Staff Members
Patty Machir
Executive Director
Contact: Email or call 212-601-0002
Patty was named Executive Director of Futures and Options in April 2007. Patty's lifelong passion has been helping children and youth in her community. Whether in Dallas, Texas, Washington D.C. or her birthplace of New York City, she has found a way to help those youth who might not receive help otherwise.
Since becoming Executive Director of Futures and Options, Patty has worked tirelessly to improve the long-term sustainability of the organization through board development and strategic planning, as well as through organizational growth and development in the areas of program, fundraising and marketing. Patty's passion for the youth and the program's mission is coupled with commitment to excellence in all areas, which ensures continued improvements and growth in the program, infrastructure and sustainability.
Before coming to Futures and Options, Patty was Director of Volunteer Services at The Children's Aid Society, one of the oldest and largest children's welfare agencies in New York City, and was responsible for the oversight of the recruitment, training and management system for over 300 volunteers each year, as well as the corporate strategic partnership program and annual fundraising gala. From 2003 to 2005, Patty was Executive Director of Variety International – The Children's Charity, a multi-national, volunteer-driven organization aligned with the movie industry, which supports programs for children with special needs, children with serious medical concerns and children who live in the midst of poverty. In Dallas, Texas, Patty was president of the Board of Directors for Dallas for Children, a start-up, volunteer-run fundraising organization that supported selected intervention and prevention programs for needy children, from birth through six years old.
Patty has always been a strong advocate on behalf of children and youth, whether as a volunteer or paid employee. She served on the Dallas Commission for Children and Youth for three years, was a member of the Adolescent Pregnancy Board in Fort Worth, Texas for three years, and also served as director of Rockville Community Nursery School in Rockville, Maryland. She is the mother of three sons and one daughter, all of whom are living in New York City. Patty received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Georgetown University, and her Masters of Arts in Education: Early Childhood/Special Education from George Washington University.
Catherine Dodge
Operations Manager/Executive Assistant
Contact: Email or call 212-601-0002
Catherine joined Futures and Options in November 2010. As the Operations Manager/Executive Assistant, Catherine is responsible for many support responsibilities, including general administrative tasks and office management, bookkeeping, database management and assistance with the career development and internship programs. Prior to working at Futures and Options, Catherine lived and worked in Iowa City, Iowa. By day, she was the Accounts Receivable Associate and Office Assistant for LIFE Skills, Inc., a community-based non-profit that serves individuals with mental illness, intellectual disabilities, and brain injuries. By night, she worked as a stage manager for Riverside Theatre. Catherine interned at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center (Waterford, CT) in 2007 and has volunteered for many years at Fourth Row Theatre Company (Old Lyme, CT). She earned her Bachelor's degree in Literature from Bard College, where she mentored and tutored high school students through the college application process. Catherine is originally from Lyme, Connecticut.
Serena Handley
External Affairs Manager
Contact: Email or call 212-601-0002
Serena joined Futures and Options in July 2007. As External Affairs Manager she is responsible for event planning, creating the annual report, content and updates for the website, compiling content and designing monthly e-newsletters, social networking outreach, marketing and assisting with fundraising, specifically working on the annual appeal, the Youth, I.N.C. Celebration Program and special events. Serena assists the Executive Director in her work with the Board, its committees and grant writing. Serena is part of a team that is working to create the communications, marketing and fundraising strategies for Futures and Options.
Serena was previously the Volunteer Coordinator for Jumpstart Boston at Suffolk University and Emerson College, where she recruited and trained volunteers who committed to short and long term service in aid to the disadvantaged preschoolers of Boston. Serena's experience also includes writing articles for The Ojai Valley News and the Ojai Valley Youth Foundation. Originally from California, Serena traveled East to attend Emerson College, where she graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Print and Multimedia Journalism.
Isabelle Jetté
Marketing and Development Manager
Contact: Email or call 212-601-0002
Isabelle is thrilled to join the Futures and Options team and eager to dive into the organization's fundraising and cause-related marketing initiatives. Isabelle is a marketing and communications strategist devoted to elevating the cause of outstanding nonprofits and socially and environmentally conscious brands. During her time with marketing agencies LeadDog Marketing Group and Mirrorball, Isabelle worked on campaigns for brands including O, The Oprah Magazine, Stonyfield Farm, Traditional Medicinals, GoodBelly Probiotic Fruit Drink, NASCAR and Stolichnaya, and nonprofit concerns such as Big Brothers Big Sisters. She also helped launch and sits on the advisory board of ocean conservationist Fabien Cousteau's Plant A Fish.
Prior to relocating to New York, Isabelle worked at the National Arts Centre, Canada's pre-eminent center for the performing arts, where she conducted a market research study and proposed solutions that ultimately reversed the National Arts Centre Orchestra's declining ticket sales, and held positions in festival programming and corporate sponsorship. A native of Ottawa, Canada, Isabelle completed her undergraduate studies in music at the University of Ottawa and obtained her master's degree in business administration at the University of Chicago. She is fluent in both French and English.
Keleigh Spinner
Corporate Partnership Manager
Contact: Email or call 212-601-0002
Keleigh joined Futures and Options in November 2010. As the Corporate Partnership Manager, Keleigh works closely with Patty and the program staff to build our network of small business, nonprofit and corporate partners who are eager to invest in tomorrow's workforce. She focuses on recruitment of New York City businesses to provide internship sites, share corporate expertise and training resources and participate in career exploration activities with Futures and Options' youth. Prior to joining our organization, Keleigh worked in finance for over five years, most recently as a Vice President on the Structured Oil & Gas Derivatives team at Macquarie Bank in Houston, Texas. Before Macquarie, she worked at The Royal Bank of Scotland, first as an Analyst on the Structured Oil & Gas Finance team in Houston and then as a Vice President of Sales & Structuring on the Commodity Derivatives team in Greenwich, Connecticut. Keleigh graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and Business Honors from the University of Texas at Austin. She also holds a Culinary Arts diploma from The Institute of Culinary Education in NYC.
Program Staff
Matt Ellis
Program Coordinator
Contact: Email or call 212-601-0002
Matt is excited to be part of the Futures and Option's program team. As program coordinator, he works to coordinate the multiple internship programs for juniors and seniors, helps facilitate the college guidance workshops, and works with Stefanie with the High School Career Essentials workshops. Matt previously taught English for six years at a small public school in the Bronx, priding himself on his creation of an intramural basketball league and running a service-learning trip to Virginia with his students. He is passionate about working with inner-city youth and is grateful for his opportunity to work with Futures and Options. Originally from Yonkers, NY, Matt earned his Bachelors degree in English from Boston College, his Masters of Secondary Education with a specialty in English from Lehman College, and is currently pursuing a Masters in Higher Education Administration at Baruch College.
Stefanie Jones
Program Coordinator
Contact: Email or call 212-601-0002
Stefanie joined the Futures and Options staff in October 2008. As an integral member of our Career Essentials Program team, Stefanie recruits and works with our youth in the program, builds partnerships with school personnel and corporate volunteers, and facilitates the program's career readiness workshops . Prior to joining Futures and Options, Stefanie was an Advertising Sales Associate for Fast Company magazine, assisting the Publisher and managing educational and tech accounts. Stefanie began her career in marketing and sales at Scholastic Inc., where she worked as a Marketing Assistant under the Classroom and Library group coordinating the development of marketing promotions for the educational division. She then joined Shiseido USA as a Sales Analyst for Shiseido Cosmetics America and the Cle' de Peau Beaute' brands. A native of Houston, Texas, Stefanie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from Clark Atlanta University and is an alumni of In-Roads, a nationwide high school internship program.
Joanna Munoz
Program Coordinator
Contact: Email or call 212-601-0002
Joanna joined the Futures and Options staff in October of 2011. She graduated from Cornell University in 2009 with a B.S. in Industrial and Labor Relations. As an undergraduate she organized and ran several Women in the Workforce panels and was involved in other Women's Resource Center programs. She also held several Human Resources internships for companies such as Sageview Consulting and Toys "R" Us.
After attending Cornell, Joanna joined Teach For America, an organization that recruits college graduates to teach in under-resourced schools throughout the country. Joanna became a Special Education teacher in Philadelphia for two years, working with middle school students in both Learning Support and Autistic Support classrooms. While teaching she obtained a Masters of Special Education from Chestnut Hill College.
Upon completing her Teach For America commitment, Joanna moved to New York City and continues to work in youth development with Futures and Options. She is excited to combine her skills in human capital management and her skills in education to create optimal internship experiences for our students.
