How old are your kids and how long have you lived in Westport/the area? Our daughter Emily (31) is married to Jake, her Staples HS boyfriend and they live in Brooklyn. Our son Ross is about to be 28 and lives in Manhattan with his girlfriend, Avery. My husband Kenny and I have been living in Westport for over 20 years. We moved here from NJ and never looked back. Our kids went through the Westport public schools, which was a great experience for them and although they no longer live in Westport, they have remained close with their Westport friends and come back home often.
How did you end up where you are now in terms of your job, or whatever passion project it is you might be doing? Personally, volunteering and giving back is in my DNA. In college, among other volunteer efforts, I served on a crisis hotline. While attending graduate school in NYC, and then as a young professional, I volunteered at various soup kitchens, NYCares and the NYC Marathon. That ethos continued into my married life and as Kenny and I had children, we taught them about giving back by setting an example for them. For me that meant participating in their schools and PTAs, serving on nonprofit boards and volunteering for community organizations like Food Rescue, Filling in the Blanks, HwH or Builders Beyond Borders (B3). I’ve served on committees and boards for as long as I can remember, well before moving to Westport.
Professionally, I have a degree in Industrial Social Work but moved away from my career in Human Resources (Employee Relations) to weave my passion for philanthropy into a career in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). For well over 15 years I helped align the corporate values of several companies with the work of various nonprofits. It was important to me to create a corporate culture that understood the importance of supporting the communities where they did business and where their employees lived and worked. Through my work in CSR, I built close relationships with many nonprofit organizations and ultimately decided that my skill set and passion to give back could best be utilized working in the nonprofit sector.
Timing is everything and as I decided to make the move from the corporate to the nonprofit sector, A Better Chance of Westport (ABCW) was looking to hire their first ever Executive Director (ED). Having been a part of the Westport community for over 20 years and having kids who went to Staples, I’d always been aware of and admired the mission of A Better Chance of Westport. The stars aligned and I became the ED this past June. I am excited to work with the amazing ABC Westport Board of Directors and lead this organization in supporting young men of color with access to educational and social opportunities not readily available to them in their home communities. ABC Westport supports up to 8 motivated young men (scholars) who come to live in the ABC House and attend Staples for their four years of high school. The scholars are provided with wrap-around academic and social emotional resources to support their success and help them thrive in the Westport community and ultimately life. ABC Westport’s dedicated Board of Directors, staff, and many volunteers, which includes Host Families and drivers, have created a very special culture and home away from home for the scholars for the past 24 years. Since 2005, more than 30 scholars have graduated from the ABC Westport program and Staples to attend 4 year colleges and universities. I am so proud to be part of the ABC Westport team. My goals are to raise awareness and enhance the organization so we can further support our scholars during their time in Westport and beyond as they become leaders in life.
What is the best show you have recently (binge) watched? And what is the last book you read? Guilty pleasure: binge watched “And Just Like That” but the best show we watched recently was “Your Friends and Neighbors”. I love to read in my spare time and I recently finished reading Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy.
What is your favorite podcast? My weekday morning routine is NPR Up First followed by The Daily
What is one food you could not live without? The Granola Bar Power Bowl or Green & Tonic Zenergy smoothie.
What is one product you could not live without? My Hoka running shoes (okay, I mostly walk but my Hokas are so comfy).
What is your greatest fear? Letting someone down.
What is your greatest indulgence? Soft, dense oatmeal raisin cookies.
Which talent would you most like to have? To speak a foreign language fluently and ideally be multi-lingual.
If you did not live where you do, where would you like to live? I love living in Westport but NYC or Colorado would both be great options. I love the energy of the city but also having access to the beach or a river and hiking trails.
What is your go-to karaoke song? Either Paul Simon Me andJulio Down by the Schoolyard or Van Morrison Brown-eyed Girl
What is your greatest extravagance? Travel – I have wanderlust. I love to explore and be exposed to different cultures & experiences.
What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you? I’m an only child.
If you weren’t doing what you are today, what might your career path might have been? I used to think about becoming a lawyer to give people a voice and to help them fight for their rights and get justice. However, that ship has sailed and I probably romanticized that career anyway.
Who is your favorite hero of fiction? Atticus Fitch from To Kill a Mockingbird.Who are your heroes in real life? My parents (they’ve been happily married for almost 65 years) Melinda Gates, Mackenzie Scott, John Lewis, Jose Andres.
QUICK THIS OR THAT:
At a movie: Candy or Popcorn? Candy
Cook or order in? Cook
Game night/movie night?Game
Ketchup or Mustard? Ketchup
TikTok or Insta? Insta
Stream a movie/Go to the theatre? Stream
Text or call? Call
Sauna? Or cold plunge?Sauna
Sauce on top or on the side? Side
Beach or Mountain? Both
Comedy or Drama? Drama (thrillers)