We are pleased to announce that The Children’s Room has appointed four new members to our Board of Directors: Jonathan DeVito, Tim Gleason, Katie Gorczyca, and Courtney Silva.
“Our four new board members bring a wealth of professional experience and expertise in the fields of bereavement, information technology, clinical social work, and organizational effectiveness,” said The Children’s Room’s Board President, Michael Nagle. “We are proud to welcome each of them to our board, and I am confident that they will help us advance our work serving grieving children, teens, and families.”
Jonathan DeVito
Jonathan DeVito, AS, is the director of DeVito Funeral Home in Arlington. Jonathan is a 2011 graduate of New England Institute of Mortuary Science in Newton. On December 18, 2012, he was sworn in as a Licensed Funeral Director by the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Funeral Directors and Embalmers.
Jonathan has been involved with The Children’s Room for a decade in various capacities of support ranging from the sponsorship of our annual Memories Walk to helping to host grief support workshops for the community. He shares, “I’m thrilled to join the Board so I can be more involved in the success of The Children’s Room and help further its community involvement.”
In addition to his service at The Children’s Room, Jonathan was named a corporator of the Arlington Boys & Girls Club in 2011, and he continues to assist the Club with fundraising efforts and special events.
Raised in Arlington, he currently resides in Lexington with his wife, May, and son Caleb.
Tim Gleason
Tim Gleason works as a technical architect for Harvard University Information Technology, where he has been employed for the past twenty-six years. During that time, he has been engaged in a broad array of strategic improvements in the university’s technology infrastructure.
In 2012, Tim became connected to The Children’s Room through several friends who were volunteers. He was asked to provide advice on our technology needs, and he has helped support The Children’s Room in that capacity ever since. In 2013, he joined the advisory board.
Tim shares, “The Children’s Room connected with me through the enthusiasm and spirit of the staff and volunteers for the mission of service to the families. I feel strongly that the environment and support provided by The Children’s Room to the families experiencing loss is invaluable. I wish to contribute to this mission by whatever means and methods I have at my disposal.”
Tim is originally from West Medford and has been a longtime resident of Arlington, where he lives with his wife, Liza, and three children: Jack, Kendall, and Daniel.
Katie Gorczyca
Photo courtesy of Jenny Moloney (moloney.photo)
Katie Gorczyca is an expressive arts therapist, program leader, and co-author of the children’s book Adoption Is a Lifelong Journey. Katie received her bachelors and master’s degrees from Lesley University in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Expressive Therapies. Katie is a part-time clinician at Boston Post Adoption Resources in Brookline, and a program leader at Danny’s Place Youth Services in Acton. Katie has experience working with children, teens, and adults and specializes in post-adoption support, bereavement, and anxiety. In 2016, Katie completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training and has additional training in yin yoga and yoga for depression, anxiety, and trauma.
Katie first joined The Children’s Room as a volunteer for a children’s summer program in 2007. In 2008 and 2009, she was a part of The Children’s Room Teen Performance Troupe. As a sophomore in college, she helped establish an undergraduate internship program and participated in the first year of undergraduate interns at TCR. Recently she has served as our keynote speaker at multiple fundraising events including our annual Circle of Hope Breakfast and the annual Memories Walk. She currently serves as a volunteer helping to support our Teen Program.
Katie shares, “I want to serve on the Board of Directors because TCR is an organization that resonates deeply with me. As a teen, TCR guided and supported my development. As an adult, I hope to support and guide a wonderful organization as a way of giving back.”
Katie grew up in Acton, and currently resides in South Boston with her husband, Chris.
Courtney Silva
Courtney Silva, MBA, currently works as an organizational effectiveness consultant at Slalom Consulting in Boston. In her consulting career, she has worked on various projects in Change Enablement, Learning, and Talent Management for private, public, and social sector clients. She also leads Slalom Boston’s internal Learning Committee and is a member of the Women’s Leadership Network.
Courtney’s relationship with The Children’s Room began in 1993, when her family sought support after the death of her father; her family joined the first peer support group at Hospice West in Waltham. Shortly after graduating from college, Courtney reconnected with The Children’s Room by volunteering as a peer support group facilitator for two years. During that time, she also ran the 2012 Boston Marathon on TCR’s “Miles & Memories” team and served as a development intern. After spending time in Washington, DC, to pursue her MBA, Courtney is happy to be settled in Boston again.
As a new Board Member, Courtney shares, “I’m honored and delighted to serve on TCR’s Board of Directors. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to help advance TCR’s work by continuing to spread awareness, share new ideas, and deepen my relationship with the organization so that other grieving families can receive the support services that benefitted my family and me.”
