KATIE MALARKEY
Co-President, Advisory Board
Katie came to Parenting Village as a stay-at-home Mom looking to help families find the “village” that it takes to help raise a child. With an education in physics and desire to help parents find the support and connection they need, Katie works in many aspects of Parenting Village including the weekly Parents Circles, Nurture program, and as event planner for the annual Family Fest. She is grateful to have the opportunity to work with a board of wonderful, dedicated, and talented parents to help bring this organization to local community.
JENNIFER TAROLLI, J.D.
Co-President, Advisory Board
Jen is an attorney and mother of two boys and has been involved with Parenting Village for the past 3 years, currently serving as the Executive Board Vice President. She also serves as chair of the Fundraising Workgroup. As she has been raising her kids away from her own family, Jen understands the need to build a village and a community that can support you and lift you up when needed. As a member of the board, Jen is excited to contribute toward the continued growth and development of Parenting Village to allow all caregivers to find their own Village.
SARAH OZIMEK, MS, CD(DONA)
Vice President, Advisory Board
Sarah serves as Parenting Village’s Marketing Workgroup Chair and as a Circle Facilitator. Sarah first came to Parenting Village as a Nurture volunteer, providing in-home peer support to families adjusting to their parenting journeys with new little ones. As a birth/postpartum doula and mom of two children, she advocates for seeking support early on to help make the transition to parenthood as peaceful as possible. Sarah is passionate about Early Intervention and Parent Advocacy, and is a trained Support Parent through Parent to Parent of New York State. Her marketing communications background ties into her role at Parenting Village as she works to expand the reach & access of Parenting Village’s important work to all Rochester families needing support and connection.
KARA JUSZCZAK, LCSW-R, CCFP
Secretary, Advisory Board
Kara is a licensed clinical social worker, small business owner, and a mom of two boys. As a clinician, she brings experience supporting adults and children in many life adjustments, including growing their family and child development. Kara serves as Parenting Village Secretary, Circle Workgroup Chair, and Circle Facilitator. Parenting Village offers Kara an opportunity to use event planning, coordination, support, and clinical skills to serve the critical prevention, wellness, and mental health needs of our community.
STACIA PAGANELLI, MA, CCC-SLP, CLC
Treasurer, Advisory Board
Stacia is new to Parenting Village as a member of the Development Workgroup and a Nurture Volunteer. As a speech pathologist specializing in infant feeding difficulties and as a parent of two teenage boys, she knows the value of support for parents/caregivers of young children and is excited to help more families get connected to the amazing resources Parenting Village has to offer.
LAURIE ZWETSCH, MS, RN, PNP
Board Member, Advisory Board
Laurie is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and mom of 4 grown children. As a working mother, she remembers the struggles she faced raising a busy family, even though she was fortunate to have a large network of support. Laurie works in Pediatric Home Care and sees many young, single parents who lack support and positive role models in their lives to help guide them in parenting their children. She has worked in pediatrics for over 30 years in the Rochester community and is committed to the health and wellbeing of children and families. Laurie is so excited to work with Parenting Village and to help spread the word about the support and connections they are able to provide to those in need.
SHAWNA PETERSON, LMSW
Volunteer Coordinator
Shawna was excited to hear about the idea of Parenting Village at the very first community meeting. At the time, Shawna was a first-time parent seeking connection with other parents in the Rochester community. Since that first meeting, Shawna has volunteered for Parenting Village as a board member, chairing the Connections Workgroup and as a Nurture Volunteer during the preliminary pilot stage. In 2017, In an effort to help expand the Nurture Program, Shawna’s role transitioned to becoming Parenting Village’s Nurture Program Coordinator. Shawna is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) and has participated in a DONA Postpartum Doula training offered through Beautiful Birth Choices (BBC), an Infant Mental Health training offered through the Society for Protection and Care of Children (SPCC) and multiple Maternal Mental Health trainings offered through Postpartum Support International (PSI). Shawna enjoys connecting with families and volunteers in our community and is passionate about making sure families have the support they need on their parenting journey. She lives in the Rochester area with her husband and three children.
BETSY BRINGEWATT, PH.D., M.S.W.
Chief Program Officer of Child & Family Services at JFS
Betsy has played many roles at Parenting Village in the past, including Executive Director and Co-President of the Board. Betsy currently serves as liaison to Jewish Family Service of Rochester, where she is the Chief Program Officer of Child and Family Services. Betsy came to Parenting Village with over 10 years of experience conducting research on programs that support children and families. She has a Masters in Social Work and a Ph.D. in Social Work and Sociology from the University of Michigan. Her dissertation involved a qualitative analysis of how children diagnosed with mental health disorders learn about and experience their diagnoses, and how parents can be supported in this process. She lives in the Rochester area with her husband and sons, and hopes that all parents will find the support and connection that she has had in her parenting journey.
EMILY HOROWITZ, MA, LMHC, LPC
Founder
Emily is a licensed professional counselor who specializes in perinatal and infant mental health. When Emily moved to Rochester in 2010 and opened her private practice, she found that there was a dearth of resources targeting families with infants and young children. She subsequently founded Parenting Village in order to meet this community need. Emily has worked in various capacities in the nonprofit sector for over 18 years, including program development, clinical supervision, and fundraising. Her work has targeted a wide spectrum of populations, including creating supportive housing, advocating for women impacted by domestic violence, and helping vulnerable children and their families heal from trauma and form healthy attachments. Emily relocated back to CO in 2016 with her family, but maintains close connections to Parenting Village and serves as an ad-hoc advisor when the need arises. She is currently a therapist and Training Director at the Postpartum Wellness Center of Boulder, and she serves on the board of a CO-based nonprofit, Dance To Be Free, which uses Dance and Dance Teacher Training as a way to change the trajectory of incarcerated women. More than any position held or endeavor undertaken, Emily’s personal transition to motherhood has been her greatest teacher.