NRPC Staff

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As Executive Director, Jay Minkarah oversees the Commission's day-to-day operations and all long-term projects and programs, including financial and personnel management and grant applications. He works closely with the Commission's Executive Committee and Board of Commissioners to craft long-term strategic plans for the Commission and assess performance measures. Mr. Minkarah also serves as the primary public representative of the Commission at various conferences, meetings, forums, and events.
Minkarah started his career as an NRPC Regional Planner and was with the organization for approximately 8 years. Minkarah previously served as the Community Development Director for the Town of Merrimack, Economic Development Director for the City of Nashua’s Community Development Division, and the Economic Director for the City of Manchester. Most recently, Minkarah has served as the President and CEO of DevelopSpringfield, the private non-profit development partner for the City of Springfield, MA.
Jay earned a Bachelor of Science in Urban Planning from the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio. Jay subsequently earned a Juris Doctor from The University of New Hampshire School of Law (formerly Franklin Pierce Law Center) in Concord, NH.

Kate Lafond, Assistant Director, assists in the oversight of the Commission's day-to-day operations with a focus on financial and personnel management, as well as provides guidance for strategic organizational planning. She brings expertise in governmental and non-profit administration, finance, and grant management. Ms. Lafond has worked for various NH towns in finance and administration roles as well as the Center for Disease Control Foundation helping state jurisdictions manage federally funded grant programs. With NRPC, she has previously held the role of Business Manager and Finance Director.
Ms. Lafond earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with minors in Organizational Management and Communication, as well as a Master of Business Administration from Southern New Hampshire University. She also holds professional certificates from UNH in non-profit management and grant management.

Sara Siskavich, GIS & IT Director, oversees NRPC’s technology initiatives. Ms. Siskavich has worked in the GIS field since 2001 and has managed the NRPC GIS Program since 2012.  Formerly, she was the Manager of GIS and CAD at Unitil Service Corp in Hampton, NH and has also held GIS positions in consulting and state government.  Her professional interests include enterprise system implementations, database technology, and collaborative technologies to facilitate information sharing within and across organizations.
Ms. Siskavich earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biology, magna cum laude, and a Master of Arts in Geography, both from Boston University, and maintains professional GIS certification.  She enjoys volunteering as a member of the Amherst, NH Heritage Commission.

Matt Waitkins, MPO Coordinator, has been with the NRPC since 1999 and became the MPO Coordinator in May 2022. He works on the development and management of the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), federally required transportation documents such as the Long-Range Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) and Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP), and the New Hampshire Ten Year Transportation Improvement Plan (TYP). He also works on various other strategic documents, funding processes, and provides technical assistance to communities in the region.
Matt received a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Keene State College, as well as a Master’s degree in resource economics from the University of New Hampshire. Matt lives in Peterborough, in the heart of the lovely Monadnock Region of Southwestern New Hampshire.