Girls Inc. of the Valley welcomed five new members to their Board of Directors: Nikai Fondon, George C. Keady, Alaina Macaulay, Cheri Mills, and Ciara Speller. These board members will be added to their current Board of Directors to support strategic planning to map out the future of the organization.
Nikai Fondon has worked at Marketing Doctor Inc. since January as a Marketing Specialist and previously the Community Foundation as a Donor Engagement Coordinator and Scholarship Program Associate for 4 years. She currently serves as a Board Member for Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield. Nikai has been a panelist for the 2020 Girls and Racism Virtual Town Hall and has worked with our teens on creative writing and marketing projects. Nikai was recognized as a Dream Maker at Spirit of Girls 2022.
George C. Keady has worked at UBS Financial Services/Wealth Management in Springfield for 39 years and, upon retirement this year, was a Managing Director. He has served as a Board Member for the Community Foundation of Western MA and Saint Michael’s College, and was a Chairperson for Glenmeadow Retirement Community and Bay Path University. He has been a long time Champion for Girls and friend of Girls Inc.
Alaina Macaulay is the Senior Director for Inclusion and Strategic Engagement at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She worked previously at UMass Amherst Isenberg School of Management for 3 years as the Executive Director of Diversity and Inclusion and, before that, at Elms College as the Director of Diversity and Inclusion for 2 years. She has been involved with Girls Inc. through support of the 2020 Girls and Racism Virtual Town Hall. She currently serves as a Board Member for Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield and The Chester Theatre Company.
Cheri Mills has worked at PeoplesBank for 8 years as a Business Banking Manager and is currently the Assistant Vice President. She has been involved with Girls Inc. as a volunteer through the Finance Committee this past year. She also served on our Corporate and Community Impact Committee and helped secure sponsorship commitments for Spirit of Girls 2022.
Ciara Speller has worked at WWLP as an evening anchor for 5 years. She has been involved with Girls Inc. for the past couple of years, including as the moderator for the 2020 Girls and Racism Virtual Town Hall and host for Spirit of Girls 2021. Ciara and WWLP did the news broadcast live for Spirit of Girls 2022 on location at the Big E, where she was also a recipient of a Girls Inc. Dream Maker award. She also serves as a Board Member for the nonprofit I Found Light Against All Odds.
“Adding the expertise of these five new board members to our current Board of Directors will position Girls Inc. for further success as we dive into strategic planning to map out our next 5 years,” said Suzanne Parker, Executive Director at Girls Inc. of the Valley. “Their diverse skill sets and passion for our mission will be an incredible asset as we strive to move the organization forward. I am grateful for their leadership and look forward to working alongside them to advance the Girls Inc. mission!”
Girls Inc. of the Valley seeks to contribute to a world in which every student values their whole self, discovers their inherent strengths, and achieves their goals.
