Way Finders CEO and leadership

Prior to joining Way Finders, Derek spent 18 years in the Human Services industry. Most recently he served as CFO of Stavros, Inc., a leading regional provider of programs designed to facilitate independent living for persons with disabilities. Prior to Stavros, Morris served four years as CFO at River Valley Counseling, an affiliate of Valley Health Systems, the $120-million organization that operates Holyoke Medical Center.

Derek also served as CFO at Behavioral Health Network, one of the largest mental health and recovery organizations in the region. He also served as Vice President of Financial Services at Goodwill Industries in Springfield and at Springfield Day Nursery (DBA Square One).

Derek also brings 12 years of experience in the Communications field. Morris is a graduate of the University of Hartford with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA).

Diane Smith is a Chief Real Estate Officer at Way Finders.

Pascale joined Way Finders in 2015 and serves as the principal advisor and chief counsel of the organization. She oversees all aspects of Way Finders’ legal strategy-internal policies, procedures, and program practices and outcomes-to ensure they are consistent with local, state, federal law, and industry standards. Pascale advises the Board and executive leadership on a range of issues, including corporate governance and fiduciary duties, ethics and compliance, strategic transactions, and risk management. She also helps the organization meet the diverse legal challenges presented by real estate and landlord-tenant law, poverty law, and program regulations.

Prior to joining Way Finders, Pascale served as the State Plan Manager for MaineCare Policy Division. Pascale, who is licensed to practice law in Massachusetts and Maine, also previously worked as a staff attorney in the housing division at Neighborhood Legal Services and as a regional housing coordinator for the North Shore Community Action Program.

The motivation for Janette’s career in human services is “¡Sí se puede!” coupled with her fervent belief that people deserve to live with dignity and to be safe and that they should have equitable opportunities for social and economic well-being and good health. For more than 20 years, Janette’s career and commitment to “doing what is right” has included developing and directing supportive housing programs for teen mothers and survivors of sexual assault, and managing, overseeing, and ultimately leading Way Finders’ supportive housing and emergency shelter programs. Since 2012, Janette has been fearless and strategic in her advocacy to expand Way Finders’ services for homeless families, teen parents, and survivors of domestic violence as well as making herself available, on the ground, to help families through traumatic times in their lives. Janette is a recognized leader at the state and local levels and is the recipient of the 2019 Robert J. Van Wart Award from the Human Service Forum.

In her role as Chief Program Officer, Janette continues to lead the region in providing critically needed services to families and individuals. She leads and directs the Way Finders’ Housing Center Division, which is comprised of Housing Support Services, Rental Assistance, and Housing Education Services. Together these programs, which include RAFT, HomeBASE, supportive housing for teen parents and survivors of domestic violence, the Housing Choice Voucher Program, Fair Housing Education, financial and first-time homebuyer education, 209 units of emergency housing for families, and workforce development programs, provide service to over 65,000 men, women, and children each year.

Laureen Borgatti is a Chief Operating Officer at Way Finders and is based in Springfield, Massachusetts. She has worked as Fiscal & Human Resource Specialist at HAPHousing; Director of Info. Technology, Info. Technology Coordinator, Info. Technology & Reporting Specialist at HAPHousing; and Assistant to Property Management Department at HAPHousing. Laureen works or has worked as Chief Administrative Officer at HAPHousing. She studied at Bay Path University between 1983 and 1985.

Megan Talbert is a Chief Development Officer at Way Finders.