RNE Volunteer Team
Heather Field Ruggiero, RN, BSN
worked as a nurse, facilitating patient care in a clinical setting for a comprehensive medical clinic in New England.
Heather
Heather believes volunteering
has provided her with networking opportunities, and
has allowed her to meet members of the medical community from
around the world. She has learned a great deal from these encounters. She
has likewise learned a great deal about available resources in the medical
community, and how vital these resources are to obtaining accurate
diagnoses and treatment plans. Maintaining
Facebook groups allows her to share her knowledge, and Heather feels a sense of joy and fulfillment in watching the groups she works with grow.
In her life, Heather has experienced first-hand the effects of rare and complex medical conditions. She is currently on medical leave due to her own health issues, and is the mother of a child with complicated health issues. Heather resides in Maine, with her young daughter.
We would like to introduce and acknowledge our fabulous team of volunteers. Rare New England relies of the dedication of our Volunteers, whom are instrumental in carrying out our programs for patients and families. Their insight and efforts provide skill and support for conferences, social media, supply management, fundraising and more!
When Melissa Hoyt stated her education in the Psychology and Healthcare field, she no idea that at some point her health would change my course in life. While always having some variety of health problems the significance of it all wouldn’t be clear till adulthood. In 2008 she was diagnosed with a rare disease, Mitochondrial Disease, and goals and aspirations were changed as she learned to live with a complex disorder.
Though life is different than she had once imagined, Melissa has found joy in various volunteer roles over the years while assisting in a health education library, joining a Community Emergency Response Team, and being a member of a Patient and Family Advisory Council at MGH; each one bringing their own opportunities for learning, collaboration and more. Melissa is also spent several years as member of the Boston Renegades Bleep Baseball team.
Melissa resides in MA with her fabulously handsome service dog Harkin.
Caroline Cabral was born and raised in a small fishing village off the coast of North Carolina, where she first began working events and volunteering. Prior to moving to New England in 2017, she worked closely with many non-profit organizations, but found her passion for helping others while managing and planning local walks for The ALS Association in Wilmington, NC. She helped organize and plan their events for 5 years, while pursuing an education in Psychology at UNCW. She has passionately been working as the Operational Assistant for RNE since January 2020. When not working, Caroline and her partner Erik, are in the fields where they grow over 30 varieties of organic vegetables. She spends her free time hiking trails and exploring with her best friend, Bailey, a 9 year-old lab mix.
Rare New England Staff
Operational Assistant
Development Consultant
Ashley Kennes is a New England native and began working as the Development Consultant for RNE in February 2019. She is finishing up her Master's degree in Genetic Counseling at Brandeis University and is looking forward to using her schooling to help patients with genetic conditions. In the past, she has volunteered her time to other non-profit organizations by planning and participating in the Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society and Dance Marathon for the Children's Miracle Network. When not working, Ashley enjoys reading, baking, and spending time with friends and family.
