Academy Instructors
At the LGC Academy, we are proud of our instructors, each of whom have many years of experience and are regarded as an authority in their focus. Once enrolled students have access to instructors for questions and clarifications.
Mina Ayers
Mina holds a BS from the University of Connecticut and an MS in Business Education from NH College. Mina has an extensive background in education, having served as an instructor in Adult Education for Laconia Adult Education; Curriculum Coordinator for the J. Olivia Huot Technical Center; and in adjunct professorships at Southern NH University, Plymouth State University and Laconia Community College, where she currently teaches several business courses, including accounting. Mina is active in her community where she served as Treasurer for Porters’ Progress USA (a Non-Profit Corporation working in Nepal), serves as a Conference Coordinator for the NH State Future Business Leaders of America and is a Handler for Therapy Dogs International where she volunteer weekly at NH Veteran’s Home. Mina serves as an instructor and advisor to Municipal Resources Inc. on matters related to training and instruction.
Amy Beaulieu
Amy is a licensed independent clinical social worker who has been in the field of personal and professional development for more than 15 years. As an employee assistance program consultant, she travels throughout New Hampshire and Massachusetts providing on-site training to managers and employees in corporate, municipal and educational employment settings. Amy has a passion for—and thoroughly enjoys—facilitating seminars for the purpose of enhancing life skills in order to improve workplace functioning and personal lives.
Mark Broth
Mark chairs the Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits Practice Group of Devine Millimet & Branch, Professional Association and has over 25 years of experience in both employment litigation and client counseling. As a litigator, Mark frequently represents employers in discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, wage claim and Family and Medical Leave Act matters. He also provides in-house training programs to employers and their employees on sexual harassment, employment discrimination, conducting workplace investigations, effective documentation, employee discipline and union relations.
Butch Burbank
Butch is a retired Chief of the Waterville Valley Department of Safety and currently serves as an LGC Health and Safety Advisor. A 27-year veteran of New Hampshire law enforcement, Butch is a former police prosecutor and firearms instructor. He oversees LGC’s Interactive Use of Force Training, now an integral part of law enforcement liability training throughout the State of New Hampshire, and was instrumental in developing LGC’s current Commercial Drivers License class and Car Control Program.
Lara Cole, MS
Lara is an LGC Health and Safety Advisor with expertise in occupational safety and health management. Her prior experience is in various fields of occupational safety and health, including manufacturing, research, industrial hygiene, state and federal government, and insurance. Lara graduated summa cum laude from Keene State College with a Bachelor of Science in Safety Studies and holds a Master of Science in Work Environment Policy from the University of Massachusetts Lowell.
David Connell
Dave is Legal Services Counsel for LGC and has been with the organization since September of 2007. Prior to that, Dave served as head of the City of Nashua’s Office of Corporation Counsel for seven years. He also worked with the private practice of Grinnell and Bureau for many years with a municipal emphasis. Dave has presented on municipal law topics for programs sponsored by the New Hampshire Bar Association, National Business Institute, Inc., and LGC's Muncipal Law Lecture Series. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Connecticut Law School.
Barry Cox
Barry is New Hampshire Local Government Center’s Personnel Services Consultant and has more than 20 years of experience in directing human resources and overseeing personnel administration. In his current position, Barry recruits professional employees, conducts pay and classification studies and provides human resource support services for municipalities, school districts and local government agencies. He holds a Master of Theology in Counseling from Princeton Theological Seminary and is a member of both the International Public Management Association and the Society for Human Resource Management.
Allen Damren
Allen holds a BS in Business Administration from Nichols College and an MBA from Plymouth State University; he is a CPA (inactive) in Montana. Since 1995 Allen has served as Assistant Superintendent of Schools for Business in SAU #6 – Claremont NH, where he is responsible for oversight of the Cornish Elementary School; all budgets, payroll, and payables; benefits and insurance; buildings and grounds; food service; and student transportation. Prior to his appointment in Claremont Allen served as Business Administrator in SAU # 43 – Newport and as a Public Utilities Consultant. He is very active in community service and was the 2004 recipient of the NH School Administrators Association “Outstanding Service Award”, in recognition of community service. Allen is a Committeeman for NH Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve, is on the Board of Directors of the NH Local Government Center and is a Trustee and Past Board Chairman, of Valley Regional Healthcare in Claremont, NH. Allen serves as an instructor and a subject advisor to Municipal Resources Inc. on matters related to school business management.
Wynette DeGroot
Wynette is an LGC Health and Safety Advisor specializing in state/federal employment and discrimination law as well as liability issues, employment practices and human resource management. She has more than 26 years of experience in human resource operations, benefit administration, risk management and customer service, having previously served as a benefits administrator for the Town of Meredith and human resources manager for the Town of Derry. She has completed coursework at both White Pines and Franklin Pierce colleges.
Christine Fillmore
Chris has been a staff attorney with the LGC since 2005. She previously practiced land use, environmental and commercial transactions law for seven years with the Concord firm of Rath, Young and Pignatelli, P.A., and graduated magna cum laude from Boston College Law School. Christine is a frequent instructor of law-related workshops for municipalities around the state, including the LGC’s spring Local Officials’ Workshop, fall Budget Workshop and Annual Conference as well as the New Hampshire Association of Conservation Commissions’ Annual Conference.
Kevin Flanagan, MPH
Kevin is an LGC Health and Safety Advisor certified in health cost management. He is also a Physical Therapist Assistant and Ergonomics Assessment Specialist. Kevin is an appointed member of the State of New Hampshire Public Health Improvement Services Council, past president of the New Hampshire Public Health Association and an adjunct faculty member for Hesser College. He holds a marketing degree from Northeastern University and a Master of Public Health from the University of New Hampshire.
Keith Hickey
Keith has 23 years of public sector finance/municipal management experience and is currently town manager for Salem, New Hampshire. Previously, he served as town manager for Merrimack, finance and personnel director for Bedford, and city controller for Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Keith holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Southern New Hampshire University and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Business from Franklin Pierce College. He is one of only 1,200 International City/County Management Association (ICMA) credentialed managers (CM) in the country and presently serves on New Hampshire Local Government Center’s Board of Directors.
Susan Hickey
Susan A. Hickey, CPA, obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and Master of Business Administration degree from Southern New Hampshire University. Susan has extensive experience in the public sector with emphasis on financial management, budgeting, financial reporting, internal controls, and financial and compliance auditing. Ms. Hickey currently serves as the Assistant Town Manager for Finance & Administration in Londonderry, NH; also serving as a Senior Financial Advisor for Municipal Resources Inc. Prior to her current position in Londonderry, Ms. Hickey served as the Finance Director for the towns of Londonderry and Goffstown. She is an active member of the Board of both the New Hampshire Government Finance Officers Association and the New England Government Finance Officers Association. An Alumni of Leadership NH; she also serves on the board of the NH Deposit Investment Pool.
Kerry Horne
Kerry Horne is an LGC Health and Safety Advisor with expertise in recreation risk management. In her nearly five years with LGC, she has developed and presented numerous workshops to benefit parks and recreation directors as well as pool and waterfront personnel. Kerry previously served as director of parks and recreation in Farmington, New Hampshire for 13 years. She holds a Master of Education degree from Springfield College and is past president of the New Hampshire Parks and Recreation Association.
Municipal Resources Inc.
The Finance Group at Municipal Resources, Inc. provides budgeting, financial oversight & management, accounting, bookkeeping and technical support services to municipalities and schools districts throughout New England. MRI’s finance staff members and associates have hands on experience in all aspects of municipal and school financial operations. LGC Academy Finance courses are collaboratively instructed by MRI staff.
Karen Levchuk
Karen has had a prominent career in NH state government, having served as an Assistant Attorney General, the State’s Director of Personnel, and more recently as Legal Counsel to the New Hampshire Senate. For the last four years, Karen has been actively engaged in the private practice of law, with a concentration in labor and employment law. Chambers USA: A Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business has ranked Karen as a leader in the field of labor and employment in New Hampshire. She is currently employed by Ransmier & Spellman PC.
NH Local Government Center Attorneys
The New Hampshire Local Government Center's (LGC) Legal Services and Government Affairs Department provides general legal advice to local officials and represents municipal interests before the legislature and state agencies. LGC Academy courses are collaboratively instructed by LGC attorneys David Connell, Christine Fillmore, Christine LaVallee and Paul Sanderson, whose individual biographies are listed on this page.
NH Local Government Center Health and Safety Advisors
The New Hampshire Local Government Center’s Health and Safety Advisors hold certifications and advanced degrees in a variety of fields—including ergonomics assessment, simunitions training, fire protection, professional coaching, public health and health cost management. Their individual biographies are listed on this page.
Ronald O'Keefe
Ron is an LGC Health and Safety Advisor and a nationally designated Chief Fire Officer by the Center for Public Safety Excellence. The 27-year veteran of New Hampshire Fire Service formerly served as fire chief for the Town of Durham and University of New Hampshire. Ron holds a bachelor’s degree in fire service administration from the State University System of New York, Empire State College, and an associate’s degree in fire protection from New Hampshire Technical College.
Tim Parsons, MPH
Tim is an LGC Health and Safety Advisor and provides member education on strategies to reduce healthcare costs in the following areas of expertise: reducing bloodborne pathogens, proper nutrition and flood water safety. He chairs LGC’s Energy Conservation Committee and holds a Bachelor of Science in Sports Medicine from Marietta College and a Master of Public Health from the University of New Hampshire.
Barbara Reid
Barbara is LGC's Government Finance Advisor. She is former Acting Commissioner for the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration, where she served for 18 years, and Senior Auditor for the New Hampshire Legislative Budget Assistant's Office. Barbara holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics from Mt. St. Mary College, a Master of Business Administration degree from New Hampshire College, and a graduate certificate in Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination from Southern New Hampshire University.
Paul Sanderson
Paul is a staff attorney at LGC and has been actively practicing law in New Hampshire since 1978. His previous experience includes serving as counsel to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services and as Hearings Examiner for the New Hampshire Department of Transportation. He holds degrees from both the University of New Hampshire and University of Maine School of Law and is a Selectman for the Town of Greenland. He has instructed for the University of New Hampshire Technology Transfer Program in the area of road law and regularly presents for LGC and New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning workshops and events.