My name is Thurman Bear but everyone calls me Blue. I'm originally from Detroit, Michigan, but have lived in Holyoke for the last 3 years. My journey into food preparation started at an early age, helping my mom in the kitchen at home. As I became more curious, cooking shows and the Home Economics offering at my high school helped nurture my passion. My first job was in a pizza place where I prepared a multitude of dishes beyond just the pizza. My curiosity didn't stop there, as I was also interested in where our food comes from. Before moving to Western Mass, worked on a tribal vegetable farm in northern Michigan where I cared for crops from seed all the way through harvest to market. We also ran a small market in town and a hot food counter where we served delicious meals made with our ancestral crops such as: flint corn, different varieties of winter squash, and different varieties of beans. These experiences have led to a deep appreciation of quality, nutrient dense food that also tastes great.
Catherine co-founded LightHouse with Josiah S. Litant and they led the organization together for three years. In 2018 Josiah relocated and Catherine stepped up to the role of Executive Director.
Catherine has been a driver in the leading edge of education for more than two decades. Before LightHouse she spent 12 years at North Star: Self-Directed Learning for Teens as Program Director and was a founding board member for Liberated Learners, the umbrella program connecting centers using the North Star model.
Catherine holds two bachelors degrees from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Masters in Education, Creative Arts in Learning, from Lesley University. She also holds a Montessori Certification from New England Montessori Teacher Education Center.
Kyle Homstead has spent more than three decades living at the intersection of art and technology — a touring audio engineer and music producer who still travels the world with artists like Sweet Honey in the Rock, Solas, and Omar Sosa. As Director of the De La Luz Technical Arts Institute and Technical Director at the HOPE Center for the Arts, he builds hands-on learning pathways for young people in the production fields, grounded in a simple conviction: technical fluency and creative fluency are the same thing.
A parallel life in software in Silicon Valley led him into agent-based research at the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition — a decade before AI agents became a mainstream conversation. That early-adopter lens now shapes his work as Director of Creative Intelligence at LightHouse Holyoke: not AI as a shortcut, but AI as a collaborator that only works when the student brings the judgment. His deepest goal is equipping the next generation to be the authors of their work — not its audience.
Dwayne was born and raised in Springfield, MA and has worked in this building for over five years. Positive energy and a very hard worker. Always helping others and always have a smile on my face!
Nate received his BS in Environmental Science with a minor in Chemistry from Hawaii Pacific University and completed a Graduate Teacher Certification program for secondary science at The University of New England. He has well over ten years of teaching experience in a variety of settings, including serving as a teacher and advisor at a small private school in Southern Maine. He has a love of the outdoors and serves as a volunteer member on his town’s Conservation Commission. Nate is thrilled to join the LightHouse community of learners and to share his passion for science and the natural world.
Educator and Innovator Carlos REC McBride has over 15 years of experience spanning higher education, multimedia storytelling, and community-focused initiatives. REC is an advocate for equitable education and inclusive learning environments, mentoring underserved students. He specializes in leveraging technology and creative arts, such as photography, video, and audio, to foster engagement, address social issues, and support diverse learners.
REC has taught at institutions such as Hampshire College, Smith College, Holyoke Community College, and The High School of Commerce designing interdisciplinary curricula on topics like social justice, urban studies, Hip-Hop culture, and Art and Graffiti culture. REC extends his commitment to social justice through his work with incarcerated individuals and those working through mental health and substance use sickness challenges. Additionally, he has traveled throughout the country offering workshops and lectures, mentoring young men who face systemic barriers, supporting self empowerment and healing.
Diana grew up in Holyoke and attended Holyoke Public Schools, graduating from Holyoke High before working on her college degree. She began working in health services in 2010 and became a certified HHA in 2011. She loves working with the elderly and now also with adolescents!
She is a bilingual speaker and mother to two wonderful children. Diana manages the administrative side of LightHouse, bringing positive professionalism, deep empathy, and and attitude of active learning to our front desk every day.
Steph joined the LightHouse in early 2021. She graduated from Northern Vermont University with a B.A. in Theatre and Drama. Since graduating, Steph has continued to work and teach in theaters locally and in the Metro West area. Some of her theatrical interests include costume design, playwriting, acting, and directing. Steph is passionate about personalized education and is excited to be a part of the LightHouse community.
Dr. Latoya Bosworth, also known as Dr. Boz, is by nature an artist, by nurture an empath and advocate, and by trade an educator. Dr. Boz began her first job in human services at 19, and since then she has worked with youth and families in several capacities, from crisis intervention to family stabilization. She has collaborated with and consulted for the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Youth Services, after-school programs, Job Corps, summer camps, and community centers. In 2006, she established her own arts and mentoring program, with a special education teacher certification, Dr.Boz taught in alternative high schools for 15 years. She consulted as Behavior Specialist for an inner city public school, is an adjunct professor in Education & Human Services, and is faculty for the Institute for Equity Centered Coaching. She has B.A. in Sociology, an M.S. in Nonprofit and Philanthropy, and a Ph.D. in Social and Community Service. Her research involves young women. Dr. Boz continuously spreads her message of H.E.R.S - health, empowerment, resilience, and self-worth in workshops, as a keynote speaker, and as a life coach, in print, and on stage.
Michael is a licensed architect and city planner. He has worked at design firms in Massachusetts and New York. For most of his career, Michael concentrated on the design of affordable housing and the revitalization of cities. At UMass Amherst he served for 15 years as Extension Associate Professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning. His teaching and research interests focus on ways to renew America’s legacy manufacturing cities. Michael is the co-founder of “Make-It Springfield” a community space that offers a variety of free or low cost maker and creative activities. A life-long learner (and teacher), Michael speaks Italian, is a member of Valley Jazz Voices, and is currently an adjunct faculty member at UMass Amherst.
Dr. Jalil Johnson is a senior executive in behavioral health and population health systems, currently serving as Senior Vice President at Behavioral Health Network in Springfield, Massachusetts. In this role, he provides strategic and operational leadership across care management, quality, compliance, and program development, with a focus on building sustainable systems that improve outcomes for individuals, families, and communities.
Dr. Johnson brings extensive experience working at the intersection of healthcare, human services, and public policy, with a deep commitment to equity, access, and community‑based solutions. He is particularly passionate about supporting young people through systems that recognize their strengths, agency, and potential. Dr. Johnson lives in Hatfield, MA and is honored to support LightHouse Holyoke’s mission as a member of the Board of Directors.
Josiah co-founded LightHouse with Catherine Gobron and co-directed the organization for the first three years, building it from an idea into a thriving reality. In 2018 Josiah and his family relocated to Minnesota, where he was Vice President of Student Affairs and Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Minnesota State College Southeast, a technical and community college. Since 2023 Josiah has served as the inaugural Executive Director of the Minnesota P-20 Education Partnership, a statewide initiative to strengthen educational outcomes for learners of all ages across Minnesota. Josiah remains deeply connected to LightHouse as a consultant, senior advisor, and enthusiastic supporter.
Josiah has been in the field of education for twenty years, as a teacher, mentor, and administrator at all age levels. Prior to co-founding LightHouse Holyoke, Josiah spent a decade working with college-age students at Hampshire College. He has a particular passion for progressive education, with a focus on issues of student identity, inclusion, and advocacy.
Josiah has previously served on a number of nonprofit boards and has proudly consulted as a social justice facilitator with the National Conference for Community and Justice of Connecticut and Western Massachusetts.
Josiah has a Master of Arts degree in higher education administration from Goddard College, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education from Hampshire College.
Sita has 20+ years of experience helping organizations, communities, and networks imagine, learn, and collaborate. She co-founded dpict, a facilitation firm specializing in process design, visualization, sensemaking, and collaborative environments. Her career has involved extensive international work in multi-stakeholder initiatives at the intersection of global systems. When her first child was born, she felt called to direct her attention to local experimentation in service of intergenerational learning, community weaving, and civic engagement. She co-founded Easthampton Co.Lab, a community-based co-working and learning space, and Fort Future, a space for creative, intergenerational learning. She is a member of the Connecticut River Valley Bioregional Collaborative and The Value Web, a global community focused on transforming decision-making. She is on the core team of the Ford Foundation’s Ford Global Fellows program and the Learning Innovations Lab at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (part of Project Zero). She is actively involved in several regional planning initiatives and loves imagining and experimenting with new models for citizen-driven decision-making. She is also a board member of the Co-Intelligence Institute, where she works with others to promote innovations in collective wisdom, co-creativity, and collaborative governance.
Sita is thrilled to support LightHouse and doubly delighted to have her oldest child join the school in fall 2023!
Melany Mendoza is a community leader with more than 15 years of experience in youth development, workforce pathways, and community engagement across Western Massachusetts. She currently serves as a Workforce Development Partner at Baystate Health, where she develops and leads programs that connect high school students to healthcare careers through hands-on exploration, mentorship, and workforce development initiatives.
Before joining Baystate Health, Melany spent nine years with Mass Mentoring Partnership, where she worked to strengthen mentoring relationships and build partnerships that expanded opportunities for young people across the region. She also served as Director of Youth Programs at Holyoke Community College, leading after-school and enrichment programs serving more than 150 youth annually. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with schools, nonprofits, healthcare organizations, and community leaders to create meaningful educational and career pathways for youth.
Melany is also the co-owner of AllSport Indoor Soccer Arena, a community-centered facility that provides a welcoming space for youth athletics, leadership development, and community events.
Originally from Puerto Rico, Melany has called Western Massachusetts home for more than two decades. Her personal and professional experiences have fueled a passion for expanding opportunities, fostering belonging, and strengthening communities through education, mentorship, and service.
She holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Entrepreneurial Thinking and Innovative Practices and is fluent in both Spanish and English. Melany is honored to serve on the LightHouse board and support its mission of empowering individuals and families through hope, opportunity, and community.
Hannah Reuter is currently a Senior Manager at the SCALE Lab at Yale University, a research center that advances evidence, partnership, and learning for a smarter safety net. In her role, Hannah directs the lab's growth strategy, communications work, and partnership development. While currently working to connect academic research and policy to ensure that safety net programs are human-centered and evidence-based, she has worked with youth in the classroom, afterschool, and summer program settings throughout her career, recently having worked in the Summer Programs Office at Deerfield Academy. Prior to her role at Deerfield, Hannah led the development of a statewide pilot initiative to support low-income families to overcome the benefits cliff. She holds a Bachelor's degree from UMass Amherst and a Master of Public Administration from NYU Wagner. Hannah lives in Conway, MA and is delighted to be back in the Pioneer Valley, where she is passionate about supporting youth and families in the community.
Anthony resides in Becket, and serves on the board at the Northampton Survival Center, Greenfield Community College and the National Association of Mental Illness of Berkshire County.
