Christy Gallese, Director of Expanded Learning Opportunities
cgallese@bsdvt.org (802) 540-0285 ext. 71200
Where did you grow up? Pennsylvania and New York
Where you’ll find me: Central Office and in and out of all the schools
Favorite part of afterschool or working with children/youth: Afterschool provides endless possibilities for children and youth to engage with each other in a meaningful way, to take a deeper dive into academic areas they are interested in through an experiential lens and to experience their community in a manner that promotes a sense of place, leadership and connections.
Hobbies/what do you like to do outside of work: Spend time with my family, spend as much time outdoors as possible, volunteer and root for the Red Sox and Patriots!
Professional experience and education: Upon graduating from the University of Rhode Island, I served as an AmeriCorps VISTA in Denver, CO, implementing environmental service learning and social justice programs in the Denver Public Schools. Following my term, I went on to direct youth and adult education and programs for the Mi Casa Resource Center. Moving forward, I worked as the Senior Conservation Program Manager at Mile High Youth Corps for eight years, managing land, energy and water conservation programs.
Currently, in addition to my role with BSD, I serve as the Chairperson for SerVermont, on the Governor’s Commission on Community Service, volunteer with the Charlotte Parks and Wildlife Committee and the Burlington Students’ Foundation. I am a Leadership Champlain Board Member and Class of 2018 graduate, a member of the VT Afterschool Network Advisory Council, a Commissioner for the Town of Charlotte Recreation Commission, serve on the America’s State Service Commissions Leadership Council and am a States for Services Official. I was recently selected as one of 15 leaders across the country to serve as an Afterschool Ambassador in 2018-2019 for the Afterschool Alliance.
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Hemant Ghising, Administrative Assistant, Grants and Afterschool
hghising@bsdvt.org (802) 865-5332 ext. 71501
Where did you grow up? Bhutan amd Refugee Camp in Nepal
Where you’ll find me: Central Office
Favorite part of afterschool or working with children/youth: Interaction of children from different backgrounds.
Hobbies/what do you like to do outside of work: Running, learning karate skills and soccer refereeing.
Professional experience and education: Long-time educator and assistant principal in Nepal, Masters in Public Administration and Sociology, pursuing doctoral study on educational leadership at UVM.
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Nina Mazuzan, Lead Site Director, Burlington Kids Afterschool
nmazuzan@bsdvt.org (802) 489-6358
Where did you grow up? Eastern Pennsylvania, in Bucks County near historic Washington’s Crossing.
Where you’ll find me: Burlington Kids Afterschool programs, with an office at EES
Favorite part of afterschool or working with children/youth: I love experiencing the energy and excitement that kids bring every day, and especially enjoy meeting new students who join the program every fall.
Hobbies/what do you like to do outside of work: I have a passion for cooking, gardening and quilting; and love time with my family.
Professional experience and education: I graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Psychology degree and have worked both in college student affairs and elementary-age programming most of my career. I have also worked in Marketing & Development for both non-profits and a for-profit design firm.
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Eli Phillips, Program Quality Coordinator
ephillip@bsdvt.org (802) 318-8319
Where did you grow up? Milton, VT
Where you’ll find me: Central Office
Favorite part of afterschool or working with children/youth: Playing sports and being active with them – showing them that grownups like to have fun, too!
Hobbies/what do you like to do outside of work: Hike, read, watch movies, try to keep up with my young daughter.
Professional experience and education: BS in biology from UVM, then a post-bacc certificate in elementary education; nine years as a classroom teacher (kindergarten and 5th grade); since then working for BSD as Assistant Site Director and Site Director at C.P. Smith and now Program Quality Coordinator.
