Our Board & Staff

Malanya Graham Northeast Regional Hub Coordinator

Without community, there is no liberation.

Alice Sich Events and Operations Coordinator

In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.

Casey Casey Nursing Director & Partnership Coordinator

Change is painful, but nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don’t belong.

Richard Martinez Mentorship Coordinator

In the end, the universe will tend to unfold as it should.

Jacob Parsons Digital Media Associate

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.

Kepler Jeudy Program Director

Small steps, big successes.

Kimberly Khare Director, Song Studio

I see every day as an opportunity to choose love over fear.

Bill Kubicek Founder/Executive Director

“What if?” and “Why not?” are powerful questions that continually offer new opportunities and challenges.

Jessica Slattery Martin Director of Operations

You never know when you’re having good luck.

Colin Mueller Communications Coordinator

I don’t have many regrets, not because I lived a perfect life but because life is a bunch of rolling hills, not mountains, or speed bumps, instead of stop signs, and so you come to a situation and it’s neither good or bad, it just is, and what it means to you is what’s your take on it. But the second part of the equation is what are you going to do about it. A lot of times I’m completely wrong, but all you do is back up and start over.

Lewis Director, K9 Affairs

Above all else, BE CUTE.

Board of Directors

Reyn Parsons, Board Chair
Consultant

Eugene Crowley, Treasurer
Principal, JCH Development and Management, LLC

Judith Palmer Castor
Director of Behavioral Health, ChildAccra

Paul Furer
Partner, Summit Partners

Rena Greifinger
Senior Lead, Population Services International

Mary Ann Guillette
Creative Manager, Boston Medical Center

Dr. Matt Heeney
Associate Chief for Hematology, Boston Children’s Hospital

Owen Kelley
Managing Member, Kelley Bros.

Bill Kubicek
Founder/Executive Director, Next Step

Elizabeth Pasciucco
Interim President, Notre Dame Academy

Kingdar Prussien
Assistant United States Attorney, Southern District of New York

Dr. Mark Salvatore
Pediatric Gastroenterologist, Massachusetts General Hospital

Eric Stepanian
Founder of The Fliers Club

Crystal Taylor-Dietz
National Director of Behavioral Health Services, Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health

Experience
Next Step

Next Step

3 days ago

Before Next Step, Jamall often felt lost in the fog of his sickle cell diagnosis - pain, uncertainty, stress.

Donate to the 2025 Next Step Annual Fund to help more young people like Jamall see past their challenges to a future full of possibilities.
https://www.nextstepnet.org/donate/

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Next Step

1 weeks ago

Before Next Step, Jamall felt alone in his journey with sickle cell disease. Meeting peers who truly understood him changed everything.

Your support of Next Step will give more young people like Jamall a community that inspires them to chase their dreams: ...https://www.nextstepnet.org/donate/

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Malanya Graham

Northeast Regional Hub Coordinator

Without community, there is no liberation.

Malanya seeks and creates new partnerships with medical providers in the New York City tri-state area to increase youth recruitment to our programs.

Favorite thing about working at Next Step

I love that I get to tell people about a safe space for young people of all identities where they can escape ableist structures, make new friends, learn new skills, and achieve their goals all in the context of self-care and advocacy.

Random Personal Factoid

I make stained glass paintings

Alice Sich

Events and Operations Coordinator

In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.

Alice is involved in planning, organizing, and executing fundraising events to raise funds in support of our mission. I also oversee volunteer data, manage vendor relationships, maintaining supply inventory, and supporting communications systems.

Favorite thing about working at Next Step

My favorite part is knowing that I’m contributing to a meaningful mission while being part of a fun, kind and supportive team.

Random Personal Factoid

I crossed Morocco and Ireland on horseback.

Casey Casey

Nursing Director & Partnership Coordinator

Change is painful, but nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don’t belong.

Casey has two roles at Next Step. She helps keep our seriously ill young participants safe and healthy as our Nursing Director and Casey helps build and maintain relationships with our program partners and young participants.

Favorite thing about working at Next Step

I love getting to spend time getting to know people. I love being a part of their growth and trust in themselves to listen to their bodies, find their voice, and advocate for what they need to be the best they can be.

Random personal factoid

I grew up in Colorado, but have never skied.

Richard Martinez

Mentorship Coordinator

In the end, the universe will tend to unfold as it should.

Richard oversees Next Step’s mentorship programs. Richard works with our participants and Next Step mentors to facilitate a community that ensures that our young people have the resources and support they need.

Favorite thing about working at Next Step

The atmosphere that the team creates is electric. You want to be a part of it.

Random personal factoid

In what seems like another life ago, I won a Greco-Roman wrestling national title, and I also hold an honorary black belt in Escrima, the Filipino art of stick-fighting.

Jacob Parsons

Digital Media Associate

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.

Jacob supports the online communication efforts for the program and development teams as the Digital Media Associate at Next Step. Jacob’s strong writing and researching skills are valuable assets for program recruitment, ticket sales for fundraising events and Next Step’s brand identity online. Jacob has five years of professional social media experience in the for-profit and non-profit sectors. He previously held the position of social media intern at Garrity Insurance, Restoration Project and Next Step. During his internships, Jacob expanded his knowledge of what kind of impact a strong social media presence can have for a non-profit or for-profit organization.

Jacob earned a BA in psychology from The University of Northern Colorado.

Favorite thing about working at Next Step

I love seeing the young adults come to Next Step and finding a community of peers who understand them, who’ve been in their shoes. The K9 affairs team always liven up the office too.

Random personal factoid

Chocolate is my kryptonite and yet I can’t get enough of it.

Kepler Jeudy

Program Director

Small steps, big successes.

Kepler facilitates Next Step’s programs and develops program curricula. Whether brainstorming new educational games based upon his vast Minute to Win It knowledge, or working with our youth task force to hash out discussion topics for an upcoming summer Campference, he is our multi-talented hands-on program man. Kepler has over 12 years of experience designing and delivering youth development programming for youth living with special healthcare needs. He has a BA in English from Wheaton College MA in Human Development from University of Rhode Island.

Favorite thing about working with Next Step

Helping young people find their community

Random personal factoid

“Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid is the only song to which I know all the words.

Kimberly Khare

Director, Song Studio

I see every day as an opportunity to choose love over fear.

Kimberly has been a music therapist for 22 years and is herself a young adult cancer survivor. In addition to her work at Next Step, she has taught at the Berklee College of Music for 16 years. She has worked with the cancer and HIV communities since the 1990s and prefers working in community-based settings, because she believes that’s where finding the threads of connection leads to empowering interactions. Kimberly doesn’t know what she would do or who she would be without music, and she believes everyone has a song in them—a story that they need to sing or tell. With a focus on helping young people find their voice and purpose through music, art and story, time with Kimberly is about expressing yourself and being heard. Kimberly has BA in Music Theory & Composition & Musical Theater from SUNY New Paltz and a MA in Music Therapy from New York University along with an Advanced Clinical Supervision and Certification from the Nordoff-Robbins Center for Music Therapy.

Favorite thing about working with Next Step

I get to be an active presence in the lives of our young people: listening to them, building trust with them and supporting them in finding their voice.

Random personal factoid

I’m fluent in meow.

Bill Kubicek

Founder/Executive Director

“What if?” and “Why not?” are powerful questions that continually offer new opportunities and challenges.

It was a conversation between Bill and the late actor, philanthropist, and race car driver Paul Newman that spurred the creation of Next Step. For nearly three decades, Bill has been an industry leader in program development and implementation for children, teens and young adults struggling with serious illness. Based on his experience working with thousands of young people, Bill has created a unique youth-led model at Next Step that has been delivered at sites across the U.S. and in Africa. He has served on advisory boards for the Young Adult Cancer Alliance, The National Center on Healthcare Transition and other notable organizations.

Favorite thing about working with Next Step

The laughter and energy created by the amazing people that Next Step attracts.

Random personal factoid

I truly love to make geometric patterns in the grass while mowing the lawn.

Jessica Slattery Martin

Director of Operations

You never know when you’re having good luck.

Jessica wears many hats behind the scenes at Next Step, ranging from bookkeeper, to office and database management, to coordinating programs and events. She uses her natural talent for systems management and her background as a professional organizer to keep us all in line so that Next Step hums along smoothly, day in and day out! Jessica spent 12 years working as a Production Accountant in the documentary film industry before joining Next Step in 2012. From screwdrivers to spreadsheets she can be found solving problems around the Next Step offices.

Favorite thing about working with Next Step

The amazing integrity, spirit and humor of the staff and the young people we get to work with

Random personal factoid

When I was in high school I tried my hand at writing raps.

Colin Mueller

Communications Coordinator

Colin manages the marketing and online communications efforts for the program and development teams, including social media and other digital initiatives. He also assists with grant writing, event coordination, and print literature. Colin also supports the development team in developing new relationships with potential sponsors and cause marketing partners. Colin has over 15 years of professional marketing experience along with 11 years experience as a Chocolate Lab owner. Colin was also born with a rare genetic disorder, Spina Bifida and has a first hand understanding of the need for Next Step programming. He has a BA in Communications from Boston College and a MA in Health Communication from Emerson College in collaboration with Tufts University School of Medicine.

Favorite thing about working at Next Step

Watching a young person learn and understand who they are outside of their medical condition.

Random personal factoid

I am a Bolognese connoisseur.

Lewis

Director, K9 Affairs

Above all else, BE CUTE.

Lewis (a French bulldog) is the latest in the long line of amazing staff in the Department of K9 Affairs. He has perfected the art of chasing his ball between our desks and asking for belly rubs. He is also in charge of monitoring the overall happiness of the office—accomplished by sniffing—and he continues to improve his napping skills.

Favorite thing about working with Next Step

The humans that come here really like to pay attention to me and sometimes food falls on the floor.

Our Board & Staff

Board of Directors

Experience
Next Step

Next Step Summer Campferences are coming soon!

Upcoming Events

02 February

Next Step Mentoring Program (Spring 2026)

Stay in touch! Sign up for news and updates.

Our Board & Staff

Board of Directors

ExperienceNext Step

Next Step Summer Campferences are coming soon!

Upcoming Events

02 February

Next Step Mentoring Program (Spring 2026)

Stay in touch! Sign up for news and updates.

Experience
Next Step