The Board of Directors brings together educators, healthcare providers, parents, and community members to lend expertise, direction and oversight to the Sandwich Children's Center. Above all, each member is dedicated to providing a safe and nurturing environment for children that fosters a long-lasting love of learning.
Nancy Heard, President
Nancy was born and raised in Missoula Montana, the youngest of 5 children. Her Montana experience was a lot about piano and ballet. Nancy went to Macalester College in St. Paul Minnesota, halfway across the country from Missoula. There she met her current husband, Adam Heard. They stayed in Minnesota for several years and moved East to Massachusetts, where Adam was from, with their 3-year-old son, Jonathan. While they lived in MA they had 2 more children, Benjamin and Rebecca. They all moved to Concord, New Hampshire when Becca was 5 and that is where they all live now, at least in part. Adam and Nancy also live in a house in Sandwich which has been in Adam’s family for several generations. Nancy's profession, for the most part, has been to teach music, both private piano lessons and classroom general music classes. Nancy wants to be involved in her Sandwich community and she is excited to be part of the Sandwich Children’s Center.
Chris Speers, Interim Vice President, Development and Communications Chair
Chris is an experienced educator, school fundraiser and proud parent of an SCC summer camper. Most recently he served as Director of Individual Giving at Ransom Everglades in Miami. In this role he oversaw the major and planned gift program for the school. Previously, he served as Associate Director of Development at the Dublin School (NH) and Deputy Finance Director for Mayor Setti Warren's gubernatorial campaign in Massachusetts. Before becoming a fundraiser, he served as Operations Manager for EF Language Travel. Before joining EF, Chris was Special Assistant to Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts. Chris holds a BA from Bates College and a MSEd in School Leadership from UPenn. His family has lived and summered in Sandwich for four generations. While Chris, his wife Rosy, and their son’s Mateo and Lucas technically live full time in Miami, they escape north as much as possible.
Tora Olafsen, Secretary
Tora is a former Software Product Executive and Psychiatric Researcher bringing expertise in human psychology to early stage start-ups. Tora is passionate about collaborating with others to solve challenging problems with simple solutions while growing revenue. Tora grew up in Center Sandwich and after 16 years in Boston, moved with her husband and kids back to Sandwich to raise her daughters in a smaller community that values time spent outdoors. While she keenly misses the start-up world, she's applying her skills to a house renovation, her family, and creating new things from scratch. In her free time, she enjoys getting outside: running, biking, boating, and skiing of all kinds.
Robin Sofio, Treasurer and Finance Chair
Robin brings finance and management experience to the Children's Center, leveraging her background in Commercial Real Estate finance, where she was a lender and director of specialty finance units at Deutsche Bank and Wells Fargo (fka First Union) in NYC and Charlotte for 15 years. She left the institutional banking world in 2009 to be more present for her family. During that time, she began a small consulting business for CRE owners and is currently a CRE Advisor for Estreich and Company arranging debt and equity for CRE owners and investors. In late 2020, Robin and her husband Ed bought a farmhouse in Sandwich, NH where they intend to spend 2/3rds of their time after Ed’s retirement. With family ties in the region, they cherish the proximity to loved ones and the abundant outdoor activities, including hiking, biking, and skiing in the nearby lakes and mountain areas. Passionate about community service, she spent time as a board member for nonprofits in NC, the Peninsula Community Foundation, focused on community grants for children's education, health, and wellness and The Warehouse, a small community performing arts non-profit. She holds a BA from the University of Michigan and MS Accounting from the Kenan-Flagler School of Business at UNC. She and Ed have 2 grown children - Izzy (26) in CA and Michael (25) in Portland, ME. Both of which adore Sandwich.
Jim Burkhardt
Jim is an attorney and member of the Virginia Bar. Now enjoying retirement, he brings experience in legal compliance, management, and government contracting to the SCC. As a volunteer, Jim has been actively involved in fundraising for schools, serving as a classroom representative, and participating in various school committees, scouting leadership, and coaching athletics. Jim has been visiting Sandwich and the White Mountains since the 1990s for vacations, skiing, and summer camp drop-offs and pickups for his son. Jim’s wife, Karen, has been coming up to New Hampshire since she was a child. And, in 2020, Jim and Karen purchased a home in Sandwich. Jim spends a lot of time playing pickleball in Sandwich, kayaking and paddle boarding, working in the woods, and hiking. Jim holds a BA in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, and a JD from TC Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond. Jim and Karen have a grown son, Thor, who visits Sandwich as often as his schedule allows.
Ray Cameron
Ray has enjoyed a lifetime connection to Squam Lake and the Sandwich Area that began in 1914 with his great-grandmother’s annual summer residency at Rockywold-Deephaven Camp. Ray and his wife Heather have made Center Sandwich their home after a 25+ year career with Molecular Toxicology, Inc. where he has served as an executive member for the North Carolina based bio-tech manufacturing company. Ray is member of the Center Sandwich Planning Board, the stewardship committee for the Squam Lakes Conservation Society and a Trustee of the Chocorua Island Chapel Association. Ray and Heather have two daughters who consider Squam Lake their home and enjoy spending time with family and friends exploring what each season offers.
Stephanie Grima
Stephanie Grima, a New Hampshire native, happily joined the SCC board in Spring of 2025. She became a part of the SCC community after she enrolled her daughter in the toddler program in the Fall of 2023. She quickly fell in love with the children's center, the Sandwich community, and the Lakes Region in general over the last few years and felt compelled to give-back. Her background in Real Estate/Property Management, along with managing projects and people is helpful in providing input and expertise in various topics that come across the board's radar. Stephanie believes in bringing nature and more holistic practices back when educating and raising children and loves that SCC promotes that ideology with their students. Stephanie & her family love being outside, fishing, boating, travelling, raising chickens, gardening, and all things "homesteading". And while she has lived in numerous states, and in various parts of NH - the Lakes Region feels the most like home and is honored to be a part of such a wonderful community.
Rebecca Keyser
Rebecca and her family moved to Holderness in 2024 from Massachusetts to raise their two children in a smaller, rural community with a focus on nature and outdoor exploration. They were fortunate to secure a spot for their then 18-month-old at SCC, recognizing the challenge many families face in finding childcare in the region. At SCC, their daughter is thriving in the loving, social environment, with ample opportunities to explore nature. Rebecca joined the board to get involved and give back to both the school and the community, ensuring that other families can also benefit from the nurturing experience she and her children have found at SCC.
Ross Offinger
Ross and his wife, Katharine, have a deep personal connection to the SCC, having entrusted the Center with all four of their children. Beatrix (8), Oscar (6), Maxine (4), and newborn Dougie, since moving to Sandwich in 2020. Professionally, Ross is the Director of Business Development at Altana Technologies, a NYC-based technology start-up. He brings expertise in operations, development, and strategic fundraising from his fifteen-year career in political fundraising, including serving as Finance Director for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio. Notably, he also helped lead the UPKNYC initiative, which successfully launched universal, free pre-kindergarten in NYC. Ross is also a moderator of the local Sandwich Board message forum, which keeps him in close contact with many members of the community.
Susan Rozelle
Susan Rozelle has lifelong ties to Squam Lake and became a full-time resident of Sandwich in 2019. A former Director of the Sandwich Children’s Center, she has maintained a strong connection to the program through mentoring, reading in the classroom, supporting hiring efforts, and substituting. She is now honored to serve on the Board of Directors, continuing a family tradition of involvement.
Susan brings over 40 years of experience in education, including leadership roles as Head of Childcare Services at Wesleyan University and Director of two other early childhood programs, where she expanded enrollment and strengthened program quality and compliance. She has also worked as an educational consultant, Birth to Three intake coordinator, and classroom teacher.
Throughout her adult life, Susan has demonstrated a strong commitment to giving back through volunteer work, with a particular focus on the arts and education. In retirement, she remains active in the community, having served as co-chair of Artisans on the Green and as co-chair of the Centennial Committee for the Sandwich Home Industries, and as a volunteer at the Samuel Wentworth Library. She enjoys spending time with her husband traveling, gardening, cooking, and spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren.
C. J. Sawyer
CJ is a Project Manager in the hydroelectric industry with a background in civil engineering, technical documentation, and computer‑aided design (CAD), bringing a detail‑oriented and highly organized approach to his work. His professional journey began in the food service industry, where he spent twenty years as a cook, kitchen manager, and sous‑chef at family owned and fine dining restaurants—experiences he credits with developing essential life and career skills such as empathy, patience, teamwork, and the ability to perform under pressure. Motivated by a lifelong interest in engineering, C.J. returned to school to pursue civil engineering and has since built a successful career in the hydroelectric sector, advancing from Project Engineer to Project Manager. A lifelong New Hampshire resident, he grew up and lived in Henniker for 36 years before moving to Tuftonboro after meeting his wife seven years ago. Together, they chose to enroll their youngest children at SCC due to the Center’s strong core values and emphasis on outdoor play and experiential learning. Outside of work, C.J. enjoys spending time with his family, being outdoors, fishing, woodworking, and hands‑on projects. He takes pride in passing along practical skills and traditions to his children while remaining eager to continue learning.
Nancy was born and raised in Missoula Montana, the youngest of 5 children. Her Montana experience was a lot about piano and ballet. Nancy went to Macalester College in St. Paul Minnesota, halfway across the country from Missoula. There she met her current husband, Adam Heard. They stayed in Minnesota for several years and moved East to Massachusetts, where Adam was from, with their 3-year-old son, Jonathan. While they lived in MA they had 2 more children, Benjamin and Rebecca. They all moved to Concord, New Hampshire when Becca was 5 and that is where they all live now, at least in part. Adam and Nancy also live in a house in Sandwich which has been in Adam’s family for several generations. Nancy's profession, for the most part, has been to teach music, both private piano lessons and classroom general music classes. Nancy wants to be involved in her Sandwich community and she is excited to be part of the Sandwich Children’s Center.
Chris Speers, Interim Vice President, Development and Communications Chair
Chris is an experienced educator, school fundraiser and proud parent of an SCC summer camper. Most recently he served as Director of Individual Giving at Ransom Everglades in Miami. In this role he oversaw the major and planned gift program for the school. Previously, he served as Associate Director of Development at the Dublin School (NH) and Deputy Finance Director for Mayor Setti Warren's gubernatorial campaign in Massachusetts. Before becoming a fundraiser, he served as Operations Manager for EF Language Travel. Before joining EF, Chris was Special Assistant to Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts. Chris holds a BA from Bates College and a MSEd in School Leadership from UPenn. His family has lived and summered in Sandwich for four generations. While Chris, his wife Rosy, and their son’s Mateo and Lucas technically live full time in Miami, they escape north as much as possible.
Tora Olafsen, Secretary
Tora is a former Software Product Executive and Psychiatric Researcher bringing expertise in human psychology to early stage start-ups. Tora is passionate about collaborating with others to solve challenging problems with simple solutions while growing revenue. Tora grew up in Center Sandwich and after 16 years in Boston, moved with her husband and kids back to Sandwich to raise her daughters in a smaller community that values time spent outdoors. While she keenly misses the start-up world, she's applying her skills to a house renovation, her family, and creating new things from scratch. In her free time, she enjoys getting outside: running, biking, boating, and skiing of all kinds.
Robin Sofio, Treasurer and Finance Chair
Robin brings finance and management experience to the Children's Center, leveraging her background in Commercial Real Estate finance, where she was a lender and director of specialty finance units at Deutsche Bank and Wells Fargo (fka First Union) in NYC and Charlotte for 15 years. She left the institutional banking world in 2009 to be more present for her family. During that time, she began a small consulting business for CRE owners and is currently a CRE Advisor for Estreich and Company arranging debt and equity for CRE owners and investors. In late 2020, Robin and her husband Ed bought a farmhouse in Sandwich, NH where they intend to spend 2/3rds of their time after Ed’s retirement. With family ties in the region, they cherish the proximity to loved ones and the abundant outdoor activities, including hiking, biking, and skiing in the nearby lakes and mountain areas. Passionate about community service, she spent time as a board member for nonprofits in NC, the Peninsula Community Foundation, focused on community grants for children's education, health, and wellness and The Warehouse, a small community performing arts non-profit. She holds a BA from the University of Michigan and MS Accounting from the Kenan-Flagler School of Business at UNC. She and Ed have 2 grown children - Izzy (26) in CA and Michael (25) in Portland, ME. Both of which adore Sandwich.
Jim Burkhardt
Jim is an attorney and member of the Virginia Bar. Now enjoying retirement, he brings experience in legal compliance, management, and government contracting to the SCC. As a volunteer, Jim has been actively involved in fundraising for schools, serving as a classroom representative, and participating in various school committees, scouting leadership, and coaching athletics. Jim has been visiting Sandwich and the White Mountains since the 1990s for vacations, skiing, and summer camp drop-offs and pickups for his son. Jim’s wife, Karen, has been coming up to New Hampshire since she was a child. And, in 2020, Jim and Karen purchased a home in Sandwich. Jim spends a lot of time playing pickleball in Sandwich, kayaking and paddle boarding, working in the woods, and hiking. Jim holds a BA in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, and a JD from TC Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond. Jim and Karen have a grown son, Thor, who visits Sandwich as often as his schedule allows.
Ray Cameron
Ray has enjoyed a lifetime connection to Squam Lake and the Sandwich Area that began in 1914 with his great-grandmother’s annual summer residency at Rockywold-Deephaven Camp. Ray and his wife Heather have made Center Sandwich their home after a 25+ year career with Molecular Toxicology, Inc. where he has served as an executive member for the North Carolina based bio-tech manufacturing company. Ray is member of the Center Sandwich Planning Board, the stewardship committee for the Squam Lakes Conservation Society and a Trustee of the Chocorua Island Chapel Association. Ray and Heather have two daughters who consider Squam Lake their home and enjoy spending time with family and friends exploring what each season offers.
Stephanie Grima
Stephanie Grima, a New Hampshire native, happily joined the SCC board in Spring of 2025. She became a part of the SCC community after she enrolled her daughter in the toddler program in the Fall of 2023. She quickly fell in love with the children's center, the Sandwich community, and the Lakes Region in general over the last few years and felt compelled to give-back. Her background in Real Estate/Property Management, along with managing projects and people is helpful in providing input and expertise in various topics that come across the board's radar. Stephanie believes in bringing nature and more holistic practices back when educating and raising children and loves that SCC promotes that ideology with their students. Stephanie & her family love being outside, fishing, boating, travelling, raising chickens, gardening, and all things "homesteading". And while she has lived in numerous states, and in various parts of NH - the Lakes Region feels the most like home and is honored to be a part of such a wonderful community.
Rebecca Keyser
Rebecca and her family moved to Holderness in 2024 from Massachusetts to raise their two children in a smaller, rural community with a focus on nature and outdoor exploration. They were fortunate to secure a spot for their then 18-month-old at SCC, recognizing the challenge many families face in finding childcare in the region. At SCC, their daughter is thriving in the loving, social environment, with ample opportunities to explore nature. Rebecca joined the board to get involved and give back to both the school and the community, ensuring that other families can also benefit from the nurturing experience she and her children have found at SCC.
Ross Offinger
Ross and his wife, Katharine, have a deep personal connection to the SCC, having entrusted the Center with all four of their children. Beatrix (8), Oscar (6), Maxine (4), and newborn Dougie, since moving to Sandwich in 2020. Professionally, Ross is the Director of Business Development at Altana Technologies, a NYC-based technology start-up. He brings expertise in operations, development, and strategic fundraising from his fifteen-year career in political fundraising, including serving as Finance Director for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio. Notably, he also helped lead the UPKNYC initiative, which successfully launched universal, free pre-kindergarten in NYC. Ross is also a moderator of the local Sandwich Board message forum, which keeps him in close contact with many members of the community.
Susan Rozelle
Susan Rozelle has lifelong ties to Squam Lake and became a full-time resident of Sandwich in 2019. A former Director of the Sandwich Children’s Center, she has maintained a strong connection to the program through mentoring, reading in the classroom, supporting hiring efforts, and substituting. She is now honored to serve on the Board of Directors, continuing a family tradition of involvement.
Susan brings over 40 years of experience in education, including leadership roles as Head of Childcare Services at Wesleyan University and Director of two other early childhood programs, where she expanded enrollment and strengthened program quality and compliance. She has also worked as an educational consultant, Birth to Three intake coordinator, and classroom teacher.
Throughout her adult life, Susan has demonstrated a strong commitment to giving back through volunteer work, with a particular focus on the arts and education. In retirement, she remains active in the community, having served as co-chair of Artisans on the Green and as co-chair of the Centennial Committee for the Sandwich Home Industries, and as a volunteer at the Samuel Wentworth Library. She enjoys spending time with her husband traveling, gardening, cooking, and spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren.
C. J. Sawyer
CJ is a Project Manager in the hydroelectric industry with a background in civil engineering, technical documentation, and computer‑aided design (CAD), bringing a detail‑oriented and highly organized approach to his work. His professional journey began in the food service industry, where he spent twenty years as a cook, kitchen manager, and sous‑chef at family owned and fine dining restaurants—experiences he credits with developing essential life and career skills such as empathy, patience, teamwork, and the ability to perform under pressure. Motivated by a lifelong interest in engineering, C.J. returned to school to pursue civil engineering and has since built a successful career in the hydroelectric sector, advancing from Project Engineer to Project Manager. A lifelong New Hampshire resident, he grew up and lived in Henniker for 36 years before moving to Tuftonboro after meeting his wife seven years ago. Together, they chose to enroll their youngest children at SCC due to the Center’s strong core values and emphasis on outdoor play and experiential learning. Outside of work, C.J. enjoys spending time with his family, being outdoors, fishing, woodworking, and hands‑on projects. He takes pride in passing along practical skills and traditions to his children while remaining eager to continue learning.