Simply Smiles Inc. is a not-for-profit organization, and therefore relies heavily on its volunteer Board of Directors. We have been lucky enough to recruit real pillars of the community to serve on the Board. Their dedication, experience, and expertise is invaluable. We invite you to learn a little about each of them.

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Ann Merriam Feinberg, Chairperson

Ms. Merriam Feinberg holds a B.A. from The University of Massachusetts at Amherst, a Masters of Education from The University of Hawaii at Manoa, and a J.D. from The University of Connecticut School of Law. Her professional career began with sixteen years of teaching elementary school. Later Mrs. Feinberg worked as an estate planning, elder law, and tax lawyer.

Since 1993, Ms. Feinberg has dedicated her talents to the not-for-profit world.  She was director of planned giving at Wesleyan University, director of development at the University of Connecticut School of Law and director of advancement at St. Margaret’s-McTernan (now Chase Collegiate) School. She is currently the director of outreach and development for the Connecticut Community Foundation.  She also serves on the Board of Directors for Naugatuck Savings Bank.  Ms. Feinberg resides with her husband Michael in Middlebury, CT.

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Bryan Nurnberger, President and Founder

Mark Pierce, Secretary

Dr. Pierce holds a B.A., an M.D., and a Ph.D all from Northwestern University. His professional career began at Harvard University with an appointment as a Clinical and Research Fellow in Medicine, an Instructor in Medicine, and as an Assistant Professor of Medicine. Dr. Pierce has applied his considerable talents as a physician and researcher at esteemed companies such as New England Nuclear Corporation, Enzymatics, Abbot Laboratories, The Warner-Lambert Company, and Pfizer. At Pfizer Dr. Pierce served as a Senior Vice President for Global Research and Development as well as The Director of Worldwide Clinical Research.

Dr. Pierce has served on the boards of directors for Phytomedics Inc. as well as Phylogica in Australia. His professional writings have been extensively published in journals and publications relating to his fields of research. Dr. Pierce is extremely active in his community including the Essex Congregational Church. He lives with his wife Kristen in Essex, CT.

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Lisa Doocy

Mrs. Doocy holds a B.S. in Special Education from Southern Connecticut State University and a Masters of Education in Supervision from Texas Woman’s University. Mrs. Doocy worked as a Special Education teacher in Dallas, TX before moving to Connecticut. In 1996 she began her tenure with The Kennedy Center in Trumbull, CT where she has held positions as a Special Education Teacher, an Early Intervention Coordinator, and currently as a Birth to Three Specialist.

Mrs. Doocy’s extensive charity work includes raising funds to fight Autism and as a committee member and Sunday School teacher at the Southport Congregational Church. Mrs. Doocy lives with her husband Paul in Southport, CT.

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Karen Jones

Mrs. Jones holds a B.A. in Mathematics and a Masters in Computer Science from Northern Illinois University – both degrees were earned summa cum laude.  Mrs. Jones spent her professional career working for IBM.  Beginning as a Systems Engineer and finally as the Manager for Marketing Intelligence and IBM Sales and Distribution.  She is an active supporter of many causes including serving on the Advisory Boards for the University of Connecticut Health Center and for the College of Education.  Mrs. Jones is also involved with the “Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship”, “Shepherds” where she is a mentor for students, and with the Southport Congregational Church.

A long time supporter of Simply Smiles she brings her experience volunteering in Mexico and as a fundraiser to our Board of Directors.  Mrs. Jones lives with her husband Bob in Westport, CT.

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Ivan Lucuk

Mr. Lucuk holds a B.A. from Bowdoin College.  He has spent his professional career working for Bridgewater Associates, a privately owned global macroeconomic hedge fund that manages portfolios mainly for institutional clients including corporate pension funds, endowments, state pension plans, and sovereign wealth funds. Mr. Lucuk began at Bridgewater as an Operations Associate, quickly being promoted to the Head of Foreign Exchange Operations, and is currently an Account Management Associate with a focus on client services.

Mr. Lucuk is as dedicated to his work with Simply Smiles as he is to his professional career.  He even took a six-month sabbatical in 2007 in order to help Simply Smiles expand our projects and infrastructure.  Mr. Lucuk lives with his wife Marisa in Norwalk, CT.

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Gil L’Italien

Gil L’Italien holds a Doctoral Degree in Epidemiology & Biostatistics from Boston University School of Public Health.  He is currently Executive Director of Global Health Outcomes at Bristol Myers Squibb and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Yale University School of Medicine. Gil is also a member of the CDC Foundation, Viral Hepatitis Action Coalition (VHAC) and the Industry Steering Committee of the Center for Education and Research on Therapeutics (CERT), Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ), US Department of Health and Human Services. Prior to his current professional roles, he served as Director, Vascular Research at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Instructor in Surgery, at Harvard Medical School. Gil has published extensively in the epidemiologic, public health, and medical fields.

Gil is a committed philanthropist who has devoted his time, resources and talents in support of a number of causes, including hospice care, education of girls in developing countries, and improvements to the lives of disabled and disadvantaged children throughout the world. He is currently applying his skills to support the Simply Smiles mission of improving the health of village children in the Oaxaca region of Mexico. Gil is an active member of the Deep River Congregational Church and lives in Deep River, CT with his wife Dale.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead