Meet our Team
Lisa Goding
Executive Director
Lisa is a Village family alum from Huntington and a mother of two special needs children. She earned a bachelor’s degree in religion and politics from Hampshire College and a Masters of Science in Nutrition and Management from Tufts University. Lisa has a background in corporate operations and finance, as well as volunteer management. She is also a registered dietitian with a particular passion for maternal and child health, and lactation support. Lisa experienced first-hand how difficult and isolating it can be raising infants and small children and she suffered from severe postpartum depression following the birth of her son. Her life-changing experience with her Village home visit volunteer and moms support group motivated Lisa to change careers and pay it forward by joining It Takes a Village. In her free time, Lisa devotes her efforts to supporting families navigate the challenges of special education for their children and reducing food insecurity everywhere. She also loves to hike in the woods with her two dogs, travel, cook for friends, and grow her kindle library.
Kenzie Kinsella
Development & Outreach Coordinator
Kenzie lives in Chesterfield with her two children, Emlyn and Cody, husband Mike and dog Samson. She relocated to Western MA right before the birth of her daughter in 2019 and has been in the Hilltowns ever since. Kenzie joined our team in spring of 2021.
Becky Brisbois
Village Closet Coordinator
Becky lives in Chesterfield with her husband Jeremy and three children: Maggie, Andrew and Payton! Often times you can find her older children volunteering alongside her at the closet. Before Becky joined the ITAV team, she came to know the closet as a resource for her own children. Becky enjoys camping, hiking and spending time with her family and in the garden.
Tara Balboni
Program Coordinator
Tara lives in the woods of Western Massachusetts (Russell) and is thrilled to be the mother of three children (budding adults). Tara and her husband Nick are actively involved in school and town leadership. They also enjoy cooking, gardening, maple sugaring, and most outdoor activities. They share their lives with many animals and friends! Tara’s passion for relationship-building and being an authentic leader to teams is one of her greatest strengths.
Emily Loux
Fundraising Assistant
Emily lives in Cummington with her husband Nathan and their two kids Naomi (5) and Silas (3). She currently works out of Westfield State in College Athletics. Since moving to the Hilltowns, and becoming a mom, Emily has an appreciation for the work that ITAV does for the families in and around the area. She looks forward to helping further the mission of ITAV!
Lisa Blair
Administrative Assistant
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors serves as the governing body for It Takes a Village and carries out several key responsibilities, including providing strong oversight and management of financial matters, safeguarding the organization’s legal and ethical integrity, and enhancing the public image of the organization.
Melissa Nazzaro
President
Melissa currently lives in Hadley with her two sons and two dogs. Before that, she lived in the Hilltowns for 22 years. Originally working in public safety and emergency management for the cities of Springfield and Northampton, she has been an emergency communications coordinator and security advisory for Homeland Security and the state of Massachusetts over the past 6 years. Melissa walked into the Village Closet to help out with the winter coats and holiday toy giveaways in 2020 and never looked back. Always ready to support Hilltown families, Melissa has served on the Huntington Board of Health, the Hilltown Ambulance Association Board of Directors and the Gateway Regional School District School Committee. As a Village volunteer, she has served some of our most at-risk families, providing village closet essential supplies to caregivers who cannot get to our location in Huntington. In her spare time, Melissa likes to spend time with her family in the great outdoors.
George Delisle
Vice President
George is a retired newspaper journalist and computer systems support administrator. Since 1979, George has been a member of Kiwanis, an international organization of community-based volunteer clubs, and is currently president of the Northampton Kiwanis Club. Through his Kiwanis membership, George has become involved in several local volunteer organizations, including It Takes a Village. George and his wife Geana, who is also a board member, reside in Westfield.
Alia Woofenden
Treasurer
Alia lives in Worthington with her husband Ken and two children Michael and Margaret. She has a Masters in Education from Antioch College, is a certified elementary teacher and currently a paraprofessional for a regional high school. Alia was a patron of ITAV after her first child was born and has had a deep connection to the village since it supported her during her difficult time as a new mother. She loves to be outside fishing, hiking, gardening and spending time with kids.
Geana Delisle
Secretary
Geana is a retired elementary school cafeteria manager and former legal secretary. She is a 20-year member, past president, and current secretary of the Westfield Kiwanis Club, as well as secretary of the Northampton Kiwanis Club. Geana volunteers as a mentor to children in the Westfield Public School system and is the Kiwanis advisor to the Kiwanis K-Kids Club at Westfield’s Franklin Avenue Elementary School. Geana and her husband George have three adult daughters and four grandchildren.
Kim Messeck
Kim lives in North Chester with her husband and two sons. Kim was a home-visit family and her profound experience with the program motivated her to give back by becoming a volunteer at the Village Closet for the last 4 years and to join the Board of Directors. Kim has been with the Department of Transition assistance for the past 15 years and currently serves as the regional Assistant Director. In her current role, Kim uses her broad expertise to cultivate strategic relationships and she is an analytical problem-solver, driving innovative solutions for optimum efficiency. Kim is involved with the Village’s program development and quality assurance initiatives, mentoring staff members and volunteers. She has also been instrumental in our ability to form meaningful partnerships with state agencies and human services organizations in Berkshire County. Kim has an undergraduate degree in management and marketing from Elms College, and a Masters degree in education. In her spare time, she enjoys being a boy-mom, coaching t-ball and participating in the local rec committee to help create community for Hilltown families.
Ann Reichert
Whitney Smith
Advisory Council
- Beth Girshman, Conway MA
- Beth Girshman, Conway MA
- Carol Owen, Florence, MA
- Sarah Tanner, Northampton, MA
- Anne Vaillant, Atkinson Family Practice, Northampton, MA
- Roxie Pinn, Huntington MA
- Kathryn Wakefield, Belchertown, MA
- Abbie Von Schlegell, Pittsfield, MA
- Mary Lorbert, Florence MA
Nonprofit Information
