Oyster Pond Associates, LLC
Total Rewards and Performance Consulting for Dynamic Organizations
Oyster Pond Associates was founded in 2004 and took on its current name in 2006.  We are members of a network of experienced and talented consultants, allowing us to take advantage of  expertise across the full range of rewards, compensation, leadership and talent management solutions and experience in multiple industries.  We have extensive experience in the life sciences industries, technology and not-for-profits.

We approach our assignments as a collaborative effort.  We our bring the understanding of  total rewards, performance management and employee motivation and engagement.  Our clients bring their understanding of their business and strategic needs.  Together we design effective strategies and programs that are competitive and  that support  both business and employee needs.
Jo-Dee G. Gentile

Jo-Dee has over 30 years of experience in the design of total rewards strategies and programs.  She has worked with companies in a broad spectrum of industries including life sciences, alternative energy, high technology, financial services, and not-for-profit. Within the life sciences industry, Jo-Dee has worked with both pre-IPO and publicly traded companies.  She has experience with matrixed, global companies and those with centralized business structures. 

In addition to her rewards expertise, Jo-Dee has developed competency-based programs.  Her leadership, project management and job-specific models have been the basis of selection and performance management programs and tools.  She is also experienced in the development and communication of employee benefit plans and the selection and implementation of HRMS solutions. 

Jo-Dee  was a recipient of a Lifetime Achievement award from the American Compensation Association (now WorldatWork) in 1997.  She has degrees from Mount Holyoke College and Harvard Graduate School of Education. 

You can reach Jo-Dee at:  jgentile@oysterpondassoc.com
Karen E. Needham, CEP

Karen has over 35 years of dynamic experience and leadership in the US equity compensation industry.  She holds the Certified Equity Professional (CEP) certification.  In her most recent role, Karen was responsible for global equity administration and compliance for ARIAD Pharmaceuticals as well as the multi-state, U.S. payroll. 

 

Prior to joining ARIAD in 2013, she held management roles in client relations and education for three of the largest equity administration software providers.  Karen began her career with Wang Laboratories where she was responsible for equity compensation in over 50 countries.  She subsequently oversaw equity administration for Genzyme, including the administration of employee equity plans for its numerous tracking stocks.   

 

Karen is a member of the Global Equity Organization (GEO), the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals (NASPP), previously was part of the Provider Council of the Certified Equity Professional Institute (CEPI), and was a past member of the board of directors and served on the executive committee of the National Center for Employee Ownership.

 

Karen is a frequent speaker on employee equity administration matters at regional and national events.


You can reach Karen at:  kneedham@oysterpondassoc.com

Ralph B. Gentile, Ph.D.


Ralph is Oyster Pond Associates' Principal Economist.  His expertise is in forecasting construction and building trends, particularly projecting skilled labor and product demands.  Dr. Gentile is also a resident scholar at the Institute for Construction Economic Research.


Prior to joining Oyster Pond Associates, Ralph spent twenty-five years working in the Research and Analytics Group of McGraw-Hill Construction.  Ralph, and his co-author, received the American Researl Estate Society's Urban Land Institute Manuscript Prize for work using Dodge planning data in forecasting construction starts. Through McGraw-Hill, he also provided consulting expertise to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Construction Laborers' Union, a part of the AFL-CIO.


Dr. Gentile received his Bachelor's degree from Haverford College and his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.  Before joining McGraw-Hill, he as an Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, teaching economics and statistics to students in the School of Business.


You can reach Ralph at:  rbgentile@oysterpondassoc.com

Sea grass on Black Beach