About Us
Who We Are
The Massachusetts Guardianship Policy Institute is a collaboration of non-profit organizations and private stakeholders who are working to inspire policy change and social justice for adults with decisional support needs in Massachusetts. Through research, education, and advocacy we seek to improve the understanding of decisional incapacity and how to respond to it. Society today is struggling to provide the right kind of help, with as little burden as possible upon individual rights, to all of those who need it, especially the thousands of isolated and indigent individuals who are left behind by the public programs currently funded by select state agencies. The problems we address are complex and longstanding, and there are no easy answers. We are committed, however, to understanding the problems better and shedding light on new solutions, especially for the poorest and most vulnerable among us.
Our Mission
The mission of the Guardianship Policy Institute is to inspire policy change and social justice for isolated adults with unmet decisional support needs in Massachusetts. We are committed to understanding and improving access to guardianship and its alternatives for all persons who, due to functional impairment, are unable to care for themselves or manage their property without help — especially those without the personal or financial resources to seek help privately.
Our Partners
Guardian Community Trust
A Massachusetts nonprofit financial institution that creates and manages Special Needs and pooled trusts for seniors and people with disabilities, helping beneficiaries preserve public benefits while supporting quality of life. GCT also advocates for public guardianship and protection of the most indigent and isolated individuals.
The Center For Guardianship Excellence
A nonprofit center focused on research, training, and practical tools to support guardians in providing high-quality, person-centered advocacy for individuals under guardianship.
Public Guardian Services
Provides professional guardianship services to vulnerable adults across Massachusetts, ensuring protection, dignity, and accountability for individuals with unmet decisional support needs.
Meet Our Members
Peter M. Macy, Ed.M., J.D.
Executive Director of Guardian Community Trust, Inc.
Wynn A. Gerhard, Esq.
Elder Justice Fellow at Massachusetts Guardianship Policy Institute and Guardian Community Trust
Heather L. Connors, Ph.D.
Executive Director of The Center for Guardianship Excellence
Hon. Gen. Scott Harshbarger
Senior Counsel at Casner & Edwards
John J. Ford, Esq.
Director of the Elder Law Project at the Northeast Justice Center in Lynn, MA
Paul Lanzikos
Executive Director of North Shore Elder Services, Inc.
Joanne Tompkins, Ph.D.
Research Associate at the Center for Guardianship Excellence
Jenaya Tucker, DHA, LICSW
Clinical Director of Public Guardian Services
Mariya Kubishyn, J.D.
Operations Manager for Public Guardian Services
Our Partners
