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Board President Profile: Christie Bik

Christienne “Christie” Bik

Board President

Christie Bik (Shrewsbury) was elected to serve as president of the YWCA’s board of directors. Christie has held various positions on the YWCA’s board of directors for 11 years with increasing roles of responsibility including vice president and president-elect. She also served as a member of the executive committee and chaired the YWCA’s Public Policy Committee. Most recently, Christie served as a tri-chair of the YWCA’s LIVE Capital Campaign, spearheading the fundraising campaign for the YWCA’s $24 million renovations of its Salem Square facility in downtown Worcester.

Christie is director of government affairs and public policy at Fallon Health. In this role, she supports Fallon Health’s business objectives and mission by focusing on strategic public, community, and government relations opportunities. Before Fallon, Christie spent eight years in the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office as an assistant district attorney. Previously, she was a legislative assistant for Congressman James P. McGovern and legislative aide for State Representative Robert Spellane. Christie is a graduate of American University and received her Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School. She is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association. In 2007, Christie received the Massachusetts District Attorney Association’s Spotlight Award, and in 2014, she was honored with Worcester Business Journal’s 40 Under Forty award. Christie also serves on the Boards of the New England Council and the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans.

What does “empowerment” mean to you?
Empowerment is when your voice is heard and acknowledged and change happens.

What are you most excited about being the new YW Board President?
I am very excited about the next chapter at the YWCA Central Mass. Under the leadership of our new CEO, I see so many ways the YWCA can continue our mission in our community and our nation.

What advice do you have for young girls today?
My advice is to stay engaged and committed to your beliefs. We need to all of you to be engaged and make change.

Who Inspires You?
Young girls inspire me especially my daughter. They are so strong and committed to making the world a better place and making sure they will be leaders in it.

What’s Your Favorite Quote?
“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”

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YW Staff Profile: Darlene Belliveau

Darlene Belliveau

Darlene Belliveau

Director of Children’s Services

Where Did You Attend School?
Doherty Memorial High School, studied at Becker College and earned an  Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education and a Bachelors in Psychology.

How Long Have You Been At YWCA?
37 years

What’s The Best Part Of Your Job?
Welcoming families and children being a resource and building that home to school connection. Supporting families with events at the YWCA and in the Worcester Community my goal is to make parenting as seamless as possible for them! My goal for the educators at the YWCA is to support, coach and mentor and provide a team of professionals who respect parents as equal partners that practice core values. My goal for the children is for them to make valued friends, successful learners and develop a foundation for kindergarten and beyond!

Who Inspires You?
When we collaboratively work together as a TEAM to implement strategies that help children and families succeed!

What Song Empowers You?
You Light up My Life By Debbie Boone helps me to keep positive energy!

What’s Your Favorite Quote?
“We can FEAR everything and run or we can FEAR everything and rise!”

What Does The YWCA Mean To You?
Empowerment! Welcoming, Family-Centered! We strive for our families and educators to become part of our extended family!

About Darlene’s Department: Early Education & Care

YWCA’s Worcester and Westborough Childcare Centers serve children ages 1 month to 5 years. Our programs are designed to spark each child’s natural curiosity and encourage age-appropriate learning. Group childcare allows children to learn and play in a healthy, secure, and friendly environment. YWCA Early Education and Care centers feature:

 

 

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YW Staff Profile: Amanda Mattingly

Amanda Mattingly

Pronouns: she/her/hers
ICAPP Supervisor

Amanda Mattingly is the ICAPP Supervisor for the Domestic Violence Services (DVS) department at the YWCA of Central Massachusetts. In her role supervising ICAPP, which stands for Intensive Co-Assessment Planning Process, Amanda works with survivors of domestic and sexual violence who are experiencing housing instability using a trauma informed social justice lens and wellbeing orientation.

In addition, Amanda works on the DVS training team to train staff and community members on domestic violence, advocacy, and vicarious trauma. Amanda also sits on the Worcester Domestic Violence High Risk Team, the Housing Stability and Self-Sufficiency Sub-Committee of the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, and regularly attends community meetings such as the Coordinated Community Response Network (CCRN) and Continuum of Care (COC).

Where Did You Attend School?
UMass Amherst- English

How Long Have You Been At YWCA?
2 years

What’s The Best Part Of Your Job?
I love being able to witness when a survivor achieves their goals and feels empowered. I also really enjoy envisioning and working for a better world with my brilliant colleagues.

Who Inspires You?
The survivors I get to work with inspire me all the time with their courage, persistence, and wisdom.I am constantly learning from our participants!

What Song Empowers You?
Times Like These by Foo Fighters

What’s Your Favorite Quote?
“I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept” – Angela Davis

What Does The YWCA Mean To You?
The YW means a great deal to me – I have the opportunity to serve survivors, to think critically about how our culture and systems can change to prevent violence, and actively strive to shape a better world. I am lucky to be part of a great team!

About Amanda’s Program: ICAPP

Intensive Co-Assessment Planning Process (ICAPP) is a new pilot approach supporting sexual and domestic violence survivors, in four counties across Massachusetts (Worcester, Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin). ICAPP is an intensive, time-limited process to support positive outcomes and increase wellbeing for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. ICAPP addresses some of the systemic fragmentation and inaccessibility that impedes survivors’ progress and access to housing. ICAPP is centered around using a Wellbeing Orientation which includes building on what’s going well in people’s lives and what’s working for them, in their family and community. ICAPP provides immediate intervention during approximately the first 24 hours when a Participant is in need of emergency housing. Over the following weeks, mid-term options are co-assessed, balancing the need for assessing the longer-term implications and tradeoffs of any decision with the need to focus on the here and now. The purpose of ICAPP is to join with the Participant and their family to determine what is needed in the immediate future, without having to make decisions that may trigger a cascade of events that are hard to undo or that have long-term consequences.