Meet our New Board 2010-2011

On September 30^th, 2010 we had our 52th Annual Meeting & Awards Dessert where we celebrated together all the success we had in the last year. We want to share with you a little bit of our new board members.

Jerry Angeletti

In the fall of 2003 Jerry Angeletti accepted an early buy-out from Pfizer Pharmaceuticals after a twenty year career as a scientific programmer. In June of 2004 Jerry founded his own marketing company called "Angeletti Pictures" His son Jonnie is nineteen years old and has Down syndrome. Jonnie's official title with Angeletti Pictures is CEO. Jonnie has his own desk at the office and customers have requested Angeletti Picture's services due to Jonnies' positive promotion of their business.

Mary Connors

Mary and husband Charlie own Ego Imaging, a business established in 1997. They have two kids Alex, 9 and Joy, 6. Alex has autism, which has made Mary want to help all people with special needs, or all people for that matter. She was a previously member of the board of the Autism Society of Kalamazoo and Battle Creek for 4 years. She has been on the SMART team (Southwestern Michigan Autism Resource Team) for 2 years, serving as secretary and developing an autism library that will be accessible to all in Kalamazoo library. Mary has been a parent mentor through Parent to Parent of SWMI for three years. She is heavily involved in her children's school, volunteering for their classrooms, field trips and literacy programs. Mary and her family live in Galesburg and participate in the annual River Clean up in Battle Creek.

Fran Hoard

Fran Hoard has been a tireless advocate for services, supports and choices for people with developmental disabilities and their families. She has been instrumental in supporting the work of a number of organizations serving people with disabilities, including the John F. Kennedy Center, McKercher and MRC Industries, Residential Opportunities Inc., and the Center for Disability Services. Fran Hoard is one of only a few recipient of our Community Advocates Award. Fran's long history of service is due to her two daughters, but her volunteer work has gone far beyond taking care of her own family. Fran has served on Community Advocates' Board more than once. She has agreed to extend her current board term an additional year.

Kim Squires

Kim Squiers brings expertise in communications, strategic planning, financially accountability, team leadership, volunteer mobilization and project/program management. In 2002-2003, while completing her Master's degree in Public and Nonprofit administration, she worked as a researcher with Community Advocates and the Arcadia Institute. Kim's career has included work with Goodwill, Battle Creek, Girl Scouts Louisiana East, American Red Cross, and St.Bernard Parish Chapter in Louisiana, Holland Hospital Foundation and Haworth. She was also a Program Director for Allegan County Community Mental Health, for two programs assisting people with disabilities to secure and maintain employment and launch microenterprises.

We are really exciting of having our new Board of Directors and looking forward to a wonderful 2010-2011 year here at Community Advocates!!

Our 2009-2011 Board of Directors

Back Row from left to right: Carl Phalin, Kim Squiers, Diana Devries, Michael Payne, Brian Bruce, Steve Barber & Jerry Angeletti

Front Row from left to right: Ian Kennedy, Susan Brooks, Dawn Pantaleo, Fran Hoard and Mary Connors