Board of Directors & Staff

Board of Directors

Shippen Page, President

Shippen has practiced law in Cambridge since 1979 where he has also been an engaged supporter of the growth and success of several well recognized local nonprofits over the past 35 years. Shippen’s enthusiasm for CPL is evident from his willingness to serve as President of the Foundation Board, and his ready avowal that he “loves Cambridge Public Library!”

Katie Lapp, Treasurer

Katie, in her role as the Executive Vice President of Harvard University, is responsible for the financial, operational, and administrative endeavors of the University. She was pleased to join the CPLF Board in 2016, given the pivotal role the library plays in the lives of so many Cambridge residents, and feels honored to serve on the CPL Board alongside such “outstanding and committed colleagues.”

David Sandberg, Secretary

David owns Porter Square Books in Cambridge. Previously, David practiced law for about 30 years, including 14 years as General Counsel of ITA Software in Cambridge until its sale to Google in 2011. He is involved in several local non-profits, including serving as Board Chairman of the Actors' Shakespeare Project, as a board member and sometime drama director of the North Cambridge Family Opera, and as co-founder of the Porter Square Books Foundation, which promotes literacy in local schools. David’s love of the Cambridge library system intensified when his daughters became regular visitors to the West Cambridge Branch Library.

Ed Belove

Ed loves libraries and thinks that they are among the most important public services a community provides. He has been a private investor and consultant for early-stage technology companies since 1996. Prior to that, he held a series of executive positions at Ziff Davis, Lotus Development, Microcom, and Data General. He and his wife, Laura Roberts, have lived in Cambridge for 30 years, and are the enthusiastic curators of one of the city’s first Little Free Libraries.

Jill Burrows

Jill is a Marketing, Communications, Public Relations and Development professional who has helped gain support and recognition for organizations. She recently published the evocative words of her daughter, who lived with cancer for nine years, in Sing Every Morning: An Inspirational Guide to Take on Your Life’s Journey. Jill’s fondness for libraries is, in part, fueled by the experience of her Dad who, at a young age living in a poor district in the segregated South, gained fluency in French and German by frequenting the local library, underscoring Jill’s belief that libraries can level the playing field for all!

Kay Calvert

Kay is a strategic marketing and investor relations consultant with her own firm, K. Calvert Consulting. Kay has been a managing partner of a family-owned real estate company based in Charleston, SC since 2007. She has been a member of the Essential Partners’ Board since 2011 and Board President since 2013 where she has been involved in the Public Conversations Project. Kay’s background includes more than 20 years of experience with technology-oriented companies.

Cathy Chute

Cathy is Executive Director of the Institute for Applied Computational Science at Harvard University, and a 20-year resident of Cambridge. Previously, she was the publisher of Harvard Magazine, and a director of business development for The New York Times. She has loved libraries since first learning to read after joining a summer book club in Garden City, New York, as a 7-year old. Her favorite book of all time is Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth.

Amy Domini

Amy, Founder of Domini Impact Investments and a resident of Cambridge for 35 years, is an investment advisor with a focus on investments for social and environmental progress. She is the author, or co-author, of four books on that subject, including Socially Responsible Investing: Making a Difference and Making Money (Dearborn Trade, 2001). Amy’s affection for libraries was ignited when, as a child in Newtown Connecticut, she was able to convince the Cyrenius H. Booth Library to allow her to withdraw five books instead of the recommended three.

Kate Flaim

The daughter of a librarian, Kate is a lifelong bookworm and library enthusiast. Currently a freelance journalist and writer, she has worked at Fortune Magazine and written for Fast Company, Fit Pregnancy, Chicago Magazine, and others, in addition to working as a strategy consultant and an academic editor. A native Oregonian, she and her husband have lived in Cambridge since 2007 and are regulars at the Main Library. As the mother of two Cambridge Public School students (plus a toddler), she is a firm believer in the importance of libraries as tools of social justice, opportunity, and equity.

Susan Flannery

Susan was Director of Libraries for the City of Cambridge from 1993-2016. During her celebrated tenure, she initiated public access to the Internet, free public computers, electronic resources and e-readers. Under her leadership, library use increased and the Main Library was expanded. She is former President of the Massachusetts Library Association and was selected by the American Library Association as an outstanding library advocate of the 20th century. Susan is an outspoken advocate for free public libraries, open access to information, intellectual freedom, and confidentiality of library records. She earned an MLIS from Simmons, and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania.

Lauren Holleran

Lauren is a 20+ year resident of Cambridge and is a VP at Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty, specializing in residential sales in Cambridge. One of her favorite parts of the job is introducing her clients who are new to Cambridge to all that the city has to offer. From introductions to city council members to tours of the library and high school, to connections with school personnel and youth sports coaches, Lauren loves being a connector between all the great parts of Cambridge. Lauren is a mom to four kids (two sets of twins!) and they have all been avid library users since the day their first “Born to Read” free tote filled with baby books - courtesy of the Cambridge Public Library - showed up on their doorstep soon after the birth of her older boys. Lauren has also served on the board of directors at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education and the Cambridge Tennis Club.

Debbie Porter

Debbie is the founder and Executive Director of the Boston Book Festival. Previously, she reviewed books for publications including Kirkus Reviews and WBUR, and once started and ran a nonprofit that provided summer internships for inner city youth. Debbie believes that libraries are central to our culture and she is proud to support the Cambridge Public Library.

Betsy Rudnick

Betsy served as the Director of Development at South Africa Partners and as a Philanthropy Officer at Tufts Medical Center. Before that she worked at early stage technology companies. A Cambridge resident since 1972, Betsy values the vital role of public libraries in fostering lifelong learning and providing a platform for democratic values. She is honored to work with committed Board colleagues to help expand the reach of the Cambridge Public Library.

Stan Twarog

Stan is a lawyer whose law practice focuses on merger, acquisition and general corporate work, primarily for privately-held companies. He was born at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge and has lived continuously in Cambridge since 1980. His interest in libraries derives from a lifelong interest in reading and the wonderful experience his three children (now adults) had at the Cambridge Public Library. As a member of the Board, Stan’s goals are to enhance the experience of Library patrons, and to expand the Library’s range of services, so that its benefits are extended to as many Cantabrigians as possible.

Janet Axelrod, EX Officio

Janet has served as Chair of the Cambridge Public Library’s Board of Trustees for nearly 20 years. Her love of libraries emanates from her first encounter with the neighborhood Bronx storefront branch, which she associated with the small, brightly colored squares of gum her mother bought from the penny vending machine just outside. She soon discovered even greater treasures waited inside, and has been an enthusiastic patron of libraries ever since. Janet has lived and worked in Cambridge since 1974. Her children, graduates of Cambridge Public Schools, are also avid readers who recognize the value of libraries.

Maria McCauley, Ex Officio

Maria is the Director of Libraries for the City of Cambridge and a member of the American Library Association (ALA) Executive Board. She comes to the CPL from Santa Monica, CA where she served as Director of Libraries.  Maria has also worked for the Somerville Public Library and the libraries at Northeastern University. Her research has been published in College & Research Libraries and Library Management Portal. Maria describes the Cambridge Public Library as a “learning, creative and sharing space for everyone, where knowledge and skills are attained, people are welcomed, and dreams are realized.”

Donna Davis, Emerita

Donna, Founding President of the CPL Foundation, is a self-described “bookie”. She provides enthusiastic support to help maintain the Library as a key resource for all Cambridge citizens. As the principal of DDB Associates, she was a marketing strategist for Texas Instruments, HP, and numerous other technology companies in the US and abroad. Donna also served as a Board member and lead consultant for ESC’s nonprofit practice.

Foundation Staff

Katie Welch - Foundation Director

The granddaughter of a children's librarian, Katie has always been a lover of literature. She became Director of the Foundation in July 2018 after spending four years at home with her two young girls - Isabelle and Charlotte. She was the Director of Development and Marketing for Riverside Community Care and The Guidance Center for seven years, and currently serves on the Roosevelt School Site Council in Melrose, MA. When she's not at work, Katie enjoys cooking and travel with her family, and reading the latest historical fiction.

Maddie Doctor - Development Associate

Maddie Doctor joined the staff of the Foundation in August 2019 and is thrilled to work alongside the Director and the Board to promote and sustain a vibrant and inclusive Cambridge Public Library for all. In her free time, Maddie enjoys exploring the Boston area by bike and train, experimenting with new recipes, and, of course, reading!