Our Team

Join Our PACK Founder

I am a current high school student who understands the importance of mental health, and there is no time better than now to focus on the mental health of students in high school and college. To me it’s all about the connections we make that help us feel better about ourselves and the world we live in. I am inspired to help bridge those connections.

Join Our PACK Directors

John is a Managing Partner at Montis Financial, LLC and is responsible for his financial service company’s firmwide strategic plan and execution. John also has extensive experience in advising companies of all sizes on all aspects of operations and development, which made him the perfect choice as a Director for Join Our PACK. John received his B.A. in Economics from Middlebury College in VT. He lives in Boston, MA with his wife Caitlin and soon-to-be baby girl, as well as their much loved pup Ranger. Being the dog lover he is, once he learned how Join Our PACK was trying to get a campus therapy dog on as many college campuses as possible, he enthusiastically started giving me much valued advice on how to get a non-profit organization started.

Linda is a retired schoolteacher from the Rhode Island public school system. Her experience relating to the importance of faculty/student connections, as well as her knowledge centered around youth and young adult mental health, has been hugely helpful as a Director of Join Our PACK, particularly from the perspective of an educator. Linda is also the mom of three grown children, a daughter out of college, a son soon to be a college graduate, and another son just starting college, which makes her an expert on the mental health stressor put on college students. Linda received a master’s degree in the School of Education from the University of Rhode Island with an emphasis on social and psychological sciences. She lives in Franklin, MA with her husband Mark, and until recently their beloved family pup Lexi (Nov 2010 – Nov 2021).

Join Our PACK Advisors

Mr. Fortunato became Thayer Academy’s new Head of School in July 2021, and from the start has emphasized addressing real-world problems and opportunities through collaboration across academic disciplines and teamwork. This is exactly what he has done with relation to his focus on student social/emotional wellbeing and mental health. Thayer Academy is striving to be the center of excellence among independent schools in this area and wishes to be the model for others to follow. Mr. Fortunato earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard College, a law degree from Harvard Law School, and a master’s degree in social work from Boston University. He lives in Braintree, MA with his wife and two children and has become a significant force in making mental health a priority at Thayer Academy, and a valued Advisor for Join Our PACK.