Our Staff

Raquel's upbringing abroad as a “Third Culture Kid” in a bilingual, bicultural family resulted in endless curiosity and passion for the ways life is richer when cultural traditions are shared. Firmly rooted in adult experiential education and servant leadership, she strives to ensure our community programming is meeting the needs we see, as well as nurturing a strong foundation from which staff can do their best. Previous work includes serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer and staff member, roles in international and domestic community development work, and foreign language education. She holds a B.A. in French and Spanish from Wake Forest University and a Master of Intercultural Management degree from the S.I.T. in Brattleboro.

Veronica believes that education is the key to empowering people in their lives. She has devoted over 30 years to teaching people of all ages to learn and experience languages of the world. She has a BA from the University of Pennsylvania, a MA in Education from the University of Michigan and is a licensed Vermont K-8 Modern languages teacher with a K-12 endorsement in ELL.

She was born and raised in Switzerland where her love of languages and mountains began. She loves living with her family in Vermont where she can share her passion for both with new Vermonters.

Erin’s career focuses on the nonprofit arena and mission-based, community-focused work is her passion. She is a born and raised Vermonter, and her ambitions have always centered on collaboration, community, and creativity. Erin graduated from Emerson College in Boston, volunteers within the local theatre scene, and is a member of the Board for the Lake Champlain Chamber of Commerce.

Lisa leads the Mercy Connections team with compassion at the center of her work. She advocates for thriving, inclusive communities where all people are seen, valued and engaged. Before coming to Mercy Connections, Lisa worked for many years across sectors in higher education, government and business.

Alayna has a love for all things creative and mixes writing, design, and just the right amount of overthinking to turn ideas into stories that resonate. Her background is in communication and development for nonprofits and she has a degree in Public Relations from Champlain College and a certificate in Graphic Design from the Community College of Vermont. 

Heather brings incredible compassion and dedication to her work, which is focused on personal development programs. She has been with Mercy Connections in a number of roles since graduating from the Women’s Small Business Program at Trinity College in 2000. Heather is currently working on her Master’s at UVM in Education Leadership.

Gwen Pokalo Hart is an applied economist, lifelong side-hustler, and enthusiastic hype-person for anyone with a spark of an idea. She’s the Founder and Chief Financial Enthusiast at Hart’s Revival, an awakened approach to finance and strategy for small businesses and the communities they shape. With more than 20 years building inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems, Gwen brings deep expertise in community & economic development, policy, and community finance. Gwen founded the Vermont Women's Business Center under the regional Center for Women & Enterprise and grew the community to serve over 3,000 Vermont entrepreneurs. When she’s not teaching or consulting, she's basking in life with a toddler, reading a thriller/feminist horror, or finding ways to be active.

Melissa became interested in working with Multilingual/Multicultural Learners while in college. She earned a Bachelor’s degree from St. Michael’s in Education and English Literature, and a Master’s degree, also from St. Michael’s, specializing in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). She has taught and coordinated ELL programs in both public and private schools. She has worked in non-profit adult education in Vermont for the last 22 years. At Mercy Connections, Melissa facilitates our ELL and Citizenship Tutoring Programs. She also teaches ELL classes and writing and literature classes such as Pens & Pages and Memoir Writing.

Bernard brings a wealth of knowledge and a bright smile to everyone at Mercy Connections. He taught French in Congo Brazzaville for 31 years prior to moving to Vermont. He was also a 2024 National Adult Honor Society award recipient and holds a degree in Higher Management Studies. He speaks English, French, Lingala, Kikongo and Lari.

With compassion and authenticity, Kelly works with justice-involved individuals and advocates for disenfranchised communities. She has 20 years of experience working with diverse populations both locally and internationally. Kelly recently received her MSW at Simmons University.

Nicole S. Morris is embarking on her first semester as an Associate Professor of Business Administration and Accounting and LaMarche Endowed Chair, at Saint Michael's College in Colchester, Vermont. Prior to joining the SMC faculty, Nicole spent 16 years at Champlain College in the Robert P. Stiller School of Business as Professor of Accounting and Management and Robert P. Stiller Endowed Chair of Management.

When Nicole isn’t teaching or creating systems and processes to support student success, she can be found in her favorite role as #1 cheerleader for her son Aidan, and daughters, Lauren and Madelyn.

Ruchi leads the Inclusive Entrepreneurship programs through education, events, strategy, and coaching, including the organization’s signature Start-Up course. Her work centers on building accessible, relational pathways that help entrepreneurs explore ideas, strengthen skills, and grow sustainable businesses over time. Drawing on a background in community engagement, management consulting, and systems-level strategy, and informed by her MBA in Sustainable Innovation, Ruchi supports business owners in balancing economic viability, personal capacity, and long-term impact. She is deeply committed to inclusive economic empowerment, ensuring entrepreneurs especially those from underestimated and underserved communities have access to support that is realistic, humane, and aligned with their lived realities. Outside of work, Ruchi enjoys creative projects, time with her family, caring for animals, and conversations that explore meaning, connection, and community

Besides her official duties, Alana wears many hats at Mercy Connections, including furniture assembler,  guitarist/accompanist for staff singing parties, and guru for all things IT-related. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with more than 30 years of experience in accounting and has spent many years as a financial statement auditor specializing in nonprofit organizations.

Emily is a local Vermonter and multidisciplinary creative with a passion for community building, storytelling, and accessible design. After completing Mercy Connections’ Inclusive Entrepreneurship program, she launched her own design business and later joined the team as Development Specialist, inspired by the mission that helped shape her path. Emily has a BA from Quest University Canada.