The purpose of the Grants Committee is to evaluate all grant proposals on behalf of the Foundation. The committee evaluates each proposal using criteria approved by the Ashburnham Westminster Foundation for Academic Excellence Board of Directors. The committee findings and recommendations are delivered to the full board for final approval.
David Uminski
David Uminski retired after a 35 year career at Oakmont Oakmont Regional High School in June 2021. During that time, he taught History for 19 years, served as Assistant Principal for two years, and was Principal the last 14 years. Additionally, he coached ice hockey, field hockey, baseball, and track. He served on the MIAA Ice Hockey and Field Hockey Committees and was a member of MIAC. He earned his undergraduate and master’s degrees in Teaching History at Fitchburg State College. He is an alumnus of the MSAA’s Leadership Licensure Program (LLP), where he earned his administrator certification and a second master’s degree from Endicott College. He is an adjunct professor in Fitchburg State’s Educational Leadership and Management Program. He currently lives, with his wife Carolyn, in Ashburnham. They have three grown children.
Serving on: Grants Committee
Dan Stango
Dan moved with his family to Westminster in 1991. One of the defining reasons to pick Westminster was the quality of the school system. His daughters both attended Ash/West schools and are graduates of Oakmont. Dan grew up in Dunmore, PA and has a degree in Business Administration from Penn State University. He has been in the financial services industry for most of his career. He was a member of the Oakmont School improvement Council and served as president of the Ashburnham/Westminster Rotary Club. He has served on the Westminster Advisory Board. He was the Rotary chairman for the project that installed lights on Oakmont’s athletic field. He has been recognized for his service to Oakmont High School and was recently elected to the Oakmont Sports Hall of Fame for his civic contributions. He joined the Foundation so he can help the district maintain its high degree of academic achievement.
Serving on: Grants Committee
Luci Hynes
Luci and her husband Rob moved to Westminster in 2006 because they knew there was something special about the town and its schools. She joined the Foundation primarily because she believes the community has a responsibility in assisting our educators in providing the best possible educational experience to our children. Luci has 2 children, Lucas, who attends Oakmont, and Cathryn, who attends Overlook Middle School. She enjoys being part of their school experiences, whether it is volunteering in the classroom, chaperoning a field trip, or sitting on the bleachers to watch a baseball game. She currently coaches girls’ softball. Luci received a B.A. in Biological Sciences from Rutgers College and an M.S. in Biological Sciences from St. John’s University. Luci has been a quality assurance professional in a number of industries for over 20 years and is currently works from home as Clinical Submission QC Expert for Novartis.
Serving on: Events Committee, Grants Committee
Diane Stango
Diane has been a resident of Westminster for over 20 years. She is the mother of two young women who attended school in the district and graduated from Oakmont. She graduated from the University of Connecticut with a degree in Political Science. She has worked her entire career for the federal government, Social Security Administration, and currently holds the position of technical expert. She has served on the Oakmont School Advisory Council and is active in her church. Quality education is a passion of Diane’s and she sees her work on the foundation as a way to enhance the experience of our current students.
Serving on: Events Committee, Grants Committee
Jennifer Shenk
Jennifer is a founding board member and is enthusiastic about AWFAE and working with community members who are committed to promoting academic excellence. Jen has six children, four of whom have graduated from Oakmont. Jen graduated from Franklin Pierce College with a B.A. in graphic design and sociology. Jen is very involved in the community in Westminster. She is a Realtor at Keller Williams Realty North Central. She previously worked for Little, Brown and Company Publishers in Waltham, and was Publisher and Editor of Community Vine, an electronic newsletter and website for and about Westminster.
Serving on: Events Committee, Grants Committee
