Meet the A4TD Team

Ross brings 13+ years’ experience in operations of long-term care services and servicing older adults to the A4TD team.  During his professional career, Ross has worked successfully in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors servicing older adults across the continuum of care:  independent living; assisted living; long-term and skilled nursing care; memory support care;  home health; and hospice services.  He’s customer service oriented, data and compliance driven, and focused on quality assurance and continuous quality improvement.  He has experience networking and creating partnerships via the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary International, and public service.

He resides in St. Johnsbury, Vermont with his family. He enjoys gardening, video games, and spending time with his family and friends.

I graduated from McKinley University in 2016 with an A.S in Social Work. I have over 10 years experience working with children and their families, both in the field and in administration. I have 2 teenage daughters. I enjoy reading and shopping on Amazon.

Heather has over 10 years of experience working in insurance and customer service. Her strong work ethic, attention to detail, and integrity led to an office management position. She prides herself helping people and always putting forth her best effort.

When she’s not working, Heather enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and two kids.

Joe brings an eclectic mix to his work with A4TD, from years in outdoor retail, as a climbing guide, facilitating domestic abuse education programs, family mediation, and conducting conflict resolution sessions.

He also joins our professional staff after being a participant in the program himself, which he finds an asset when communicating with our participants.

When not working, you’ll likely find him in a canoe or on skis somewhere in the woods.

Crystal comes with a 13 year background in education working with children with disabilities. In 2008 she won the Golden Apple Award in special education (only 3 recipients a year) Crystal is a mother of two. Crystal volunteered for 13 years with the Northern Greyhound, she is passionate about dogs. Crystal enjoys walking her dogs, plant collecting and fossil hunting.

Kathy is a finance and administrative professional who with lots of experience in payroll and file maintenance. She is an animal lover, and a longtime member of the Vermont State Guard where she currently holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Emma has a strong background in education. She holds a master’s degree in education and a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Her career has taken her on a journey through instructional design, instructional technology, teaching, and much more. She brings all of these experiences to her current Trainer position at A4TD.

Emma thinks that it is important to use current research and practice when developing trainings, educational content, and communications. She is passionate about education and helping others. She also enjoys exploring new technologies and how they can help enhance learning.

In her personal life, Emma is a twin mom to Eleanor and Boden. She resides in Maine with her husband, children, and 5 animals (2 dogs and 3 cats). She loves spending time with her family and going on many different adventures with them. Her family is also actively involved with a local community theatre. Whether it be performing on the stage or working behind the scenes, they are very passionate about theatre.

Mark is a seasoned professional who brings to A4TD 20+ years’ experience in Technology, Operations, Project Management, Continuous Improvement, and Training.  During his career, Mark held various leadership roles in healthcare and Financial Services. Mark is a senior member of the American Society for Quality and also serves on the Salvation Army Advisory Board of the Greater Rochester area.  He holds a B.S. in Management Information Systems from Rochester Institute of Technology.

Mark resides in Upstate New York with his lovely wife and entertaining West Highland White Terrier. He enjoys cooking, barbequing, photography, personal finance, and volunteering at his local church and in his community.  He is also an avid Red Sox fan!

Mark is originally from the United Kingdom and relocated to New Zealand after completing his university studies, where he lived for 13 years before moving to the United States in 1997. With a strong academic background, Mark holds degrees in business and computer science from the UK, as well as an Associate’s degree in Science and Mathematics, a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, and a Master’s degree in the Science of Teaching Mathematics, earned in the US.

As a dedicated grant writing professional, Mark is deeply passionate about helping others succeed. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his work, driven by a genuine desire to make a positive impact in the lives of others.

Mark is a proud father of two grown sons, Taine and Aiden. He resides in Massena with his wife, Dorothy, and their five beloved dogs: Heidi, Stella, and Abby (Standard Poodles), Lucy (a Golden Doodle), and Willow (a Schnoodle).

Outside of his professional life, Mark enjoys boating and fishing on the nearby St. Lawrence River and is an enthusiastic soccer coach. A true DIY enthusiast, Mark is often found working on projects at home when he’s not enjoying time on the water.

Everyone says I am the “math guy”, and I do like numbers. I am also a dog lover and an avid Red Sox and Celtics fan.  I used to golf a lot but now its just once in a while and it’s not pretty!   I have an extensive background in project and operations management, and training program design & delivery.  I enjoy building relationships with both for-profit and non-profit community partners with a focus on helping those in under-served communities.  I am a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), and a member of the Project Management Institute (PMI), the National Association for Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP), the American Society on Aging (ASA), and the Association for Talent Development (ATD).

John has professional background in both for-profit and nonprofit administration and operations. His bachelor’s degree is in Finance and Commerce from Rider University and he has extensive expertise in grant, fiscal, and program management. He is a firefighter, a first responder, a father of two, and an accomplished horseman.

Alex Fizz is an experienced nonprofit leader dedicated to fostering inclusive, resilient communities through strategic program development and leadership. As an executive director, program leader, and consultant, he has collaborated with community impact organizations to drive sustainable growth, strengthen boards, and implement impactful initiatives. With expertise in program design and social-emotional learning, he brings a relationship-focused, innovation-driven approach to empowering individuals and organizations.

Alex believes workforce development is rooted in resilience, growth, and dignity. He is honored to step into the role of CEO and build upon A4TD’s legacy of empowering individuals through meaningful workforce development. Together, this team will continue to foster innovation and opportunity, ensuring that every individual served discovers a pathway to success.

Alex has two young children and lives in Washington D.C. with his partner, Raquel.  He enjoys hiking, traveling and playing trivia.