Board of Directors
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Click on each board member's name below, to expand, and again on their name to collapse their bio!
What is your role on the Board? I am the current co-president of the Board and also Director of the Adoptee Board. How did you hear about FCCNY? How did you decide to get involved on the Board? I attended culture day as a child and was a 'senior mentor' at the start of Girls Connect, the mentorship program in Manhattan. I was asked to join the board in 2015 and didn't know exactly what I was getting myself into, lol. But I'm still here. What issues/topics related to FCCNY are you most interested in and/or what types of events have you attended or hosted? I am most interested in creating spaces for adoptees, which is why I created the Adoptee Board in 2017. I advocate for adoptees to truly be seen and heard by others, particularly adoptive parents, and I am driven by seeing the lasting connections that adoptees build with each other outside of their adoptee identities. What do you love most about our community? I love the dedication and passion that adoptees have for making their own spaces. Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you call home? NYC! How do you spend your time outside of FCCNY? I have loved growing up and living in NYC, and enjoy the diversity and independence of the city in every sense and take advantage of what it has to offer. I am very much a New Yorker. What's a fun or random fact people might not know about you? I was a biology major in college. Anything else you'd like to share with the community? We are an entirely volunteer based organization, it is often a thankless job. We appreciate your support, in the form of donations, participation, emails, etc. We are always interested in people who want to engage or participate in our community, please join our membership at fccny.org/join and reach out to us by email, on facebook, or on instagram @fccny
What is your role on the Board? I have transitioned from Board member to the Secretary role on the board this year. I will help the Board more on the administrative side with the goal of also facilitating increased communication between adoptive parent and adoptee board members. How did you hear about FCCNY? How did you decide to get involved on the Board? I was a part of FCCNY as a child. Later on, I got involved with the FCCNY Board after joining FCCNY's Adoptee Board in 2017. I wanted to help facilitate further collaboration within the FCCNY community and with the larger adoption community at large. What issues/topics related to FCCNY are you most interested in and/or what types of events have you attended or hosted? I am most interested in seeing more fishbowl discussions that incorporate both adoptees' and adoptive parents' perspectives. I think a facilitated discussion are a perfect way to foster more empathy, understanding, and knowledge sharing. What do you love most about our community? I love that the FCCNY community is open to collaboration with different organizations and people within the larger adoption community. Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you call home? Washington, DC How do you spend your time outside of FCCNY? I am a senior analyst at a small consulting firm in Washington, DC. My hobbies include: tending to my various plants, working out, hiking, sleeping, browsing the internet, and cooking. I identify as an extrovert, but I am learning to enjoy self-reflection. I like to tell people: "We are doing the best we can with what little we have." What's a fun or random fact people might not know about you? I can't sing at all. Emma Roberts-Vaurio • Adoptee Board Chair
What is your role on the Board? I am currently the Capital Area (DC) Events Committee Chair- I help to organize FCC events for adoptees around the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia). How did you hear about FCCNY? How did you decide to get involved on the Board? I heard about FCC through Facebook after getting involved in the online adoptee community. I saw that FCC had a Capital Area (DC) chapter and hosted meet-ups, which I started to attend. After attending a few meet-ups, Lucy Murry said she was looking for more people in the DC area to apply to the upcoming years Adoptee Board. I felt driven to want to find community within the adoptee community, so I jumped at the idea and applied to the board, and here I am, two years in :) What issues/topics related to FCCNY are you most interested in and/or what types of events have you attended or hosted? I am very interested in the idea of adoptee identity and what it means to find community, as an adoptee. I have helped host meet-ups and eat-ups in the DC area (pre-COVID) and am currently the lead for the FCC Pen Pal Program. FCC DC has also hosted our FCC DC Kick-off! (online), Secret Snowflake, and my favorite, our Adoptee Narrative Talks where we discuss a diverse range of topics from the adoptee perspective. What do you love most about our community? How passionate and driven everyone on the Adoptee Board is to continue to build and strengthen the adoptee community in each of our unique ways. Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you call home? Takoma Park, Maryland How do you spend your time outside of FCCNY? I am passionate about fitness and the mind-body connection. I currently work as a fitness coach at an Orangetheory Fitness studio in the DC area and would ultimately love to create more safe spaces for BIPOC within the fitness industry. I also enjoy hanging out with my dog, Serena, trying new foods, reading, and spending time with my parents & friends. What's a fun or random fact people might not know about you? I have Bungee Jumped and Skydived (almost back-to-back) on a trip to New Zealand during the summer of 2017. Anything else you'd like to share with the community? I have loved being apart of this community and look forward to continuing to strengthen bonds and make new bonds with adoptees within the FCC Adoptee Community! You all truly inspire me! Chianna Cohen • Member at Large
What is your role on the Board? Member of the social justice and events committees. How did you hear about FCCNY? How did you decide to get involved on the Board? One of my first friends in college dragged me to my FCCNY discussion events! I had never had a Chinese adoptee community before, and I really loved the conversations we had. I decided to join to help build this community for others and facilitate important discussions. What issues/topics related to FCCNY are you most interested in and/or what types of events have you attended or hosted? I’m really interested in working on projects related to social justice and advocacy related to being an adoptee and an Asian American. As someone currently studying East Asian Languages and Cultures with a focus on contemporary China, I’m interested in how adoption fits into the larger historical and transnational cultural and political context. What do you love most about our community? I love how open people are to talking about their stories and experiences! It is a great community to learn, share, and reflect! Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you call home? Western Massachusetts and New York City How do you spend your time outside of FCCNY? I’m currently pursuing a BA in Computer Science and East Asian Studies at Barnard College. I also love to read historical fiction and fantasy, play board games, solve puzzles, and explore the city in my free time! What's a fun or random fact people might not know about you? I once ate some snails when I was very little and then had an allergic reaction where I stopped being able to breathe, so now I carry an Epipen around everywhere on the off-chance that I accidently put another snail in my mouth. Diane Gnagnarelli • Member at Large
What is your role on the Board? Member, participating in several committees How did you hear about FCCNY? How did you decide to get involved on the Board? From prior involvement, through Spence-Chapin originally. Our girls signed on for Girls Connect last year and we re-joined. What issues/topics related to FCCNY are you most interested in and/or what types of events have you attended or hosted? Book group, community service, college prep events, transition team What do you love most about our community? The interplay between adoptees and parents Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you call home? Brooklyn, NY How do you spend your time outside of FCCNY? I am a full time teacher/administrator. I spend a lot of time with my family, cooking, sightseeing, and traveling. I love to bike and swim. I love to do and see theater. What's a fun or random fact people might not know about you? I love dogs!!! Mine is named Dash. Anything else you'd like to share with the community? I think the anti-discrimination work that we are doing is extremely important. Paul Marinaccio • Member at Large
What is your role on the Board? Board Member How did you hear about FCCNY? How did you decide to get involved on the Board? I have been aware of FCCNY since I adopted Juli, and joined the board after a relative who had ended her service recomended me. I became involved when Juli entered college, and I have focused on issues for both older and younger adoptees. What issues/topics related to FCCNY are you most interested in and/or what types of events have you attended or hosted? I am most interested in mentorship, community relations, and cultural awareness activites. What do you love most about our community? This community includes great parents and young people who care about both the needs of adoptees and their contributions to the New York area. Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you call home? Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn How do you spend your time outside of FCCNY? I run Tribeca Leadership, an executive coaching and consulting firm in Manhattan. A former managing director at Deloitte, I contribute my time to assist others who can benefit from coaching and am involved in my church's activities. What's a fun or random fact people might not know about you? My wife, Erika, is associate rector at Grace Church Brooklyn Heights. Anything else you'd like to share with the community? FCCNY is committed to the joys and challenges of adoption. The more we know about one another, the better we all are! | Mary Child • Co-Vice President
What is your role on the Board? Board Member, Programs Committee, Co-host of FCC Readers Guild How did you hear about FCCNY? How did you decide to get involved on the Board? I attended my first FCC event—a Chinese Culture Day, held at Sarah Lawrence College—in 1997 and have been a member ever since. I became involved as editor of the FCC Newsletter, later launching the Kids Issue, and have been involved on the board, including as co-president, for more than 8 years. What issues/topics related to FCCNY are you most interested in and/or what types of events have you attended or hosted? I have organized speakers programs on topics from China's one-child policy and birth parent tracing, to race, adoptee identity, and mental health, featuring authors, psychologists, social workers, and adoption professionals, and adoptees. I am most interested in programs that help our community to stay abreast of research and writing on various aspects of transracial and international adoption, China, and Chinese Americans. What do you love most about our community? I love the open-minded spirit of learning in the FCCNY community. We welcome differing perspectives and confront difficult subjects with bravery, honesty, and compassion. Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you call home? Connecticut How do you spend your time outside of FCCNY? I have been an editor of history, political science, and sociology books in Asian studies, primarily China studies, for more than twenty years. I love to cook and to write poetry. What's a fun or random fact people might not know about you? I trekked to an altitude of 13,500 ft—the base camp of Mount Annapurna—in Nepal in 1989. Anything else you'd like to share with the community? I'd like to share my gratitude to all adoptees, particularly adult Korean adoptees, who have been generous and brave enough to share their family experiences, the good, the bad and the ugly, with adoptive parents like myself, and have taught me to try to be a better parent to my four daughters.
What is your role on the Board? I am the current treasurer of the Board. How did you hear about FCCNY? How did you decide to get involved on the Board? I originally learned about FCC through our adoption agency, and I began to participate in FCC events prior to bringing our daughter home! I decided to join the board as a way to support the organization, through which we have enjoyed a variety of activities and made many friends. What issues/topics related to FCCNY are you most interested in and/or what types of events have you attended or hosted? Currently I would say I am most interested in issues relating to adoptive teens as well as getting to meet other families and young adult adoptees. But my favorite day of the year is the day of the new year's parade in Chinatown. What do you love most about our community? I most love meeting other FCC families. We share a bond. Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you call home? New York City How do you spend your time outside of FCCNY? I work for MUFG in a global finance product management function which takes a lot of my time. Outside of work (and being a mom), I try to exercise regularly (spinning and running). I love movies and books. My family spends a fair amount of time in the North Fork where we have a second home, but I love the city. What's a fun or random fact people might not know about you? I was married in Gougonbarra. Anything else you'd like to share with the community? Attend and even run some events! Lila Tribe • Adoptee Board Chair
What is your role on the Board? I'm currently the co-chair of the NYC Events Committee of the Adoptee Board. I run the Casual/Social Events team. How did you hear about FCCNY? How did you decide to get involved on the Board? I first heard about FCCNY when I was little because my adoptive parents used to take me to some of the events. After graduating from college, I started to reflect more deeply on how being adopted has shaped my identity and sense of belonging. I wanted to get involved and give back to the adoptee community. What issues/topics related to FCCNY are you most interested in and/or what types of events have you attended or hosted? I hope to continue facilitating book & podcast discussions around topics of adoptee identity, social justice, and Asian-American history. I’d also like to incorporate more writing and art in our programs and to continue creating fun and safe spaces where adoptees can feel seen and heard. What do you love most about our community? I love how supportive and dedicated the FCCNY community is. I am inspired by my fellow adoptees who often share their personal stories and experiences. I enjoy making new connections and bonding, whether it be over our adoptee identities or delicious cookie recipes. Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you call home? New York City How do you spend your time outside of FCCNY? I work part-time at a small Japanese Art Gallery in Manhattan. Outside of work, my hobbies include baking banana bread, NYT mini crosswords, painting, reading, and cuddling my cat. What's a fun or random fact people might not know about you? I lived in Scotland for three years and tried eating haggis. Anything else you'd like to share with the community? I'd like to give a massive thanks to all the FCCNY board members, the Adoptee Board, and Lisa Gibson for making the programs/organization possible. Also, thank you to those who attend our events! Beth Christensen • Member at Large
What is your role on the Board? Board Member How did you hear about FCCNY? How did you decide to get involved on the Board? I first heard about FCCNY when my oldest daughter became involved with the “Some Kind of Wonderful” event co-hosted by FCCNY. I subsequently reached out to FCCNY after the horrific violence against Asian Americans escalated in 2021. What issues/topics related to FCCNY are you most interested in and/or what types of events have you attended or hosted? I am interested in any events that bring us together as the unique community that we are. We need one another, as both parents and adoptees. We are our peer groups. What do you love most about our community? I love the open and welcoming nature of the organization. And I am amazed by the gracious and multi-faceted way in which this organization supports the hard conversations that need to be had. Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you call home? I live in Minnesota, just south of the Twin Cities. How do you spend your time outside of FCCNY? I am a recently retired librarian and professor of music. I’ve been doing a bit of writing and editing, community outreach, and am trying my best to learn hand-eye-ball coordination as an adult (not an easy task!). What's a fun or random fact people might not know about you? I grew up in northern Illinois, where my summers revolved around corn –detasseling it, canning it, and (most importantly) eating it! Anything else you’d like to share with the community? My husband and I are the adoptive parents of two amazing young adults – a daughter from China, adopted in 1995, and a daughter from Vietnam, adopted in 1997. I look forward to fostering continuing, lifelong relationships between and among adoptees and adoptive parents. Hannah Johns • Member at Large
What is your role on the Board? Member of the social justice and events committees. How did you hear about FCCNY? How did you decide to get involved on the Board? My parents and I were members of the sister chapter FCC Central Texas when I was younger. I was thrilled to learn that FCCNY had an adoptee board creating programming by adoptees for adoptees. What issues/topics related to FCCNY are you most interested in and/or what types of events have you attended or hosted? I am most invested in adoptee mental health, specifically adoptee identity. I have had the privilege to host the Adoptee Mental Health Panel and co-host multiple events discussing Anti-Asian racism. What do you love most about our community? I love how unique and connected the community is to each other. I think having so much diversity within our own diaspora is a major strength and I am grateful for how welcoming the community is as a whole. Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you call home? I’m a New York City transplant from Texas. How do you spend your time outside of FCCNY? I work full time as a Grant Coordinator and am a social worker by training. Outside of work, I find enjoyment and stress relief by supporting the arts and caring for my growing plant collection. What's a fun or random fact people might not know about you? I played Quidditch in college (the Harry Potter sport). Anything else you’d like to share with the community? I can’t wait to meet everyone in person. Let’s all have coffee some time. Darci Siegel • Member at Large
What is your role on the Board? Member of the social justice and events committees. How did you hear about FCCNY? How did you decide to get involved on the Board? FCCNY was a prominent part of my childhood, and I spent many years attending culture days as a child and participating in their mentorship program, "Girls Connect" as a mentee. I joined the Adoptee Board in 2020 alongside my best friend Leah Rosner who is also a Chinese-American adoptee. What issues/topics related to FCCNY are you most interested in and/or what types of events have you attended or hosted? Inspired by my journey and its relationship to the One Child Policy, I identify as an activist and advocate dedicated to examining the relationship between gender, race, and policy. What do you love most about our community? I am so grateful for the adoptee community, created by adoptees for adoptees. We simultaneously create, hold and amplify adoptee empowered spaces and through that have a unique kinship that I value immensely. Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you call home? New York City! How do you spend your time outside of FCCNY? Through working with communities, human rights organizations, lawyers, and politicians, I have fought to build spaces to elevate and empower individual voices impacted by race and gender-based discrimination, with special attention to transnational and transracial adoptees, women, girls, femmes, and communities of color. What's a fun or random fact people might not know about you? In fall 2018, I studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Barcelona, Spain; and Cape Town, South Africa. Anything else you'd like to share with the community? An aspiring lawyer, I graduated from Vassar College in 2020, where I authored: “Homecoming. An exploration into the meaning of ‘belonging’ and examination of transnational adoption as a means of the neo-colonization of the female Chinese American adoptee body.” My thesis, inspired by my adoptee journey and its relationship to China's One-Child Policy, offers a first-person narrative along with careful political and historical analysis and reflects on my return to Huangshi in 2019; “Homecoming” was awarded the Marjorie Lynn Gluck Thesis Prize by Vassar’s International Studies Department. | Anna Cohen • Co-Vice President
What is your role on the Board? I am the Co-Vice President, alongside Mary Child. How did you hear about FCCNY? How did you decide to get involved on the Board? I was first involved with FCCNY because my adoptive parents attended FCCNY functions when I was in elementary and middle school. When in college, I met a few Chinese adoptees who were interested in exploring how adoption has shaped their experiences and identity. After graduating college, one of those friends proposed that we both apply for the Adoptee Board during its pilot year. What issues/topics related to FCCNY are you most interested in and/or what types of events have you attended or hosted? I'm interested in strengthening the adoptive community and providing a platform for adoptee stories to be told and heard. I'm interested in furthering educational programs regarding adoptive history, as well as Chinese American / Asian American history, and how we can apply this knowledge to current social justice issues. What do you love most about our community? I appreciate how much we can connect with each other through our experiences as a rarely visible part of the population, and also how diverse our experiences can be. I'm always learning more about what it can look like and feel like as an adoptee through being involved in this community. Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you call home? I was adopted from Nanjing, China and I was raised in New York. NY is where I call home. How do you spend your time outside of FCCNY? I spend my time mainly working, cooking, and chatting with friends. My partner and I watch the Great British Baking Show and The Boys, and sometimes play tennis. I also travel to Maryland periodically to visit my partner's parents. What's a fun or random fact people might not know about you? I'm missing two of my teeth in the bottom row. I don't know what happened. I guess they never grew in. Annie Abruzzo • Member at Large
What is your role on the Board? Member of the social justice and events committees. How did you hear about FCCNY? How did you decide to get involved on the Board? While growing up, I participated in many FCCNY events and programs as a way to connect with my Chinese heritage and other adoptees. After graduating college, I knew I wanted to give back to the organization and support the now young adult adoptee community. What issues/topics related to FCCNY are you most interested in and/or what types of events have you attended or hosted? I’ve hosted a number of panels and facilitated discussions on topics ranging from genetic testing to anti-Asian discrimination. I also participate in the mentorship program, which enables me to get to know younger adoptees more personally. What do you love most about our community? FCCNY brings together a diverse group of adoptees and their loved ones. While we can all connect through shared experiences surrounding adoption, I also love the many different perspectives and backgrounds that everyone brings to the table. Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you call home? NYC How do you spend your time outside of FCCNY? I work in a biology research lab! I also love walking around the city, spending time in parks, and finding new spots to get food or bubble tea. What's a fun or random fact people might not know about you? My mom and I were featured in the documentary “And Baby Makes Two,” which chronicles her journey to becoming a single mother. Anything else you'd like to share with the community? So grateful for everyone who comes to our events and helps contribute to these important conversations in the adoptee community! Marina Contiero • Member at Large
What is your role on the Board? Board Member How did you hear about FCCNY? How did you decide to get involved on the Board? I joined FCCNY in 2000 as soon as I started the dossier to adopt my daughter. What issues/topics related to FCCNY are you most interested in and/or what types of events have you attended or hosted? I host Happy Hour Zoom calls for other FCC parents (before the pandemic we did dinners in Chinatown). I have also organized outings to performing arts events and I look forward to doing that again as soon as it is safe to do so. What do you love most about our community? I love our shared experience of being transracial families formed through adoption from China. Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you call home? Brooklyn, New York How do you spend your time outside of FCCNY? I am a semi-retired insurance executive. I love to read, travel, take long walks on the beach, have dinner with friends, going to arts shows and to Alvin Ailey's performances and watch foreign tv series. What's a fun or random fact people might not know about you? I was born and grew up in Rome, Italy. Anything else you'd like to share with the community? Being part of the FCCNY community has been a very important part of my journey as an adoptive parent and I made many great friends along the way.
What is your role on the Board? I am a member of the Board participating in board and committee(s) meetings, work on various FCC programs and projects with fellow board members. How did you hear about FCCNY? How did you decide to get involved on the Board? I became a life time member of FCCNY after the adoption of my two children. I want to make contribution and help to strengthen our FCCNY community. What issues/topics related to FCCNY are you most interested in and/or what types of events have you attended or hosted? My most interested and program(s) are those who gives and elevate voice of our adoptees. What do you love most about our community? Sharing our common experience and caring about the well-being of our adoptees. Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you call home? Long Island, New York How do you spend your time outside of FCCNY? I am a first generation of American from Hong Kong of Chinese decent, I am familiar with the Chinese history and its culture. My interest outside FCCNY are travelling (both domestic and international.) and gardening. What's a fun or random fact people might not know about you? As an American of Chinese decent, I am familiar with Chinese culture but unfamiliar with China as a nation. Anything else you'd like to share with the community? To live up to our common goal and purpose, Connect, Celebrate, Educate and the most important to Advocate for our adoptees. We are a very unique and special community. Willard Zook • Member at Large
What is your role on the Board? Board Member How did you hear about FCCNY? How did you decide to get involved on the Board? Through Spence-Chapin in 2004 while preparing to adopt our oldest daughter. I felt I had something to offer the community of adoptees and their families. What issues/topics related to FCCNY are you most interested in and/or what types of events have you attended or hosted? Mentorship program, community relations, teen well-being, Dad's Happy Hour, Genetic testing What do you love most about our community? The common bond of adoption and families. Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you call home? Park Slope, Brooklyn How do you spend your time outside of FCCNY? I am a parent of two adopted girls. I work as an investor in equities, an avid cyclist, amateur artist/photographer, a lover of travel. What's a fun or random fact people might not know about you? I grew up in a small town in coastal Mass and loved to sail! Anything else you'd like to share with the community? We look forward to expanding our membership! |
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