cambridge Public Library system. She holds a B.A. in Peace and Justice Studies from Tufts University.
Colleen Gross Ebinger — Director, Public Innovators
Colleen joined Root Cause in 2006 as a consulting fellow and now leads its initiative to help government develop a more strategic approach to supporting social entrepreneurship. She previously founded the Latino Community Advocacy Project at Centro Legal, a nonprofit Latino law firm in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she led civic engagement initiatives and worked on immigration policy at the state and local levels. She served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras, helping the local municipality computerize its accounting and tax departments and working with community members to open a self-sustaining nonprofit Internet center. Colleen holds a B.A. in Political Science and Spanish from the College of St. Benedict and an M.P.P. from the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, where she was a Reynolds Foundation Fellow in Social Entrepreneurship.
Jim Fee — Worcester program coordinator, InnerCity Entrepreneurs
Jim is a consultant specializing in sales, market development, and management issues for small-to medium-sized entrepreneurial businesses. He has over 25 years of experience creating successful programs that increase sales, expand distribution, respond to competition, and shepherd new products to market. He has held senior management positions at a number of companies ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies operating in North American and international markets. Jim also has experience in a wide range of industries involving hardware and software products, from high-end capital equipment to $100 consumer products. He served as a founder and CEO of a venture-backed company that was acquired by an international firm. A graduate of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), Jim is a co-founder and current member of the executive committee of the WPI Venture Forum.
Fred Follansbee — Boston program coordinator, InnerCity Entrepreneurs
Fred runs ICE’s flagship Boston program. Previously he served two years in the United States Peace Corps as a rural aquaculture promotion extension agent in the Republic of Zambia. In this role, Fred assessed basic community needs and consulted to farmers on nutrition and the production and marketability of fish. He developed grant-proposal writing skills and facilitated the education of approximately 500 farmers on sustainable agricultural production. He holds a B.A. in History from Muhlenberg College.
Abby Fung — Consultant, Root Cause Consulting
Abby has worked on nonprofit projects with San Francisco soup kitchens, the Conference Board, and Harvard University. Her corporate experience includes nonprofit investment advisory at Cambridge Associates and product management at Johnson & Johnson. Abby holds an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School, where she served as an executive organizer of the Global Social Venture Competition. She earned a B.A. from Harvard.
Steven H. Goldberg — Senior Root Cause fellow, Social Impact Research
Steve is currently writing a book on the social capital markets. He has nearly thirty years of experience in economics, law, government, and business management, most recently as executive vice president for Business Development and General Counsel at Imagitas, Inc., a marketing services company acquired by Pitney Bowes in 2005. Steve co-authored Y2K Risk Management: Contingency Planning, Business Continuity and Avoiding Litigation (Wiley 1999), and he has written extensively about nonprofit capital market institutions. He holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, an M.A. in Economics from Northwestern University, and a J.D. from Boston College Law School.
Sherina Hendrix — Programs Project Manager, InnerCity Entrepreneurs
Sherina joined ICE after serving six years at CareGroup Healthcare System. Sherina's key responsibilities at ICE include partnership support, development, and managing the ICE Alumni programs. Sherina serves on the Board of Directors of Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation, Onein3 Mayor's Advisory Council, and Columbia Point Strategic Planning Task Force. Sherina holds a B.A. from Simmons College in PR/Marketing Communication and Managerial Finance.
Barry Horwitz — Consultant, Root Cause Consulting
Barry brings a rare combination of strategy expertise gained at a top strategy consulting firm and operating experience gained at start-ups and established companies to his work, including several years with The Boston Consulting Group and in independent practice. Barry’s management experience includes his role as co-founder and chief operating officer of an Internet start-up company, and roles as vice president of strategy and marketing at an early-stage software company and at two multibillion-dollar retail chains. Barry is also an adjunct professor at the Boston University Graduate School of Management, and at the Boston campuses of the University of Phoenix, where he teaches courses in strategy and marketing at the graduate level. He received his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and his B.A. in Economics from Colby College.
Liz Hunt — Communications & publications manager, Knowledge Sharing
Liz manages the knowledge sharing and communications initiatives at Root Cause. She has nine years of experience coordinating, editing, writing, and developing business, trade, and nonprofit publications. Most recently, she worked as a developmental editor for the International Reading Association, a nonprofit dedicated to improving literacy worldwide. The focus of her projects ranged from integrating technology to reading aloud to understanding African literature and culture. She also contributed to the association’s online advocacy presence. Liz is a published book co-author and co-editor for mental_floss, a company blurring the lines between education and entertainment. She holds a B.S. in Journalism from Boston University.
Jeff Kessner — New Sector resident, InnerCity Entrepreneurs
Jeff joined the ICE team in 2007 through the New Sector Residency in Social Enterprise fellowship program. Over the next year, Jeff will work to develop and implement communication, marketing, event management, membership development, and support systems at ICE. Previously, Jeff worked for Summerbridge South Florida and Commongood Careers. He also has significant experience coordinating volunteer work with the elderly. He holds a B.A. in Sociology and American Studies with honors from Wesleyan University.
Kelley Kreitz — Root Cause fellow, Knowledge Sharing
Kelley developed and launched Root Cause’s Knowledge Sharing department in 2006. She currently serves as an advisor to the department. Before joining Root Cause, she worked for New Profit Inc. on initiatives aimed at building the field of social entrepreneurship. Kelley has also advised nonprofits throughout the United States on messaging and media strategy for Public News Service, a national news agency for nonprofits. As a writer and journalist, Kelley has served as the senior writer for GreenBiz.com and reported for WRNI, Rhode Island’s NPR news station, and KPFA in Berkeley, California. Kelley is currently completing a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature at Brown University. She holds a B.A. from Columbia University.
Behrad Mahdi — Root Cause fellow, Knowledge Sharing
Behrad’s work at Root Cause supports the publications distribution strategy for Knowledge Sharing, in addition to building the Root Cause Web presence. Behrad brings a depth of experience in political participation, political communication, and nonprofit management to Root Cause. Most recently, Behrad served as Director of Development and External Affairs for City Year Columbia in Columbia, South Carolina. Prior to City Year, Behrad served in a variety of leadership roles in national and state election campaigns across the country. Behrad holds a B.A. in Mathematics and Politics from Oberlin College. He is currently pursuing a joint M.P.A./M.B.A. at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Harvard Business School.
Joel Obermayer — Consultant, Root Cause Consulting
Joel serves as a project consultant. Previously, he worked for MCS, a Boston-based management consulting firm specializing in small and medium-sized community-based nonprofits. He also worked with a variety of clients independently. He has completed projects in the areas of fundraising, communications, evaluation and impact strategy, program development, human resources, and market research. He also has more than 10 years of experience as a journalist reporting for national and local media. Joel holds a M. Ed. in Technology Innovation and Education from Harvard University and a M.A. in Journalism from Northwestern University. He graduated from Yale University in Math and Philosophy summa cum laude.
Kay H. Paine — Director of Programs, InnerCity Entrepreneurs
Kay has two primary responsibilities at ICE: to ensure the highest quality ICE programs in Boston and Worcester and to facilitate the expansion of ICE programs to additional cities in Massachusetts. Prior to joining ICE, Kay was the director of sales and marketing for QuitNet.com, an online smoking cessation program. As a member of the management team, she played a key role in successfully transforming QuitNet from a nonprofit to a profitable business. Kay has served in leadership roles in nonprofit organizations for more than 25 years. She has served as executive director of the Massachusetts Bar Association, Cambridge Community Foundation, and state and local pro bono programs in Massachusetts, Texas, and Colorado. Kay holds a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Colorado.
Scott Richardson — Consultant, Root Cause Consulting
Scott joined Root Cause Consulting after co-founding and serving two years on the senior management team of an e-commerce/retail services firm providing outsourced programs to national consumer electronics chains. Previously, he spent 15 years in the nonprofit sector, where he served in a variety of leadership roles for organizations including Outward Bound, the YMCA, and the New Jersey Workshop for the Arts. Scott holds an M.B.A. from Babson College and a B.A. in Psychology from Rutgers University.
Whitney Robbins — Consultant, Root Cause Consulting
Whitney serves as a project consultant. Most recently, she has been involved in the business planning process, replicating models for lifelong learning and service programs for seniors as well as models for providing low-income individuals with new cars. Prior to joining Root Cause, she was a consultant for Navigant consulting, where her projects included leading a team of consultants in analysis of an anti-trust case; assisting litigators in their response to an intellectual property dispute; and mutual fund trading practices including late trading, market timing, and fund blocks within a large financial services conglomerate. Whitney holds a B.S. in Business Management from Babson College.
Everett Shorey — Consultant, Root Cause Consulting
Everett has over 30 years of experience in business management and strategy consulting for both nonprofit and private sector organizations. He has focused on identifying strategies for profitable growth. He serves on the advisory board of Data Collaborative, Inc. and on the board of Community Action Partners, the nonprofit consulting organization sponsored by the Harvard Business School Alumni Association of Boston. He is also on the advisory board and has taught business strategy for The Commonwealth Institute’s eMerging Women Entrepreneurs program. Everett holds a B.A. in Philosophy from Yale University and an M.B.A. from the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration.
Emily Silberstein — Program coordinator, New Sector resident, Social Innovation Forum
Emily joined the Social Innovation Forum team in 2007 through the New Sector Residency in Social Enterprise fellowship program. Prior to joining the Social Innovation Forum, Emily worked for women’s organizations in Washington, D.C., Massachusetts, Costa Rica, and South Africa. She has several years of experience with political organization on the issues of reproductive rights, civic engagement, and racial inequality. Emily holds a B.A. cum laude from Amherst College in Women’s and Gender Studies, Black Studies, and a minor in African Studies. She also holds a M.Sc in Economic Development with merit from the London School of Economics.
Cliff Smith — Office Manager, Root Cause
Cliff joined Root Cause temporarily in 2007 but has returned full-time in 2008 as the Office Manager. His role involves both supporting and initiating changes that are deemed necessary or helpful for the smooth operation of the office. It includes, but is by no means limited to, financial, operational, and scheduling support for the CEO. Cliff has held a wide range of occupations varying from residence hall staff and political activism to teaching GRE prep courses. He recently completed his M.A. in Philosophy from Boston College and holds a B.A. in Philosophy from Texas A&M University.
Colette Stanzler — Director, Social Impact Research
Colette is part of the founding team of Social Impact Research responsible for developing the research methodology, designing report products, and building the business plan. She started working with Root Cause in 2006 as a graduate student to develop the feasibility study for SIR. Colette has more than seven years of experience in product development and internal strategy consulting at financial service firms, most recently as a vice president of equity research at Deutsche Bank. As a graduate student, she focused on business strategy and social sector entrepreneurship, specifically how to measure organizational effectiveness to improve social impact. Colette serves on the boards of both nonprofit and for-profit organizations. She holds an M.B.A. from the MIT Sloan School of Management, an M.P.A. from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and a B.A. from the University of Rochester.
Annie Young — Communications assistant, Knowledge Sharing
Annie brings her editing and writing skills to the Knowledge Sharing department of Root Cause. She has experience as a consumer copywriter for Specialty Catalog Corp., a direct marketing retailer of women’s wigs, hairpieces, apparel, and nurses’ continuing education. She has also worked as an editorial intern at the David Black Literary Agency. Root Cause serves as her professional introduction to the nonprofit world. She holds a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication from New York University.
Advisory Board
Beth Anderson
Managing director & lecturer
Duke Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship
Brandon Busteed
President
Outside the Classroom
Jim Fruchterman
President
Benetech
Chris Gergan
Founding partner
New Mountain Ventures
Andrew Maydoney
Seth Miller
Program officer
California Center for Regional Leadership
Steve Pratt
President
Boston After School and Beyond
Owen Stearns
Senior consultant
The Monitor Institute
Andrew Wolk
Founder and CEO
Root Cause
Senior lecturer, Social Entrepreneurship
MIT