Welcome to PYD, Nicole!

We’re excited to announce our newest staff member at PYD, Nicole Malo. She’ll be working as our Development Manager, and we’re glad to have her on board!

Nicole Malo

It’s my fourth week on the job, and as you can imagine, there is a lot to take in!
My goals here at Partners for Youth with Disabilities are to advance development, work with and engage donors, and spearhead the 30th Anniversary Benefit Event scheduled to take place in May, 2015.

Before joining PYD as their Development Manager, I trained fundraisers, and have worked in Development at various organizations in and around Boston. (Shout out to the Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at MIT, and the French Cultural Center.) This is also not my first role at PYD; I’ve volunteered at several PYD Benefit Events. (They know how to throw a party!) This IS my first experience working closely with and in-depth for an organization that empowers youth with disabilities.

On a personal note, my father has a mobility disability. As a child, I didn’t dwell on it, and today, I don’t dwell on the fact that he may or may not be seen as “different” because of the way he walks. To a large extent I am not, and have not been aware of his related struggles, except in a few instances. For example, it often seems he needs to conjure extra energy to walk up stairs, or sometimes to maneuver into the car. He’s also had a few falls that come to memory. But once a few years ago at the Thanksgiving table I asked my father, “What is one life lesson or piece of advice you’d like to share?” His advice: “When you fall down, get back up.”

I believe resilience is one of the best qualities for us all to cultivate. We all come to the table with strengths and weaknesses. Part of being human is to look to transcend our limits. I’m happy that through mentorship programs, PYD works to instill confidence and other positive, life-enhancing values in young people, and gives them the opportunity to gain tools to lead productive, fulfilling lives.

What I’ve seen and experienced in my first few weeks at PYD is what I guessed was true: the dedicated staff, helmed by Regina Snowden, demonstrates outstanding talent and care. Program participants–mentors and mentees–express joy at how their lives are positively impacted by programs. Have you checked out some of their stories in this video?

There is an outpouring of cheer-leading and felt connection when I tell people about PYD. It’s got the “WOW” factor, but there is so much hard work ahead! Luckily, PYD team members are in place and they are excellent examples of how to succeed in this meaningful, challenging work. I invite you, the reader, to get involved. Join our Team! Donate. Volunteer. Share a Facebook post. Tweet us.

Thank you and look forward to meeting you!

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