The Salem Academy Board of Trustees is the legal governing body of the school. The Board is held accountable to the public and ensures that the school’s academic program is successful, that the school is faithful to the terms of its charter, and that it is organizationally viable. With these ends in mind, the Board is responsible for determining the school’s mission and vision; managing its property and assets; recruiting, supporting, and evaluating the Executive Director; continually developing the Board; setting effective policies; and ensuring the school’s legal compliance and fiscal health.

Katherine Digangi

Katie Digangi joined the Salem Academy Charter School Board of Trustees in January 2012. 

John Jermyn

Mr. Jermyn is a lifelong resident of Salem where he currently resides with his wife Cheryl (who serves as the SFC co-moderator) and their two children who are Salem Academy students. John has been employed with American Express for the past 15 years where he has held a variety of positions, most recently as the Manager of Global Supplier Relations. He is a graduate of Salem State and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Service. He is also a graduate of North Shore Community College with an Associate Degree in Aviation Science. John holds a current Massachusetts General Contractors license and served as the general contractor overseeing construction of the recently completed Norman H. Read Science Discover Center at Salem Academy. John has served as a crisis counselor for Project Rap as well as provided volunteer assistance to the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless. He has also coached for both the Salem Youth Soccer league and the Salem Little League for several years. He is a long term member of the Salem Willows Yacht Club and holds a commercial pilot license.

Emily Maniscalco

Mrs. Maniscalco joined the Salem Academy Charter School Board of Trustees in 2010. She is currently a Development Officer, Prospect Research in the Development Office of Massachusetts General Hospital. Mrs. Maniscalco graduated with a BA (magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa) from Wellesley College in Medieval/Renaissance Studies and earned a PhD from the Faculty of Modern History at the University of Oxford in 2001. A Salem native, she now resides in Beverly, MA.

Paige Nalipinski

Leslie Tuttle

Chair of Facilities Committee

Ms. Tuttle joined the Salem Academy Charter School's Board of Trustees in 2010. She has a 6th grade student enrolled at SACS and is heavily involved in school activities and fundraising, including the Haunted Happenings Parade and Reach the Beach Relay and fundraiser. Ms. Tuttle earned her BS in Finance from Fairfield University and serves as a board member with the Federal Street Neighborhood Association, Salem Community Gardens (as co-president), Friends of Winter Island (as president), and the Salem Parks and Rec Commission. She currently works as Partner at Anderson Tuttle, a small development corporation and is Owner of tuttle&co (formerly Tuttle-Bradley), a small residential interior design firm.

James R. Zisson

Chair of Human Resources Committee

Mr. Zisson received his BS in Mechanical Engineering from UMass Dartmouth and his Masters in Engineering from Dartmouth College. He now works as Engineering and Project/Program Manager at General Electric in Lynn, MA and is active in Human Resource initiatives that include the GE People Plan and Engineering Recognition Day. Mr. Zisson serves as the Chair of the Human Resources Committee on the Salem Academy Board of Trustees as well as ibeing active in the community. He serves as Treasurer for the Salem Housing Authority, Corporator at Salem Five Bank and a member of the Salem YMCA Board of Directors, member of the Dartmouth Society of Engineers and member of the City of Salem Personnel Board.

Lisa Jacobowitz

Ms. Jacobowitz is a Salem resident and parent with over 20 years of experience as a practicing lawyer. She currently works as a partner of the North Shore based law firm Gilmore and Jacobowitz. She has extensive governance experience, including having held leadership positions on a variety of non-profit boards. Among others, Ms. Jacobowitz has served on the Boards of the United Way of the Central North Shore, Project Rap, Health & Education Services, Inc. (HES), and the Beverly Chamber of Commerce. In addition, she has been involved in the Salem Public school system since 1998, serving as an officer of the Parent Teacher Council, publishing the school’s monthly newsletter, presenting for the Junior Achievement program, serving on hiring committees and helping to provide enrichment and fundraising opportunities to benefit the Horace Mann Elementary School. She was a member of the Founding Board of Salem Academy Charter School. She holds a J.D. from the Vermont Law School and a B.A. from New York University.

Mark Meche

Mr. Meche is a registered architect as well as owner and co-founder of Winter Street Architects, located in downtown Salem. He is an active member of Salem’s volunteer community, formerly serving as President of the Salem Main Street Initiative Downtown Program, as a member of the Executive Committee of the Salem Partnership, and as a Board member of the Salem Chamber of Commerce. A Salem resident and parent of two children, Mr. Meche has been honored for his active service to the community. He was named Business Man of the Year by Salem Chamber of Commerce in 2002, received the Salem Volunteer Service Award in 2001, and the Chamber’s “Anchored in Salem Award” in 1999.

Patricia W. Newhall

Ms. Newhall is an English teacher and the Associate Director of the Landmark School Outreach Program, which is dedicated to empowering students with language-based learning disabilities by providing professional development opportunities for their teachers. She holds a Master of Arts degree in English from Boston College, and a Master of Science degree in Special Education from Simmons College. She has taught literature and writing at the secondary school level since 1987, and has lectured and taught seminars on topics related to learning disabilities since 1995.

Walter Stevenson “Steve” Palmer

(term, January 2011 - December 2011)

Mr. Palmer currently works as Manager, Marketing and Merchandising, for Varian, Inc. where he is responsible for all Marketing Communications activities relating to the vacuum technologies business in North America; he has been in this role for six years. He has been with Varian for 17 years in a variety of marketing and operations roles. Steve is a deacon and past chairman of the Standing Committee of The First Church in Salem. He is a resident of Salem where he and his wife, Katherine, moved in 1987. Together, the Palmers are the very proud parents of Alison and Hannah, one who is a recent graduate and one who is currently enrolled at SACS. Mr. Palmer is also an active member of the School/ Family/ Community Team at Salem Academy. He has a B.Sc. in Economics from Northeastern University, 1987, and attended McGill University previously.