Board of Directors

Executive Committee

Jerry Bishop - Chairman of the Board

Jerry joined Well Spouse in 2001 and has been a board member since 2004 (including as Chairman from 2008 to 2017). His spouse Cindy has had MS since 1992, shortly after they married in 1987. Cindy is still at home and Jerry is her primary caregiver along with their now adult children.  He has been a support group leader for many years. Jerry has had a 35+ year career in the communications field and currently works at Verizon as an administrator.  He studied at Northeastern University and Middlesex Community College.

Bob Mastrogiovanni – President

Bob has been a WSA member since 1992, a long-time support group leader, and a Board member and Executive Committee member since 2006. He married his high school sweetheart Kathy and they were married for 50 years until her passing in June 2018 from MS. Shortly after their marriage, Kathy was diagnosed with MS. Bob served in the US Army as an officer and then returned to graduate school in the 1970’s. He had a successful career as an accountant and as an Internal Revenue Agent until his early retirement to care for his wife in 2004.  Bob has an MBA from La Salle University. He is a resident of New Jersey.

Kim Smits – Secretary 

Kim joined the Twin Cities (MN) Well Spouse support group in 2014, and has facilitated the group since 2021. She joined the WSA Board in April 2024. Kim and her husband, Dale, have been married for 34 years and live in Bloomington, MN. Dale had an aortic dissection and stroke in October 2008 at the age of 45. Twin boys Joe and Jack were six at the time, just starting 1^st grade. Communication continues to be the greatest challenge as Dale has severe aphasia and apraxia. Kim is a category leadership manager with 35 years of experience in the CPG industry, currently employed by Conagra Brands. She also serves on the Foundation Board of their church. Kim attended the University of Kentucky and Cardinal Stritch University and has a BS in Management.

Al Kozin – Treasurer and IT Administrator

Al has served as Webmaster and Site Administrator for WSA since 2013 and joined the Board in 2018 as Treasurer. He is a soon-to-be-retired electrical engineer. He was caregiver for his wife from 2003 until her death in 2010. Al attended Drexel Institute of Technology and Temple University. Al is a resident of Lansdale, PA. 

Board Members

Barry Appelbaum

Barry joined Well Spouse in 2015, started a local WSA support group in his community, and joined the WSA Board as fundraising chair in 2020 and has chaired numerous committees. Married for 31 years to Susanne, who had a massive stroke in 2011, with further complications leading to a hemorrhage in emergency surgery, resulting in a severe brain injury, Aphasia, Apraxia, partial paralysis, Dementia, and other cognitive issues. Homebound, she requires round-the-clock support, as well as speech, physical and occupational therapy. Barry works in sales and has 5 children and 7 grandchildren. His hobbies include the beach, sports (Yankees and Knicks), antique collecting, flea markets, 60's and 70's music and biking/exercise. Barry lives in Lancaster PA, and in Surf City NJ (his happy place).  Barry attended City University of New York and is a resident of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. 

Jane Lupo

Jane has been a member of WSA since 2008, and a board member since 2011. Her primary focus is our Well Spouse Support Groups. Her husband has chronic pain disorder. Jane is a Registered Nurse with over twenty years of experience providing care for adult patients across the oncology spectrum.  She has an AS in Nursing Science and studied Multicultural Nursing and Health Education at UC-Dominguez Hills. She and her husband reside in Neenah, Wisconsin.

Lawrence Bocchiere III 

Larry is former Chairman and President Emeritus of WSA. He joined WSA in 2001, became its Legislative Liaison, served two terms as President, and currently serves as Chairman of the Board. Larry’s wife, Deborah, passed away in 2013 after a 17-year illness during which he was her primary caregiver. Larry worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 33 years, as a postmaster in Goldens Bridge, Cos Cob, and Southport, CT. Early in his career, he established the Stamford CT Area Local American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO, bringing together smaller entities under the umbrella of a large labor organization. He was elected state president and pursued a policy of education and representation for smaller offices at the state level. He was asked to serve as chair of the APWU AFL-CIO’s National President’s Conference, serving over 70,000 members. He eventually served as Northeast regional coordinator. Larry spent 14 years as a 4H Leader at Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport, mentoring children in public speaking and animal husbandry. He attended the University of Bridgeport. Larry and his wife Cynthia reside in Wolcott, Connecticut.

Sheldon Friedman

Sheldon joined Well Spouse more than 20 years ago and has been a caregiver for his wife since her MS worsened in the early 1990s. Sheldon joined the WSA Board in 2017 to apply his experience as a labor economist and researcher to advocate for public policies needed by Well Spouses. Prior to retiring in 2017, Sheldon spent much of his career at the AFL-CIO, and he chaired the Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee at OPM during the Obama administration. He has co-edited four books in the field of labor economics and industrial relations and authored or co-authored numerous publications. Sheldon is an MIT graduate and lives with his wife Marjorie in Springfield, Virginia.

Laurel Wittman – Former President

Laurel joined WSA as a member in 2014 and joined the Board in 2020 to focus on outreach for younger well spouses. She and her husband Eduardo have been married for 20 years. Eddie was diagnosed with MS in 1998 at the age of 24, and his disease course has been aggressive—he has needed 24-hour care for years. He currently lives at home but he also spent two years in an assisted living facility, so Laurel is familiar with a range of caregiving situations. Laurel has been a venture lender with Oxford Finance LLC since 2004, providing loan facilities to life sciences companies in the US, Canada, and Europe. She has a BS in Commerce with a concentration in Finance from the University of Virginia. She and her husband reside in Falls Church, Virginia.