About Us / Hoo’s Hoo
Board Officers & Directors
The following beautiful people help our organization fly to greater heights by serving on our board of directors and committees, bringing in donations, and volunteering for our programs and events.
Jim Cavan
CO-FOUNDER & EX OFFICIO MEMBER
Jim Cavan’s expertise is in public relations and communications. He currently works for Maine’s Congresswoman, Chellie Pingree, as her Deputy Press Secretary, and has written both a memoir in honor of Rett and a novel dedicated to his daughter, Everly.
Jim was long convinced he would never be more proud than he was the day his baby boy arrived. But through Everett’s brave battle with cancer, his dad’s pride, like the many tears, only swelled. And while the pain of losing his firstborn will never fully subside, Jim finds strength in knowing Rett’s Roost has a truly special spirit watching over it.
Expect to see Jim doing a little bit of everything around the Roost: supporting the Board of Directors, writing extraordinary stories of strength, conjuring up various family adventures, and cooking the best breakfasts this side of mom’s kitchen—a laughing, loving little owl on his shoulder all the while.
Ann Biese
CHAIR OF THE BOARD
Ann Biese is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Madison and holds diverse credentials, including trauma-informed CIAYT, RCYT, reiki master, and meditation therapist. She serves as a yoga instructor with Yoga In Action and works at Dartmouth Hospital in Manchester, where she provides reiki and yoga therapy services.
Ann further contributes her expertise by supporting children with cancer and their families through Lucy’s Love Bus, a nonprofit focused on integrative therapies for young patients. With over ten years of experience delivering yoga therapy at prominent New England hospitals—including Tufts, MGH Boston, and Wentworth Douglas—she has made significant advancements in the field.
Ann is the author of several award-winning children’s books and the co-author of the mindfulness and wellness series, which features titles such as The Quiet Soul and Stress Reduction for Teens through Mindfulness.
Ann maintains active involvement with numerous nonprofit organizations, teaching trauma-informed yoga to at-risk communities both within the United States and globally. She has served on the Board of Lucy’s Love Bus and previously held the position of President at Go Give Yoga, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting underserved youth domestically and abroad. Additionally, Ann has led yoga teacher training initiatives in Haiti and Mississippi, providing assistance to children and families affected by complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD). Further information or contact details can be found at www.annbiese.com. CONTACT
Gregory Doolittle
TREASURER
In Greg Doolittle’s professional life, he serves as a Compliance Officer for a community mutual savings bank.
He lives in Ogunquit, Maine with his husband and their beloved dog, Teddy. He first discovered Rett’s Roost through a bank where he was working at the time and quickly fell in love with the organization’s mission. After volunteering at their Superhero 5K event, his dedication and passion led him to join the Home Tour Committee.
Now, as a proud board member and Treasurer of Rett’s Roost, he is committed to supporting the nonprofit’s efforts in creating a loving and healing community for families impacted by childhood cancer and loss.
Kate McCary
SECRETARY
Kate McCary has an extensive health communications background. She worked for the communications and marketing team at the American Cancer Society for six years, helping to draw media attention to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, Relay For Life and Daffodil Days.
Kate McCary’s son James was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (T-cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma) in July of 2020. In October of 2021, he suffered a relapse, and underwent additional intense chemotherapy, radiation, and a bone marrow transplant. Kate and her family have come to find great comfort in the services offered through Rett’s Roost. They participated in two survivor retreats, as well as the Behold the Cold Polar Plunge and Superhero 5K events.
She is currently a healthcare PR freelancer and enjoys running and spending time with her family. Kate lives in Brentwood, NH with her husband Mike, two sons, Nathaniel and James, and daughter Anna.
Beecher Grogan
FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES
Beecher Grogan has years of experience in nonprofit leadership, fundraising, and program development. She co-founded Lucy’s Love Bus and was the Executive Director for 16 years, delivering comfort and quality of life to childhood cancer patients, their siblings, and their parents through free integrative therapies.
Beecher’s oldest daughter Lucy was diagnosed with the adult form of leukemia in 2002. In January of 2004, Lucy’s cancer relapsed and she underwent a bone marrow transplant from an unrelated donor. Lucy developed chronic graft versus host disease and succumbed to her illness in July of 2006. Before Lucy passed she helped launch Lucy’s Love Bus from her hospital bed in Boston.
Beecher is the owner of Bittersweet End-of-Life Doula Care and lives on a working farm in Lebanon, Maine with her youngest son (Eli) and a barn full of farm animals, large and small.
Brent Austin
BUSINESS ADMIN/IT
Brent Austin has an MBA from the University of New Hampshire and over 20 years of experience in the Information Technology industry.
In 2019, Brent’s son Evan, was diagnosed with DIPG, a terminal brain tumor. Evan battled for three years before he passed away in June 2022. Brent is familiar with the services offered by Rett’s Roost, as they have provided continuous support to his family since Evan’s diagnosis. Because of this perspective, he is motivated to assist in furthering Rett’s Roost’s mission and helping to find creative ways to provide support for families like his.
When not at work as Sr. Director of Engineering for Liberty Mutual, you will most likely find him on the basketball court, coaching his daughter’s basketball teams. Brent lives in Hampton, NH with his wife (Jess) and daughter (Avery).
David Poskanzer
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
David Poskanzer has a BS from Ithaca College in Health Care Administration. and an MBA, with a concentration in Leadership and Social Responsibility from Boston College. His career was rooted in sales, marketing and operations for innovative healthcare services and technology.
David’s commitment to Rett’s Roost is personal. Prior to David being born, his family lost a young son to Leukemia. Helping families to have hope and to heal is the best way he can think of to give back in his retirement.
David likes to get fundraising done, while raising awareness and having fun! Although his name is synonymous with the annual home tour, he likes to give of himself so much more! Raising money for Rett’s Roost has no ceiling, David just wants to make sure all in need have access to hope and healing.
Lawrence Green
LEGAL SUPPORT
Larry’s son Adam is a pediatric oncologist, and Larry sees so much reason for hope for the future because of the research advances and clinical work of Adam and members of his generation. In the meantime, Larry recognizes that there is such a great need for the very important services provided to families by Rett’s Roost. Larry hopes through his board service and expertise to expand the reach and impact of Rett’s Roost.
Larry Green is a retired attorney with decades of experience of service on non-profit boards, providing guidance on legal issues, governance, fundraising and programming.
Leah Bares
LEGAL AFFAIRS & ADVOCACY
Leah Bares has a background in environmental, business, and civil law, although she is currently focusing on her art career and raising her children in Kennebunk, ME.
She is also the bereaved mom of Laurel Pearl, who died of Neuroblastoma in 2018. Leah has recently moved to Kennebunkport, ME and reached out in hopes of helping Rett’s Roost with fundraising and advocacy, which has become her passion since Laurel’s death.
With her legal background and an unbridled drive to help families facing pediatric cancer and child loss, Leah took on the role of Secretary for her last term and has decided to stay on the Rett’s Roost Board of Directors for another term.
Steffany Gallant
HUMAN RESOURCES
Steffany Gallant is a human resources professional with a BS in Business Administration. She has worked in human resources for several industries and in different parts of the country.
In her previous job at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, she developed an understanding of the healthcare industry and an empathy towards the health battles patients fight.
Steffany has volunteered for many organizations (ex: Big Brothers Big Sisters, local community theater programs) and has always enjoyed working with children. When she learned about Rett’s Roost, she connected with the organization’s mission due to having a friend whose daughter passed away from cancer.
With her HR background, Steffany hopes to assist Rett’s Roost with supporting their staff as well as the organization’s mission in general to support families. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors with her husband, dog, family, and friends.
