About OPG
Our Vision
To create a world where every vulnerable individual is empowered, protected and supported through compassionate and professional guardianship, ensuring their rights, dignity and well-being are always upheld while adhering to their wishes to the greatest extent possible.
Our Story
Office of Public Guardian (OPG) was founded in 1979 as part of the community-based system of care created to enable the deinstitutionalization of residents of the Laconia State School. At its inception, OPG focused on individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities and over time, expanded services to include guardianship for individuals with severe and persistent mental illness, traumatic brain injuries and/or dementia. Today OPG serves over 1,200 Granite Staters and manages 130 trusts for disabled individuals.
OPG operates under several state contracts from the Departments of Health and Human Services and Corrections. OPG also offers services on a fee-for-service basis for those ineligible for state funded guardianship and who have the ability to pay. Professional services agreements with health care facilities are also utilized from time to time.
All OPG guardians are expected to become certified by the Center for Guardianship Certification and all OPG guardians follow the NGA Professional Standards in carrying out their responsibilities. Additionally, guardianships are under Probate Court supervision and guardians must file an annual report to the court and fiduciaries must file annual accountings of financial transactions. Persons under guardianship may petition to terminate or amend their guardianship at any time, providing another check and balance in the form of judicial review of guardian performance.
OPG fiduciaries manage the financial affairs of persons under guardianship, including but not limited to serving as Social Security Representative Payees, Department of Health and Human Services authorized representative to manage all aspects of public assistance eligibility, e.g. Medicaid, SNAP and cash assistance. OPG fiduciaries manage client funds and pay bills like rent and utilities and provide clients with spending money. Fiduciaries ensure that clients have the maximum benefits to which they are entitled without interruptions. The estate team, comprised of fiduciaries and property managers, ensure that properties owned by clients are safe for habitation and assist in liquidation of property when a client can no longer live independently.
OPG also serves as a professional trustee, primarily for trusts that benefit disabled individuals. With over $20M under management, OPG ensures the trusts are administered according to both the intent of settlors and without compromising eligibility for public assistance.
OPG is an administrator of STABLE accounts, the New Hampshire offering under the ABLE (26 USC §529A) law, that allows people with disabilities to build savings without losing public assistance like Medicaid and Social Security benefits.
Leadership
Lisabritt Solsky Stevens, JD
Lisabritt joined the organization in 2023 and leads the Office of Public Guardian’s strategy and operations. She brings extensive leadership experience in New Hampshire’s nonprofit sector, including roles with WellSense, Granite State Independent Living and Easterseals NH. An attorney by trade, she is focused on strengthening services and internal systems and lives in Concord with her family and rescue animals.
Jane Tewksbury, BS
Jane oversees day-to-day operations and organizational infrastructure. She brings 25 years of progressive business acumen and has held executive leadership roles at NH Medical Society and the Business & Industry Association of NH, where she played a pivotal role in shaping financial strategies, human resource policies, and organizational growth initiatives.
Shwetha Anandan, MBA
Shwetha leads people strategy, talent development, and organizational effectiveness. She brings nearly two decades of cross-industry leadership experience, with strengths in change management and program management. Her passion is for developing talent by building strong teams through clear communication, effective processes, and leadership development that improves outcomes across the organization.
Amy Walsh
Amy leads fiduciary services and brings more than 27 years of experience in public service and Medicaid administration. Her background includes strengthening systems and supporting vulnerable individuals through training, operational leadership, and cross-functional collaboration. She focuses on strengthening fiduciary practices and building reliable processes that support strong client services.
Teresa Gustavson, MA, NCG
Teresa leads guardianship services at the Office of Public Guardian and holds National Certified Guardian (NCG) credentials. With long-standing experience in the organization since 2008 and a graduate degree in clinical mental health counseling, she brings strong practice and leadership expertise. She focuses on service quality, staff development, and continuous improvement to support vulnerable individuals and families.
Board of Directors
Judith Jones, Esq.
Judith Jones is the Healthy Aging Policy Coordinator at New Futures, where she advances policy efforts to improve healthy aging in New Hampshire. She has over 25 years of experience advocating for, and crafting legislation around, older adults and people with disabilities.
Doris Lotz, M.D.
Dr. Doris Lotz has 30 years of healthcare experience in the public sector, including tenure as the Chief Medical Officer of the N.H. Dept. of Health and Human Services. Dr. Lotz has also advised over three dozen state Medicaid agencies while providing guidance to others.
Susan Gokey, CPA
A seasoned Finance and Accounting executive and Certified Public Accountant with over three decades of industry leadership and management experience, Susan Gokey’s diverse career has delivered results in higher education, banking, and loan servicing.
Jim Bouley
Jim Bouley brings 30 years of political/governmental experience to our board. As the Mayor of Concord for over 15 years, he oversaw a revitalization of the city’s downtown while serving on multiple boards of directors and as a partner in public affairs firm Dennehy & Bouley.
Nina Gardner
Nina worked as the Executive Director of the NH Judicial Council from 1988-2012, where she worked tirelessly on guardianship matters. Nina has served her town of Sanbornton in multiple capacities since retirement and has received several awards for volunteerism.
Joseph Lascaze
Recipient of the “N.H. Changemaker of the Year” in 2022, Joseph serves as the Youth Justice Engagement Manager for The Sentencing Project, where he seeks to rewrite the narrative of justice-involved youth. Prior to that, he made an impact as a Regional Manager for the ACLU.
Robert Magan
Robert has been managing money for individuals, nonprofits, charitable organizations, and municipalities throughout New England for over 25 years. Currently part of the Bank of New Hampshire team, Bob also serves as President of Rise Again Outreach in Loudon.
Paula Minnehan
Recently retired, Paula served as the Vice President of the New Hampshire Hospital Association for nearly a decade, and was part of the organization since 2001. A resident of Contoocook, Paula achieved her Master’s in Health Administration from UNH.
Mike Palmieri
Mike Palmieri has served as President/CEO of Havenwood Heritage Heights since 1998, bringing extensive healthcare leadership experience from previous executive roles in New York State. He actively serves on numerous state healthcare association boards.
Staff Directory
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