NBCR Board

Dina Crawford, President, co-founder
Business owner, Standardized Patient

Dina Crawford, MHA, has over 30 years of experience in health care including 15 years in management positions at local hospitals. She has been active in the field of health and healing both as a business owner and speaker for over 15 years.

Currently, as a standardized patient, she teaches communication and physical exam skills to students at medical schools in Boston. She is also the owner of Inspired Life by Design, a coaching and consciousness education enterprise and Salisburysunrises.com, a photography business.

In addition, Dina has volunteered at the Anna Jaques Hospital Cancer Center offering Reiki to patients. Dina’s passions extend to participating in community theater productions, playing ice hockey and spending time with her grandsons, Tommy, Julian and Benjamin. She resides in Salisbury, Massachusetts.

Colleen Yavarow, DO Medical Oncologist/Hematologist Anna Jaques Cancer Center

Dr. Colleen Yavarow is a Medical Oncologist practicing at Anna Jacques Hospital, affiliated with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. She completed medical school at University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, internship and residency at Lahey Clinic Medical Center, and fellowship at Saint Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Boston.

Dr. Yavarow practiced in greater Boston for several years and has relocated to the north shore where she has enjoyed practicing for the last seven years. She is passionate about supportive care, symptom management and enhancing quality of life

Colleen Lawton, Nutrition & Wellness Consultant
Pure Potential Nutrition

Colleen Lawton is a Board Certified Nutrition & Wellness Consultant and founder of Pure Potential Nutrition. She is a certified Wahls Protocol® Health Professional and graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She is a member of the Integrative and Functional Nutrition Academy, is certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP) and is currently enrolled in the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy. 

Colleen's passion is helping men and women transform their lives by creating health through the power of whole foods nutrition. She believes that health and happiness are inextricably linked and supports people in building a healthy lifestyle in a way that is supportive, fun and free of denial and discipline.

In addition to personal nutrition and wellness counseling, Colleen is a speaker and workshop leader conducting community presentations to educate, encourage and empower others to take charge of their health through better nutrition and positive lifestyle change

Rosemary G. Frost, Treasurer
Vice President, Residential Lending, Institution for Savings, Newburyport, MA

Rosemary G. Frost has been in banking for most of her career, spanning the last few decades.  She started as a teller at BayBank, then transitioned to lending.  She has worked for companies such as BankBoston, StonehamBank, Mortgage World Corp. and Century Bank.  

She joined the Institution for Savings in October of 2021.  Prior to joining the Institution for Savings, Rosemary served as Vice President of Retail Lending at North Shore Bank.    

Rosemary is a former board member of the North Shore Consumer Credit Association, where she served as the Vice President and as Treasurer, for several years.  She is registered through NMLS as an active loan originator, is currently a member of the Massachusetts Mortgage Bankers Association, the Eastern Massachusetts Compliance Network and is a licensed Notary Public. She serves on various committees within the Bank.   

Rosemary resides in Georgetown and with her one child, Alexandra. In addition to her volunteer activities in the local community, in her spare time, Rosemary enjoys trivia, loves to read, travel, and listen to ABBA.  She is fluent in Portuguese.

Sandra Levin, VP - Chief Quality Officer
Anna Jaques Hospital

Sandra Levin has over 35 years experience in the healthcare field, primarily as a registered nurse and administrator, working for non-profit hospitals around the country.   She is a graduate of Seton Hall University New Jersey with an undergraduate degree in nursing; and from Regis University Denver an undergraduate degree in Healthcare Administration and a Masters in Business Administration.   Additionally Sandra is certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT), yoga teacher (500-RYT), holistic health coach and mindfulness meditation teacher. 

Sandra believes care in the hospital should always be of the highest quality and safe.  She also is passionate about integrative medicine to complement allopathic or western medicine.  In her own business; Changing Tides Yoga and Wellness, she meets her clients where they are and walks with them on their journey to being their healthiest self using yoga therapy tools and techniques, and mindfulness meditation.

Sandra lives in Eliot, ME with her husband Greg.  They have 2 beloved pets, Tip(dog) and Bailey (cat) both a bit spoiled.   

NBCR Advisory Board

Laura Corcoran , Senior Director, Client Engagement
Boston Marketing Advisors

Laura Corcoran has 20+ years of experience in the Marketing Industry, working for and with Fortune 500 Companies throughout her career to drive creative solutions for their direct marketing operations.  She is a Six Sigma certified process engineer and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Richmond and a Master’s in Creative Writing from Virginia Commonwealth University, bringing this portfolio of education and skills to her current role, which is to help a large portfolio of clients innovate and streamline their advertising and customer communication processes. Additionally, Laura is a certified fitness instructor and recently completed her 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training Certification.

Her passion and dedication to cancer fundraising and patient advocacy begin in 2007 when her mother was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer. Through that battle, and the subsequent 5 cancer diagnoses her mother has faced since then, Laura learned how vital a person’s access to quality care and dynamic resources as they fight this disease. Joining the North of Boston Cancer Resource Board was a natural fit for Laura, who hopes to marry her professional skill set with her belief in compassion care and wellness practices to of benefit and service to the NBCR mission.

Laura lives in Amesbury, MA with her husband Owen, who has dedicated his career to service in the United States Coast Guard. They have two rescue dogs, Ernie and Fitz, who are their world and perhaps just a tad spoiled.

Carol Gamble, Treasurer, co-founder
Former Health Care Executive, Yoga Therapist

Carol Gamble, MS, has spent most of her adult life as a health care professional in hospital organizations. A passionate advocate for high quality, patient focused services, she felt that more could be done to help people as they sought to improve their health or faced various health care challenges, especially cancer-related illnesses. 

As a yoga practitioner and later a yoga teacher, she came to appreciate the calming, stress-reducing and life-transforming experiences found in herself and her students. Carol is a Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) and a professional level certified yoga teacher trained at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Lenox, Massachusetts. For the last 15 years she has devoted herself to teaching. She meets individuals where they are, and promotes compassionate self-awareness as a path to harmony and well-being. 

Carol is an avid learner and educator in the field of integrative medicine, often sharing the medical research that demonstrates the health benefits from healing practices of yoga, meditation, and relaxation. 

In 2014, Carol founded Graceful Path Yoga and is also on the teaching staff at Roots to Wings Yoga and Healing Center in Newbury, Massachusetts. Carol resides in Newburyport with her husband Alan and Liberty Belle their beloved Labradoodle dog.

Robin Bavaro, Holistic Nurse Coach, Communications Expert, Cancer Survivor
Holistic Health Communications

Robin Bavaro, RN, HN-BC, NC-BC, is a board-certified holistic nurse and health & wellness coach. A former press secretary for the Mayor of Boston and the Massachusetts Speaker of the House, Robin is a 2x breast cancer survivor and former Dana-Farber Cancer Institute employee communications editor within nursing and patient care services.  

Using her nursing lens combined with over 30 years of communications experience, she partners with and guides individuals toward sustainable whole health and well-being, and provides communications support services to holistic health practitioners and organizations.

In her role as an NBCR Advisory Board member, and through her private practice at www.HolisticHealthCommunications.com, her mission is to elevate whole health and forward healing through thoughtful communication, meaningful dialogue and collaboration within the health care system.

Deborah M. Smith, Former Executive Director
Pettingill House

Deb Smith, 0riginally from Toronto, Canada has close to 40 years of experience in the field of education and social services. She recently retired from her long-time position as Executive Director of The Pettengill House Inc., Social Service Agency and continues to work as a program education consultant.

 Ms.  Smith holds a Masters of Education Degree in Counseling and Psychology with a concentration in child trauma as well as being a licensed social worker and an alcohol and drug counselor.  She is best known for her experience and expertise related to at risk children and families, crisis management and program development.  In addition to being a member of the NBCR Advisory, Ms. Smith serves on the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families Haverhill Area Board of Directors, as well as other local organizations and has received numerous local and state awards related to her work including the Massachusetts Unsung Hero Award.  Ms. Smith resides in Amesbury, MA.

Ilene Harnch-Grady, Health and Wellness/Encore Director
YWCA Greater Newburyport

Ilene Harnch-Grady, brings over 40 years of experience in wellness serving in her current role as the Health and Wellness/Encore Director for the YWCA Greater Newburyport since 2007. A wellness instructor since 1980, Ilene’s passion for wellness for the “whole body” began when her idyllic family faced three cancer diagnosis within months of each other. A consummate student and patient advocate, Ilene immersed herself in the world of cancer healing relative to exercise and survivorship programs. In 2009, under the direction of the YWCA Greater Newburyport, Ilene worked closely with John Feehan, Executive Director to recreate the YWCA Encore program; a free program for those who have encountered cancer at any point in their lives. A unique survivorship program, Encore incorporates land and water and peer support.

By day you can find Ilene at the YWCA teaching and guiding members through their wellness experience in a class setting, personal training or guiding her amazing Encore participants. Ilene brings multiple certifications including: RYT, Boston Barre, Stott Pilates, YWCA Encore, Arthritis Foundation Aquatic Program (AEA/Arthritis Foundation of America,) NASM, ASCM, AFAA to name a few. Ilene has also served on several volunteer boards/organizations including: American Cancer Society, Pelican Intervention Fund, North of Boston Cancer Resource (Founding Member), Swasey Fund Inc, Congregation Ahavas Achim, Beth Israel Lahey Health Community Benefits Advisory Council ,Wellness Committee (Newburyport High School/Triton Regional High School) and City Councillor emeritus.

In addition to wellness, Ilene loves animals of all kinds often volunteering her time at several equine facilities. Ilene resides in her native Newburyport with her husband Tom, daughter Ava and her two rescue pups, Cody and Casey.

John F. Leary III
Business owner and consultant

John Leary, CPA, CFA, CFP owns a tax practice and asset management business based in Newburyport and consults with internationally based technology start-up companies that are expanding operations in the United States.

He began his career at an international accounting firm where he worked with clients in various industries. After earning his MS in finance at Boston College, John entered the high-tech field working for a fast-growing public company.

In addition to his MSF at BC, John holds a Master of Science in Taxation from Bentley University, is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a Certified Financial Planner.