Mike Gowing
Board President
Term expires 2026
Retiring after 27 years from a test equipment rental company, Electro Rent Corporation, Mike began involving himself in volunteer opportunities within Acton.
He began volunteering at the Council on Aging senior center and was soon elected as a member of the COA board. In 2007, as he worked on the possibility of building a new senior center, someone recommended to him that he would make a good selectmen. So, in 2008, Mike successfully ran for Acton Board of Selectmen. One of his 1st assignments was to create a nonprofit organization to take the television cable access studio over from Comcast, as Comcast announced they would no longer support community cable.
Within the next year, he had recruited 3 members (president, vice president and secretary) to be the officers of the new venture – ACAT (Acton Cable Access Television). The new officers applied for and were granted a 501© 3 nonprofit designation from the IRS. The following year Comcast fulfilled their promise and closed their studio.
Thus was born ActonTV
Over the course of the next 3 years, Mike helped solidify ActonTV as the town’s choice to be their cable access provider. As capital and operating funds began to channel into ActonTV, they made great inroads in developing the studio into a first-class operation.
Coming full circle, after 6 years on the Board of Selectmen, Mike has now joined the ActonTV board of directors.
Mike can be reached at Mike.Gowing@actontv.org
Scott D. Philbrick
Vice President
Term expires 2026
Scott started a 30+ year career in Boston television production at WNAC-TV channel 7 on the Dave Garroway Show and moved on to become a director at WKGB-TV channel 56. From there, he ended up at WCVB-TV channel 5 for the next 25 years involved in all phases of production which included movies, documentaries, talk shows, July 4TH Boston Pops concerts, telethons and news.
In 2000 he retired from television and began a 15 year stint manufacturing custom trumpets and trombones at the S.E. Shires Company helping to design a new line of trumpets with Doc Severinsen. Scott has been a fixture on the New England jazz scene for decades playing trumpet and guitar.
An avid "backyard mechanic", he and his son Jon are restoring a 1930 Model A Ford. Scott and his wife Sharyon have lived in Acton for 44 years.
Scott can be reached at Scott.Philbrick@actontv.org
Hart Millett
Treasurer
Term expires 2026
Originally from the southern Maine area, Hart and his wife, Nan, have been Acton residents since retiring from the U.S. Air Force in 1981. He, often with his family, lived in a number of countries during his AF career. After retiring at Hanscom AFB, MA, Hart was employed by NATO as a Logistics Engineer on the NATO Airborne Warning and Control System program. He participated in design and performance requirements, engineering, contracting and acquisition of multi- million dollar systems. He coordinated activities with major U.S. and foreign defense contractors and 13 member NATO nations.
Hart met Ron Zimmerman at an event at NARA Park in the fall of 2007. Business travel obligations precluded his taking the four day course then. But, the opportunity to learn video production and be actively involved with ACTv became possible after his retirement from full time employment in 2011. He is now active in producing programs for Acton TV and other non-profit organizations.
Hart is very involved with local historical and land conservation organizations. He is on the Board of Directors and is the financial manager for the Acton Conservation Trust, Acton Historical Society, and the Iron Work Farm in Acton. He is also very active in his church and serves on several of its boards. Hart and Nan have two married adult sons, four grandchildren, and soon will have two great grandchildren.
Hart can be reached at Hart.Millett@actontv.org
Angie Tso
Director
Term expires 2025
Angie has more than 15 years of experience in telecommunications, and is a certified project manager and business owner. She served on the Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee from 2018-2020. Angie moved with her husband Ting from the Bay Area to Acton in 2000, where they’ve raised two children. Jonathan received a Statistics Ph.D. from Harvard in 2023. Abby is an audio engineering major at the University of Rochester.
Angie is active in the local community and church. She has volunteered for Boy Scout Troop 284, the AB Frisbee team manager, church deacon, camp director (2013-2023), Sunday school teacher (from children to adult), and fellowship leader. Angie loves cooking, hiking, photography, traveling, and fitness, and is curious about new technologies.
Angie can be reached at Angie.Tso@actontv.org
Carla Stover
Director
Term Expires 2025
Carla has over 10 years of banking and financial experience. She recently joined Enterprise Bank as Vice President & Branch Relationship Manager for the Acton Branch. Carla has served on the board of Branecc- Brazil New England Chamber of Commerce from 2015 to 2016, where she created a Membership Committee that helped the Chamber organize, promote and attain sponsorships for events. Carla has also been active with and supports many local non-profit organizations such as the Nashoba valley Chamber of Commerce, Middlesex West Chamber of Commerce and the Acton Boxborough United Way. Carla moved to the US from her Native Brazil in 2001 and settled in Acton where she met her husband Tom. She has now been living in Clinton for the past 11 years with her husband and 8 year old daughter.
In her free time, Carla enjoys performing arts, traveling and loves to spend time with her family and friends.
Carla can be reached at Carla.Stover@actontv.org
Sumana Bhat
Clerk
Term Expires 2024
Sumana Bhat is a Senior Vice President at Bank of America in Boston, MA and manages teams that implement mission-critical applications for the bank. Prior to Bank of America, Sumana worked at Akamai Technologies and Cambridge Technology Partners in Cambridge, MA. Her educational background includes a BS and MS in Computer Science & Engineering.
Sumana and her husband Satish have been residents of Acton for the past 16 years. She is on the Parent Committee of Troop 284 Acton where her son Sanjit is a Life Scout. Sumana enjoys working with and mentoring kids. She was the team manager for her daughter Shilpa’s Siemens “We Can Change the World challenge” team in 2011 where the team won 3rd place at the National level for their project Phantom Slayers’ that focused on reducing electricity wasted by phantom load and vampire electronics in the Acton community.
Sumana volunteers in various capacities at events conducted by several non-profit organizations such as North South Foundation and Saheli. She has also been a guest on several shows of “Flavorful Eats” produced at Acton TV. Her passions include music, dance, cooking, and fitness.
Sumana can be reached at Sumana.Bhat@actontv.org
Stefano Caprara
Director
Term Expires 2024
Stefano is the Founder and Principal Attorney of Caprara Law, PC located in Acton, MA. As a corporate attorney he provides legal counsel to individuals, businesses, non-profits, and multinational corporations across a wide range of industries.
He grew up outside Toronto, ON and earned a BA from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY and a JD from The University of Calgary, in Calgary, AB. He lives in Boxborough with his wife and 2 children and volunteers his time with several local organizations, such as the Commonwealth Ballet Company and the Boxborough Zoning Board.
Stefano is an avid swimmer and triathlete. Prior to trading his swimsuit for a business suit, he served as Captain of Cornell University’s varsity swimming and diving team and competed as an Olympic Trials finalist.
Stefano can be reached at Stefano.Caprara@actontv.org
Xudong "Larry" Li
Director
Term Expires 2024
Larry has 30 years of experience working in the technology field. He holds both a BS and an MS in electrical engineering. Throughout his career, Larry has contributed to companies across various industries including analytics, healthcare, and biosciences. His expertise lies in managing large-scale software development projects and teams, ensuring the successful delivery of business-critical revenue-generating products to the marketplace using cutting-edge technologies.
Larry and his wife Helene have been residents of Acton for the past 10 years, where they've raised two children, both of whom are currently in college. Prior to their time in Acton, Larry and Helene lived in New Jersey and Toronto.
In his free time, Larry enjoys DIY projects, traveling, hiking and exploring different cuisines. He is also passionate about community involvement.