OUR TEAM
FOUNDERS
Shannon Getzel and Jessica Chacha started Together We Can in 2016 after realizing that there was a need for providing adequate tools, resources, and support to immigrant families in Queens, New York.
BOARD MEMBERS:
Jessica Chacha
Co-Founder
A resident of Corona, Queens, Jessica Chacha has been working in the community for nearly a decade as a community coordinator. Jessica started her community work out of SCO Family of Services and worked at Families Building Community for five years as a Program Assistant. Her responsibilities included outreach, office organization, program development, data collection, program administration, and referring clients for community-related support services.
Ms. Chacha presently works as Program Coordinator of the Elmhurst Community Partnership. Her responsibilities include program management, administration, data collection, program development, and volunteer management. She oversees the day-to-day operations of the partnership.
Ms. Chacha is very passionate about providing resources to the families in the community. Over the last two years, she has been focusing on bringing domestic violence support programs, immigration resources, as well as youth and women’s empowerment programs to the community. Ms. Chacha started out as a grassroots community coordinator and has many plans to help her community in the years to come. Her long-term goal is to open a community center, where the families will feel safe, get support and have access to resources.
Shannon Getzel
Co-Founder
Shannon Getzel was born and raised in South Jersey and in 2008, relocated to New York to pursue her dreams and her master’s degree. Shannon graduated in May 2008 with a Master’s of Social Work from Fordham and is now an LMSW. Throughout her internships and volunteer trips, Shannon had the opportunity to work with immigrant families and recognized the community’s need for resources to the underserved. Shortly after graduation, Shannon pursued only community organizing opportunities and was offered a position as a Community Organizer in North West Queens. She spent six years as a Community Coordinator with the Elmhurst Community Partnership, Families Building Community. Throughout her experience as a coordinator, Shannon was able to implement and oversee child welfare community programs including a support group for foster and adoptive parents, a community-based supervised visitation program for families without primary custody of their children, a community resource and referral program, and more.
Shannon took a short break from direct community work and volunteered with the FACT Foundation and the Suffolk County Jewish Community Center while raising her two small children from 2014 to 2016. In 2016, Jessica Chacha and Shannon reconnected during some community volunteer work and agreed to move forward with their dream of starting a one shop stop community center. Shannon Founded Together We Can Community Resource Center Inc. in 2017. [Since its inception, Shannon has been working as a volunteer with Together We Can helping with the program’s day to day needs, supervising students, planning events, and other program aspects. Shannon is really excited to embark on the journey of growing Together We Can while raising her children. Shannon loves organizing community programs and events for families. Shannon looks forward to be able to being back in the community doing what she loves most, giving back.
Mayra Chacha
Corona resident, Court Liaison at Community Mediation Services
Mayra Chacha has been working in the community for more than 10 years, when she started to volunteer at the NYPD explorer program, through which she helped her community by participating in neighborhood beautification and educational projects for two years. In 2009, she participated in the program, TASK[JD5] . After three years of of AmeriCorps, where she helped after-school students with their homework and extracurricular activities. [JD6] Most recently, Mayra has been volunteering at the Elmhurst Community Partnership, where she has been helping families navigate the ACS system for more than three years.
Ms. Chacha is eager to provide resources and empower our community, she has chosen to work in areas where she can make an impact. She worked at Sunnyside afterschool program for 7 years, were she served as instructor for kids ages 5-10, tutored individual students with homework and class assignments, participated in educational games and other educational activities, and supervised volunteers. She also worked at SCO- Bob’s Place Men’s transitional shelter, as Case Manager where she was responsible for providing intensive case management to 30 or more homeless single man that are struggling with problems such as personal and family adjustment, financial, employment, food, clothing, physical and mental health impairments.
Mark Laster
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Mark Laster, born and raised in the Bronx, settling in Rego Park. He attended Queens College for his BA and received his MSW from Columbia. He is a member of Queens Community Board #6, serving as the co-chair of the Aging Social Services and Disability Committee and the Vice Chair Secretary of the community board. He is the founder and co-chair of the Forest Hills Green Team and the co-chair of the Central Queens United Independent Democratic Club (CQuID). The Borough President has appointed him to the Queens Civic Engagement Committee. Mark has been married for 38 years and has three children.
Maria Arnaud
María Arnaud was born in Havana, Cuba, and grew up in a lovely family of professionals along with two sisters, until December 1997, when Maria arrived in the US full of dreams. Maria’s first work at a nonprofit Hispanic organization in Hempstead, New York, was a turning point in her life as she realized that her mission was to combine her professional skills and passion with the wellbeing of the community. Over the last 15 years, María's commitment has led her to work and volunteered for non-profit organizations such as Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Teach for America, Grameen Vida Sana, Year Up, Dress for Success, New York Immigration Coalition, Make the Road NY, New York Cares, Elmhurst Community Partnership, and Together We Can Community Resource Center. Ms. Maria holds a Bachelor of Science in engineering from Moscow, and a master’s degree in international affairs from Colombia University in NY. Maria enjoys helping young immigrant families with children reach their educational, job and training-related goals and spends her spare time with family and friends, reading and helping others.
María Arnaud nació en La Habana, Cuba, y creció en una hermosa familia de profesionales junto con dos hermanas, hasta diciembre de 1997, cuando María llegó a los Estados Unidos llena de sueños. El primer trabajo de María en una organización hispana sin fines de lucro en Hempstead, Nueva York, fue un punto de inflexión en su vida cuando se dio cuenta de que su misión era combinar sus habilidades profesionales y su pasión con el bienestar de la comunidad. En los últimos 15 años, el compromiso de María la ha llevado a trabajar y ser voluntaria en organizaciones sin fines de lucro como Local Initatives Support Corporation, Teach for America, Public Health Solutions, Year Up; Dress for Success, New York Immigration Coalition, Make the Road NY, New York Cares, Elmhurst Community Partnership y Together We Can Community Resource Center. La Sra. María tiene una licenciatura en ingeniería de Moscú y una maestría en asuntos internacionales de la Universidad de Colombia en Nueva York. María disfruta ayudar a las familias inmigrantes jóvenes con niños a alcanzar sus metas educativas y de capacitación laboral y pasa su tiempo libre con familiares y amigos, leyendo y ayudando a los demás.