Martin Luther King, Jr. Event
All faculty and staff are invited to join us for breakfast and celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. at '53 Commons dining hall on January 19th, 2026 8:30am-10:00am.
This event will feature a panel of local businesses to discuss this year's theme of 'The Urgency of Now- A Time for Truth and Action'.
First we have Willing Hands Board of Directors President, Stacey Chiocchio. Stacey is the Community Citizenship Manager for Hypertherm Associates, where she supports their robust, worldwide Community Service Time program and 501c3 Hypertherm HOPE Foundation. Stacey manages their student STEM program, supports their Recovery Friendly Workplaces, and engages with other businesses on shared community challenges. She is an active volunteer with Willing Hands, Vital Communities, David's House, and the home-delivered meals program with the Upper Valley Senior Center. She lives in Grantham with her husband, Nick, and black Labrador, Elwood. During her free time, Stacey can be found outside road cycling, hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, or inside quilting.
Next, we have the Program Coordinator from Hartford Community Restorative Justice Center, Julia Blike. Julia grew up in the Upper Valley and has recently returned to the area after graduating from the University of Michigan with a Masters of Public Health and Social Work. Julia works at the Hartford Community Restorative Justice Center (HCRJC), which advances community-led solutions to harm through restorative justice programs, reentry support, and transitional housing. As an organization, HCRJC creates real alternatives to the traditional justice system by centering accountability, healing, and public safety, helping people repair harm, rebuild trust, and reenter their communities with dignity and support. Julia has experience in Disability Justice, Reproductive Justice, addressing gender-based violence, and intersectional feminist praxis. She dreams of a world in which everyone is free and no one is left behind.
Finally, Alice R. Ely, MPH, is Executive Director of the Public Health Council of the Upper Valley, which serves as the Advisory Council for one of the State of New Hampshire’s 13 regional health networks. PHC is a broad coalition of advocates on public and population health issues in the greater Upper Valley region. Ms. Ely has been a leader in the effort to build community-driven leadership for public health improvement in the Upper Valley of New Hampshire and Vermont since 2010. She has a strong reputation for working effectively with groups representing different interests, adapting to an ever-changing economic and political landscape, and maximizing scarce resources.
Space is limited. Reservations are required by Friday, January 16, 2026 at 12:00pm.