MEET OUR TEAM
It's a Pleasure to Meet You!
New Hampshire Children’s Trust recruits highly skilled employees who are passionate about eliminating child abuse and neglect in New Hampshire. In collaboration with a diversely skilled board of directors and numerous volunteers, New Hampshire Children's Trust's employees work tirelessly every year to make strides in preventing child abuse in NH by educating, advocating, and collaborating.
Cliff Simmonds
Executive Director
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Cliff joined the leadership team as Executive Director at New Hampshire Children’s Trust in 2019. He has more than 30 years of nonprofit experience with over 20 years leading and growing youth and family-focused nonprofit organizations in New England. In his four years with NHCT, Cliff has led a talented team of passionate professionals who work collaboratively to build and strengthen a robust network of community partners focused on family strengthening and prevention programs and resources. In a “prior life,” Cliff was a consultant for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund program and many Fortune 500 companies providing community relations planning and strategy development. In his spare time, Cliff enjoys spending time with his family, and when not at home, he can be spotted traversing the New England landscape on his mountain bike.
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Contact Cliff at csimmonds@nhchildrenstrust.org or 603-415-0322
Nathan Fink, MFA
Senior Director of Advancement
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Nathan Fink joined the New Hampshire Children’s Trust team in 2019. As the Advancement Director he brings nearly 20 years’ experience in education, fundraising, marketing, and narration. Nathan received a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and a Master of Fine Arts in writing from the University of New Hampshire. His work in academia, community mental health, and advocacy focuses on elevating the stories of everyday people striving to build community. Nathan can be found forever (re)hammering the floor nail of his old house in Durham, NH, where he lives with his wife and two feral sons.
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Contact Nathan at nfink@nhchildrenstrust.org or 603-415-0329
Nick Riso
Senior Director of Finance
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Nick joined the New Hampshire Children’s Trust team in 2020. Nick has worked in the non-profit sector for over 15 years, with expertise in many areas of accounting and finance. He received his B.S in Business Administration from Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester. In his free time, he enjoys the outdoors; hiking, camping, fishing, and everything else the beautiful state of New Hampshire has to offer.
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Contact Nick at nriso@nhchildrenstrust.org or 603-415-1493
Diane Hastings
Community Relations Coordinator
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Diane Hastings has been with the Children’s Trust since 2006 and works on fundraising and communications including the annual appeal, special events, and grant seeking. She comes from The Children’s Place and Parent Education Center (TCP) in Concord where she served in various leadership roles for over nine years, including two terms as board president and as their Executive Director. Diane led during an exciting time of great change and growth, including purchasing TCP’s first permanent home. A graduate of Leadership Greater Concord class of 2005, Diane is past chair of Concord Children’s Initiative and past treasurer of Family Support New Hampshire. Diane has a Master’s degree from Murray State University and lives in Contoocook with her husband. She has three grown children.
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Contact Diane at dhastings@nhchildrenstrust.org or 603-415-0323
Kat Challis
Director of Development
Kat joined the New Hampshire Children’s Trust team in 2020. She brings over thirteen years of nonprofit experience working in the education, homeless and housing services, and land conservation sectors. Kat moved back to NH in 2020 with her husband to be closer to family. They enjoy all that New England has to offer including camping, fishing, growing fresh food, making maple syrup, and the great outdoors.
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Contact Kat at kchallis@nhchildrenstrust.org or 603-415-1492
Liz Scruton, M.AED
Family Support and Early Childhood Initiatives Director
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Liz Scruton joined the New Hampshire Children’s Trust team in 2022. She brings nearly 20 years of Early Childhood Development experience from a variety of roles. Liz is a passionate trainer and brings a strengths-based approach to technical assistance on a variety of subjects. She has earned her Master of Education with a focus in Family and Society Services from Ashford University, a B.A. in Early Childhood Administration, and an A.A. in Elementary Education. Liz holds multiple Early Childhood Credentials from the DHHS, Bureau of Child Development and Head Start collaboration. She is an NH Native and spends her time enjoying the seasons of NH with her husband and dogs. She can often be spotted checking out NH’s hidden gems while enjoying food and music.
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Contact Liz at lscruton@nhchildrenstrust.org or 603-415-1243
Nathalie Gagnon
Accounting Manager
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Nathalie Gagnon joined the NH Children’s Trust team in 2022. She has worked in the accounting industry for over 20 years, with 7 of those years being in a non-profit sector. She earned her BS degree at Our Lady of the Elms College in Chicopee, MA. She lives with her daughter and two felines.
In her free time she enjoys dining out, reading and watching movies.
Contact Nathalie at ngagnon@nhchildrenstrust.org or 603-415-0327
Lindsay Allsop
Impact and Evaluation Director
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Lindsay Allsop joined the New Hampshire Children’s Trust in 2023 as the Data and Organizational Performance Manager. She has an MBA with a specialization in information systems and business analytics from UNH and a B.S. from Bates College. Prior to joining NHCT, Lindsay split 15 years of her professional career between the UNH Institute on Disability and Wayfair and enjoyed a 2-year stint between them as an alpine ski patroller in NH. She grew up in Concord, NH, where she now lives with her husband. Lindsay currently serves on the Board of Directors at Building Community in New Hampshire, a Manchester based non-profit that supports New Americans in the granite state.
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Contact Lindsay at lallsop@nhchildrenstrust.org or 603-415-0326
Carroll Berg, MFA
Communications Manager
Carroll joined the New Hampshire Children’s Trust team in 2023 after working in the Graphic Design and Print field since 1996. Carroll received his BFA and MFA from Maine College of Art in Graphic Design where his work was focused on Social and Political Impact.
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Carroll is a NH Native from Goffstown, and when he isn’t working, he enjoys glamping and vacationing with his wife and two kids, as well as tending to his wonderful flock of chickens.
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Contact Carroll at cberg@nhchildrenstrust.org or 603-415-0328
Emily Shanahan
Primary Prevention Manager
Emily joined the New Hampshire Children's Trust in 2024. As the Primary Prevention Manager, she brings 9 years of experience working in the non-profit sector in both NH and CT with 5 years experience working in Primary Prevention. Emily earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from Southern Connecticut State University. Originally from CT, she has been living in NH with her husband since 2016. In her free time, she enjoys making memories with her young daughter, being outside, walking and spending time with family and friends.
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Contact Emily at eshanahan@nhchildrenstrust.org or 603-415-0320
Jennifer Paveglio
Office Manager​
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Jennifer joined the NH Children’s Trust team in October 2023. She is our office manager and comes to us with a background in operations management and compliance management in the financial services field where she has worked for the past 8 years.
Jen is a NH native and loves the outdoors and everything NH has to offer. In her spare time you will find her paddleboarding on the seacoast, hiking or spending time with her 3 dogs.
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Contact Jennifer at jpaveglio@nhchildrenstrust.org or (603) 415-1138
Kathy Palys
Communications Specialist
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Kathy joined the NH Children’s Trust team in October 2023 as the Early Childhood Specialist. She has worked in early childhood for almost two decades in various settings and roles. She holds a B.A. in Human Development/Early Childhood Education/General Special Education from Rivier University. Residing in Southern NH, she enjoys hiking, snowshoeing, running, and reading in her spare time.
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Contact Kathy at kpalys@nhchildrenstrust.org or (603) 415-1489
Jamie Huard-Ramos
Program Specialist
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Jamie Huard-Ramos joined the New Hampshire Children's Trust team in 2023. She has spent most of her career in administrative roles and the past two years in a nonprofit. Jamie earned BA in Human Services from Southern New Hampshire University. She is a native of the Granite State and lives with her husband, dog, and cats. In her free time, she can be found spending time in the mountains, reading, or doing jigsaw puzzles.​
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Contact Jamie at JHuard-Ramos@nhchildrenstrust.org or (603) 415-0506
Deanna LaFrazia
Technical Data Specialist
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Deanna is a dedicated professional with over a decade of experience in the non-profit sector. Her passion for helping others began at an early age, propelling her into roles where she could directly support adults facing severe and persistent mental illness, as well as individuals experiencing substance use disorders. Drawing on her empathy and firsthand experiences, Deanna transitioned into administrative positions within the non-profit arena, where she has made a significant impact on the lives of individuals and families across the state of New Hampshire.
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Deanna earned her Bachelor of Science in Family Studies from the University of New Hampshire in 2010, providing her with a strong foundation in understanding and addressing the complex needs of diverse communities. Her educational background, coupled with her extensive professional experience, equips her with a unique perspective and skill set to tackle the challenges faced by those she serves.
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Outside of her professional endeavors, Deanna finds joy in spending quality time with her husband and two young sons in their home in Bristol, NH. Whether exploring the great outdoors or engaging in meaningful family activities, Deanna cherishes the moments she shares with her loved ones.
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Contact Deanna at dlafrazia@nhchildrenstrust.org or (603) 415-0324
Our Board of Directors
According to the bylaws, the New Hampshire Children’s Trust is governed by 10–20 passionate and committed community members from around New Hampshire with a range of experiences and networks. 100 percent of the board of directors contribute financially to the organization, and the group meets approximately six times per year. Each director serves on at least one committee and attends face-to-face and virtual meetings as the work of the committee dictates. The current committees include: Governance, Finance, Fundraising and Communications.
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The Governance committee recruits committee members and board candidates year round. Elections for directors occur at the annual meeting, which is typically held in December. Terms begin in January and run for three years. Directors may serve up to three consecutive terms. If you are interested in learning more about serving on our board, contact Cliff Simmonds, Executive Director.