Our Team
David Beecher
David Beecher has had a storied career as an educator, administrator, coach, consultant and noble volunteer. He is the owner/partner of Sound Consulting, a new company which advises families and non-profits making important decisions in education and healthcare.
David currently serves as a senior advisor to Eldventir Adventures and as Managing Director of The Gowan Group. Previously David was the Vice President of The Angeletti Group, a nationally known company that serves as consultants to nonprofit organizations such as hospitals, universities and independent schools. Prior to his engagement with TAG David served for 17 years as the Headmaster of Hillside School. During David’s tenure there, he and his team doubled the enrollment, raised funds and built new facilities valued at $30 million, and increased the endowment more than 200%.
David served as an assistant coach of the Yale University men’s varsity hockey team for 8 years. During that time he also served as Director of the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale, home of ATP and WTA Tour events.
David currently serves on the Board of Dragonfly Development Resources and has previously served on the national board of the Independent Educational Consultants Association Foundation (IECAF), Bancroft School, Phoenix School, and The Country School. David was elected to the Board of Trustees of his alma mater, Lake Forest College in 2014. He was also Chair of the Church Council for the First United Methodist Church of Westborough, MA for three terms. He currently serves as the Moderator (Chair of the Board) of the First Congregational Church of Madison, CT.
Dr. Steven Antonoff, past President of IECAF, had the following to say after Dave’s 9 years on their board: “David has been a leader on our board and contributed to our success as a Trustee and member of the Executive Committee. David was a rational and helpful voice at the table as we navigated changeable and sometimes turbulent times. He encouraged us to broaden our reach. His influence on the Foundation is profound and unprecedented.”
David has two daughters, Maddie, 24, who is a political consultant in Washington, DC and Haley, 20, who is a sophomore at Tulane University.
Christine Pape
Christine Pape’s personal and professional life has been marked by determination, excellence, and compassion. Raised in Connecticut, Chrissie was educated at Suffield Academy and received a BSN from Syracuse University, following her father - a physician - into the medical world.
At an early age Chrissie developed a fierce degree of competitiveness and determination, leading her to All-American status in swimming. As a freshman at Suffield Academy she was named the New England swimmer of the year. She later competed for the NCAA Division One Syracuse swim team while pursuing her nursing degree.
Chrissie’s first experience in nursing came as a Staff Nurse in the Oncology Unit of Hartford Hospital. She was responsible for collaborating with physicians and other members of the health care team to create and implement the optimal care program. Following her work at Hartford Hospital, Chrissie became an Inpatient Nurse on the Adolescent Unit of The Institute of Living, a hospital for young adults suffering with emotional and mental health challenges. She later became the ECT Nurse Coordinator at The Institute of Living, adding administrative duties to her direct nursing portfolio.
Chrissie stepped away from her professional career to raise her four children. Their diversity of learning styles and abilities not only enriched her life, but provided significant challenges relative to finding them the appropriate schooling to meet their needs. She became a superior advocate and partner with public schools as well as independent schools and colleges. That experience has given her a unique and substantial background in school advising.
As her children advanced, Chrissie continued her career as the owner of Personal Recovery Care LLC, a concierge private-duty nursing company designed to meet the individual needs of patients and their families. Chrissie has also served as a Transitional Care Coordinator for Hartford Healthcare, providing their patients with advice regarding post-treatment homecare, rehab care and/or hospice care.
Chrissie has served as a Board Member for the Elisha Leavenworth Society, the Flander’s Nature Center & Land Trust, and the Mattatuck Museum (Women’s Committee).