Occupation: I am a membership manager at the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). Our members consist of 501(c)(3) nonprofit patient organizations for specific rare diseases. I work with them on organization development and advocacy efforts. Then I also work on our Rare Disease Day Campaign, which takes place the last day of February every year. It is an international campaign. We work with our members in the patient community and volunteers to spearhead activities across the United States.

I have been volunteering with organizations like the American Cancer Society for many years. I just really loved doing the events like the walks. I thought I would love to do it for a living. An opportunity arose at the Leukemia Lymphoma Society eight years ago. It steamrolled my nonprofit career. I love my job. I love going to work every day. The people are so inspiring. It is an amazing opportunity I get every day to talk to those people. I don't ever have a bad day at the office, because the people that I am working with are having the ultimate bad days.

Family: My mom is retired in Florida. She is living the life down there. I am the oldest of four; I have two brothers and a sister. My sister is a corrections officer at Garner. My brother Brad is in construction. My other brother Todd lives in Florida and is a firefighter for the Tampa Fire Department. He is a retired from the Navy, and he is a Silver Star Recipient. I am very proud of my family. Also, I have one niece who lives in North Carolina.

Pets: All my pets are rescued. I have Elliott; he is a 4-year-old mastiff/boxer mix. I have two cats; a 20-year-old named Bennett and a 16-year-old named Tyson. They are my children.

How long have you lived in Newtown? I have been here just about a year. I grew up in Bethel, so I have many friends after working here for so many years. It's just a great town.

What do you like to do in your free time? I volunteer with Masonicare Hospice. I also volunteer with advocacy groups. Anywhere, where I can help make a difference. I just really enjoy doing that stuff. I do races, walks, and fundraisers. I was on a cystic fibrosis team for the CF walk; I have a cousin close to me that has CF, so we did that in her honor this year.

Do you have a favorite book? Anything Nicholas Sparks has ever written. I love tragic love stories. The only book I have ever reread over and over would be The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. It's such an inspiring book.

Do you have a favorite travel destination? The beach is my favorite place. Growing up, our family had a cabin in Charlestown, R.I., so I'd have to say that is close to my heart. I love Rhode Island.

What is the best thing about Newtown? My very first night here I went to a restaurant in Sandy Hook, and I knew three people. It just felt like I belonged here. It's like that all the time. It's very much like Bethel where I grew up, where everyone knows somebody. Everybody is so nice and welcoming. It's a really nice community.

Who has been the greatest influence in your life? My father. I think it is because he was given a year to live when he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. And rather than pitying himself, and us going into a deep depression and sadness, he took that year to do things that he always wanted to do, and we got to share that ride with him. The number one thing being to see the New York Giants play in the Superbowl. Miraculously, that happened. It was April 2007 when he was diagnosed and that was when it made his bucket list. It was February 2008 when they actually went to the Superbowl, and they won. It was great. He died with grace and got to accomplish a lot. He was very strong, and he was the one who got me into charitable things. I'll never forget, I was 14, and we went to Toys For Tots and wrapped presents. He always supported any efforts I did; he donated to anything I was collecting for. He was a special inspiration. We were blessed being able to say goodbye.

If you could spend a day with anyone, who would you choose? Robin Williams. I've seen every one of his movies. He was just a very layered person. He's the only man that I left a comedy show and my cheeks hurt from laughing so hard. He was just such an interesting character, and he was very philanthropic. That would be a very fun day.

Do you have a guilty pleasure? Anything chocolate, that's my weakness. A plain chocolate Hershey bar.