Board Members
Mike Bartlett (President)
Michael Bartlett is President of the Lobster Foundation of Massachusetts. Michael comes from three generations of lobstermen. He has been on a boat his entire life and has been a commercial lobsterman for 20+ years. Michael is the owner/operator of the F/V Hanna Mary in Beverly, MA. He also sits on the Executive Board for the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association and is a Delegate. Michael is an active participant in the commercial lobster industry.
Mark Ring (Secretary)
Mark Ring has been a commercial lobsterman for 40+ years. Mark is the owner/operator of the F/V Stanley Thomas out of Gloucester, MA. Mark’s passion for commercial fishing started at a young age as both his father and his uncles were lobstermen and his dad ran a marina in Manchester by-the Sea. Mark currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Lobster Foundation of Massachusetts, the Executive Board for the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association and is the Chairman for the city of Gloucester’s Fisheries Commission.
Bob Ward (Treasurer)
Bob Ward has been commercially lobstering for 57+ years and got his first lobster license at 13 in 1964. Being a commercial lobsterman afforded Bob the opportunity to attend and pay for his college tuition at Bentley University to pursue a Bachelors in accounting. Bob is the owner/operator of the F/V Cap’n George out of Plymouth, MA. Bob has been a member of the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association for over 41 years. Currently, Bob is the treasurer for the Lobster Foundation of Massachusetts and an Executive Committee Board member for the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association.
Beth Casoni (Director)
Beth Casoni joined the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association (MLA) in 2008 and has been a dedicated and proactive leader within the commercial fishing industry, with a primary focus on the Commonwealth’s lobster fishery. As Executive Director, Beth serves on numerous state and federal commissions and committees, representing the interests of Massachusetts commercial fishermen with professionalism and integrity.
With a background in law enforcement and customer service, Beth brings a unique combination of skills that enable her to navigate complex challenges and advocate effectively for the fishing community. Her ability to work collaboratively at every turning point—whether in policy discussions, regulatory meetings, or direct member support—reflects her deep commitment to ensuring the continued success of fishermen both on and off the water.
Tracey Abboud (Program Coordinator)
Tracey has been the Program Coordinator for the Lobster Foundation of Massachusetts since 2020, where she actively pursues funding opportunities for a wide range of fishing-related projects throughout the Commonwealth. She is deeply involved in all stages of grant development—from identifying funding sources and preparing applications to overseeing implementation and reporting—ensuring that each project supports the long-term success and sustainability of Massachusetts’ commercial fishing industry.
John Barrett (Board Member)
John Barrett’s passion for lobster fishing started when he was 18 on the back of a lobster boat out of Cohassett, MA. John has been lobstering as a commercial lobsterman for 40+ years and still has the same passion! Currently, he sits on the Board of Directors for the Lobster Foundation of Massachusetts, and is an active participant with in the commercial fishing industry. John is the owner/operator of the F/V Susan T.
Jarrett Drake (Board Member)
Jarrett Drake, owner/operator of the F/V Cynthia Lee and the F/V Encourager, has been commercially lobstering for over 34+ years in the waters of Buzzards Bay. Jarrett’s fishing experience dates back to 1985 when he first got his junior commercial lobster license. Jarrett sits on the Board of Directors for the Lobster Foundation of Massachusetts and is the Vice President, Delegate, and Executive Committee member of the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association. Jarrett also has been appointed to the Area 2 Lobster Conservation Management Team by the MA Division of Marine Fisheries.
Eric Meschino (Board Member)
Eric Meschino grew up lobster fishing in Hull, MA. and comes from a generation of fishermen. Eric’s father was a fisherman and a teacher as well as his uncle who was an offshore lobsterman in the 1960’s through the 1970’s. Eric’s career in commercial lobstering began in 2008 to present. Eric has also done offshore lobstering as well as sword-fishing. Currently, Eric sits on the Lobster Foundation of Massachusetts Board of Directors, The Stellwagen Bank Advisory Council and is a Delegate for the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association. Eric attended U-Mass Boston and has a degree in political science and was a stock broker from 1998-2003.
Dave Casoni (Board Member)
David Casoni has been a commercial lobsterman for 45+ years out of Sandwich, MA. Dave feels commercial fishing allows an individual an opportunity to “truly” understand the complexity of our marine eco-system. Dave sits on the Executive Board for the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association (MLA) and is the secretary/treasurer for both the MLA and the Sandwich Commercial Fishing Association. Dave also is on the Board of Directors for the Lobster Foundation of Massachusetts, as well as the Gulf of Maine Lobster Foundation.
Phil Michaud (Board Member)
Phil Michaud comes from a generational fishing family, has been a commercial fisherman for 40 years and a commercial lobsterman for 20. Phil is the owner/operator of two fishing vessels, the F/V Susan C III and F/V Charger in the port of Sandwich, MA. Phil sits on the Board of Directors for the Lobster Foundation of Massachusetts and is a Delegate for the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association. Phil has resided on many industries related fishing boards throughout the years. Currently, Phil is working with National Marine Fisheries Service on a project and will continue to be a pro-active participant on behalf of the commercial lobster industry.
Arthur "Sooky" Sawyer (Board Member)
Arthur “Sooky” Sawyer of Gloucester is a commercial lobsterman and current president of the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association. He sits on the Board for the Lobster Foundation of Massachusetts, as well as the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission. “Sooky” also, serves as an industry representative on the federal Large Whale Take Reduction Team. He has over 40+ years of commercial fishing experience in both the commercial lobster fishery and the ground-fish fishery. He is the owner/ operator of the F/V Life is Good that operates from the port of Gloucester.