Staff:

Executive Director - Caroline Carwood

Caroline started volunteering with the Friday Night Supper Program in 2005. At that time she was a project leader at Boston Cares and was volunteering at a number of meal service programs through out the city. However, when Caroline joined the FNSP, "I knew this was the place for me. I felt an immediate connection to the program, its guests and volunteers". In 2006, Caroline took on the role of volunteer coordinator for the FNSP. In 2007 she joined the FNSP board. And in 2008, she was elected by the board as Director of the program. Caroline is a graduate of Northeastern University. She is a registered nurse and works in Boston.

Kitchen Manager - Jenna Tucker

Jenna Tucker started with the Friday Night Supper Program in 2008. She is a graduate of Emerson College and relocated to Boston from southern Indiana. During college, she volunteered with many not-for-profits in the Boston area, particularly those committed to food justice in various forms including urban agriculture and local food economies. "I was astounded by how well the Program succeeds not only in feeding its guests a great meal each week but also in creating an atmosphere of respect and community for its guests and volunteers." She currently resides in Jamaica Plain where she writes and engages in social justice work and artistic and community gatherings.

Board:

Tracy Allen

Tracy joined the board in the Fall of 2009 and serves on the Communications Committee. Tracy first came to FNSP, with several other educators in her school, in March 2009 as a volunteer. They were looking to fulfill they're school's Make A Difference Challenge. Tracy felt instantly connected to the clients, the other volunteers and the mission. She has been a regular volunteer since. Tracy graduated from Vassar College with a BA in theater and holds a Master's Degree in School Counseling from Boston College. She works as a middle school counselor in Medfield.

Ayanna Braxton

Ayanna joined the FNSP Board in 2007 and serves on the Communications Committee. Ayanna was hooked on FNSP from the first time she volunteered with a group of colleagues from Millennium Pharmaceuticals. "I couldn't believe that the whole organization is volunteer run and that there is a meal served every Friday night." Ayanna enjoys most talking with the guests on Friday night. " I really feel that they are my guests and I am there to serve them and make them feel welcomed." Ayanna holds a degree from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte and currently works as a QA Manager for Millennium Pharmaceuticals, the Takeda Oncology Company.

Peggy Burns

Peggy is a long term volunteer at the Friday Night Supper Program and has been a member of Dignity Boston for 15 years. She served on the National Board of Dignity USA for 10 years, serving as Secretary and Vice-President. She presently is serving as Operations Manager for Dignity USA. In her past life she was a junior high teacher. Peggy lives in Malden with her partner of 16 years, M.A. Ladd.

Kathy Connolly, Treasurer

Kathy Connolly has been a Friday Night Supper volunteer since January 2008 and currently serves as Treasurer. After volunteering at several organizations, Kathy felt a strong connection with the Friday Night Supper program during her first visit. "Friday Night Supper is such a welcoming environment, for both guests and volunteers. The program runs like a well-oiled machine while serving a very basic need in providing a nutritious meal to the hungry within our community. It is quite a rewarding experience each week."

Kathy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a MBA in Finance from Boston College. She has worked for several major retailers throughout her professional career. Since 2002, Kathy has served various roles, primarily in Finance and Business Planning, for Shaw's Supermarkets / Supervalu, Inc.  She enjoys volunteering for several organizations across Massachusetts, particularly those focused on hunger relief and brain tumor/cancer research.

Kris Ikenberry, Board Chair

Kris has been volunteering with the Friday Night Supper Program since 2007 and joined the Board in January of 2008. She found FNSP through volunteer work with Boston Cares. After trying several other volunteer opportunities, Kris was most drawn to the FNSP: "I really liked the guests and volunteers and felt it to be a truly worthwhile cause. It's extremely rewarding to be part of a volunteer-based organization doing so much good in the community."

Kris holds a BS in Management from Syracuse University and an MBA from Bentley College. She is also a 2006 fellow of UMASS Boston's Emerging Leaders Program. Kris currently works for Lilliputian Systems, Inc. as the Director of Supply Chain and International Sourcing. In the past, she has held a variety of supply chain roles in the medical, high tech and alternative energy industries.

Ted Kaplan

Ted Kaplan, a Boston-area native, has been involved in high tech management, entrepreneurship, and higher education for many years. An engineer/MBA by training, he spent several years holding technical and management positions in the computer graphics/CAD systems industry, followed by founding and running a computer software training firm in the Back Bay. Over the last eight years, Ted has migrated to teaching math and physics at the college level, conducting courses at Bentley University, Babson College, and the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences.

"On New Year's Eve 2007, I encountered a small group of volunteers selling hot coffee and snacks, while encouraging donations and volunteer support for the FNSP. I learned more about this organization and its efforts to reduce hunger through its ongoing program and became a volunteer, and have found it to be a very rewarding community service activity."

Ted is an Electrical Engineering graduate of Cornell University and holds an MBA from Boston University. He is a single dad with two children.

John Ryan

John Ryan joined the FNSP Board of Directors in March 2009 and is on the Development Committee. John is currently the Development Director of the Boys & Girls Club of Newton. He is former Development Manager of the Brookline Community Foundation, a philanthropic nonprofit foundation. John previously served as Development Associate at Heading Home, a homeless service provider in Cambridge, MA. He is also the Chair of the Board of Directors of On Your Feet Project Boston. John is a resident of Brookline, MA.

Helen Stringer

Our newest board member, Helen began volunteering at the FNSP in the spring of 2011 and was elected to the board in September. "The work that the FNSP does is very immediate, I love this organization because you can see right away that the services we offer make a real difference to people's lives".

A native of Belfast, Northern Ireland, Helen now works in Boston as a Design Director for Procter & Gamble. She lives in Hingham, MA with her husband, teenage daughter and a large dog.

Anita Yip

Anita Yip has been volunteering with the Friday Night Supper Program since 2001 and joined the Board in August of 2009 where she serves on the Communications and Development Committees. She is currently the Assistant Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations at Wellesley College. For the past two years, she served at Big Sister Association of Greater Boston and Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston as part of the Massachusetts Promise Fellowship (AmeriCorps). Previously, she worked for BNY ConvergEx Group, Boston Women's Fund, and as a freelance photographer for Zagat Survey. Anita holds a degree in Environmental Studies and Media Arts and Sciences from Wellesley College.

Mary Zaremba

Mary M. Zaremba joined the FNSP Board in August 2008 and is on the Finance Committee.  Mary currently works as a Portfolio Officer at BNY Mellon Wealth Management.  She has been with BNY Mellon for over 11 years.  Prior to working for BNY Mellon, Mary worked for Fleet Bank for several years.   She graduated from Aquinas Junior College where she received her Associates Degree in Business. Mary is a resident of Boston, MA.