Our team is growing! We're thrilled to introduce you to two new and returning staff members, our fall intern, and our newest board member.
Clare Blonski joined our team this summer as our new Development Associate. She works closely with Development Director Caitlin Sawicki on fundraising and donor relations. Clare grew up in New Hampshire but recently returned from studying and working in Dublin, Ireland. A Business & Economics Major with a focus on immigration and refugee services, Clare has experience working in a long-term domestic violence shelter and volunteering as an English tutor for asylum seekers. In her free time, she loves to travel, hike, and go to the beach. Welcome to the team, Clare!
After a two-year stint in the for-profit world, our former Administrative Assistant Stephanie Matern has re-joined our team as Circle of Hope's new Director of Operations! She looks forward to putting her institutional knowledge, along with her strengths in logistics and organization, to work as Circle of Hope enters its next phase of growth. Stephanie lives in Dedham with her family and enjoys "all the activities that Gen X women seem to love these days" -- pickleball, sourdough, Pilates, mahjong, and jigsaw puzzles. Welcome back, Stephanie!
We are thrilled to welcome Mark Goldschmidt to the Circle of Hope Board of Directors! Prior to retiring this past spring, Mark served as Resiliency for Life Program Coordinator and Teacher at Framingham High School, where he distributed Circle of Hope clothing and resources to students in need. Mark has been a good friend to Circle of Hope for over 5 years, frequently sharing the impact of our partnership with Framingham High School with everyone from Hope Blooms guests to WCVB Channel 5 viewers (tune in on Thursday for a COH feature on 5 for Good!) Mark lives in Natick with his wife and two teenaged daughters.
This fall, Derek Ananian joins our team as our Graphic Design Intern! A Waltham native, Derek is studying graphic design at Endicott College and will be interning with Circle of Hope from September through December. He will work alongside Communications Manager Carolyn Conley-Das on various design projects throughout the semester. Welcome, Derek!
