BOARD OF DIRECTORSKatie Watkin has been a regular daytime volunteer at Bottomless Closet since 2005 and serving on the Junior Committee. She was part of the development team that created and led a program focusing on strategies for parents to read with their children. Prior to her volunteer work, Katie was a learning specialist and reading teacher for at Country School in Weston, Massachusetts and The Chapin School in New York. Katie received her BA with honors from Washington University and a Master of Education from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts in Special Needs Pre-K-9.
BOARD OF DIRECTORSSara T. Slocum is a regular weekday volunteer with Bottomless Closet. By volunteering, she has been able to participate in amazing transformations and share in the successes of her clients. The incredible energy and support that the volunteers and staff give the clients and each other is unique and special: it even prompted one client she was working with to say that she “felt alive again” after her visit. Previously, Sara worked in the retail consulting and research field. At Management Ventures, based in Cambridge MA, she served as an analyst covering the Warehouse Clubs as well as Home Improvement stores. Her career was focused on watching people interact with the retail environment, and helping retailers and suppliers to better understand the dynamics of shopping. She received a Master’s Degree with Distinction from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and graduated with Honors from Haverford College.
BOARD OF DIRECTORSKate Post has spent the last 30+ years of her career in the staffing industry, and as such has worked with corporations of all sizes helping thousands transition into the workplace.
Her years of expertise has led to her speaking on numerous panels concerning hiring, management of talent and trends in today’s workplace, with a particular interest in the challenges of employing women who have been incarcerated, homeless, or battered. She is currently the President of the New York Staffing Association, chapter leader in the American Staffing Association, on the Board of Directors of Hale House and active in numerous business networking groups. She has been involved with Bottomless Closet for the last few years and believes the organization is closely aligned with her life’s work.
BOARD OF DIRECTORSLuise joined Bottomless Closet in 2001 and currently works one on one with women transitioning into the workforce selecting business appropriate clothing and helping women prepare for job interviews. In addition to her career, Luise has always been involved volunteering with a variety of nonprofits. Luise was one of the founders of friends group at Center for Preventive Psychiatry; she worked as a patient advocate at University Hospital and was involved in Learning Leaders. Luise graduated from Boston University with a BA.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORKathleen Jordan is currently the Retail studio director for the New York office of Gensler Architecture Design. Kathleen received a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Active in the design community, Kathleen is a longtime participant in the ACE Mentorship Program Career Directions for Students in Architecture, Construction, and Engineering (ACE),a unique partnership among architects, interior designers, engineers, and university representatives, through which industry professionals volunteer as mentors to high school students in order to introduce them to these professions, and to encourage them to pursue studies and careers in these fields.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Carolyn Huggins is a member of the team that became the Founding Board of Directors of Bottomless Closet. Prior to the hiring of Bottomless Closet staff, she created and executed a successful fund development effort that included foundations prospect research, proposal and letter writing, and a tracking system. She continues her involvement as a member of Bottom Closet’s Development Committee. Carolyn holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin College. She also studied at the Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria and completed graduate coursework in Human Resources Administration at the University of Utah.
BOARD OF DIRECTORSAndrea Mastro-Hoinacki began her work at Bottomless Closet, in 2002; knowing that helping women attain economic self-sufficiency would directly result in helping families improve their lives. Andrea achieves a tremendous amount of personal and professional satisfaction working with both our clients and our dedicated volunteers.
Andrea joined the Board of Directors in 2003 and is a member of the Volunteer Committee, where her primary responsibilities are managing the semi-annual sale and conducting volunteer training sessions and community outreach programs. Andrea chairs the Junior Committee, established in 2006, which has grown to encompass an annual fundraiser, awareness events, workshop development, and evening volunteer training. Lastly, Andrea chairs the Junior Benefit Committee for the Spring Luncheon. Andrea received her Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Juris Doctorate with an International Law specialization from Chicago-Kent College of Law.
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Karen Heath-Wade became involved with the Bottomless Closet organization in 2004. She was introduced to their work by a friend who brought her into see the operation and meet with the head of the nominating committee. Since joining the board, Karen has been instrumental in bringing both corporate and individual contributions to Bottomless Closet and in elevating their visibility to corporate sponsors. Karen believes that the work being done by Bottomless Closet is integral in providing better lives for deserving women and families and is grateful for her opportunity to contribute. Karen earned her BA from Mount Holyoke College and a MBA from Loyola University of Chicago.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Cindy Whitehead Gaston served as Treasurer of Bottomless Closet and currently serves on the finance committee. Previously Cynthia was a Manager in Ernst & Young’s Risk Advisory Services practice, based in NYC, serving the financial services industry. Cynthia holds an MBA in Finance from The Pennsylvania State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Franklin and Marshall College. Cynthia continues to volunteer at Bottomless Closet when her schedule will permit. The day Bottomless Closet opened its doors in 1999 remains one the proudest days of her life, and she continues to support the organization and its efforts to change the lives of NYC women on public assistance, one by one, women helping women.
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Laura is the Co-Director of Americas Equity Research for Goldman Sachs. Laura currently also serves on the Compensation Policy Committee as well as the Americas Diversity Committee. Laura was named managing director in 1997 and partner in 2000. Previously, Laura had been the Technology Equity Research Business Unit Leader. In addition, she covered the hardware systems sector, including enterprise server and storage companies, a position she held since joining the firm in 1996. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Laura worked at the National Security Agency as an intelligence analyst before joining Prudential Securities. In her tenure at Prudential, she specialized in enterprise computing, servers, workstations, PCs and design automation, and served as an analyst and the associate director of Research. Laura earned a BA, summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from Boston University and an MBA in Finance with honors from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
BOARD OF DIRECTORSChristine is responsible for building infrastructure and platform for wealth management division, founded in 2004, of Emigrant Bank, to service ultra high net worth clients ($50 million+ in investable assets). Manage Operations and Client Service; she also supports The President & CEO in business planning and strategic marketing. Prior to joining New York Private Bank & Trust, Christine was the business manager with MPI PROFESSIONALS (ACQUIRED BY CGI GROUP, INC). Christine earned a B.A. in English from Cornell University. Since October 2006, she has served as the Co-Head of the Bottomless Closet Financial Mentor program.
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Priscilla has been involved with Bottomless Closet since 2002 when a friend introduced her to the organization and she began volunteering as a client coach and client advocate. She joined the Board of Directors in 2003 and has focused her energies primarily on program evaluation, outcome management and program design, becoming the co-chair of the Program and Evaluation Committee in 2004. She also serves on the Finance Committee, Personnel Committee and Event Committee. Priscilla’s interest in the welfare of women and children began while at Time Incorporated, in the mid 1970’s, when she became the first Affirmative Action Officer for Women and used her background in business to train and attract women to jobs in Advertising Sales, Editing and other positions not traditionally held by women.
CHAIR EMERITA
CHAIR EMERITA
SECRETARY
Judith T. Hunt joined Bottomless Closet as a volunteer in July 1999, as an opportunity to utilize her previous retail and fundraising experience in a not-for-profit organization. Judy joined the Board in 1999 and has served as Bottomless Closet’s Treasurer from 1999 –2006, chair of the Finance Committee and currently serves as Board Secretary and Retail Committee chair as well as participating on other Committees including Development, Program/Evaluation, and Spring Luncheon Event. Judy is a graduate of Manhattanville College, Purchase, NY. Working at Bottomless Closet these past 9 years has been an exciting, challenging and rewarding experience pooling together years worth of volunteer and professional experiences, as Judy moved around the USA.
TREASURER
Tami Peter has volunteered her time to Bottomless Closet since 2001, creating and teaching a monthly Personal Finance Series, which has grown to a 16 part program. Additionally, Tami has served on the Bottomless Closet Board of Directors since 2006 and currently serves as the Board Treasurer. Her goal is to ensure that each and every woman in the series is empowered to accomplish her financial goals, and through knowledge, action, and self-confidence - ultimately achieve Financial Independence! She received a Masters of Business Administration in International Management/Finance from Thunderbird – The American Graduate School of International Management, with foreign study in Africa and Europe. Tami also holds a B.S. in Finance and a minor in German from Villanova University, with foreign study in Switzerland and Austria.
VICE PRESIDENTIris spent 20 years working in the fashion industry running large sportswear companies with responsibility for merchandising, publicity, and the bottom line. Iris joined Bottomless Closet in 2000 on the suggestion of Arlyn Gardner, starting as a volunteer twice a week. She joined the board about a year later. Iris has been involved in almost all Bottomless Closet committees, including the original strategic planning committee and she chaired the development committee for 5 years.
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENTArlyn Gardner became involved with Bottomless Closet as a volunteer shortly after it was founded through her friendship with Reva Wurtzburger. Arlyn serves on several board committees including the Events Committee with primary responsibility for Bottomless Closet’s annual fundraising luncheon. Arlyn’s career and volunteer activities have been focused on making a difference in people’s lives and she feels that her volunteer work at
Bottomless Closet is particularly gratifying because within an hour of meeting a client a volunteer can make a difference in the life of an economically disadvantaged woman who wants to make a change in her life.
PRESIDENTDiane Kenney began her association with Bottomless Closet in 2002 initially as an evening volunteer working with clients for 2nd appointments and conducting Workplace Skills workshops. In 2004, she joined the Board of Bottomless Closet and began working as a daytime volunteer. In addition to doing one-on-one coaching, she became Co-Chair of the Program and Evaluation Committee with responsibility for tracking and analysis of client and workshop surveys and statistics. In 2006 she was elected Vice President of the Board and in 2009, President. Diane’s broad range of business and Human Resource experience has proven to be extremely helpful to Bottomless Closet especially in Programming and Evaluation and working closely with clients and the Board. Diane received her BA from St. John’s University and Masters in Human Resource Management and Development from the New School in New York.
CHAIRBarbara Madsen Smith was involved with Bottomless Closet since the beginning. The need became apparent in 1996 with passage of the Welfare Reform Act. A colleague in Chicago had started an organization to help women enter the workforce and Barbara made the first connection – connecting a group of New York City women interested in starting a similar organization to the Chicago group. In 1999 she joined the Board of Directors and since then Barbara has been involved in Bottomless Closet’s communications and strategic planning. Barbara was elected President of the Board of Directors of Bottomless Closet NYC in January of 2007. Barbara has over 20 years of experience in developing communications strategies and ideas for clients around the world. As a member of the Board of Directors and Chief Creative Officer of Burson-Marsteller Worldwide, Barbara lived in Chicago, New York and Paris, working on every continent and with clients in almost every major industry. Barbara received her Bachelor’s Degree from Washington University in St. Louis and her Master’s from Northwestern University.