The Next Step Team

Next Step:

meet the people who stand ready to help you

take your next step.

Believe it or not, there are actual humans behind all of these Next Step initiatives. Just like all of the other adults you know, they have names and jobs and homes and families and everything. But somehow, they still make time to help us make Next Step as fun and successful as possible. (Don’t ask us how they make the time. That’s a secret we’re pretty sure only a brilliant physicist could actually figure out.)

We applaud the spirit of generosity with which they offer their ambition, time and talent to help others succeed. Without further ado, here are the dedicated individuals who help Next Step let others actually take the next step:

Next Step: Founders

Bill Kubicek, Founder & Executive Director

Bill Kubicek is the founder and executive director of Next Step. It is Bill’s vision and firsthand experience that are the cornerstones for the programs, network and support that Next Step provides to adolescent and young adult survivors of life-threatening illnesses. Bill found his interest and expertise with this population as a twelve-year employee of Paul Newman’s The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford, CT. As assistant camp director, he developed and implemented a protocol for physical intervention with campers in crisis, a handicapped-accessible high-ropes program for teen campers, and a publishing program that brought computers to camp. As director for The Hole in the Wall Discovery Program, he brought together fifth-graders from inner city and suburban schools for a weeklong residential experiential education program with the goal of integrating Connecticut’s increasingly segregated public schools. Bill also facilitated a pilot program for at-risk youth in the bush of Botswana, Africa in 2002.

Bill was instrumental in bringing the young adult survivors to The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in 1998-2000. Next Step is based on these pilot programs and was officially incorporated in 2001. In the four short years since its founding, Bill has overseen the growth of Next Step and its reach in more than nine states throughout the U.S., serving approximately 1,700 young adults. Under his leadership, Next Step received national press in HemAware, the Journal of the National Hemophilia Foundation. Bill has been the keynote speaker for the National Hemophilia Foundation and the National Sickle Cell Disease Association of America. He has also represented The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp at regional and national conferences, where he presented on issues of accessibility and diversity. Bill and his wife, Nancy, reside in Cambridge, MA with their two children.

Dr. Lisa R. Diller, M.D.

She is acting chief of Clinical Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber

Cancer Institute, and associate professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. In addition, Dr. Diller served for two years as a board member for Next Step. Dr. Diller's work focuses on the treatment of patients with solid tumors, particularly neuroblastoma, and the study of survivors of childhood cancer. She is a national expert in both areas. She is the founder and director of the Perini Family Survivor Center and the medical director of the David B. Perini, Jr. Quality of Life Program, which is devoted to clinical care for and research on childhood cancer survivors. She is also a member of the national Children's Oncology Group.

Paul Newman

Paul Newman, founder of The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, has committed his support and guidance to Next Step. His recognition of the hole in the system provided the initial motivation for the development of Next Step. His continued support and guidance are indispensable. “Children with life threatening illnesses have many homes. Teens and young adults have none. Next Step fills this vacuum by providing life changing opportunities to young people.”

Next Step: Board of Directors

Stephen W. Starnes, Chairman

Stephen Starnes is a partner and senior vice president for Client Services at Mondrian Investment Partners, a London-based asset manager with more than $31 billion under management. Steve’s client responsibilities include Taft-Hartley, labor-related clients and Mondrian’s $8 billion in sub-advisory assets (including UBS, Smith Barney, The Royal Bank of Canada and Citigroup). Steve works in concert with the London research teams and travels globally in various capacities. He has remained committed to volunteerism and philanthropy throughout his career. He works extensively with foundation and endowment clients to structure portfolios, develop fund raising, and focus board activities. For over 25 years, he has served as a fundraiser and in various committee positions at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY. Steve continues to volunteer as a camp counselor at The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford, CT and as a staff member at Next Step retreats. Steve received his B.A. in sociology from Hamilton College and currently resides in Philadelphia, PA with his wife, Rose.

Bill Kubicek, Founder & Executive Director

(For Bill’s biography, please see previous listing under Next Step: Founders.)

Gene Crowley

Gene Crowley is the owner of Milestone Associates, a real estate brokerage firm specializing in retail space and property management based in Natick, MA. After working with The Flatley Companies for 13 years, Gene founded Milestone and is now primarily involved in developing retail centers. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts. Gene has been following Next Step since its founding in 2001 and has proved a valuable resource for networking and supporting Next Step initiatives. The Crowley family has been involved in The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp through Ken’s Foods and Newman’s Own products for several years. Gene and his wife, Gay, have three children and reside in Sherborn, MA. Gene’s passions include hockey, skiing and watching the Red Sox.

Elizabeth A. Pasciucco

Beth Pasciucco is a Worldwide Partner and Director of Global Marketing, Communications and Education for Mercer HR Services. Mercer is the world’s largest HR consulting firm, with over 14,000 employees and offices in 41 countries. Prior to joining Mercer, Beth was a Senior Vice President for Retail Marketing at Fidelity Investments where she was responsible for branding, advertising and all consumer promotion. She began her career in advertising agency work at Arnold Worldwide and has worked on a variety of businesses including Fleet Financial, Motorola, and Sperry Top-Sider.

Beth is involved in many philanthropic endeavors including the St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, Boston, Fundraising Board, the American Ireland Fund , The Esplanade Association – Corporate Marketing Chair, Notre Dame Academy – Capital Campaign Co-Chair, and the College of the Holy Cross - President’s Council Member. She is also on the Advisory Board of Hayden and Wilder, a firm which assists recent college graduates finding employement.

Beth holds a BA in English from the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA

Babette Rittmeyer
Babette Rittmeyer is a lifelong philanthropist, activist and professional whose career in advertising and design for the New Hampshire Times and a monthly statewide news magazine spanned several years. She graduated from American University in Washington, D.C., where she received degrees from the College of Arts & Sciences and the School of International Service. Babette served on the New Hampshire Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect, recently finished her 7th year as a board member for Children and Family Services, an organization with over 150 years of service for children in crisis, spent five years as fundraiser and board member for New Hampshire’s First Night, and has served as paid staff and chief fundraiser for several congressional and presidential campaigns.

Her primary passions, though, are her children, Matthew (24) and Marin (21). As her son recently said, “Babette holds two unofficial degrees in oncology and nephrology as a result of learning about, researching and following Matthew’s diagnosis and treatment of Wilms Tumor, shortly after his birth.” After receiving treatment at Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Children’s Hospital, Matthew has been cancer-free for 21 years. In 2004, Matthew spent seven months on dialysis and in July, he received a kidney transplant from a longtime family friend — they were the youngest transplant duo on record at the Brigham. Babette has provided endless support to Next Step since witnessing her son’s personal growth after participating in four Next Step Survivors’ Weekends. Matthew is now living outside of Chicago where he sells yachts on Lake Michigan. Babette can also be found teaching Spanish from her home, breeding English Labradors, tending to her horses and stables, assisting professional photographer, Wendy Cahill, and writing. She is currently working on a biography about a California congressman, who is a Holocaust survivor and has served eleven-and-a-half consecutive terms in office. Babette and her husband, Bill, an avionics engineer, live in Concord, New Hampshire.

Marcus Smith
Marcus Smith began working with children as an undergraduate at Wesleyan University at the Ida Mae Powell Day Care Center in Middletown, Connecticut and the CDC Day Care Center in Atlanta, Georgia. After graduating from Wesleyan University in 1993, he joined The Hole in the Wall Gang staff as a counselor during that summer. In the fall of 1997, he took a sabbatical from Pingry to pursue a Master’s of Theological Studies at Harvard University’s Divinity School while working at The Hole in the Wall during the coinciding summers. After completion, he returned to Pingry to teach until he began working in the music industry during the summer of 1998. In 2000, he was hired by the Universal and Motown Records Group in A & R Administration, and in 2001, he began working in finance and strategic marketing for the Universal Motown Records Group. Marcus recently left the Universal and Motown Records Group in September to develop and consult independent artists and record companies. As a friend of Bill Kubicek and a fan of his vision, Marcus is excited to bring his experience, insight and resources to the cause.

Francis J. Tietje

Frank Tietje is a Senior Account Executive with Summit Financial Corporation, a Boston based benefits consulting and administration firm. Frank manages over 30 retirement plans and has worked in the retirement field for over 25 years. Frank is a member of the American Society of Pension Practitioners & Actuaries (ASPPA).

Over the years Frank has been involved with several not-for-profit entities. He served on the board for the Leukemia Society of America, Central New York chapter from 1997 – 2000 and on the Executive Committee as the finance chairman in 1998-1999. Frank also was a member of the parish council for St. James church in Cazenovia, NY. He was a member of the Hamilton College Alumni Council for 2000 – 2005, president of the class of 1980.

Frank enjoys participating in sports especially when he can be involved with a worthy program. He coached youth soccer and little league for several years. He has also run 4 marathons for the Leukemia and Lymphoma

Next Step: Advisory Board Members

Lou Bergholz

Ellen Casey

Eileen Duffy-Lind

Lisa R. Diller, M.D.

Paul Newman

Next Step: Medical Advisory Board

Lisa R. Diller, M.D.

Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School

Founder and Director, David B. Perini, Jr. Quality of Life Program

Medical Director, Next Step

Howard A. Pearson, M.D.

Professor of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine

Director of Sickle Cell and Thalassemia Programs, Yale-New Haven Medical Center

Former Chief and Chairman of Pediatrics, Yale-New Haven Medical Center

Former President, The American Academy of Pediatrics

Founding Medical Director, The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp

Sharon Space, M.D.

Medical Director, The Hole In The Wall Gang Camp

Matthew Heeney, M.D.

Director, Hematology Clinic, Children’s Hospital Boston

Clinical Director, Sickle Cell Program, Children’s Hospital Boston

Attending Physician, Hematology/Oncology Service, Children’s Hospital Boston

Instructor in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School

Assistant in Medicine, Children’s Hospital Boston, Boston, MA

Active Staff in Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA

Medical Staff, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA

Staff in Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA

“I didn’t think I could do it, but I did.”

-- Next Step participant

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