{"id":3029,"date":"2026-04-28T09:25:28","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T09:25:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/?page_id=3029"},"modified":"2026-06-15T15:45:34","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T15:45:34","slug":"about-us","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/about-us\/","title":{"rendered":"About Us"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"3029\" class=\"elementor elementor-3029\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5bbb3d7 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"5bbb3d7\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3de875c e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"3de875c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8aa4c0a elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"8aa4c0a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Who we are &amp; <span style=\"font-style: italic;color: #55AA39;font-weight: 300\"><br>why we do this\n<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5b2587a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5b2587a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"page-hero-desc\">We are educators, healers, artists, and dreamers united by a single question asked by a student in 1992 \u2014 and still working to answer it every day.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f2e576d elementor-icon-list--layout-traditional elementor-list-item-link-full_width elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon-list\" data-id=\"f2e576d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon-list.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-icon-list-items\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-circle\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">Everyone is a healer, an artist, or a teacher.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-circle\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">When people come together in loving community, problems can be solved.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-circle\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">We need to be well organized in the name of love and peace.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4c1585b e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"4c1585b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ed76250 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"ed76250\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"390\" height=\"260\" src=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/IMG_4919.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-3028\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/IMG_4919.jpeg 390w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/IMG_4919-300x200.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 390px) 100vw, 390px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-61cd5ec elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"61cd5ec\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/IMG_4836-1024x768.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-3027\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/IMG_4836-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/IMG_4836-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/IMG_4836-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/IMG_4836-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/IMG_4836-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f7de4a5 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"f7de4a5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b0566a2 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"b0566a2\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-84fbede elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"84fbede\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">\u2014 WHAT WE DO<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1058757 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1058757\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Fostering the\n <span style=\"font-style: italic;font-weight: 300\">beloved community<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e9609d4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e9609d4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"programs-head\"><p class=\"mission-body reveal d2 on\">What Better Looks Like fosters the development of beloved community by helping individuals\u00a0<strong>imagine, articulate, and create<\/strong> visions for a better world. The intentional infusion of love into our interactions has the power to create the radical changes necessary to make the world better.<\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-640165f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"640165f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"programs-head\"><p><strong style=\"color: #55aa39; font-size: 13px !important;\">WORKING DEFINITION<\/strong><\/p><p><strong><span class=\"stk-highlight\">BETTER<\/span><\/strong>: There are several ways to talk about things being better. When we visualize a better world, we do not mean, \u201cslightly less bad than it was yesterday,\u201d but rather\u00a0<em>better<\/em>\u00a0as in healed and whole again. This formulation for better asks people to create their greatest vision for the world.<\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9fa70b0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"9fa70b0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Founding Principles<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-87efd18 elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon-box\" data-id=\"87efd18\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon-box-wrapper\">\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon-box-content\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-icon-box-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span  >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t- Mission: To foster the development of beloved community.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-icon-box-description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWe ask people to think about what community they would like to impact - family, school, town, world,\u00a0 and ask them to imagine a vision for better.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e23f571 elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon-box\" data-id=\"e23f571\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon-box-wrapper\">\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon-box-content\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-icon-box-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span  >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t- When a community faces a challenge, the wisdom that will transform it exists within the heart of the community.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-icon-box-description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFor change to be effective and longlasting, the solutions have to be created by the people who are affected by the problem\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-35728b4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon-box\" data-id=\"35728b4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon-box-wrapper\">\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon-box-content\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-icon-box-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span  >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t- Everyone came to the planet to be a healer, an artist, or a teacher, or some combination of the three. \t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-icon-box-description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWe invite people to ask themselves, \"What did you come to heal or create and teach?\", and use that vision to better your community.\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d9ed519 elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon-box\" data-id=\"d9ed519\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon-box-wrapper\">\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon-box-content\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-icon-box-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span  >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t- We want to support beloved community by building social infrastructres based on peace and love.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-icon-box-description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2bbc59e e-con-full sticky-col e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"2bbc59e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7c4d936 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"7c4d936\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"520\" src=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/slider_upscale_02.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-2451\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/slider_upscale_02.jpg 800w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/slider_upscale_02-300x195.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/slider_upscale_02-768x499.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-aa92273 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"aa92273\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b57f8fc elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b57f8fc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">\u2014 The Question That Started It All<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2e38c3d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2e38c3d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">\"This is how the world is. If you want me to make it better \u2014 what would that look like?\"<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0a69a91 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"0a69a91\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1d67894 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"1d67894\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6d6cbad elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6d6cbad\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">\u2014 OUR STORY<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dde9591 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"dde9591\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">How a student's question\n <span style=\"font-style: italic;font-weight: 300\">changed everything\n<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a0eadf9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a0eadf9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"programs-head\"><p class=\"\">In 1992, while teaching an 8th Grade Social Studies class, Liz offered her students the following challenge: &#8220;You are the future \u2014 it is up to you to make the world a better place.&#8221;<\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-92ec6dd elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"92ec6dd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"programs-head\">\n<p class=\"mission-body reveal d2 on\">&#8220;This is how the world is. If you want me to make it better, what would that look like?&#8221;<\/p>\n<span style=\"font-style: normal; font-size: 12px;\">\u2014 JESSICA, AGE 13<\/span>\n\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-20ecb91 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"20ecb91\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>For the last twenty years, Jessica&#8217;s question became Liz&#8217;s North Star. When it came time to incorporate, Liz found Jessica online \u2014 and twenty years after that unforgettable question, had the honor of attending her wedding.<\/p><p>What Better Looks Like, through films, public service announcements, education programs, and creative projects, opens a dialogue into the question \u2014 inviting people to seek positive answers together.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3ca925a elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"3ca925a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0c438cf elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0c438cf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">\u2014 The Mission Expands \u00b7 2007\u20132010<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ab03386 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ab03386\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Peace Across Continents<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-264ccf7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"264ccf7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"programs-head\"><p>In September 2007, six founding members attended a conference on Women, Power and Peace at the Omega Institute. Among the attendees was Christine Schuler Deschryver, who works with women who have been victims of extreme violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo.<\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f803a81 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f803a81\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"programs-head\"><p class=\"mission-body reveal d2 on\">&#8220;After witnessing how well the genocide was planned, I came to realize \u2014 the same energy we use to plan war can be used to plan peace.&#8221;<\/p><p><span style=\"font-style: normal; font-size: 12px;\">\u2014 MARIE GORETTI UKEYE<\/span><\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-270a65f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"270a65f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>In 2010, the team traveled to Rwanda and the D.R. Congo. They visited the Heal Africa Hospital in Goma, helped fund nine safe houses, donated to the Imbabazi Orphanage, and began supporting what would become the Village of Hope in Nyarugunga \u2014 a community of genocide survivors now known as &#8220;the poorest of the poor.&#8221;<\/p><p><em>Amahoro<\/em>\u00a0means &#8220;peace&#8221; in Kinyarwandan \u2014 and peace, built person by person, community by community, is what we&#8217;re working toward.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2c2da58 e-con-full sticky-col e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"2c2da58\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-79f02e5 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"79f02e5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f52cb23 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"f52cb23\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"715\" height=\"522\" src=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/2sfg16.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-2656\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/2sfg16.jpg 715w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/2sfg16-300x219.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 715px) 100vw, 715px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-03badf9 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"03badf9\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7fbcbe9 elementor-widget-mobile__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"7fbcbe9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"664\" height=\"472\" src=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/gzXvQF.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-2665\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/gzXvQF.jpg 664w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/gzXvQF-300x213.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 664px) 100vw, 664px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-68cddec elementor-widget-mobile__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"68cddec\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/bLvhx8.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-2663\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/bLvhx8.jpg 720w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/bLvhx8-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8b5c10f e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"8b5c10f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3e3d795 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3e3d795\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b2db4c2 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"b2db4c2\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-222eca6 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"222eca6\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cc4727c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cc4727c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">\u2014 Co-Founders<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-27b72ef elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"27b72ef\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The people who <span style=\"font-style: italic;font-weight: 300\">said yes<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ee21989 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"ee21989\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-60743ec elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"60743ec\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"programs-head\"><div class=\"founders-intro\"><p class=\"s-desc reveal d2 on\">Seven extraordinary women who, in the face of a world that needed changing, chose to show up \u2014 and kept showing up, for decades.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-df6a1f0 e-grid e-con-full e-con e-child\" data-id=\"df6a1f0\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-04f8e3d e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"04f8e3d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-96a134d elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"96a134d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1728\" height=\"1728\" src=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Liz-Graydon-headshot.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-2269\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Liz-Graydon-headshot.jpeg 1728w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Liz-Graydon-headshot-300x300.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Liz-Graydon-headshot-1024x1024.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Liz-Graydon-headshot-150x150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Liz-Graydon-headshot-768x768.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Liz-Graydon-headshot-1536x1536.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1728px) 100vw, 1728px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\"> Liz Gannon-Graydon<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">Liz Gannon-Graydon is a co-founder of What Better Looks Like. Her work and world view were inspired by her parents. Her Dad was a college professor and activist who taught her the vision of Dr. King\u2019s Beloved Community. <\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-49d74c0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"49d74c0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"wbll-learn-more-btn\" onclick=\"wbllOpenModal(this); return false;\" href=\"#\">READ MORE &rarr;<\/a>\n\n<div class=\"wbll-bio-content\" style=\"display:none\">\n  <p><strong>Liz Gannon-Graydon<\/strong><\/p>\n  <p>Co-Founder, What Better Looks Like<\/p>\n  <p>Liz Gannon-Graydon is a co-founder of What Better Looks Like. Her work and world view were inspired by her parents. Her Dad was a college professor and activist who taught her the vision of Dr. King's Beloved Community. Her mother was an emergency room nurse in NYC, who taught her the importance of caring for the person right in front of her.<\/p>\n  <p>Liz taught middle school in NYC for 16 years. It was there that a young student changed the course of her life. In response to Miss Gannon's observation that they were the future and it would be up to them to make the world a better place, her student responded, \"This is how the world is. If you want me to make it better, what would better look like?\" Liz has spent the last three decades of her life devoted to answering that question.<\/p>\n  <p>As an educator, storyteller, and public speaker, she believes that the fastest way to change the world is to change the stories that we tell \u2014 and that the most important story is in each of us. Liz is the former chairperson of The Peace Alliance and recently completed a training in Nonviolence365\u00ae Masterclass Edition through The King Center.<\/p>\n  <p><em>\"For me, taking the time to notice the people around you, and treating them with kindness is what BETTER looks like.\"<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-be6ea29 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"be6ea29\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-eef9fe3 elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"eef9fe3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1002\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Marie-Picture.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-2281\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Marie-Picture.jpg 1002w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Marie-Picture-235x300.jpg 235w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Marie-Picture-802x1024.jpg 802w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Marie-Picture-768x981.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1002px) 100vw, 1002px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Marie Goretti Ukeye<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">Marie Goretti Ukeye was born and raised in Rwanda, where she lived through the 1994 genocide. The profound loss of family members, friends, and community left a lasting impact on her life.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-29001fd elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"29001fd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"wbll-learn-more-btn\" onclick=\"wbllOpenModal(this); return false;\" href=\"#\">READ MORE &rarr;<\/a>\n\n<div class=\"wbll-bio-content\" style=\"display:none\">\n  <p><strong>Marie Goretti Ukeye<\/strong><\/p>\n  <p>Co-Founder, What Better Looks Like<\/p>\n  <p>Marie Goretti Ukeye was born and raised in Rwanda, where she lived through the 1994 genocide. The profound loss of family members, friends, and community left a lasting impact on her life. Rather than letting tragedy define her, Marie chose to let it shape a deeper sense of compassion, purpose, and commitment to others.<\/p>\n  <p>From those painful experiences, Marie learned the value of empathy, resilience, and hope. Today, she is dedicated to creating a more caring world \u2014 especially for vulnerable children \u2014 using the lessons of her past to guide her path forward.<\/p>\n  <p><em>\"To help extend to orphaned children what is offered to me in the USA \u2014 the guarantee of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, to find joy in children's laughter and to help them live in a more peaceful world \u2014 that's what BETTER looks like for me.\"<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8577780 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"8577780\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-df9bb71 elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"df9bb71\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1587\" height=\"2221\" src=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Chris-photo.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-2282\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Chris-photo.jpg 1587w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Chris-photo-214x300.jpg 214w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Chris-photo-732x1024.jpg 732w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Chris-photo-768x1075.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Chris-photo-1098x1536.jpg 1098w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Chris-photo-1463x2048.jpg 1463w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1587px) 100vw, 1587px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Chris Clarke<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">Chris has a broad base of leadership and training experience in the educational and healthcare fields, as well as an expertise in development of program models. <\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8cbf315 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"8cbf315\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"wbll-learn-more-btn\" onclick=\"wbllOpenModal(this); return false;\" href=\"#\">READ MORE &rarr;<\/a>\n\n<div class=\"wbll-bio-content\" style=\"display:none\">\n  <p><strong>Chris Clarke<\/strong><\/p>\n  <p>Co-Founder, What Better Looks Like<\/p>\n  <p>Chris has a broad base of leadership and training experience in the educational and healthcare fields, as well as an expertise in development of program models. Her career focused on improving the lives of children and their families through work as a teacher, school administrator, college professor and foster parent.<\/p>\n  <p>She has developed and managed several statewide quality assurance initiatives of the NY State Department of Health, including Early Intervention for very young children with disabilities and their families, School-based Health Clinics, School-based Dental Clinics, and Family Planning Clinics. Chris loves to inspire others to explore their own new ways of seeing life and has volunteered on behalf of families in crisis, children with disabilities, and those experiencing extreme poverty both locally and in developing countries.<\/p>\n  <p><em>\"Connecting with spirit, and inspiring others to remember truth and joy, is what BETTER looks like to me.\"<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3afe16a e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"3afe16a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a0ccfee elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"a0ccfee\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1698\" height=\"2560\" src=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Robin-DeLuca-Acconi-scaled.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-2279\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Robin-DeLuca-Acconi-scaled.jpg 1698w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Robin-DeLuca-Acconi-199x300.jpg 199w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Robin-DeLuca-Acconi-679x1024.jpg 679w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Robin-DeLuca-Acconi-768x1158.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Robin-DeLuca-Acconi-1019x1536.jpg 1019w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Robin-DeLuca-Acconi-1358x2048.jpg 1358w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1698px) 100vw, 1698px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Robin Deluca-Acconi<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">Robin DeLuca-Acconi, Ph.D., LCSW Clinical Associate Professor, is currently the Director of School Social Work programming school partnerships in the School of Social Welfare at Stony Brook University. <\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e881bbe elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"e881bbe\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"wbll-learn-more-btn\" onclick=\"wbllOpenModal(this); return false;\" href=\"#\">READ MORE &rarr;<\/a>\n\n<div class=\"wbll-bio-content\" style=\"display:none\">\n  <p><strong>Robin DeLuca-Acconi<\/strong><\/p>\n  <p>Co-Founder, What Better Looks Like<\/p>\n  <p>Robin DeLuca-Acconi, Ph.D., LCSW is currently the Director of School Social Work programming and school partnerships in the School of Social Welfare at Stony Brook University. She has been consulting with Long Island school districts on trauma-sensitive schools, school avoidance and anxiety, and the impact of empathetic distress on school personnel. She served as Assistant Dean for the School of Social Welfare from 2019 until she created the school social work program in 2024.<\/p>\n  <p>She was a school social worker for twenty years from 1999\u20132019 and is on the board of the NYS School Social Work Association representing Nassau and Suffolk counties. Her research surrounds educational equity and increasing positive outcomes for public school students. She has co-authored \"School Made Easier: A Kid's Guide to Study Strategies and Anxiety-Busting Tools\" and contributed chapters to two books published by Oxford University Press.<\/p>\n  <p><em>\"For me, what BETTER looks like is a world in which we all are aware of our inter-connectiveness \u2014 a world in which we all become aware about how the choices we make impact one another, the environment and all living things. We need to use this awareness to make improved decisions.\"<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-53823a8 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"53823a8\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ab3ada0 elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"ab3ada0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"165\" height=\"218\" src=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/eileen-photo-.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-2283\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Eileen Ilardo<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">Eileen has been a health-care professional, in the field of Dental Hygiene, for over twenty years. She has trained in various modalities as a life coach, emotional release work, primary trauma recovery facilitation, non-violent communication and community advocacy. <\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6d7cf42 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"6d7cf42\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"wbll-learn-more-btn\" onclick=\"wbllOpenModal(this); return false;\" href=\"#\">READ MORE &rarr;<\/a>\n\n<div class=\"wbll-bio-content\" style=\"display:none\">\n  <p><strong>Eileen Ilardo<\/strong><\/p>\n  <p>Co-Founder, What Better Looks Like<\/p>\n  <p>Eileen has been a health-care professional in the field of Dental Hygiene for over twenty years. She has trained in various modalities as a life coach, emotional release work, primary trauma recovery facilitation, non-violent communication, and community advocacy. Additionally, she monitored school-based dental clinics throughout New York.<\/p>\n  <p>Eileen has years of commitment to women's issues and has participated as a co-facilitator of women's groups and retreats. She is a dedicated peace activist and is passionate about environmental issues, having served with Sierra Club, Habitat for Humanity, and Remote Area Medical\/Dental clinic. Eileen was blessed to be the mother of two beautiful children. Having lost her son to addiction, her path now includes connecting and bonding with others to navigate the grief journey.<\/p>\n  <p><em>\"What BETTER Looks Like to me is connecting and finding commonality with each other by sharing our stories and strengths.\"<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-deb5334 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"deb5334\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d7121e1 elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"d7121e1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1050\" height=\"1049\" src=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Norma-headshot-2.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-2272\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Norma-headshot-2.jpg 1050w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Norma-headshot-2-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Norma-headshot-2-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Norma-headshot-2-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Norma-headshot-2-768x767.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1050px) 100vw, 1050px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Norma Loeb<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">Norma\u2019s passion is in healing the disconnectedness among people. An avid activist for peace, women and the elderly, her key focus is connecting with others to discover what is most important to them as individuals and honoring them as such.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-645f205 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"645f205\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"wbll-learn-more-btn\" onclick=\"wbllOpenModal(this); return false;\" href=\"#\">READ MORE &rarr;<\/a>\n\n<div class=\"wbll-bio-content\" style=\"display:none\">\n  <p><strong>Norma Loeb<\/strong><\/p>\n  <p>Co-Founder, What Better Looks Like<\/p>\n  <p>Norma's passion is in healing the disconnectedness among people. An avid activist for peace, women and the elderly, her key focus is connecting with others to discover what is most important to them as individuals and honoring them as such. An essential part of her community-based work, both locally and globally, is meeting in circles as equals to achieve vital connection and inspiration.<\/p>\n  <p>Affected and inspired by the caregiving to her Mom, Lillian, who had Lewy body dementia, Norma is the founder of the Lewy Body Dementia Resource Center \u2014 which has the only live helpline in the United States for LBD, facilitates support groups nationwide, and has vast resources on their website. Norma was executive assistant to the CFO of The New York Times Company where she worked for over 25 years.<\/p>\n  <p><em>\"What BETTER looks like to me is feeling the joy of a loving voice, hand, hug, or song. Most importantly, it is about having time available when someone is in need.\"<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-31d5d73 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"31d5d73\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-df7d5ee elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"df7d5ee\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"2048\" src=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Kathleen-Casserly-photo.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-2274\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Kathleen-Casserly-photo.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Kathleen-Casserly-photo-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Kathleen-Casserly-photo-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Kathleen-Casserly-photo-1152x1536.jpg 1152w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Kathleen Casserly<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">Born and raised in Canada, Kathleen is an ordained Interfaith minister, addictions specialist, End of Life Doula, and spiritual counselor.  She brings her experience in facilitation of women\u2019s circles, team building retreats, spiritual retreats for women, Emotional Release, and other groups.  <\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d8569ec elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"d8569ec\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"wbll-learn-more-btn\" onclick=\"wbllOpenModal(this); return false;\" href=\"#\">READ MORE &rarr;<\/a>\n\n<div class=\"wbll-bio-content\" style=\"display:none\">\n  <p><strong>Kathleen Casserly<\/strong><\/p>\n  <p>Co-Founder, What Better Looks Like<\/p>\n  <p>Born and raised in Canada, Kathleen is an ordained Interfaith minister, addictions specialist, End of Life Doula, and spiritual counselor. She brings her experience in facilitation of women's circles, team building retreats, spiritual retreats for women, Emotional Release, and other groups.<\/p>\n  <p>For eleven years she hosted women's circles on Long Island, New York, in Connecticut, and in Vermont, inspired by Jean Shinoda Bolen's Millionth Circle. Her work combines Non-Violent Communication and various energy and body-centered practices. Kathleen is committed to healing trauma within individuals, families, and communities with a wholistic approach \u2014 body, mind, spirit, and emotions. She is the mother of two grown children and is active in civic, beautification, and environmental projects in her home city of Montpelier, Vermont.<\/p>\n  <p><em>\"What BETTER looks like to me is balance: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual \u2014 in myself, in relationships, in my family, in communities, and globally, including a healthy relationship with Mother Earth.\"<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e91373d e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"e91373d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-81607b5 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"81607b5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dab6db8 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"dab6db8\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8832ec5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"8832ec5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">\u2014 BOARD OF DIRECTORS<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e0a25b9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"e0a25b9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The team behind <span style=\"font-style: italic;font-weight: 300\"> the mission\n <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-09819d1 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"09819d1\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-47c67fb elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"47c67fb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"programs-head\"><div class=\"founders-intro\"><p class=\"s-desc reveal d2 on\">Our board brings together expertise in law, finance, education, healthcare, and the arts \u2014 all united by a shared belief in the power of community<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bc4128e e-grid e-con-full e-con e-child\" data-id=\"bc4128e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5f7e4bb e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"5f7e4bb\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e210e61 elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"e210e61\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"100\" height=\"151\" src=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/lilian-gashumba.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-39\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Liliane Gashumba<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">Deputy Executive Secretary at CEPGL. A survivor of the 1994 genocide and advocate for women and genocide prevention. Based in Rwanda.\n\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8adc6ca elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"8adc6ca\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\n<button class=\"wbll-read-more-btn\" onclick=\"wbllOpenModal(this)\">Read more<\/button>\n\n<div class=\"wbll-bio-content\" style=\"display:none\">\n  <p><strong>Liliane Gashumba<\/strong><\/p>\n  <p>Deputy Executive Secretary, Administration & Finance \u2014 CEPGL<\/p>\n  <p>Liliane Gashumba is Deputy Executive Secretary responsible for Administration and Finance at Communaut\u00e9 Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs (CEPGL) \u2014 a regional organization between Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Management from the National University of Rwanda and a Master of Business Administration in Project Management from Maastricht School of Management in collaboration with Rwanda School of Finance and Banking.<\/p>\n  <p>Outside of her professional life, Ms. Gashumba, a survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, works with various organizations speaking out for women, victims and survivors of genocide as well as for prevention of HIV in Rwanda. Ms. Gashumba resides in Rwanda with her husband and three daughters.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<!-- ============================================================\n     MODAL + STYLES \u2014 paste this ONCE on the page, not per card.\n     Best place: a Custom HTML block at the very bottom of the page.\n============================================================ -->\n<style>\n.wbll-learn-more-btn {\n  display: inline-block;\n  color: #55AA39 !important;\n  font-size: 12px;\n  font-weight: 600;\n  letter-spacing: 1px;\n  text-transform: uppercase;\n  text-decoration: none !important;\n  margin-top: 8px;\n  cursor: pointer;\n  transition: opacity 0.18s;\n}\n\n\n  .wbll-read-more-btn {\n    background: none !important;\n    border: 1.5px solid #3d6b35 !important;\n    color: #3d6b35 !important;\n    font-size: 12px;\n    font-weight: 600;\n    letter-spacing: 0.5px;\n    text-transform: uppercase;\n    padding: 6px 18px;\n    border-radius: 20px;\n    cursor: pointer;\n    margin-top: 8px;\n    transition: background 0.18s, color 0.18s;\n    outline: none !important;\n    box-shadow: none !important;\n  }\n  .wbll-read-more-btn:hover,\n  .wbll-read-more-btn:focus,\n  .wbll-read-more-btn:active {\n    background: #3d6b35 !important;\n    color: #fff !important;\n    outline: none !important;\n    box-shadow: none !important;\n  }\n\n  .wbll-modal-backdrop {\n    display: none;\n    position: fixed;\n    inset: 0;\n    background: rgba(15, 25, 13, 0.55);\n    z-index: 99999;\n    align-items: center;\n    justify-content: center;\n    padding: 20px;\n    backdrop-filter: blur(3px);\n  }\n  .wbll-modal-backdrop.wbll-open {\n    display: flex;\n  }\n  .wbll-modal-box {\n    background: #fff;\n    border-radius: 16px;\n    padding: 36px 32px 32px;\n    max-width: 520px;\n    width: 100%;\n    position: relative;\n    max-height: 85vh;\n    overflow-y: auto;\n    animation: wbll-pop 0.22s cubic-bezier(0.34, 1.56, 0.64, 1) both;\n  }\n  @keyframes wbll-pop {\n    from { opacity: 0; transform: scale(0.93) translateY(8px); }\n    to   { opacity: 1; transform: scale(1) translateY(0); }\n  }\n  .wbll-modal-close {\n    position: absolute;\n    top: 14px;\n    right: 14px;\n    width: 32px;\n    height: 32px;\n    border-radius: 50%;\n    border: 1px solid #dde4db;\n    background: #f5f7f4;\n    cursor: pointer;\n    font-size: 18px;\n    color: #5a6b52;\n    display: flex;\n    align-items: center;\n    justify-content: center;\n    line-height: 1;\n    transition: background 0.15s;\n  }\n  .wbll-modal-close:hover { background: #e8ebe6; }\n  .wbll-modal-body { font-size: 15px; color: #2e3d2b; line-height: 1.8; }\n  .wbll-modal-body p { margin: 0 0 12px; }\n  .wbll-modal-body p:last-child { margin: 0; }\n\n  @media (max-width: 480px) {\n    .wbll-modal-box { padding: 28px 20px 24px; }\n  }\n<\/style>\n\n<div class=\"wbll-modal-backdrop\" id=\"wbllModal\" role=\"dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\">\n  <div class=\"wbll-modal-box\">\n    <button class=\"wbll-modal-close\" onclick=\"wbllCloseModal()\" aria-label=\"Close\">&times;<\/button>\n    <div class=\"wbll-modal-body\" id=\"wbllModalBody\"><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<script>\n  function wbllOpenModal(btn) {\n    var content = btn.nextElementSibling.innerHTML;\n    document.getElementById('wbllModalBody').innerHTML = content;\n    document.getElementById('wbllModal').classList.add('wbll-open');\n    document.body.style.overflow = 'hidden';\n  }\n  function wbllCloseModal() {\n    document.getElementById('wbllModal').classList.remove('wbll-open');\n    document.body.style.overflow = '';\n  }\n  document.getElementById('wbllModal').addEventListener('click', function(e) {\n    if (e.target === this) wbllCloseModal();\n  });\n  document.addEventListener('keydown', function(e) {\n    if (e.key === 'Escape') wbllCloseModal();\n  });\n<\/script>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0189f22 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"0189f22\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6f80b49 elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"6f80b49\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" src=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Michele-Gervat-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-2127\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Michele Gervat<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">Regional Director of Special Events at the American Heart Association since 2001. Expert fundraiser and community partnership builder across NYC and Long Island.\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e69799f elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"e69799f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"wbll-read-more-btn\" onclick=\"wbllOpenModal(this)\">Read more<\/button>\n\n<div class=\"wbll-bio-content\" style=\"display:none\">\n  <p><strong>Michele Gervat<\/strong><\/p>\n  <p>Regional Director of Special Events \u2014 American Heart Association<\/p>\n  <p>Michele Gervat has been Regional Director of Special Events at the American Heart Association in Plainview, New York since 2001. She is responsible for fundraising and has continually generated new partnerships with individuals and corporations in the New York City\/Long Island region.<\/p>\n  <p>Michele promotes wellness to help improve the health of Long Island communities adhering to the 20\/20 Goal of the American Heart Association: improving the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20% and reducing death and disability from cardiovascular diseases and stroke. She oversees the Long Island Heart Ball and the AHA Golf Classic, a Joel Hamroff Memorial Tribute.<\/p>\n  <p>Prior to her career at AHA, Michele was a paraprofessional at Western Suffolk BOCES for ten years, working with emotionally challenged students from third grade through high school. She is a member of the Huntington Chamber of Commerce and the Melville Chamber of Commerce.<\/p>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8a5f571 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"8a5f571\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d76b165 elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"d76b165\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"100\" height=\"147\" src=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/David-Goldberg-2.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-32\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">David Goldberg<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">Partner at Wingman63. Associate Producer of the documentary \"Jump Shot: The Kenny Sailors Story\" (exec. produced by Steph Curry). Former senior roles at Foot Locker and Taubman Centers.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f2fe38e elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"f2fe38e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"wbll-read-more-btn\" onclick=\"wbllOpenModal(this)\">Read more<\/button>\n\n<div class=\"wbll-bio-content\" style=\"display:none\">\n  <p><strong>David Goldberg<\/strong><\/p>\n  <p>Partner \u2014 Wingman63<\/p>\n  <p>A partner at Wingman63, a sports and entertainment content boutique specializing in \"content with a cause,\" David Goldberg has held senior marketing positions at public companies including Foot Locker and Taubman Centers. A prolific ghost-author, he is also Associate Producer (for Executive Producer Steph Curry) of the 2019 documentary feature \"Jump Shot: The Kenny Sailors Story\" and the creator of the 1990s sports culture phenomenon \"The Foot Locker Slam Fest.\"<\/p>\n  <p>A resident of Long Island and graduate of LIU Post, he also serves on the boards of the WVI Dolphin Foundation, Fathers Incorporated, and Vin Baker's Bouncing Back Foundation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-14e013e e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"14e013e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ada1623 elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"ada1623\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"100\" height=\"138\" src=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/joseph-ledwidge.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-37\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Joseph Ledwidge<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">Attorney in private practice in Jamaica Estates, NY. Member of the Queens County and NYS Bar Associations. Former Board member of Forestdale, Inc.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-638c9a3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"638c9a3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"wbll-read-more-btn\" onclick=\"wbllOpenModal(this)\">Read more<\/button>\n\n<div class=\"wbll-bio-content\" style=\"display:none\">\n  <p><strong>Joseph Ledwidge<\/strong><\/p>\n  <p>Attorney \u2014 Private Practice, Jamaica Estates, NY<\/p>\n  <p>Joseph is an attorney with his own private practice in Jamaica Estates, New York. He studied business and finance and earned his LL.B. in London, UK. He is a member of the Queens County Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association.<\/p>\n  <p>Joseph wrote and lectured on \"Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Litigating a Case in Probate Court,\" hosted by the New York City Bar Association. Outside of his law practice, Mr. Ledwidge is active in the local community and previously served on the Board of Forestdale, Inc., a child welfare agency based in Queens.<\/p>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3d19239 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"3d19239\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2838ca2 elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"2838ca2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"247\" height=\"256\" src=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/IMG_1942.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-3429\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Laura Leonard<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">Taught in the NY State Department of Education for 32 years. Now a life coach helping clients live authentically \u2014 with a belief that everyone holds their own answers within.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2c2352b elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"2c2352b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"wbll-read-more-btn\" onclick=\"wbllOpenModal(this)\">Read more<\/button>\n\n<div class=\"wbll-bio-content\" style=\"display:none\">\n  <p><strong>Laura Leonard<\/strong><\/p>\n  <p>Life Coach & Former NY State Educator<\/p>\n  <p>Laura Leonard was a teacher in the New York State Department of Education for thirty-two years. She loved connecting with each child, encouraging them, and letting them know she believed in them to succeed.<\/p>\n  <p>As a life coach, Laura listens deeply to her clients. She encourages them to live authentically and provides strategies to enable them to make positive and lasting changes in their lives. The premise of her work is that everyone has their own answers within, and that others can often help them access those answers. Laura is committed to self-growth and lifelong learning. Her deeply held belief that everyone is worthy and valuable in their unique way leads her to continually find ways to promote others.<\/p>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-58d288a e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"58d288a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-63a1710 elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"63a1710\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"100\" height=\"139\" src=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/tom-leonard.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-41\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Tom Leonard<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">Retired VP and tax professional from Esselte Corporation (a $1B+ multinational). Now runs his own tax practice. Married with three daughters.\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8056286 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"8056286\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"wbll-read-more-btn\" onclick=\"wbllOpenModal(this)\">Read more<\/button>\n\n<div class=\"wbll-bio-content\" style=\"display:none\">\n  <p><strong>Tom Leonard<\/strong><\/p>\n  <p>Tax Professional \u2014 Retired VP, Esselte Corporation<\/p>\n  <p>Tom Leonard is a recently retired Vice President and tax professional from Esselte Corporation, a multinational office supply manufacturer with sales in excess of $1 billion. He worked at Esselte for 25 years and was responsible for all U.S. tax filings, compliance, and audits.<\/p>\n  <p>Tom presently has his own small tax practice with 2 corporate and 15 individual clients. He is married and has three daughters.<\/p>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-17cea68 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"17cea68\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cfc7be2 elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"cfc7be2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/karen-messineo.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-38\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Karen Messineo<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">Former VP &amp; CFO of The New York Times newspaper after a distinguished 32-year career. Also served as CFO of About.com and NYTimes.com. CPA, Adelphi University honors graduate.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e8d3fa1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"e8d3fa1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"wbll-read-more-btn\" onclick=\"wbllOpenModal(this)\">Read more<\/button>\n\n<div class=\"wbll-bio-content\" style=\"display:none\">\n  <p><strong>Karen Messineo<\/strong><\/p>\n  <p>Former VP & CFO \u2014 The New York Times<\/p>\n  <p>Before retiring in July 2016, Karen was Divisional Controller of Finance and Insurance Solutions for Dealertrack Technologies in Lake Success, New York. Prior to that, Karen worked at The New York Times Company where she enjoyed a distinguished 32-year career.<\/p>\n  <p>She was Vice President & Chief Financial Officer of The New York Times newspaper for many years after having served as Controller. She was also Chief Financial Officer for About.com and held the positions of CFO at New York Times Digital and Vice President of Finance of NYTimes.com.<\/p>\n  <p>Karen started her career at the accounting firm now known as Deloitte & Touche after graduating with honors from Adelphi University, and became a New York State Certified Public Accountant.<\/p>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-187780a e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"187780a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c7aecc6 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"c7aecc6\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0ce2404 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0ce2404\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">\u2014 In Memoriam<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a459ad4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a459ad4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Allison Hickey<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a1e87fe elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"a1e87fe\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-images\/Allison-Aug-2-2013.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-25\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-83e2e27 e-con-full sticky-col e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"83e2e27\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6810e2a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6810e2a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"programs-head\"><p class=\"memoriam-text\">Allison was a valued member of the Board of Directors for several years before her unexpected passing. A dynamic, skilled businesswoman and force of energy, she propelled What Better Looks Like in positive directions at every turn. She was a rare individual who used both her head and her heart to make decisions.<\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c193040 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c193040\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"memoriam-pull\">&#8220;Allison was a life-changer. She never hesitated and always stepped forward to do what she could for those in need.&#8221;<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dac10cf elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dac10cf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"memoriam section\"><div class=\"memoriam-layout\"><div class=\"reveal d1 on\"><p class=\"memoriam-text\">At one board meeting, upon hearing of a very aged woman in the Village of Hope who was barely subsisting, Allison immediately offered to sponsor a food delivery to her every month \u2014 and continued until Mukecucu passed away. She also sponsored a sewing program enabling 12 women to receive vocational training, and paid tuition for a young man to complete his four-year university degree.<\/p><p class=\"memoriam-text\">In October 2018, the Allison Hickey Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in her name \u2014 continuing the work she so compassionately and courageously believed in.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/section>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-89ca780 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"89ca780\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0b1fc2d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0b1fc2d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">\u2014 JOIN US<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ff7b10f elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ff7b10f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Be part of \n <span style=\"font-style: italic;font-weight: 300\">something better<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c408765 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c408765\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"programs-head\"><p class=\"s-desc reveal d1 on\">Whether you donate, volunteer, or simply show up \u2014 there is a place for you in this community.<\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ff1c36a e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"ff1c36a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-809d0d5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"809d0d5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/donate-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Donate Today<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7388e41 elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"7388e41\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/blog\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Read More<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Who we are &amp; why we do this We are educators, healers, artists, and dreamers united by a single question asked by a student in&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3029","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3029","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3029"}],"version-history":[{"count":176,"href":"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3029\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4026,"href":"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3029\/revisions\/4026"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateful.org\/betterdev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3029"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}