Lisa Gray
Executive Director
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Prior to leading the team at Gifts of Love, Gray was the Founder and Executive Director of A Promise to Jordan, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness of substance use disorders established in honor of her son. She also served as Executive Director of the Simsbury Chamber of Commerce and held roles at the Simsbury Police Department and UCONN Health Center.
Nancy Carlson
Volunteer and Outreach Manager
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In addition to her Volunteer and Community Outreach responsibilities, Nancy facilitates all special events and manages the Weekend Backpack program. Nancy has been with Gifts of Love for over 13 years after a career in High-Risk Underwriting and as a Special Education teacher.
Ingrid Kania
Teen Volunteer Program Coordinator
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Ingrid began as a volunteer for Gifts of Love in 2013 to give back to her local community. When offered the role of Teen Volunteer Program Coordinator, she eagerly accepted and has been guiding teen volunteers since 2017. She has a Master’s in Public Health and a Master’s in Teaching and is currently a teacher in a local school.
Val Lauzon
Client Administrator
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Val manages all client activities at Gifts of Love. Prior to joining the team in 2021, she was a long-time volunteer. In addition to serving the clients, she organizes and oversees the Holiday Shoppe. Prior to moving to Avon, Val worked as a copy editor in Boston.
Michael Olivieri
Food Programs Manager
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Michael manages Gifts of Love’s food pantries in Avon and Hartford. Additionally, he identifies and coordinates food distributions to other non-profit pantries across Greater Hartford. Michael has over 30 years of experience as an independent business owner.
Kiyana Riddick
Hartford Office Manager
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Kiyana manages operations at our Hartford location. Prior to joining the team at Gifts of Love, Kiyana worked in customer service at both Allstate and The Hartford. During the summer of 2021, she interned at Gifts of Love while completing her bachelor’s degree in human services.
Biana Clark
Donor Administrator
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Biana assists with fundraising activities, donor relations, and communications at Gifts of Love. She has over 20 years of experience in television production.
Meet the Board of Directors
Robert Wong
Interim President
Robert and his family have been active volunteers at Gifts of Love for the Weekend Backpack Program and at the main office in Avon. Robert is an executive at GE Capital.
Sean Riley
Treasurer
Sean has extensive business experience across corporate, consulting, and not-for-profit settings and is currently Vice President of Client Delivery & Practice Management for Kelley Management Consulting, Inc.
Lydia Tedone
Interim Secretary
Lydia is a long-term Board member at Gifts of Love. She is the former Chair of the Simsbury Board of Education and Chair of the CREC Council.
Cheryl Chester
Cheryl has developed her more than 25-year career as a human resource professional, focused in the areas of leadership and organizational development. She is committed to supporting both profit and non-profit organizations in maximizing their potential by evaluating their climates and applying best practices to improve employee engagement and business success.
Jaime Hegarty
Jaime Hegarty has a background in the financial services and insurance industries with expertise in project management and building strategy to support change. After volunteering with Gifts of Love over the years, she has welcomed the transition to Board of Directors.
Joan Kemler
Joan became involved with Gifts of Love 20 years ago as a volunteer and board member. She especially enjoyed planning successful fundraising events for the organization. After her retirement as a nurse practitioner in Geriatric Psychiatry, she returned to Gifts of Love as a volunteer and board member.
Nestor Leon
Nestor has extensive experience as a leader in Project Management and Operations in the non-profit and public education sectors. He is currently a Project Director for Connecticut State Colleges and Universities.
Vaughn Robbins
Vaughn has a strong background in leading the development of new products and marketing strategies in both US and International markets. He is excited by the opportunity to bring his experience to Gifts of Love and to help impact the community at large.
Portraits courtesy of Connecticut Headshots – Contact
