Our Leadership

Karen Gallahue | Chief Financial Officer

Karen Gallahue, CPA, joined Cradles to Crayons in September 2015 as Chief Financial Officer. As CFO and a member of the Senior Leadership Team, Karen leads accounting, finance, and real estate for the organization. During her 10 years at Cradles to Crayons, she has led the Newton, MA, real estate acquisition, financing, and build-out out along with the move to a new Giving Factory in both Philadelphia and Chicago. Karen has over 30 years of experience in accounting and finance, having served as Assistant Human Resources Director and Audit Manager at EY, and Controller at GSF Advisors, a structured finance advisory business. While at EY, Karen spent much of her career serving clients in the New England region, including many non-profit entities and hospitals, as well as a major insurance company and a $3 billion MA-based computer company. She also served as the New England Area’s Assistant Human Resource Director for eight years, overseeing the staffing of 300 audit staff on a daily basis and assisting in the management of employee relations. After Ernst & Young, Karen was the Controller at GSF Advisors, where she was responsible for the financial reporting of various companies, including a broker/dealer, advisory and consulting, and a solar company. 

Karen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Providence College.

Jessie Jackson | Vice President of Human Resources

Jessie Jackson is an accomplished human resources and operations executive with nearly two decades of experience driving people strategy, talent development, and strengthening organizational effectiveness in mission-driven organizations. Jessie is passionate about creating environments where people thrive in service of a shared purpose. Her expertise in shaping culture, developing leaders, and implementing forward-looking HR systems ensures that Cradles to Crayons continues to grow its impact while staying rooted in its mission to provide every child with the essentials they need to thrive.

As the Vice President of Human Resources, Jessie leads Cradles to Crayons’ national human resources team. She partners closely with the CEO, Senior Leadership Team, and Board of Directors to build strategy, drive employee engagement, and oversee talent acquisition and people operations to ensure C2C continues to attract, develop, and retain exceptional talent.

In her last role at the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), Jessie served as the head of global human resources during a period of significant programmatic growth, with the organization expanding its footprint into over 30 countries and increasing its global workforce by 50% during her tenure.  Jessie holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a Master of Business Administration (EMBA) from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She resides in Massachusetts with her husband and two children.

Alicia Kabir | Executive Director, Massachusetts

Alicia Kabir is a seasoned executive in the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, leading high-performing teams to drive transformational outcomes, specifically for supporting youth and families and environmental protection. She is passionate that every child deserves a joyful childhood and a path to a successful future.

Alicia was previously Chief Executive Officer of Kesem, where she championed the vision that every child impacted by a parent’s cancer is never alone. Under Alicia’s leadership, Kesem’s footprint expanded by over 40%, and they launched new programs to serve more children and their families. Prior to Kesem, Alicia was a Partner at ERM, leading global compliance and environmental remediation programs.

Alicia earned her Bachelor of Science from Rensselaer (RPI) and her Master of Science from Tufts University. She resides outside of Boston, MA with her husband, two boys, and dog. Alicia loves to travel and is always ready for the next road trip.

Dawn Melchiorre | Executive Director, Chicago

Dawn Melchiorre is a seasoned entrepreneur and nonprofit executive passionate about driving social change in her local community. Her nonprofit career began at Voices for Illinois Children, where she organized advocacy campaigns raising awareness for issues related to early childhood education, mental health, and nutrition. Her success led her to the Greater Chicago Food Depository as Senior Director of Programs, where she helped build the Illinois No Kid Hungry Campaign and the Illinois Commission to End Hunger.

Dawn served as Chief Operating Officer of Forefront (Illinois), the regional membership association serving grantmakers, nonprofits, advisors, and public agencies. She directed operations, including member engagement, public policy, education, library services, and research. Most recently, Dawn served as Interim CEO at 360 Youth Services, leading the organization from a governance and asset transfer agency to a larger social service organization that provides stability for staff and the community it serves.

Before her career in the nonprofit sector, Dawn spent ten years in the hospitality field as a small business owner. Dawn holds a Bachelor of Arts, Political Science from Loyola University Chicago, a Master of Arts, Public Service & Public Policy from DePaul University, and a Master of Business Administration, Nonprofit Management from Concordia University Chicago.

Christine Morin | Chief Executive Officer

Christine Morin joins Cradles to Crayons with significant executive experience in non-profit management, growth strategy, and operations, demonstrating a proven track record of fostering a people-centered culture that drives impact. Throughout her career, she has consistently championed initiatives that create growth, opportunity, and inclusion for under-resourced communities, maintaining an unwavering commitment to young people’s success.

As Chief Operating Officer at The Trustees, the nation’s first land conservation organization, Christine led a staff of 300 and managed operations across 120 locations serving 2 million annual visitors. She spearheaded initiatives to connect people, especially youth, to nature, while successfully navigating the organization through the pandemic. Under her leadership, The Trustees achieved significant revenue growth, elevated resource care standards, improved employee experience, and advanced Diversity, Belonging, Inclusion, and Equity (DBIE) initiatives.

During her tenure in senior executive positions at City Year, Christine drove the organization’s expansion into 12 new cities. She secured substantial public and private investment while mobilizing stakeholders and developing community partnerships to enhance impact with students and schools nationwide. Christine transformed City Year’s brand strategy and launched a national marketing campaign to inspire a new, more diverse generation of young people to engage in service. She began her City Year journey as the Paul and Phyllis Fireman Public Service Fellow, where she led the organization’s signature corporate partnership program focused on creating engaging employee volunteer experiences through direct service.

Earlier in her career, Christine founded the International House of Blues Foundation-Orlando, promoting creative expression and cultural understanding through arts education. She also created the House of Blues Folk Art Festival, celebrating the work of self-taught artists.

Christine holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Florida State University and a Master’s in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School. She was the first woman in her family to graduate from college, and today, she continues to lead with a vision of empowering young people and creating lasting change through impact-driven organizations.

Connie Olson | Chief Operating Officer

Connie Olson brings over 20 years of expertise in operations management and organizational development from her past roles at Keurig, Dr. Pepper, and Procter & Gamble. Connie came to Cradles to Crayons from Philips, where she served as Head of North America Supply Chain Transformation & Customer Collaboration.

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, Connie leads teams to meet Giving Factory, market, and organizational goals. She also implements strategic initiatives, builds systems, discovers opportunities for collaboration and integration, and leverages best practices to ensure efficiency and consistency.

Connie holds an M.B.A. from Northeastern University in addition to a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Northwestern University.

Lauren Rosenberg | Vice President of Philanthropy

Lauren Rosenberg brings more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, with a deep focus on investing in young people and a passion for building strong donor relationships that drive meaningful impact.

Lauren spent the last eight years at Facing History & Ourselves, where she held regional and international leadership roles on the development team. Most recently, as Senior Director of Individual Giving, she provided strategic support to a team of 25+ regional development staff. She led efforts to strengthen the annual fund, expand and professionalize the major gifts program, and relaunch the organization’s planned giving strategy.

Earlier in her career, Lauren oversaw all fundraising for a new, rapidly growing Jewish day school, where she helped significantly grow the annual campaign and launched a $28 million capital campaign to support the construction of a new campus.

Lauren is also an active volunteer in Chicago’s Jewish community. She currently serves as a Trustee of the Jewish Women’s Foundation and is a member of the Education Committee for the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago. 

Lauren lives in Chicago with her husband, Jonah, and their two daughters. She enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending weekends with her kids exploring the city’s playgrounds, museums, and lakefront. She is thrilled to be joining Cradles to Crayons!

Michal Smith | Executive Director, Philadelphia

Michal Smith is a graduate of London University and North London University, and holds a certificate in Nonprofit Executive Leadership from Bryn Mawr College. Michal is also an adjunct faculty member at the University of the Arts, a member of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Main Line Chamber of Commerce. She is on the boards of Child’s Work USA, Philadelphia and The Teacher’s Place. In 2013, SmartCEO Magazine recognized her with its Brava Award for top female CEOs.

Since joining Cradles to Crayons, Michal has doubled its operating revenue, the number of children served, and has grown the service delivery area to include a second state, New Jersey.

Karen Gallahue | Chief Financial Officer

Karen Gallahue, CPA, joined Cradles to Crayons in September 2015 as Chief Financial Officer. As CFO and a member of the Senior Leadership Team, Karen leads accounting, finance, and real estate for the organization. During her 10 years at Cradles to Crayons, she has led the Newton, MA, real estate acquisition, financing, and build-out out along with the move to a new Giving Factory in both Philadelphia and Chicago. Karen has over 30 years of experience in accounting and finance, having served as Assistant Human Resources Director and Audit Manager at EY, and Controller at GSF Advisors, a structured finance advisory business. While at EY, Karen spent much of her career serving clients in the New England region, including many non-profit entities and hospitals, as well as a major insurance company and a $3 billion MA-based computer company. She also served as the New England Area’s Assistant Human Resource Director for eight years, overseeing the staffing of 300 audit staff on a daily basis and assisting in the management of employee relations. After Ernst & Young, Karen was the Controller at GSF Advisors, where she was responsible for the financial reporting of various companies, including a broker/dealer, advisory and consulting, and a solar company. 

Karen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Providence College.

Jessie Jackson | Vice President of Human Resources

Jessie Jackson is an accomplished human resources and operations executive with nearly two decades of experience driving people strategy, talent development, and strengthening organizational effectiveness in mission-driven organizations. Jessie is passionate about creating environments where people thrive in service of a shared purpose. Her expertise in shaping culture, developing leaders, and implementing forward-looking HR systems ensures that Cradles to Crayons continues to grow its impact while staying rooted in its mission to provide every child with the essentials they need to thrive.

As the Vice President of Human Resources, Jessie leads Cradles to Crayons’ national human resources team. She partners closely with the CEO, Senior Leadership Team, and Board of Directors to build strategy, drive employee engagement, and oversee talent acquisition and people operations to ensure C2C continues to attract, develop, and retain exceptional talent.

In her last role at the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), Jessie served as the head of global human resources during a period of significant programmatic growth, with the organization expanding its footprint into over 30 countries and increasing its global workforce by 50% during her tenure.  Jessie holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a Master of Business Administration (EMBA) from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She resides in Massachusetts with her husband and two children.

Alicia Kabir | Executive Director, Massachusetts

Alicia Kabir is a seasoned executive in the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, leading high-performing teams to drive transformational outcomes, specifically for supporting youth and families and environmental protection. She is passionate that every child deserves a joyful childhood and a path to a successful future.

Alicia was previously Chief Executive Officer of Kesem, where she championed the vision that every child impacted by a parent’s cancer is never alone. Under Alicia’s leadership, Kesem’s footprint expanded by over 40%, and they launched new programs to serve more children and their families. Prior to Kesem, Alicia was a Partner at ERM, leading global compliance and environmental remediation programs.

Alicia earned her Bachelor of Science from Rensselaer (RPI) and her Master of Science from Tufts University. She resides outside of Boston, MA with her husband, two boys, and dog. Alicia loves to travel and is always ready for the next road trip.

Dawn Melchiorre | Executive Director, Chicago

Dawn Melchiorre is a seasoned entrepreneur and nonprofit executive passionate about driving social change in her local community. Her nonprofit career began at Voices for Illinois Children, where she organized advocacy campaigns raising awareness for issues related to early childhood education, mental health, and nutrition. Her success led her to the Greater Chicago Food Depository as Senior Director of Programs, where she helped build the Illinois No Kid Hungry Campaign and the Illinois Commission to End Hunger.

Dawn served as Chief Operating Officer of Forefront (Illinois), the regional membership association serving grantmakers, nonprofits, advisors, and public agencies. She directed operations, including member engagement, public policy, education, library services, and research. Most recently, Dawn served as Interim CEO at 360 Youth Services, leading the organization from a governance and asset transfer agency to a larger social service organization that provides stability for staff and the community it serves.

Before her career in the nonprofit sector, Dawn spent ten years in the hospitality field as a small business owner. Dawn holds a Bachelor of Arts, Political Science from Loyola University Chicago, a Master of Arts, Public Service & Public Policy from DePaul University, and a Master of Business Administration, Nonprofit Management from Concordia University Chicago.

Christine Morin | Chief Executive Officer

Christine Morin joins Cradles to Crayons with significant executive experience in non-profit management, growth strategy, and operations, demonstrating a proven track record of fostering a people-centered culture that drives impact. Throughout her career, she has consistently championed initiatives that create growth, opportunity, and inclusion for under-resourced communities, maintaining an unwavering commitment to young people’s success.

As Chief Operating Officer at The Trustees, the nation’s first land conservation organization, Christine led a staff of 300 and managed operations across 120 locations serving 2 million annual visitors. She spearheaded initiatives to connect people, especially youth, to nature, while successfully navigating the organization through the pandemic. Under her leadership, The Trustees achieved significant revenue growth, elevated resource care standards, improved employee experience, and advanced Diversity, Belonging, Inclusion, and Equity (DBIE) initiatives.

During her tenure in senior executive positions at City Year, Christine drove the organization’s expansion into 12 new cities. She secured substantial public and private investment while mobilizing stakeholders and developing community partnerships to enhance impact with students and schools nationwide. Christine transformed City Year’s brand strategy and launched a national marketing campaign to inspire a new, more diverse generation of young people to engage in service. She began her City Year journey as the Paul and Phyllis Fireman Public Service Fellow, where she led the organization’s signature corporate partnership program focused on creating engaging employee volunteer experiences through direct service.

Earlier in her career, Christine founded the International House of Blues Foundation-Orlando, promoting creative expression and cultural understanding through arts education. She also created the House of Blues Folk Art Festival, celebrating the work of self-taught artists.

Christine holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Florida State University and a Master’s in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School. She was the first woman in her family to graduate from college, and today, she continues to lead with a vision of empowering young people and creating lasting change through impact-driven organizations.

Connie Olson | Chief Operating Officer

Connie Olson brings over 20 years of expertise in operations management and organizational development from her past roles at Keurig, Dr. Pepper, and Procter & Gamble. Connie came to Cradles to Crayons from Philips, where she served as Head of North America Supply Chain Transformation & Customer Collaboration.

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, Connie leads teams to meet Giving Factory, market, and organizational goals. She also implements strategic initiatives, builds systems, discovers opportunities for collaboration and integration, and leverages best practices to ensure efficiency and consistency.

Connie holds an M.B.A. from Northeastern University in addition to a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Northwestern University.

Lauren Rosenberg | Vice President of Philanthropy

Lauren Rosenberg brings more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, with a deep focus on investing in young people and a passion for building strong donor relationships that drive meaningful impact.

Lauren spent the last eight years at Facing History & Ourselves, where she held regional and international leadership roles on the development team. Most recently, as Senior Director of Individual Giving, she provided strategic support to a team of 25+ regional development staff. She led efforts to strengthen the annual fund, expand and professionalize the major gifts program, and relaunch the organization’s planned giving strategy.

Earlier in her career, Lauren oversaw all fundraising for a new, rapidly growing Jewish day school, where she helped significantly grow the annual campaign and launched a $28 million capital campaign to support the construction of a new campus.

Lauren is also an active volunteer in Chicago’s Jewish community. She currently serves as a Trustee of the Jewish Women’s Foundation and is a member of the Education Committee for the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago. 

Lauren lives in Chicago with her husband, Jonah, and their two daughters. She enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending weekends with her kids exploring the city’s playgrounds, museums, and lakefront. She is thrilled to be joining Cradles to Crayons!

Michal Smith | Executive Director, Philadelphia

Michal Smith is a graduate of London University and North London University, and holds a certificate in Nonprofit Executive Leadership from Bryn Mawr College. Michal is also an adjunct faculty member at the University of the Arts, a member of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Main Line Chamber of Commerce. She is on the boards of Child’s Work USA, Philadelphia and The Teacher’s Place. In 2013, SmartCEO Magazine recognized her with its Brava Award for top female CEOs.

Since joining Cradles to Crayons, Michal has doubled its operating revenue, the number of children served, and has grown the service delivery area to include a second state, New Jersey.