IMPACT STAFF

Meg Stone is the Executive Director of IMPACT and the Project Director of IMPACT:Ability. Meg has led IMPACT since 2005 and in that time she has led the development of abuse prevention and safety training programs for schools, homeless shelters, rape crisis centers, disability service agencies and domestic violence organizations. Meg’s writing about abuse-related issues has been published in the Washington Post, Ms., WBUR’s Cognoscenti, the Huffington Post, and the Patriot Ledger. Meg loves musicals and knows the words to a surprising number of show tunes.

Michael Perry is IMPACT’s Training and Curriculum Developer & IMPACT Ability Lead Instructor. Mike has been an IMPACT instructor at the Boston chapter since 1991 and has been a trainer for new suited instructors since 1994. He has developed many of IMPACT’S courses, such as Self-Defense Against Firearms, Self-Defense Against Edged Weapons, and the Teen Boys course. He also co-developed the IMPACT:Ability course. Mike is a graduate of LFI, and holds three Black belts – including an 8th degree black belt in Shotokan karate and a 7th degree black belt in Jujitsu. Mike is also a Master class IDPA shooter and a certified NRA and Massachusetts firearms instructor.

Mandy Doyle Cohen is a licensed special education teacher and has a Master’s Degree in Intercultural Relations. She started with IMPACT as a student and took Take your Power, Strength and Balance, Women’s Core, and Assertiveness & Boundary Setting before becoming an assistant for Women’s Core. Mandy now works full-time at IMPACT as the IMPACT:Ability and Community Programs Manager and teaches IMPACT:Ability classes. Mandy is passionate about teaching healthy relationships and healthy sexuality to people with disabilities.

Adriana Li is a Program Coordinator and Self-Defense Instructor of IMPACT Boston and IMPACT: Ability programs, such as Assertiveness & Boundary Setting, De-escalation, Self-Defense, and safety for LGBTQ+ populations and survivors of color. She began her work at the affiliate program Triangle, Inc. in January 2017, helping adults with disabilities develop advocacy skills and independence in the workplace. Later in the same year, she transitioned fully to IMPACT, broadening her reach of teaching safety strategies and self-protection. She comes from a background of arts & education, holding a bachelor’s degree in theater from Pine Manor College. She has been a youth educator/mentor in various museums and K-8 school programs since 2008. In her spare time, she assist-teaches youth in Boston Chinatown the art of traditional Chinese lion dance and kung fu. Adriana looks forward to helping others develop the strength of their power and safety as an individual at IMPACT, especially those in marginalized communities and trauma survivors.

Shay Orent is a full-time Program Coordinator for IMPACT and Lead Instructor. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Gender & Women’s Studies from a small women’s college, and is thrilled to be using her degree to help people question and confront the power structures that hold us back. She particularly enjoys  helping young people build skills that will lead them towards healthier relationships/sexual encounters through IMPACT’s teen self-defense classes. Prior to IMPACT, she was a volleyball coach and a volunteer rape crisis counselor. She enjoys traveling to places where she can practice her Spanish, teaching her cat silly tricks, and proving herself in ping pong matches.

Ben Comeau is a full-time Program Coordinator at IMPACT and Suited Instructor. He started his career at IMPACT as a per diem suited instructor in 2016, and moved to a full-time position in 2018.  He is trained as both a lead instructor and a suited instructor in our IMPACT:Ability curriculum, and teaches classes for all age groups. Ben grew up in Beverly, MA and studied history at Salem State University. In his time outside of IMPACT, Ben coaches high school wrestling and is an avid rugby player.

Jeanine Woods is an IMPACT:Ability Program Coordinator at IMPACT Boston. She teaches the Peer IMPACT program as well as safety and self-advocacy, abuse reporting and response, healthy relationships and sexuality education, and internet safety within the Boston Public School system. She graduated from Middlesex Community College with an Associate of Science in Business Administration and went on to transfer to the University of Massachusetts Lowell. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Management. She has previously worked and volunteered in various settings: community organizations, healthcare, classrooms, and as a government employee, including time at Fidelity House, Inspired Physical Rehab, Middlesex Community College, previous work with IMPACT Boston, and Hanscom Airforce Base, YWCA Boston’s Youth Leadership Initiative, Empowering People for Inclusive Communities (EPIC), and Alpha Sigma Tau- Beta Tau Chapter at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Social justice and community service have been a lifelong passion. Jeanine is committed to improving the lives of people with disabilities, and enjoys helping people with disabilities access resources. Jeanine has also presented as Jane Doe Prevention speaker in 2017and cohosted Triangle’s 42nd Annual Gala in 2013.

Kayataina Lee Van Der Meer is a youth educator at Impact Boston. She teaches students at the Henderson Inclusion School about bullying prevention, self-advocacy, healthy relationships, and sex education. She has previously worked with IMPACT as a Peer Leader and was a Service Warrior in the EPIC Program. She graduated from Another Course to College with a Certificate of Completion and from the Henderson Inclusion School with a High School Diploma. She has also presented at the Massachusetts Council for Exceptional Children Conference.

Katiana Gordon is a Youth Educator at IMPACT Boston. She teaches the Peer IMPACT program at the Henderson K-12 Inclusion School and the yearlong IMPACT:Ability program at both the Henderson and CASH. Previously with the IMPACT:Ability Peer IMPACT program, Katiana was a Peer Trainer and Peer Leader teaching 5th grade students and training new Peer Leaders. She graduated in 2017 at the Henderson K-12 Inclusion school with a certificate of completion, and in 2020 she completed the Transition Program at the Henderson as well. She has presented at both the National Sexual Assault Conference and The Massachusetts Council for Exceptional Children Conference. She loves to write, dance, and shop.

Sean Greene grew up in a high crime area of Dorchester, MA. He volunteered with Guardian Angels, a nonprofit anti-crime organization, and studied various styles of traditional martial arts. As an adult Sean worked in law enforcement and has done bodyguard work. In addition to his per diem Suited Instructor role with IMPACT (which he has held since 2006), he runs a program that helps people with disabilities find jobs.

Amanda Reyome has been a per diem Lead Instructor since 2016. In her daily work she specializes in Trauma Recovery Mental Health Counseling. Amanda trained at Boston College and did her pre-masters Clinical experience at the Mental Health Association of Greater Lowell. She now sees individuals of all ages at Mattapan Community Health Center and helps them process through experiences of trauma and improve overall mental health. She began involvement with IMPACT after attending a workshop at the JRI Trauma Conference and feeling very motivated and driven by the idea of healing trauma even more deeply by building a sense of safety and power within our own bodies.

Helen Joseph is an Expressive Arts Therapist and works locally and internationally to support children, adults, and communities build confidence, self-awareness, and tap into their inner strength. Helen became a coach at Impact a few years after enrolling in one of the organization’s Weekend Basics courses as a student. She has loved working towards Impact’s mission, and helping to empower the students learning self-defense.

Rick Jackson has been a per diem Suited Instructor since 2017. Prior to joining IMPACT, Rick was involved in social services programs designed to build community and family support, as well as to support educational and vocational paths for youth in Massachusetts. After completing his M.A. in 2018, Rick has worked for a regional Boston-headquartered bank as a financial crimes and anti-money laundering investigator. Rick enjoys teaching with IMPACT and takes great pride in equipping students with tools they can use to gain confidence, strength, and power by developing both physical and verbal skills that they can bring to every aspect of their lives.

Josh Alba has been a per diem Suited Instructor since 2018, and became a full-time Program Coordinator in 2022. He’s a long-time community organizer on several issues including education, reproductive and economic justice issues. He enjoys working with IMPACT students and encouraging them to take space, prioritize their safety, and stand up for what they believe in.

Aaron Grossman is a per diem Suited Instructor for IMPACT. In addition to his work with us, he leads the Boston chapter of the Pink Pistols – an organization that advocates for self defense rights within sexual minority communities – and runs a design and engineering consultancy. He cherishes all these roles for the opportunity to help people learn to overcome problems.