Board of Directors
Board President
Molly Gerster, RD
Molly has 15 years in the field of pediatric, adolescent and adult nutrition. She began her career as the infant-young adult RD at Blythedale Children's Hospital in Valhalla, NY. She was then the IOP nutritionist for the Renfrew Center of Southern Connecticut and is currently the nutrition director at Backcountry Wellness in Greenwich, CT with Dr. Joanna Bronfman.
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Molly has her masters degree in clinical nutrition from NYU and spent many years teaching college level biology at Sacred Heart University. She has a passion for combining her strong background in the science of nutrition with real world practical advice and achievable goals.
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Molly currently lives in Berlin, Germany with her family, and upon her return to the United States will begin deferred studies at Yale University for a second Masters in Public Health.
Board Vice President
Jim Rikhoff, Jr.
Jim's Emmy-winning career at CBS Sports spans over three decades and includes production of global sportscasts from the Lillehammer Olympics to the Super Bowl to the Masters. Jim is the Lead Producer for CBS' top NFL production team as well as a Lead Producer on CBS' golf team, helping anchor one of the most award-winning and inveterate teams of professionals in the sports television industry.
With parents living in a skilled nursing facility, Jim is thrilled to become a SOAR Board Member to help move the mission forward of bringing connection and joy to those such as his parents who are in-need of social connections.
Board Treasurer
Hope Edwards
Hope brings 10 years of direct practice work with adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities coupled with 30 years of increased management experience in the hospitality and banking industries. Hope's invaluable insights and counsel to the SOAR team come from direct practice and community leadership , helping us determine how best to meet the needs of specific populations while addressing the epidemic of loneliness across Connecticut and beyond.
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In addition to being the Treasurer of the SOAR Board, Hope is trained in chaplaincy through which she provides spiritual support to her church community as well as members of the larger Bridgeport community.
Board Member
Terano Prior
Terano is the Food Program Manager at Open Doors Shelter in Norwalk, where she has worked for the past decade. In this role, Chef T oversees both the Food Pantry as well as Daily Food Program, serving 150+ individuals per day as well as the pantry which is open daily to the entire community.
Since taking the helm of the Food Program, Open Doors is serving three times as many individuals based on increased need, food prices, economic realities, and the depth and breadth of outreach and service provision under her leadership. In 2023, Open Doors distributed 271 holiday gift baskets compared to 125 the year prior.
Chef T is known throughout the community for her community leadership, catering business "Jaiava," named for her two children, and her own nonprofit, "Apkeep5alive"that provides scholarships for minority kids in-need.
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Board Member ex officio, Executive Director
Ginger Smith, MSW
As the CEO of SOAR Together, Ginger oversees all aspects of the daily operations as well as spearheads SOAR's fundraising initiatives and partnerships. A social worker and veteran in the non-profit arena, Ginger brings thirty years of experience to the launch of SOAR. Her boundless energy and tireless work ethic, along with her passion and dedication to helping people feel connected and loved, make Ginger the absolute right person to make SOAR's mission a reality -- one smile at a time.
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Ginger graduated with honors from Dartmouth College as an All-American in two sports, and has a Master of Social Work degree from Boston University.
SOAR Advisors
Spiritual Health
Cheryl Bundy, MDiv, BCC
Cheryl Bundy is the Director of Spiritual Care at Silver Hill Hospital where she has worked since 2017. She also served as a chaplain at Norwalk Hospital where she completed 1600 hours of Clinical Pastoral Education. She is a Board Certified Chaplain and she was ordained as an interfaith minister by NYC based All Faiths Seminary International. Cheryl came to chaplaincy and ministry after an early career as a non-profit Development Director. She is a graduate of Yale Divinity School and The Wagner School of Public Service at New York University and Smith College. She is currently a candidate for a Doctor in Ministry in Integrated Mental Health Chaplaincy at Vanderbilt University School of Divinity.
Cheryl is the guiding spiritual advisor for SOAR as the organization continues to grow and blend its mission across the realms of social services, community ministry, and grassroots community collaboration. She is on-hand to ensure SOAR's mission of ending epidemic levels of loneliness and social isolation aligns with a greater purpose of changing lives and increasing a sense of purpose and belonging in those whose lives are touched by our programming.
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Strategy and Partnership Development
Brian DuPerre, J.D.
Brian has been part of the SOAR Together journey since its initial origins, serving on the Pro Bono Partnership team that helped SOAR with its initial filings, remaining on as an advisor in the area of strategic growth and partnerships. In his current role, Brian provides mentoring and insight to SOAR’s Executive Director as she navigates the early days of a nonprofit start-up. His deep roots in the healthcare world provide critical counsel into building a solid corporate foundation while simultaneously addressing a healthcare epidemic.
For the past twenty years, Brian worked in the nation’s largest healthcare company as an attorney and risk advisor, concluding his career in 2023 as Deputy General Counsel, Chief Privacy Officer, and Head of Cyber Legal Risk.
Throughout his career, Brian has been passionate about serving his own community as a volunteer, political appointee, and attorney providing pro bono legal services to area non-profits. Brian served as President of the Board of his town’s Housing Authority during a $30 million expansion, as a member of the Finance and Facilities Committees at Foodshare, Inc., and as Chair of the Hartford Advisory Committee on the board of advisors for the Pro Bono Partnership.
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Corporate Relations and Finance
Diana Kessler
As the AVP and Assistant Branch Manager of Fairfield County Bank's central Ridgefield office, nearly twenty-year veteran of the Fairfield County Bank team, and most recently the "Volunteer of the Year" award recipient for the entire Bank, Diana brings not only extensive banking experience and acumen but an unbridled passion for helping others across every age, stage, and trial faced. During any given week, Diana juggles her full-time job with motherhood and volunteer hours at several area nonprofits, from attending music concerts to wreath-making to event planning.
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Diana is SOAR Together's primary contact as a client of Fairfield County Bank and on-hand to respond in real-time to all banking related inquiries. Far more than that, she a trusted advisor, active volunteer, and gentle guide helping SOAR navigate its earliest days of building a financial foundation that allows for growth, sustainability, and replicability of programs across Fairfield County, all of Connecticut, and at some point across state lines.
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