Meet the Team

KERRY BROTHERS

Board Member

Kerry joined Hope Strengthens Foundation’s Board of Directors in 2014.

Kerry’s professional experience in the healthcare sector includes service with The Senior Source, a nonprofit for older adults. Kerry helped develop a program for the organization to better assist low-income seniors with their prescriptions, enrollment in various state aid programs and other social service needs. Kerry later established a similar program in the Transplant Department at Baylor Hospital in Texas, where she assisted pre and post-transplant patients who were not financially prepared for the cost of having a transplant. Kerry’s vast volunteer experiences include participation in mentorship, benevolence, after-school, and sign language programs.

Kerry is a graduate of the University of Central Oklahoma with a degree in Community & Public Health. She currently resides in Jacksonville, Florida with her husband Jody.

Kerry currently works on her E-Commerce website selling golf accessories. Previously, Kerry worked at CAA Sports agency and in retail leadership positions with Vineyard Vines, Kate Spade, and Banana Republic.

RICHARD COOK

Board Member

Richard Cook joined the Hope Strengthens Foundation Board of Directors in 2018.

For nearly 20 years, Rich served as Deputy Director for Strategic Planning and Development for Council for a Strong America (CSA). During his tenure at CSA, Rich played a senior role responsible for the development and organizational growth of the organizations that are part of Council for a Strong America; Fight Crime: Invest in Kids (5,000 law enforcement leaders), ReadyNation (2,000 business leaders), and Mission: Readiness (800 retired admirals and generals). The mission for each CSA organization is to promote research-based policies, practices and programs that help children, youth, families and their communities thrive.

In 2017, Rich launched “Don’t Hurt Anyone”, an apparel company driven by a commitment to nonviolence, human rights, equity, social justice and a healthy and safe world for all. He currently works as a fundraising consultant for nonprofit organizations.

A native of Massachusetts, Rich resides in Winooski, VT. He is the proud father of three daughters: Madeline, Ellis and Oona. Rich graduated from Castleton State College in Vermont.

THOMAS CULLEN

Board Member

Tom joined Hope Strengthens Foundation’s Board of Directors in 2020.

Tom began his career in technology sales and consulting and currently manages a technology practice at EchoStor Technologies. Prior to making his move over to EchoStor, Tom held numerous positions in sales and business development for EMC and VMware.

Tom’s late grandfather passed on the words “to whom much is given, much is expected” to his father, who in turn, passed them on to him. Those words inspired Tom to want to help others in any way he could. While in college, Tom served as President of the Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) Chapter leading a number of impactful projects focused on creating economic opportunity for individuals and families. Following college, Tom continued to give back in support of numerous charity organizations, including volunteering as a planning committee member for Hope Strengthens Foundation’s annual charity golf outing.

Tom is a graduate of St. Anselm College and holds a B.S. of Business Administration. He currently resides in Medford, MA with his partner, Claire and their son, Thomas. In addition to volunteerism, Tom enjoys playing golf and spending quality time with family and friends.

JAMES FAHEY

Board Chair

James Fahey co-founded Hope Strengthens Foundation in an effort to directly assist those facing serious illness or injury.

James currently works as the Vice President of Sales for the Americas at Harness. He previously served as the Head of Sales for Miro and Senior Vice President of Sales for Medallia. Prior to his career in sales, James played in the National Hockey League for the San Jose Sharks and New Jersey Devils. He also played professionally in Germany and represented the United States in the 2003 World Championships.

James is a graduate of Northeastern University where he also served as a two-year captain of the hockey team. As a senior, he was an All-American and Hobey Baker Award finalist. James won the Walter Brown Award for New England’s top American-born player, as well as the New England Writers Award as the region’s outstanding defenseman.

James currently resides in Walpole, MA with his wife Brenell and their two children, Cullen James and Shay Alan.

JACOB FERREIRA

Executive Director

Jacob Ferreira co-founded Hope Strengthens Foundation with James Fahey.

Jacob currently works for Mission: Readiness, the national security nonprofit organization of more than 800 retired admirals, generals, and other retired senior military leaders calling for smart investments in America’s children. Jacob focuses on investments in early childhood education, after-school and summer learning programs, and healthy initiatives where youth live, learn, and play.

As an officer in the U.S. Coast Guard Jacob completed multiple tours of duty and deployed for operations across the United States. He continues to serve as a Commander in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve.

Jacob holds both an M.S. in Leadership and a B.S. in Business Administration from Northeastern University. He is a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Officer Candidate School and completed the Senior Executive Fellows program at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Jacob and his wife Julia, an education administrator, are the proud parents of Cruz.

ADITYA GANGOPADHYAY

Board Member

Aditya joined Hope Strengthens Foundation’s Board of Directors in 2019.

Aditya is currently a hospitalist for The Permanente Medical Group, where he has worked since completing his residency and chief residency in 2008.

Aditya’s work in the hospital has exposed him not only the medical aspect of patient care but also seeing first hand the effects illness can have not only on the patient but their family as well. As a hospitalist, Aditya is part of a multidisciplinary team that includes patient care coordinators and social workers that work together to take care of medical issues, home health needs and financial issues.

Aditya received his bachelor’s degree from UCLA and medical degree from Vanderbilt University. He currently resides in his hometown of Oakland with his wife and two young children.

SARAH GRADY

Board Member

Sarah joined Hope Strengthens Foundation’s Board of Directors in 2017.

Sarah is currently the Grants Manager at the Clif Family Foundation. Sarah’s experience in philanthropy spans more than 10 years in both programmatic and grants administration roles for various nonprofits and foundations. Sarah previously served as a grants manager at the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, a program and grants manager at the Silver Giving Foundation, and as a program associate at the Heising-Simons Foundation. She also serves on the board of NextGen America.

Sarah received her bachelor’s degree from Loyola University of Chicago. She currently resides in San Diego.

RAFAEL MAZER

Advisory Council

Prior to joining the Hope Strengthens Foundation (HSF) Advisory Council, Rafe served on HSF’s Board of Directors from 2014 – 2022. His continued support reflects a strong belief in the organization’s mission to support those who are dealing with the personal, family and economic challenges of serious illness, disability or injury.

Rafe’s personal and professional experiences have led him to believe in the importance of support networks and sound advice alongside economic support to help people develop long-lasting behaviors that can overcome serious challenges they face. In his professional life Rafe works for Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA). He directs IPA’s Consumer Protection Research Initiative, conducting experimental research to develop consumer protection policies in the context of financial inclusion. Prior to joining IPA, Rafe worked for 10+ years to improve financial advice, pricing transparency, data protection, and competition.

Rafe has a BA from Pomona College and an MA in International Development Policy from Duke University. He currently resides in North Carolina with his wife Danielle and their son Theo.

JOSEPH MERRY

Board Member

Joseph Merry joined Hope Strengthens Foundation’s Board of Directors in 2013.

Joe currently works as Foremen at David A. Merry & Sons Inc., leading key business and client-management functions for his family-owned, landscape-contracting firm. Joe is the inspiration behind Hope Strengthens Foundation. Its roots were established when he valiantly battled against and beat cancer. Joe’s drive towards remission was centered in two simple words; Hope Strengthens. That motto not only drove Joe, it inspired his family and friends to come together as a community.

Joe actively serves in his local community as a volunteer coach for youth sports and is on the Board of Directors for the Martha’s Vineyard Ice Arena, a nonprofit community organization. He is a graduate of Merrimack College. Joe currently resides in West Tisbury, MA with his wife Lauren and their sons Liam and Parker.

MAGALI FLORES NÚÑEZ

Board Member

Magali Flores Núñez joined the Hope Strengthens Foundation Board of Directors in 2022.

Magali has devoted her career to addressing the racial, health, economic, and education inequities that prevent children and families from thriving.

Magali currently serves as the Partnerships Manager at Seattle Children’s. She previously served as a Governor-appointed California Structural Pest Control Board Member and also worked with Council for a Strong America as the California Deputy Director for ReadyNation. Here she partnered with hundreds of business leaders to help push forward policies that aimed to set children up for success from cradle to career.

Magali also worked at The Children’s Partnership, a nonprofit children’s advocacy organization where she contributed to the development and implementation of various communication strategies including the Let’s Talk forums aimed at engaging parents in immigrant communities in a discussion about their healthcare. Prior to this, Magali worked at the Office of Los Angeles City Councilmember Mike Bonin where she advanced the voice of constituents within the policy process on issues like homelessness, public transportation, and government systems improvement. Previously, Magali served as the Community Outreach Coordinator for a network of Federally Qualified Health Centers, based out of the San Fernando Valley. Here, Magali led public engagement efforts for three clinics, connecting hundreds of low-income, immigrant, families to the medical and dental care they needed. In this role, she also managed the operations of a school-based health center and mobile clinic program, ensuring compliance, managing the clinical team workflow, fostering sustainable partnerships, leading patient navigation, and ensuring quality care.

Magali is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley with degrees in Ethnic Studies and Society and Environment. She also holds a Master’s in Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Magali currently lives in San Diego.

NICOLE STEINBERG

Board Member

Nicole Steinberg joined the Hope Strengthens Foundation’s Board of Directors in 2018.

Nicole is an associate at Pillsbury, Winthrop, Shaw, Pittman LLP in Washington, DC, where she mainly works on regulatory compliance and public policy matters. In law school, Nicole worked on issues of employment discrimination at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and for the Office of the Legislative Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives, where she provided legislative drafting services to House committees and members.

Prior to beginning her legal career, Nicole was a senior policy associate at Council for a Strong America’s (CSA) California office and a counselor at a group home for emotionally traumatized youth.

Nicole earned her J.D. at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and her bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of San Francisco.