Executive Team
Samantha Hamilton
Samantha Hamilton
Samantha Hamilton
With over 18 years of experience as a community organizer in her hometown of Springfield, MA, Samantha has made a deep commitment to addressing gang violence, substance abuse prevention, climate change, food access, age-friendly communities, and teen dating violence. Through her leadership, she worked closely with community organizations, city officials, and regional partners to designate Springfield as the first community in the US to have a triple designation; Age-Friendly city, Dementia Friendly city, and an Age-Friendly hospital system. Hamilton is an award winner for community leadership and professionalism from the Through Her Eyes Conference, Pioneer Valley Kwanzaa Celebration, and Business West 40 Under 40 Top Professionals.
Aumani Harris
Samantha Hamilton
Samantha Hamilton
With 10 years of professional experience in public health, Aumani Harris has worked to address tobacco use, substance abuse prevention, and opioid misuse in Western Mass. She serves as a college professor at Holyoke Community College, teaching students fundamental skills and practical analysis to become certified community health workers. Aumani is the founder of the Women In Need of Empowerment (WINE) Conversation Series social events for women. WINE Conversation brings women together to have authentic discussions about systemic and patriarchal barriers that deter women's advancement. As a co-founder of Queens Narrative, she works with partners to facilitate community programming, initiatives, and events to support the empowerment and upliftment of women and girls.
New Board Members
Jazmine Cotto
Nzima Sherylle Hutchings
Nzima Sherylle Hutchings
Hola mi gente! My name is Jazmine Cotto, and I am a new City Connects Coordinator in Springfield Public Schools. I enjoy using my skills to contribute towards helping children and families in Springfield Public Schools. I graduated from Westfield State University in 2021 with a Masters Degree in Social Work. My goals are to help people in under-serviced communities, help young girls and teens to find their power and voices, be a support, a leader, and most importantly, be a student of learning indefinitely. My hope is by giving back to my community and planting seeds of success when it's my time to leave this planet; those seeds will have bloomed positively throughout the community.
Nzima Sherylle Hutchings
Nzima Sherylle Hutchings
Nzima Sherylle Hutchings
Nzima Sherylle Hutchings, states that her poetry, short stories, quotes, and expressive writing come from life’s upheavals; the hurt places, as well as the thankful, growing, and feel-good memorable places. The Every Kinda Lady Poem is the foundation of many things in Nzima’s life and is the inspiration of the Every Kinda Lay Co., a literary platform she founded in, 2011 for women. Nzima is an award-winning poetess for her work published in 2009, Freshwater Poetry Journal; Expressive Writing and Literary Art Wellness Coach, Visionary and Sole Proprietor of the Every Kinda Lady Co.
Gricelides Saex
Nzima Sherylle Hutchings
Gricelides Saex
Gricelides Saex better known as Gri to friends, family, and colleagues has been instrumental in bridging the gap between communities and the health and social services systems in different capacities throughout her career of more than twenty years in the Human Services Field. Gri has served in the Springfield, Holyoke, Chicopee, and other surrounding communities as an Outreach Worker, Program Coordinator/ Supervisor, Case Manager, Counselor, and Self-Employed Certified Healthcare and Legal Interpreter. During the past five years she has been serving the community as a Community Health Worker (CHW) and Recovery Coach. Currently a CHW/Transportation Specialist at Baystate Health and volunteers as a Resident Advocate for the Climate Change and Health Equity Initiative by Live Well Springfield and the Pioneer Valley Healthy Air Network. She is also a member of MACHW/NACHW, and the Pioneer Valley Asthma Coalition.
