Meet Our Principals

Keystone Partners was founded in 1982 by Dave Melville, who had successfully formed contingency and contract staffing firm Winter, Wyman ten years earlier. Dave continues to serve as the firm’s Chairman. Starting with just one employee in a small office in Bedford, Massachusetts, Keystone has grown in the past 25 years to a multi-divisional corporation with three locations and 40+ employees. 

Over the years, Dave's entrepreneurial spirit has resulted in the establishment of seven corporations while his insistence on always putting the customer first, and developing managers and staff that executed in this fashion, has resulted in the company gaining its sterling reputation. Dave's personal belief in giving back to the community is reflected in the company's community development initiatives. He is a graduate of Boston College and Harvard Business School's Owner/President Management Program. After Boston College, Dave served five years as a Naval Aviator in the U.S. Marine Corps attaining the rank of Captain.

Robert E. Boudreau, Jr., Chief Executive Officer 
     bboudreau@keystonepartners.com 

Bob Boudreau brings a wealth of business leadership to the company, including extensive managerial and corporate successes across diverse organizations. As CEO, Bob provides strategic direction for Keystone Partners and its divisions. Bob has over 15 years experience in the career management field and has held the position of Keystone's CEO since 2000.

Concurrently, Bob holds the position of Chief Executive Officer of  The Winter, Wyman Companies. He joined Winter, Wyman in 1992 as Controller and has been a key player in the tremendous growth the company has experienced. Prior to joining Keystone and Winter, Wyman, Bob held senior financial positions with Millipore Corporation, Charles River Data Systems and Olympic Systems. Bob holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Management with a Concentration in Accounting from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. 

Ralph Roberto, President, Keystone Partners
     rroberto@keystonepartners.com 

Ralph Roberto is President of Keystone Partners where he oversees the strategic direction and daily operations of the firm and its divisions. Ralph also personally consults with senior executive clients and has partnered with hundreds of leaders from many of the world's most prestigious organizations, including Fortune 500 companies, industry-leading corporations and emerging growth organizations.

Ralph is a seasoned executive with over twenty years of experience in key corporate and operational assignments. He is recognized as a leading authority on executive career issues, and has been featured in many respected business publications, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Boston Globe, Boston Business Journal and Human Resource Executive. Prior to joining the firm, Ralph held senior management positions at Polaroid Corporation, where he established a unique blend of experience in human resources, sales and marketing.

Ralph received his Masters in Business Administration from the Boston University School of Management and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Boston College. He has completed professional development programs including the Consumer Marketing Program at the Kellogg School and the Advanced Leadership Program at the Center For Creative Leadership. He is the former Chairman of the Nominating Committee of the Board of Directors at Direct Federal Credit Union where he was also a Board member. Ralph also served on the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees at the former Deaconess-Waltham Hospital.   

Elaine Varelas, Managing Partner, Keystone Partners      
     evarelas@keystonepartners.com 

Elaine Varelas has over 20 years experience in career consulting and coaching development, and has worked with numerous executive management teams to improve organizational effectiveness. She has expertise in successfully resolving complex career management issues, including workforce planning, redeployment and multi-site restructurings. Elaine's experience spans a broad range of industries and businesses, including Fortune 500 companies, start-up ventures and not-for-profit organizations. Elaine also serves as Chairman Emeritus of  Career Partners International, LLC, a network of independently owned career management firms which Keystone co-founded in 1987.

Prior to joining Keystone, Elaine served as Director of Career Services at Stonehill College where she was a member of the faculty. She was formerly Assistant Director of Career Planning and Placement at the Boston University School of Management.

Elaine frequently addresses professional associations and has spoken to the Massachusetts Hospital Association, Society of Women Engineers, Hospital Financial Management Association and Simmons Graduate School of Management. Elaine has achieved widespread recognition for her expertise and insight on career matters. She is a regular contributor to the career section of  Boston.com where her monthly column,  The Hire Authority, advises Human Resources professionals and hiring agents on how to maximize their human capital and optimize their workforces. Elaine is also a regular contributor to the Boston Globe's  Job Doc.

A graduate of the Management Development Program at Boston University, Elaine holds a Master of Education degree from the University of Vermont and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. She is a member of many professional associations, including  The Boston Club.  

Leaders and Key Staff

Gary Blongiewicz, Senior Vice President, Keystone Partners
     garyb@keystonepartners.com

For Keystone Partners, Gary Blongiewicz teams with clients to manage their career management and human capital needs. Gary joined Keystone after a number of years in the human resources and placement industry. Prior to joining the firm, he was Director of Human Resource Placement for Winter, Wyman and Company, one of New England's largest staffing firms. Previously, Gary was employed by Wang Laboratories as Corporate Employment Manager, and progressed to Director of Human Resources for the U.S. Field Operations Group.

Gary has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Colgate University and is active in many professional associations including the  Human Resource Leadership Forum. Gary is also a frequent presenter at local colleges, universities and professional organizations on the subject of career transition.

David Hennessy, Vice President, Keystone Partners      
     dhennessy@keystonepartners.com 

David Hennessy partners with individuals and corporate clients to successfully address their career management challenges. David joined Keystone in 2000 with over twelve years of experience in management, training and sales. Prior to joining the firm, he was an East Coast Sales Manager for a national raw materials distributor. David is a certified Dale Carnegie course instructor who has also been trained by Organizational Dynamics as a certified facilitator in Quality Management programs. As an experienced program leader, he has provided training in communication, leadership and management skills.

David is a current Board member and former President of the  Human Resources Council, the longest-standing human resources professional association in Greater Boston. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Boston University's Graduate School of Management and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.  David serves as an annual guest lecturer for the University of Rhode Island on career management, networking and communication skills. 

Reenie Kelleher, Partner and Director of Client Services, Camden Consulting Group
     rkelleher@camdenconsulting.com  

Reenie Kelleher is responsible for developing and maintaining strong client relationships and ensuring the efficient and effective delivery of Camden's consulting services. Reenie has over 15 years of experience in training and business development. Prior to joining Camden, she was the Director of Sales and Marketing for Outward Bound's corporate training programs, where she was responsible for new business development. In addition, she instructed program participants in the areas of team effectiveness and leadership development.

Reenie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Human Development from Boston College and is an active member in the  Northeast Human Resources Association,  Human Resource Leadership Forum and  American Society of Training and Development. Reenie has completed the Tools for Developing Successful Executives program at the Center For Creative Leadership in Greensboro, North Carolina and is certified in the Center's developmental assessment instruments, including Benchmarks^®. 

Sean T. Kenney, Partner, Essex Partners
     skenney@essexpartners.com  

Sean T. Kenney, Partner of Essex Partners, brings an entrepreneurial, business development and career management background to his consulting work with senior executives and business leaders.  With a particular strength in helping clients position and market themselves for successful advancement and career and life change, Sean leverages relationships in the greater Boston area established over many years in business development to gain visibility for his clients with retained recruiters and target companies. 
 
Before joining Essex, Sean was Vice President of Keystone Associates, where he consulted with senior executives from financial services, life sciences, healthcare, private equity, higher education and non-profit organizations on advancing their careers and exploring new professional options.
 
Previously, Sean served in a dual role of Business Development Manager and Market Research Consultant for Massachusetts-based Foresight Science & Technology.  At Foresight, Sean identified niche markets and designed targeted entry strategies for emerging technologies through strategic partnerships with licensees, developers and manufacturers in the value chain.  Prior to Foresight, Sean co-founded a greeting card and stationery product company on the west coast and served as its President during eight years of significant growth.
 
Sean has been actively involved in  The Salvation Army of Massachusetts Bay, serving as Vice Chair of the Advisory Board and Chair of the Human Services Committee.  He serves on the Advisory Board of the  Career Collaborative, a non-profit organization helping people with low-incomes become economically self-sufficient.  Sean holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston College. 

Richard A. Knight, Senior Vice President, Keystone Partners
     dknight@keystonepartners.com 

For Keystone Partners, Dick Knight advises executive management teams on the ever-changing needs of their organizations' career management and leadership development needs. Dick joined Keystone Partners in 1986 with more than 16 years of experience in high technology and manufacturing. He has held human resources management positions with GTE Sylvania, Inforex, Koch Membrane Systems, Adage and GenRad.

Dick received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of New Hampshire. He spent two years as an officer in the U.S. Army in Southeast Asia, where one of his major responsibilities was crisis intervention with enlisted men. Dick attended the Executive MBA program at the Whittemore School of Business and Economics at the University of New Hampshire. He is an active member of the  Northeast Human Resources Association, the  Human Resources Council, the  Association of Career Professionals International and the  Human Resource Leadership Forum. 

Mike Noble, Managing Partner, Camden Consulting Group
     mnoble@camdenconsulting.com 

Mike Noble has been the Managing Partner of Camden Consulting Group since 1998. He provides organizational leadership consulting to senior executives in several disciplines and industry segments, including: high technology, financial services, biotech, healthcare, business services and professional firms. In addition to providing consulting services, he is responsible for managing the firm's business operations and strategic development activities. Prior to joining Camden, Mike acquired more than 20 years of executive management experience in the financial services industry. He held a broad range of strategic and operational responsibilities in such diverse areas as domestic and international banking, portfolio and risk management, trust and investment services, private banking, operations and technology processing and quality management. He has completed executive training at the Center For Creative Leadership in Greensboro, North Carolina and is certified in the Center's suite of developmental assessment instruments. 

Mike has served on the Board of Directors of the Bankers Association of Foreign Trade, the Public Education Fund (Rhode Island), Special Olympics Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Zoological Society. He holds a Bachelor's degree from Harvard College and has done post-graduate work at Harvard Business School. 

Debra Noschese, Vice President, Keystone Partners
     dnoschese@keystonepartners.com 

Debra Noschese works closely with client companies on integrated career management and leadership development needs.  She comes to Keystone with over 20 years of training and business development experience.  At Eastman Kodak Company's internationally acclaimed Marketing Education Center in Rochester, New York, Debbie led several courses including the six-week "Basic Sales Training" program, a model shared with other major corporations.  She was a key contributor in developing computer based training that was used by IBM following Kodak's acquisition of their copier division.  As a Regional Training Coordinator in Dallas, Texas, Debbie designed and developed curriculum for continuous learning programs for sales staff, as well as instructed and managed training initiatives.  She was involved with developing annual operating plans with the forecasting and analysis group; developing a skills inventory for sales positions; and assessing sales staff to improve productivity and performance.  While a Training Consultant in Plano, Texas, Debbie developed curriculum and conducted professional development seminars focused on adult learning and presentation skills for the faculty of a local college.

Debbie holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth and currently serves as an officer of the Medfield School Committee. 

Cheri Paulson, Senior Vice President and Director of Operations, Keystone Associates
     cpaulson@keystoneassociates.com 

Cheri Paulson has been in the career management field for over 20 years. In her role as Senior Vice President and Director of Operations, she oversees the operations and delivery of all Keystone Associates’ consulting services, offices and staff. She also provides career management consultation for major corporate accounts and partners with senior executive candidates during their career transitions.

Prior to joining Keystone, Cheri was a District Manager for a New England-based search firm.  Cheri has a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Boston College and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. 

Kim Provencher, Senior Vice President, Keystone Partners
     kprovencher@keystonepartners.com 

Kim Provencher consults with organizations and senior executives on complex career transition and workforce planning issues. Kim has over 15 years of experience in training and business development. Prior to joining Keystone, she was a senior trainer with Dale Carnegie Training. As a certified Dale Carnegie instructor, Kim has taught courses on human relations, communication, leadership, sales, public speaking and presentation skills to thousands of people from students to executives. At Keystone, she regularly trains groups on Networking, Your 30 Second Commercial and How to Work a Room.

Kim holds a Master of Science degree in Adult and Organizational Learning from Suffolk University and a Bachelor's in Business Administration from Bryant University. She is an active member of the  Northeast Human Resources Association and  Human Resource Leadership Forum. Kim frequently addresses professional associations and networking groups, including the Northeast Human Resources Association and  Financial Executives International. 

Howard Seidel, Ed.D, J.D., Partner, Essex Partners
     hseidel@essexpartners.com 

Howard Seidel, Partner of Essex Partners, has over 15 years experience as a career and executive coach, guiding hundreds of senior executives in all aspects of career development and change. Dr. Seidel provides clients with an in-depth knowledge into the strategic and tactical elements of the transition process, along with a special expertise in advising senior executives exploring career change. Before joining Essex, Howard was Vice President of Keystone Associates, where he consulted on career transitions with senior executives from leading organizations spanning a variety of industries, including financial services, biotechnology and life sciences, health care and higher education.

Prior, Howard served in several consulting roles at Electronic Data Systems (EDS) where he helped build the company's first external practice in Change Management, and provided executive coaching. He also led the company's development of a proprietary performance consulting methodology, spearheading the introduction of the system to the market. Additionally, Howard worked at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) where he managed the development and delivery of a worldwide training architecture for a new business initiative.

Howard has achieved widespread recognition for his insight on career matters, being interviewed by such national media outlets as the Wall Street Journal and Landed.fm. Howard holds a Doctorate in Education from Harvard University and a law degree from The George Washington University where he also received his Bachelor of Arts.