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Executive Team

C. Andrew McCawley
President and Chief Executive Officer
Andy earned his B.S. in Naval Architecture from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, an M.S. in Aeronautical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterrey, CA, and graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. In 2001, he completed the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School.
Following active duty, Andy worked in the aerospace and defense industry, most recently as Vice President, Afghanistan Program for Alenia North America.

Kevin A. Ward
Senior Vice President Strategy & CFO
Kevin played a key leadership role in the merger of Boston City Hospital and University Hospital in 1996, which at the time was the largest merger of a public and private healthcare institution in the U.S.
Kevin received a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from North Adams State College. He has achieved the designation of Fellow in the Health Care Financial Management Association, a Certified Manager in Patient Accounts and has successfully completed his C.P.A exam. Kevin is a former Board Member and Chair of the Finance Committee at Hearth.

Charlene F. Pontbriand
Senior Vice President, Advancement
She has been involved in several hospital mergers and identity changes, has managed marketing for multiple physician practices and successful health care ventures, has won more than twenty regional and national marketing awards and has led six capital campaigns, including the successful closure of a number of seven-figure gifts. She has also served on a number of boards and was a member of the board at NECHV for seven years prior to taking her current position.
A graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Ms. Pontbriand is a member of many professional organizations including the Massachusetts Chapter of the Association for Fund Raising Professionals.

Victoria Bifano
Vice President, Human Resources
She has been involved in several start-up companies including driving the development and growth of the Human Resource department at the British Schools of America, a private International school with five locations in the US. Victoria has also played a key role in operations overseeing numerous construction projects including several company relocations and serving as project manager for the construction of a new school facility.
She is a member of several professional organizations including Society for Human Resource (SHRM), New England Human Resource Association (NEHRA) and the Association of Training and Development (ASTD). She holds several industry certifications from Bentley College and holds a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR®) certification.

Brian Reeves
Vice President, Operations and Project Management
Brian directs NECHV operations to ensure the safety, security, and quality of life of Veterans residents, staff, and guests. Brian is responsible for all Operations, Maintenance, Housekeeping and Dining services.
Brian has over 35 years planning and executing large, complex operations. A Veteran with 26 years of active military service, the highlight of his Navy career was as Commanding Officer of a carrier-based squadron in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
As part of the NECHV Executive team, Brian served as Project Manager and “Clerk of the Works” for numerous project. The projects include a $35M+ occupied renovation of the NECHV facility in downtown Boston without disrupting services to. Most recently, in 2020, Brian led the design and project management of the construction of a new “Low Demand” semi-private accommodations dormitory. The $500K project was accomplished in 10 weeks. The dormitory serves Veterans with mental health or/substance use challenges, who may not be ready to engage in behavioral health care.
Brian received an undergraduate degree from the University of New Mexico, and graduate degree from the Naval War College, Newport, RI.

Lena Asmar, MSW, LICSW
Vice President of Human Services
Lena has spent the last 20 years working with the most vulnerable and marginalized populations and has held leadership positions at community-based organizations. She has spent her career compassionately providing services to people who struggle with substance use and mental health issues, homelessness, and other co-occurring conditions.
Previously, she was the Senior Director of Program Administration at the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, overseeing a variety of public health programs that provided services to to people living with or at risk for HIV/AIDS or hepatitis C. She serves as adjunct faculty at the Simmons College Graduate School of Social Work. Lena teaches and designed the online curriculum and asynchronous content for the course “Alcohol, Drugs and Social Work Practice” and provides mentorship to other faculty who teach this course.
Lena received a Master of Social Work, with a certificate in Urban Leadership, from Simmons College and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Massachusetts. She has presented locally, nationally, and internationally on the topics of Harm Reduction, substance use, program evaluation, and program management. She has participated in and has held leadership positions in several professional organizations and currently is a member of the Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research Veterans Engagement Stakeholders Council.