Cape Cod Foundation Announces Changes in Board Leadership

SOUTH YARMOUTH—The Cape Cod Foundation recently announced changes to its Board of Directors, welcoming three new members to its leadership team: Diana Lam, Janet Taylor, and Michael E. Stack.

Diana Lam, a resident of Marstons Mills, is a retired educator and change agent with a national reputation for raising student academic and artistic achievement.

In 2016, she retired from Conservatory Lab Charter School, a music-infused public elementary school in Boston. While there, she introduced the Expeditionary Learning project-based, interdisciplinary approach to learning and El Sistema, the Venezuelan model of music instruction. The innovative programming increased students’ academic performance, creative output, and musical skills.

Since her retirement, she has served as Interim Executive Director at Bridge Boston and Lowell Community Public Charter Schools, managing a successful transition to a permanent Executive Director.

Diana was Vice-President for Global Education and Community Outreach for Christel House International, leading schools in India, South Africa, Mexico and Venezuela. She has also served as Superintendent in several cities across the United States, including San Antonio, Texas, where she was the state’s first female Superintendent and won national acclaim for dramatically increasing student achievement. She has also served on the ELL Task Force for the Boston Public Schools and is a founder and Board chair of Boston’s first dual-language public high school, the Margarita Muñiz Academy.

In 2015, the Barr Foundation of Boston selected her as one of 12 Barr Fellows for her outstanding contribution to the community and her potential to drive positive change for years to come.

Janet Taylor has extensive experience working with private foundations, corporate giving programs, and family philanthropy. As the Philanthropic Advisor for Boston law firm Ropes & Gray, she works with clients and their families to make their charitable giving more fulfilling and effective.

Taylor’s background also includes 14 years with Raytheon Company, where she was responsible for the corporate-wide community relations and contributions program, the scholarship program for children of employees, and the United Way campaign.

For nine years, the East Orleans resident served as President of Associated Grantmakers of Massachusetts (Philanthropy MA), a regional association of foundations and corporations that promotes professionalism and collaboration among donors and nonprofit organizations. Locally, she is completing her 7-year term as a board member of WE CAN, where she also chaired the Development Committee.

Michael E. Stack joined the Foundation’s Board in June 2021. Prior to his recent retirement, he was a partner at Wellington Management of Boston, where he served as a fixed income portfolio manager and worked on investment teams that managed several large balance funds for Vanguard, including the Vanguard Wellesley and Wellington mutual funds. Prior to that, he held various senior investment roles in the banking and insurance industries.

Mike met his wife Kathy while attending the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. The couple raised two children in the Boston area prior to relocating to Orleans. The couple is particularly passionate about supporting education and enrichment programs for children with big dreams but limited financial resources.

“Our three new Board members bring extensive philanthropic and investment experience to our leadership team,” said Foundation President and CEO Kristin O’Malley. “They are also very committed to strengthening areas of community life, such as youth development, education, and mental and behavioral health, in which we are deeply invested.”

Outgoing board members include: Jacob F. Brown, II (2008-2021), Chairman Emeritus of North American Management Corp.; Elliott Carr (2014-2021), a retired community banker and active nonprofit supporter; and Larry Thayer (2014-2021), the retired President and Executive Director of Cape Abilities, a nonprofit organization which provides services to individuals with disabilities across Cape Cod.

“There are no words to express our gratitude to these outgoing Board members who have provided the Foundation with strong leadership for many years—especially during the pandemic,” O’Malley said. “They are innovators, wise advisors, powerful allies, and true friends.”

In addition, Lisa Sherman, who has served on the Foundation’s Board since 2016, will assume the role of Board Clerk. Sherman is a Partner in the Trust and Estates Department in the law firm of LaTanzi, Spaulding & Landreth in Orleans.