East House

East House Program Manger Maggie Lockhart shares what being an LGBTQIA+ Ally means to her: “Allyship means implementing practices, behaviors, and actions that support our goal and pledge to further diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging with individuals who may belong to social identities different than our own. Being an Ally with the LGBTQIA+ community requires the willingness to examine our own privileges and accessibility as heterosexual cisgender individuals and the initiative to educate ourselves on the community itself. As a heterosexual cisgender woman, I thought for a long time that being an ally just meant loving my two gay brothers and being kind to people in their community. It was through the information I learned about their community and what their current life experiences look like in our culture that I began to realize that I have to look at the term "ally" as a verb and not a noun. I had to do more than watch Ru Paul's Drag Race on Friday nights and attend the occasional Drag Brunch. It's one thing to embrace and accept my brothers for who they are, but another thing altogether for me to actively seek ways to help make our culture a safe, supportive, and equitable place for them and others to thrive.” Thank you, Maggie! #LGBTQIAAlly #RochesterPride #EastHouseNY

On this gorgeous summer afternoon, East House hosted a Pride Party for staff and clients ahead of Saturday's Pride Parade. Music, crafts, fun, and even an ice cream truck, made the celebration a hit! If you do not have plans on Saturday morning, please join us as we march in Rochester's Pride Parade. #RochesterPride #EastHouseNY #movinglivesforward

You are light. #hope #recoveryispossible #movinglivesforward

East House is thrilled to welcome Nicole Bryl, Chief Executive Officer of Children's Health Home of Upstate New York, to our Corporate Board of Directors. For more than 14 years, Nicole has served the healthcare community throughout Rochester. She has a Bachelor's degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University at Buffalo and an MS degree in Health/Health Care Administration/Management. Welcome, Nicole!

Join us at the Pride Parade this Saturday, July 20! #RochesterPride #movinglivesforward

We are thrilled to welcome Marlene Bessette, President & CEO of Rochester Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO), as a member of East House's Corporate Board of Directors. Marlene brings decades of experience in leadership, finance, operations, and strategy in the non-profit and for-profit business sectors. Before joining Rochester RHIO, Marlene served as CEO of Catholic Family Center for 9 years and facilitated the merger with Catholic Charities Community Services. During her time at Catholic Family Center, Marlene returned the organization to financial stability and oversaw the effective delivery of an expansive portfolio of human services to more than 25,000 people each year. Prior to her work in the nonprofit sector, Marlene worked for Xerox Corporation for 28 years in a variety of leadership roles. Marlene holds a BA in Biology from the University of Rochester; a Master of Arts (Theological Studies), Systematics from Saint Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry; and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance and Operations Management from Duke University-The Fuqua School of Business. Welcome, Marlene! #boardservice #EastHouseNY

You can do it. #movinglivesforward

July is Minority Mental Health Month. To effectively improve mental health within the BIPOC community, it’s essential to understand and respect the unique stressors and barriers BIPOC people face, which impact their access to mental health services. Stressors include: -Cultural and historical stigma -Racial discrimination -Socioeconomic stress Barriers to services include: - Economic or linguistic barriers - Underrepresentation of BIPOC providers -Geographic barriers (eg: transportation or lack of nearby facilities) East House is dedicated to championing mental health awareness and making tangible differences in the lives of those we serve. #minoritymentalhealth #movinglivesforward

We are thrilled to welcome Adam Pettinella, Senior Manager, 1RDG – The Financial Center, as Treasurer for East House’s Foundation Board of Directors. Adam received a dual BS degree in Accounting and Corporate Finance from St. John Fisher College in 2013. After completing his undergraduate degree, Adam completed his master’s in business administration with a concentration in Accounting. While in college, Adam interned with Freed Maxick, CPAs, PC of Buffalo, NY, and upon graduation accepted a full-time position with them for almost five years until joining RDG in January 2019. Adam is a manager at the firm and part of the consulting division. He adds a broad range of skills derived from his experience managing assurance engagements, corporate and individual tax returns tax planning, and complex accounting and finance advisory agreements. Adam focused on the construction and real estate industries but has experience in many others as well. Adam is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensed in the state of New York and a member of the Association of International Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). Welcome, Adam! #boardservice #EastHouseNY

We are delighted to welcome Faye Braswell-Towner as a member of East House's Corporate Board of Directors. Faye brings decades of experience in healthcare management and operations, process improvement, provider relations, Medicare, and compliance. Prior to her retirement in 2022, she worked for Molina Healthcare, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, Fidelis Care, Monroe Plan for Medical Care, MVP Health Care, Preferred Care Health, and Magellan Behavioral Health. Faye has a Nursing degree from the University of Rochester and a Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification from Rochester Institute of Technology. In her retirement, Faye serves as Commander for America's Boating Club - Rochester Sail & Power Squadron. Welcome, Faye! #boardservice #EastHouseNY