Southern New England

Southern New England

Empower proudly serves the following states in Southern New England: Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

PROGRAMS OFFERED

We provide children, teens, and young adults relief from grief and guide them through life following the loss of a parent. Our support comes in two forms: Events and Mentorship.

We host big events and small get togethers to remind children they are not alone, and we offer a unique Mentor program where we pair children, teens and young adults with positive role models who have also experienced parent loss.

We are a support system providing community and connection. We’ve been there, we get it, and we can help make the journey more manageable.

Our programs, by design, are gender-specific. Below, we will outline our specific service offerings for each of our groups. In Southern New England, our programs are based on enrollment and volunteer availability.

Girls + Young Women/Non-Binary Youth of Mother Loss

We are actively accepting applications for Mentors who have experienced the loss of a mother.

If you’re a family interested in our programs, enrollment is open! Our local Program Coordinator is eager to connect with you and share more about our Mentor Program and Year-Round Events.

Boys + Young Men/Non-Binary Youth of Mother Loss

We are actively seeking mentors who have experienced the loss of a mother.

For families interested in our programs, we are expanding our programs in your area, and our local Program Coordinator is available to speak with you about our plans. While we are still growing in your area, please note that our offerings may be more limited, but they are still available.

Girls + Young Women/Non-Binary Youth of Father Loss

We are actively accepting applications for mentors who have experienced the loss of a father.

If you’re a family interested in our programs, enrollment is now open! Our local Program Coordinator is eager to connect with you.

Boys + Young Men/Non-Binary Youth of Father Loss

We are currently accepting applications for mentors who have experienced the loss of a father.

If you are a family in need of support, we would be honored to meet with you to share more about our program offerings. While we are still growing in your area, please note that our offerings may be more limited, but they are still available.

EVENT INFORMATION

We hold year-round events in Southern New England for children and young adults who have lost a parent. Hosted by local Mentors and volunteers through the software, Meetup, these get togethers help Empower members connect and build community. Currently, we offer events for all children and young adults with mother and/or father loss. You may join meetup groups in multiple locations, and both Hartford and Boston group links are included below! Be sure to sign up to receive notifications of future events in your area!

Additionally, Southern New England will host Empower’s Annual Mother’s & Father’s Day Events which are open to all children, teens, and young adults enrolled at Empower.

Join our Boston Meetup Group! Join our Hartford Meetup Group! Volunteer for Events

YOUR PROGRAM STAFF

John LaGrace

Program Coordinator, Mother + Father Loss

John was born and raised in NJ. After graduating from the University of Tampa, he moved to MA and now lives in Brookline. He has spent the last 12 years working in digital marketing and is currently a Marketing Manager at Procter & Gamble for brands such as Gillette, Braun & Venus.

He has experienced the loss of both parents, losing his Dad suddenly to a heart attack when he was 20 and his Mom from a stroke when he was 31. These experiences have deeply influenced him to support others navigating similar losses. This year, he joined Empower as a volunteer for both Mother’s and Father’s Day events and is now excited to be the Program Coordinator for Boys of Mother Loss and Father Loss.

He is married to his wife, Meghan, whom he met in his very first college class and has a small dog named Brooklyn. John is a big sports fan and enjoys the beach, traveling and running. Running has been a great outlet for him to clear his mind and cope with loss. He’s completed three marathons and this Summer ran the Falmouth Road Race for the Empower team!

John looks forward to connecting with others and sharing experiences along the way.

John can be contacted via email at: john@weareempower.org

Alexa Getchell

Program Coordinator, Father Loss

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

Nicci Scimone

Program Coordinator, Father Loss

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

Tanya Small

Program Coordinator, Mother Loss (Massachusetts + Rhode Island)

Tanya, originally from New Hampshire, currently resides in Stoneham, Massachusetts. She attended Quinnipiac University, earning her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing and is an ICU nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital. When Tanya was 19 and a freshman in college, she lost her mother, Ann Marie, after a sudden battle with metastatic breast cancer.

She learned about Empower in 2018 from a coworker who saw a special on Chronicle. She soon became a volunteer and then a mentor to an incredible young girl, Megan. She continued her involvement by hosting the 2022 and 2024 Mother’s Day Event for the Southern New England area. Tanya is passionate about Empower’s mission and excited to join as Program Coordinator for girls of mother loss in the Southern New England community.

Tanya can be contacted via email: tanya@weareempower.org

Christina Zarotney

Program Coordinator, Mother Loss (Connecticut)

Christina was born and raised in Connecticut. After graduating from Western Connecticut State University, she dove straight into her passion for teaching, a career she had always known she wanted to pursue. She dedicated over 21 years to the classroom before transitioning into her current role as a literacy coach.

Christina experienced the sudden loss of her mother, Joyce, when she was just eleven years old. This profound loss at a young age shaped her deeply. When she discovered Empower, she knew it was the support system she had been searching for all those years. In 2019, Christina applied to become a Mentor and was matched with Abby. Together, they formed one of the first virtual Mentor pairs during the pandemic.

Since then, Christina has been a part of Empower, serving as the Southern New England Program Coordinator. She has organized Connecticut’s Mother’s Day Retreats, hosted various events, facilitated mission meetings, and chaired the Connecticut fundraiser and awareness gala, Light the Night, at the Aqua Turf.

Christina is married to soul mate, Michael, who she met during her second year of college and they have been best friends ever since. Together, they are parents to two boys, Evan and Eric. Christina enjoys attending their sports events, hiking, camping with her family, and soaking up the sun with her feet in the sand at the beach.

Being part of Empower is something Christina truly cherishes. As a mentor and role model, she is committed to showing young girls and families that while the loss of a mother is heartbreaking, it is survivable—and they are never alone on that journey.

Christina can be contacted via email at: christina@weareempower.org

Kristen Ryan

Program Coordinator, Mother Loss (Massachusetts + Rhode Island)

Kristen was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. After graduating from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication she then followed her heart to a second degree in Physical Therapy from Bay State College, she now lives in Franklin, MA with her family. She worked as a PT Assistant for 8 years and now is a mom of two boys and a Program Coordinator with Empower.

She experienced the loss of her mother, Mary, from a long battle with Colon cancer when she was 18. This vital loss has deeply influenced her to support others navigating similar losses. After learning about Empower and its mission she immediately made contact and last year joined Empower as a mentor and became a mentor to a young girl who together have formed a strong bond and since then, has become a Program Coordinator for Girls of Mother Loss for the Boston chapter.

Kristen is married to the love of her life, Nick, and is truly embracing the boy mom life! Her two sons are her pride and joy, and of course cannot forget her first “baby”, a sweet black lab named Finny. Kristen enjoys reading, journaling, playing basketball, and spending time outside and finds that nature is the quickest way to ground yourself. She is passionate about serving others and is excited to share her story and connect with others and shares “if we have to feel our grief, we can at least feel it together so we know that we are not alone in it.”

Joanie Quealy

Senior Program Coordinator

Joanie Quealy joined Empower in 2014 as a volunteer and worked closely with founder Cara Belvin to build the only mentor program in the world for children in grief. Joanie assumed a number of critical assignments in the early development of Empower, assisting with the establishment of not only the mentor program but the event series that today continues to build community for children and adults of parent loss. Currently, Joanie serves as Empower’s Senior Mentor Program Coordinator and is responsible for all mentor training, screening, coaching and monitoring.

Joanie has over 30 years of experience as an RN in Pediatric nursing and in her tenure, Joanie provided health care and triage to undergraduate students at Boston College. While at Boston College she also played an active role in several health education initiatives specifically related to Women’s Health. Joanie attended Colby Sawyer College and St. Elizabeth’s School of Nursing.

Emily Seneca

Mentor Program Administrative Assistant

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.

Southern New England