Southeast Florida Area

Kristen Garuckas lost her beautiful Mom to cancer at the age of 33. She and her mom were extremely close and talked multiple times a day and her passing left a huge void in her life. Kristen heard of Empower through the LUMINARA and bought a bag when it was in Jupiter, Florida. When Kristen and her sister were asked to take over as co-chairs in Boca Raton she felt like it was the calling she was waiting for her to do something bigger with her grief. Now as program coordinator, Kristen is so happy she can help make an impact in the lives of youth who have gone through parent loss.

Kristen is a native Floridian and lives in Boca Raton with her husband and two children she enjoys reading and spending time outdoors with family and friends.

Kristen can be contacted via email: kristen@weareempower.org

Alexa grew up in Franklin, a town just outside of Boston and now lives in Scituate, MA with her husband Andrew, daughters Emilia (3), Sadie (1), and their mini bernedoodle, Teddi. She has been apart of Empower as the Program Coordinator for girls of father loss and has been honored to have been here since Empower expanded to serve all children of parent loss. She does this work in loving memory of her dad, Eric whom she lost when she was 13 years old. She misses him every day but is grateful for this organization that is giving youth a safe space in their grief.

She graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2013 and worked as a pediatric nurse for 10 years. She recently started working as a nurse at the Dana Farber/BWH Breast Cancer Center and also started her own luxury organizing business called Sorted Interiors with her incredible friend. Alexa wrote a children’s book, My Hot Air Balloon Ride, to continue her efforts in helping children in their grief. When she is not working, she loves spending time with her family, going to the beach, reading and snowboarding.

Alexa can be contacted via email at: alexa@weareempower.org

Ali Thomas is a dynamic leader and manager of all field coordinators across the globe.  Ali is a longtime friend of founder Cara Belvin and experienced the loss of her mother Doreen to cancer when she was 17 years old.  Ali joined Empower’s efforts as a volunteer in 2020 and later joined Empower as the Mentor Program Manager.  Ali’s passion is unwavering and was a driving force in the Empower expansion to serve all children of any parent loss.

Ali attended Eastern Connecticut State University and spent over 20 years building and developing teams in the public and private sector and worked with various leadership groups at the University of Oklahoma.

Ali can be contacted via email at: ali@weareempower.org.

Nicci was born and raised in Walpole, MA and graduated from Assumption College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services and Rehabilitation Studies. After many years working various jobs in the corporate world, she followed her passion and became a Certified Grief Coach. She also works with a non-profit serving the adolescent and young adult cancer community.

When Nicci was 24 her dad passed away from graft-versus-host disease, a complication following a stem cell transplant for chronic lymphocytic leukemia. After being so heavily impacted by her loss, she knew one day she would turn this pain into her purpose. Her desire to help and support others through grief led her to Empower in 2023 where she became a Mentor and now, a Program Coordinator for Girls of Fatherloss. She feels very grateful to have found an organization that shares the same mission and values as her own.

Nicci and her husband Dan live in Wrentham, MA with their two children, Danny (4) and Siena (1.5). She and her family love to stay active outdoors, go to the beach, and enjoy making delicious home cooked meals together!

Nicci can be contacted via email at: nicci@weareempower.org

Emily Seneca lost her beautiful Mom to cancer at the age of 9, just two weeks before she turned 10, and she truly understands the profound impact of grief. She is passionate about Empower and its dedication to fostering a sense of community with youth and volunteers who have experienced the loss of their parent(s) and showing others that they are not alone in this journey. This kind of support is something she so wished she had at a young age, as she didn’t meet another woman who had also lost their mom until later in life. She is local to Champaign, Illinois, living with her husband and their two dogs. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, hiking, bike riding, crafting, and songwriting.

If you have any questions about your Mentor Application or screening materials, Emily can be contacted via email at: eseneca@weareempower.org.