Z. Michael Taweh, M.D. President / Medical Director

Dr Taweh resides in Newtown and has been a primary care physician since 1999 and now maintains his medical practice in Danbury as Advanced Internal Medicine.  Dr. Taweh is Founder, President and Medical Director of Kevin's Community Center.  Dr. Taweh has a particular interest in the nonprofit health care sector and works towards health care reforms for affordable healthcare for all Americans.  He was presented the prestigious 2004 Dr. Melville G. Magida Award sponsored annually by the Fairfield County Medical Association and the Richard & Hinda Rosenthal Foundation. The award recognizes a young physician who has shown a notable capacity for patient treatment and care, and a special sensitivity to patient-physician relationships.

George Taweh Vice President / Secretary

Mr. Taweh resides in Plainville, CT, and is a Certified Project Management Professional by the Project Management Institute (PMI). He has more than 12 years of construction management experience in the medical construction field and industrial, commercial and high rise buildings. Mr. Taweh holds several engineering degrees including a Masters degree.  He is currently a candidate for an MBA degree and the author of a book entitled “The Dialysis Project Management Guide.”

Michael P. Ronan, Esq.

Mr. Ronan resides in Newtown and is a semi-retired attorney and management consultant.  He has over 25 years of experience in business, consulting and the law, having focused his professional career on corporate formation, strategic planning, governance and administration, commercial and residential real estate, contracts and small business affairs, team-building, conflict resolution, negotiation and mediation.  Earlier in his career he was with the Perkin-Elmer Corporation and was assigned to the NASA Hubble Space Telescope Program. Mr. Ronan has served as a director on numerous community boards and nonprofit corporations, including Newtown Youth Services, Saint Rose Church Parish Council, Newtown Lions Club and the Greater Danbury Business Association (Past President) and he has advised many area nonprofit organizations.

Evan Pitkoff, Ed.D.

Dr. Evan Pitkoff received his Bachelor of Science in psychology and health science from Brooklyn College, Master of Arts in learning disabilities from New York University, a second Master of Arts in educational administration from New York University, and a Doctor of Education in educational administration from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Dr. Pitkoff spent the first ten years of his career in the New York City High School division, serving in Brooklyn, New York as a special education teacher at James Madison High School, coordinator of special education at Prospect Heights High School and as an assistant principal at Erasmus Hall High School. He came to Connecticut in 1988 and has served as Principal of New Britain High School (1988-1995), Assistant Superintendent of the Hamden Public Schools (1995-1998), Superintendent of Schools for Region #10 in Burlington and Harwinton (1998-2002), Superintendent of Schools in Newtown (2002-2007) and currently serves as the Executive Director of Cooperative Educational Services in Trumbull, Connecticut where he has been since 2007.

Dr. Pitkoff has presented workshops and written journal articles in the areas of alternative education, teacher evaluation, interdisciplinary learning, school safety, distance learning, the superintendent's role in instructional improvement, employee absenteeism, school district governance, and conducting executive searches. He is a Past President of the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (2006-2007).

Dr. Pitkoff is a Justice of the Peace in Connecticut and also serves on the Board of Directors of several non-profit organizations including Kevin's Community Center (a free health clinic) in Newtown, Volunteers in Psychotherapy (a free mental health clinic) in West Hartford and the Trumbull Chamber of Commerce

Della Schmid, M.S., D.C.

Dr. Schmid resides in Newtown and has been in private practice as a Doctor of Chiropractic for over 16 years. Dr. Schmid owns Colonial Chiropractic Centre in Newtown. Dr. Schmid holds two Bachelor's degrees, one in Human Biology from the National University of Health Sciences and the other in Physical Education from Ithaca College. In addition to her Doctorate degree from the National College of Chiropractic in Lombard, IL, she holds a Master of Science degree in Biomechanics from the University of Delaware. She is currently certified as a Chiropractic Sports Physician and has earned 300 postdoctoral hours toward board eligibility as a Chiropractic Orthopedic specialist. Dr. Schmid is a former adjunct instructor in diagnostic imaging, EMT, consultant at a New Haven subacute HIV/AIDS hospital called Leeway, and Research Fellow at the National College of Chiropractic. She has co-chaired the annual Newtown Health and Safety Fair since its inception in 1993 and is a member of the Newtown Chamber of Commerce, various Chiropractic associations, and the Newtown Public Schools Wellness Committee. She has volunteered on the medical staff of the NYC Marathon and Nutmeg Games.

Susan A. Belanger, Ph.D.

Dr. Belanger resides in Newtown and is a therapist at Community Health Center in Danbury, CT. Dr. Belanger holds Masters of Arts and Doctorate degrees in Developmental Psychology and has been practicing, publishing and presenting in the field of child welfare and mental health with children, adolescents and their families for over 12 years. Dr. Belanger formally worked with the Department of Chhildren and Families providing assessments to children entering the foster care system. Dr. Belanger also served as a college Adjunct Lecturer in psychology and is skilled in research and analysis including such areas as program evaluation, outcome measurement, quality assurance and compliance measures. Dr. Belanger has served on several local and national advisory boards, including Middletown CT's Multi-Interdisciplinary Team, New York City's Council of Family and Child Care Agencies (COFCCA) Managed Health Care Task Force collecting data aimed at improving the delivery of quality medical services to children in foster care in New York City.

Lisa Schwartz

Lisa has held various elected offices in the Newtown community since moving here in 1993. First appointed to the Board of Ethics in 1994, she was later elected to the Legislative Council in 1995 and served for four years, chairing the Public Safety subcommittee and crafting ordinances for Council review. In 1999, she was elected to the Board of Education, where she served as Vice Chairman until 2008. Ms. Schwartz was also an active member of the Newtown Democratic Town Committee, having served as Secretary for 12 years. With a special interest in writing and editing, Ms. Schwartz has worked for both Fordham University School of Social Work and the NY State Society on Aging as a consulting editor for journal articles and related publications. Before staying home to raise children, Ms. Schwartz was a Personnel Officer for the State Department of Administrative Services. She is a graduate of Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY.