Our Team

President & CEO

Shaheer Mustafa

Shaheer Mustafa, LICSW, CCDP joined HopeWell in 2016 as the organization was re-envisioning itself for the 21st century. Bringing a mix of private nonprofit and public service experience to his role, Shaheer is guiding the organization’s renewed energy, program growth, and emphasis on creating positive, measurable outcomes. He oversees HopeWell’s programs and partnerships, manages its resources, and nurtures a positive, inclusive, and transparent organizational culture.

Prior to joining HopeWell Shaheer served as Director of Areas for the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families Arlington and Coastal Area Offices. While managing child protective services across 31 cities and towns he developed a strong reputation for leadership in improved permanency for children, reducing disproportionality in the foster care system, and leading creative efforts to respond to the opiate crisis.

Shaheer previously served as Director of the Knight’s Children’s Center, a residential school and treatment program of the Home for Little Wanderers, was a faculty member at Simmons College Graduate School of Social Work, Urban Leadership program and is currently a Core Instructor for the Institute for Nonprofit Practice in affiliation with the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University. Shaheer’s work has been highlighted in numerous publications and he is widely recognized as a leader in the sector.

Shaheer began his career as a therapist assisting children and families to overcome the impact of complex stress using empowerment and strengths-based models of practice. He received a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and a Master’s in Clinical Social Work from Boston College and is certified as a Diversity Practitioner from Cornell’s School of Industrial Labor Relations. Shaheer also holds a certificate in nonprofit management and leadership from the Institute for Nonprofit Practice.

Chief Human Resources Officer

Leah Janey

Leah Janey joined HopeWell in 2017, bringing over 15 years of human resources experience specializing in mid-size nonprofit organizations providing guidance and leadership to senior and executive managers. She has extensive hands-on experience leading HR initiatives including policy design, compensation planning, performance management, recruiting, compliance reporting, HR strategy, learning and development, career pathing, succession planning and culture management.

Prior to joining HopeWell, Leah supported both established nonprofit organizations and corporate startups providing best practices in human resources management in their different stages of growth. Leah’s most recent position has been as the Vice President for Human Resources for YouthBuild USA. Prior to joining YouthBuild USA in 2007, Leah worked at several organizations including, Harvard University, Ethos, Center Focus International, and JaneyCo.

Leah is most proud of her ability to successfully build relationships, build systems and programs and link people strategies to business strategies.

Leah studied Human Resources Management at Northeastern University, minoring in psychology. Her ongoing studies have provided her the skillset needed to be a well-rounded and grounded HR practitioner in the nonprofit sector. She holds certifications in facilitative leadership, diversity & inclusion and human resources management and strategy.

She has an unwavering passion for people and makes it her goal to provide a platform for staff to be heard, respected and treated fairly in all matters. Leah enjoys mentoring young professional woman to help them see their own potential and realize their career goals.

Chief Development Officer

Lisa Rowan-Gillis

Lisa Rowan-Gillis has more than 30 years of experience in nonprofit development, donor engagement, and community philanthropic initiatives and brings strategic vision, creativity, and innovation to her work. As HopeWell’s Chief Development Officer, Lisa oversees a development and engagement strategy that is responsive to the fast-moving landscape of social impact giving and inclusive of donors from all giving levels and ages. She stewards community partnerships to cultivate the resources necessary to build out new and existing community-integrated programs and supports that address the needs of foster youth and people living with disabilities at varying life stages

Prior to joining HopeWell, Lisa served as Chief Development Officer for United Way of Mass Bay and Merrimack Valley, where she led fundraising initiatives totaling an annual average of $30 million, including workplace giving, major gifts, planned giving, and annual giving. Prior to the United Way, Lisa was Executive Director of Advancement Marketing & Communications at Boston College where she supported all fundraising efforts including the $1.5 billion “Light the World” campaign. Lisa also served as Vice President for Development and Communications at The Home for Little Wanderers, where she led a capital campaign to build a new school and residences for children in The Home’s care.

Lisa holds a Master of Social Work degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Boston College.

Vice President, Program Impact & Strategy

Amy Schneider

Amy Schneider, LICSW joined HopeWell in 2017, bringing over 15 years of experience in social service and education. As HopeWell’s Vice President, Program Impact and Strategy, Amy is guiding the organization in its overall approach to strategy, leading efforts to increase HopeWell’s impact through innovation and managing to outcomes.

Prior to joining HopeWell, Amy served as the Associate Director at Summer Search Boston, a local branch of a national college success organization, serving students who face systemic inequities that can impact their journey to higher education. Previously, Amy held program leadership roles at Horizons for Homeless Children and The Home for Little Wanderers, overseeing programming that provided a range of supports to children, youth, and families. She has also worked as a consultant and process coach, helping groups and organizations engage in dialogue and implement change. Additionally, Amy’s work is informed by 10 years of extensive experience in direct service, ranging from crisis intervention to classroom teaching. As an educator, community-based therapist, and leader, she has devoted her career to supporting learning and development.

Amy holds a Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from the Institute for Nonprofit Practice at Boston University, a Master of Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis, and a Bachelor of Arts in Physics from Wesleyan University. In 1999, she received a Fulbright Fellowship for a year of research and study.

A dedicated lifelong learner, Amy is also trained in community-based mediation and outdoor leadership. An avid swimmer, runner, and hiker, she heads into the White Mountains every chance she gets.

Vice President, Research, Policy, & Learning

Julie Segovia

Julie’s professional efforts are focused squarely on improving policies, enhancing support infrastructure, encouraging stakeholder collaboration, and multiplying opportunities for children and youth experiencing foster care. Upon aging out of foster care herself, Julie experienced many barriers on the path to self-sufficient young adulthood and cares deeply about removing those barriers for future generations of impacted youth through innovative and equitable policy and practice changes. She unequivocally and unapologetically believes that people with lived experience in foster care should be meaningfully involved in all child welfare decision-making processes. In 2023 she launched the Lived Experience Professional Network, the goal of which is to provide a safe space for building an international community of adults navigating the intersection of lived foster care/child welfare experience and a professional role in the foster care/child welfare field.

Julie holds a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts-Boston, with a double major in English and Psychology and an M.S. in Speech & Language Pathology from the MGH Institute of Health Professions. Her work has been published in multiple peer-reviewed academic journals and she serves on the Board of Directors for multiple foster care-related organizations. Julie was named a 2021 Re-Envisioning Foster Care in America Champion by the Treehouse Foundation and a 2023 Changemaker of the Year by the Institute for Nonprofit Practice. In 2024, she earned her PhD in Child Study & Human Development from Tufts University.

Vice President, Child & Family Programs

Imani Seunarine

Imani Seunarine joined HopeWell in 2022, bringing more than 20 years of experience in mental and behavioral health, clinical work, and child and family programming. As VP of Child and Family Programs, Imani leads HopeWell’s foster care and family support programs, including supporting new program innovations and implementing evidence-based practice frameworks.

Prior to joining HopeWell, Imani served as VP of Behavioral Health and Outpatient Services at The Home for Little Wanderers, where she oversaw outpatient clinic work, state contracts for the Family Resource Center and Early Childhood programming, and The Home’s portfolio of child and family programs. Previously, Imani worked at Bay State Community Services as a Site Director, where she supported two different family resource centers and the spectrum of the Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative. She then served as Bay State’s first-ever Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, where she led efforts to closely examine organizational policies and sponsor important conversations about anti-racist and anti-oppressive practices. She has also worked as a family home-based community clinician and supervisor.

Imani is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Eastern Nazarene College and a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Northeastern University, with concentrations in Health Psychology and Gender, Culture, and Political Psychology. She also holds a clinical certificate in multi-contextual and relational trauma from Simmons College and has completed Boston University’s Nonprofit Management and Leadership certificate program.

Chief Financial Officer

Rich Voccio

Rich has 30 years of professional experience in nonprofit finance leadership — having supported accounting, information technology, human resources, and facilities functions in several nonprofit organizations. At HopeWell’s Chief Financial Officer, Rich oversees financial operations, supervises the finance team, and plays a lead role in supporting and advising the CEO and Board of Directors on all issues related to accounting and finance, budgeting and reporting, forecasting and financial analysis, investment management, contracts and administration, and new business analysis. Rich also engages the Board’s finance, audit, and investment committees around issues, trends, and current best practices.

Prior to joining HopeWell in 2023, Rich served as CFO at three agencies supporting adults and children with developmental and behavioral health challenges: the ARC of Northern Bristol County in Attleboro, Massachusetts; the James L. Maher Center in Middletown, Rhode Island; and most recently, the Baker Center for Children and Families in Waltham, Massachusetts. Rich also has experience leading financial and administrative operations at two local United Ways over 15 years: as the Executive Vice President and CFO at the United Way of Rhode Island, and as the Chief Administrative Officer at the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley. Rich supported and led several United Way Worldwide financial committees in their work developing best practices for financial operations that are used by more than 1,200 local United Ways. He also served as an instructor for new executive finance leaders in the national United Way network.

Rich has an energetic personality and a passion for bringing people together in support of HopeWell’s mission and culture. He brings a pragmatic approach to identifying and resolving fiscal or operational issues, with an emphasis on including colleagues and other stakeholders in finding the solutions.

Rich is an alum of Providence College, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Management and his master’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance.