Our Team

Darlene (she/her) has been the Executive Director of WRI since 2017. Prior to WRI, she was the Assistant Coordinator of the Child Welfare Court Improvement Project within the NYS Unified Court System. She has also served as the Executive Director for Court Appointed Special Advocates of New York State, as a project director at the Mental Health Association in NYS, and worked in both journalism and public relations. Darlene holds bachelors and master’s degrees in English from the University at Albany and a master’s degree in Community Psychology from Russell Sage College Graduate School.

Lawrence oversees all agency financial transactions, as well as human resources, and has been with WRI since 2012. He prepares monthly internal financial reporting as well as financial reporting to stakeholders and the Board of Directors. He has provided fiscal expertise to several non-profits in the area for over 30 years. Lawrence holds a bachelor of science in accounting, summa cum laude from The Sage Colleges of Albany.

Elizabeth (she/her) implements and oversees application programs, involving an award of financial assistance to those in need. Over the years, she has also played a large role in the management of award payment processes as well as other related fiscal responsibilities for these programs. Elizabeth has worked at education and not-for-profit organizations over the past 30 years where she has gained extensive experience in management and accounting.

Lisa is responsible for the design and production of print and digital deliverables on WRI projects. These deliverables include publications, logos, posters, promotions for events, and web development. As Event Manager, she oversees each phase of virtual and in-person events. Lisa has a bachelor's of fine arts in graphic design from Buffalo State College and a bachelors degree in fine art with a minor in business administration from the University of San Diego.

Kerri (she/her) leads a team of youth with lived experience in foster care in gathering information from recipients of awards through the Chafee Funds Program of New York State.  She has more than a decade of experience advocating for affordable housing and social justice. Kerri holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from Boise State University and a master’s degree in social work with an emphasis in mental health from Northwest Nazarene University. Kerri is also a certified professional mediator.

Evelyn works on the NYS Education and Training Voucher program. She assists the Program Manager with the various aspects of the application process. Evelyn’s work experience has been in the federal, banking and education sectors. She has earned an associate of arts in business administration.

Leanne (she/her) is a Program Associate working on the Education and Training Voucher Program, Child Care Pilot Program, and other WRI projects. She has an extensive background in NYS governance including legislative, lobbying and government relations work. She maintains a proven affinity for producing high-quality, well-researched products in results-driven environments. Leanne holds a master's in public administration from Rockefeller College and a bachelor of arts degree in government from St. Lawrence University.

Michele provides administrative support to the managerial and fiscal staff and office management, as well as serving as project manager for various endeavors. Prior to joining WRI, Michele worked for the State of New York for 37 years at the University at Albany. Her last position held at SUNY Albany, before retiring, was as Dean’s Secretary in the School of Criminal Justice.

Marissa (she/her) currently manages multiple evaluation and consulting projects for key stakeholders in the mental health community. She has several years experience in the mental health community providing trauma-informed direct support to adults and children with mental health concerns and/or developmental disabilities that are also impacted by physical health concerns, homelessness, substance use disorders, and/or foster-care. Marissa holds a master of arts in Criminal Justice and a Masters of Social Work (MSW) from the University at Albany.

Smita currently works as Program Specialist on the Education and Training Voucher Program on a part-time basis. Her primary focus is in the area of data analysis. She also enjoys programming routine tasks to achieve more efficient and accurate outcomes. She has completed graduate studies in electrical engineering from Syracuse University.

Felicia (she/her) is a Program Specialist focusing on administrative and task management services for the Citizen’s Review Panel, Child Care Share Pilot Program, events, and other WRI projects. She has worked and volunteered in the non-profit sector for over 10 years and holds the vice president position for her local elementary school parent teachers organization. She focused her school and work efforts in social media, marketing, and development, and has also facilitated many events throughout her career.

Heather (she/her) works on projects related to awarding financial assistance to qualifying applicants. She is responsible for financial tasks related to applicant payments, as well as application review and auditing. Heather joined WRI in 2020 to assist with both the Chafee Funds Program of NYS and the NYS Education and Training Voucher program. Prior to joining the WRI team, she worked in financial and customer services.

Kaylana (she/her) is currently working on the NYS Chafee Funds Program and the New York State Education and Training Voucher program. She has a diverse background of work experience, mainly in administrative, financial and customer service industries.

Alexa (she/her) assists the Executive Director in daily tasks related to the organization. She also provides assistance with multiple projects where needed. Alexa has several years’ experience in non-profit organizations supporting individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Alexa holds a bachelor’s of science in management from Siena College.

Angela (she/her) assists with the design and production of print and digital media for a variety of WRI projects. She also assists with the review, evaluation, and processing for WRI application programs. In all her work, Angela maintains a consistent focus on detail, high quality, and timeliness. Angela recently obtained her associate of science in Digital Media and is currently pursuing a bachelor of fine arts in Graphic + Media Design at Russell Sage College.

Jean is a member of the WRI event team and organizes in-person and online conferences and training events for several clients, as well as providing support on other projects. Having worked for many years for non-profits, she has extensive experience in planning and implementing events, including fundraising galas, sports tournaments, community events, and strategic planning retreats. Jean holds a bachelor of science in psychology from the University of Massachusetts.

Sierra assists in the planning and implementation of various online events and in the analyzing and reporting of award data for the Chafee Funds Program of NYS. She also does data tracking, analysis and reporting. Sierra has worked in the non-profit sector for several years, focusing on grant oversight, data tracking and reporting, and event coordination. She holds a bachelor of science in public health from University at Albany and an associate’s degree in business administration.