MAGE Board of Directors

Matthew Benet

Director​

Matthew Benet is an educator specialized in gifted students. First through private tutoring, then through CTY, and today as the founder of edRev, Matt has taught and mentored over 200 gifted students since 2016 - where he was the winner of the CTY Online Sarah D Barder Fellowship for excellence in gifted education. Matt also designed, created, and ran CTY’s High School Competitive Math Club.

An expert in virtual education, Matt was enlisted by MIT’s Educational Studies Program (SPARK, SPLASH) to design and direct their first virtual program after COVID hit and he has designed an interactive VR classroom for teaching Physics.

Matt founded edRev, an organization that focuses on gifted socialization and tutoring, with a focus on helping gifted students achieve their potential. He strives to help gifted students thrive and develop skills to address asynchronous development – a common trait among the gifted.

Carol Lach

President Emeritus

Dr. Carol Lach became active in MAGE in 2011 because her children were fortunate enough to attend school in one of the few districts in MA with a gifted program, and their successes inspired her to work so all bright kids could have appropriate educational opportunities.

During her ten years at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), she was the Liaison to the Gifted and Talented Advisory Council, and the sole person with any responsibility for G/T at DESE.  As a grant coordinator in Instructional Technology, Math, and Science, she visited schools throughout the state, worked on professional development, math standards, and financial literacy prior to her retirement after ten years.

Her Ph.D. in biochemistry afforded her the opportunity to work in cancer research, which she did for ten years. Carol’s teaching experience spans kindergarten to college from upstate New York to Mississippi, North Carolina, and most recently Framingham. Since retiring, she keeps busy with MAGE activities, writing historical fiction and producing and co-hosting the show, "Novel Ideas" on Access Framingham TV.

She is passionate about growing MAGE into a dynamic and empowered community for the sake of our bright children, their parents, and educators, as well as a place to turn for support, resources, friends, and fun!

Heidi Lack

Director​

Heidi Lack, PhD, ATR-BC brings to MAGE 30+ years of clinical experience as a licensed psychologist and board-certified registered art therapist. Through psychoeducation, empowerment, advocacy, strategic and creative interventions, Dr. Lack brings empirically-based support to individuals, families, education, business and policy. Dr. Lack holds certification from, and is a former instructor and supervisor in Behavioral Medicine (mind-body connection) through Harvard University Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance; a PhD in clinical psychology from CSPP- Alameda specializing in projective assessment of stress and coping; a MA and was faculty in Expressive Therapy Art Therapy from Lesley University; a BA from McGill University, Psychology, Suma Cum Laude, and received the Vanier College presidential award. She has trained or been employed at numerous Boston and Bay area settings including HMS-CHA, Kaiser Permanente SFO, Boston Children’s Hospital, Brandeis University, the Hallowell Centers, and speaks and provides workshops locally and nationally. She is past education chair, and vice president of the New England Association of Art Therapy.

Heidi has a private practice in Lexington MA, and is founder of Exceptionally WiredTM consultation, co-founder of Intentional Parenting Groups, co-facilitator of The Gifted Journey Parenting Workshops© and community, and is a SENG SCG (SMPG) parent and community group trained facilitator. Her approach to working with gifted, 2e, attention and sensory challenged clients, including, misophonia and anxiety is to help clients elucidate and integrate the complexities inherent to their neurodivergent profiles. As a parent of two 2e young adults, who required innovative intentional educational choices, she looks forward to expanding awareness of the asynchronous needs and the essentiality of strengths-based educational decisions and opportunities for Gifted and multi exceptional stakeholders.

Rebecca Lamkin

Director​

Rebecca is currently a Research Health Scientist at the VA Boston Healthcare System where she has worked on projects ranging from clinical drug trials to expansion of teledermatology for rural patients to inappropriate antibiotic utilization.  Prior to her time at the VA Rebecca worked at the Centers for Disease Control and the Johns Hopkins University School of Public health.

Rebecca was born and raised in Massachusetts and received her BA in Chemistry & Sociology from Emory University, and her MA in Sociology from Johns Hopkins University. She has volunteered at her children's schools in various positions from PTA treasurer to robotics team coordinator and has been on the board of PIN, Inc for over a decade (The Parents’ Independent School Network facilitates communication, promotes parental networking and awareness, and provides programs to our New England area member school communities).

Deborah Lee

Director​

Deb’s work in gifted education spans two decades, both in public and private sectors, and ranges from teaching to program administration. Prior to relocating to Massachusetts, she served as a Curriculum Director in a mid-sized public school district and was an active member of the Illinois Association for Gifted Children (IAGC). An alumna of Northwestern University, her professional interests lie in STEAM, diversity, and equity. Deb continues to serve on the Board of the Midwest Academy for Gifted Education in Chicago alongside Massachusetts Association for Gifted Education.

Magalie A. Pinney

Director

Born and raised in Brockton, Massachusetts to second generation, struggling Haitian immigrants, Magalie was provided quality private education in parochial schools and graduated with many honors held. She earned her Communications baccalaureate, cum laude, with a minor in Sociology from Regis College, as a result of merit scholarships and grants.

Magalie worked in the retail industry from high school through college to partially support her single mother and her education. She moved into the Financial Services industry working for companies, such as Boston Financial, John Hancock, IBT, and is currently a Senior Operations Associate at State Street Corporation.

She is invested as a woman, wife, and mother who regularly advocates for her multi-exceptional children, partners with their schools, volunteers as a parenting editor, distributor, and contributor for South Shore Community Magazine. She has been a MAGE member and advocate since 2013. She received a public service award from MAGE in 2019.