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Framingham, MA – January 24, 2018 – JFS of Metrowest is pleased to announce that Dan and Dana Finn of Natick, Brad and Allison Kates of Wayland, and Andrew Tarsy of Cambridge will be honored at the 28th annual Seize the Dream Gala event on Wednesday May 9, 2018 at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel and Conference Center.
Seize the Dream honors area leaders and volunteers who have demonstrated an unfailing commitment and personal dedication to supporting vulnerable children, families, and senior adults in the local community and beyond. This year’s honorees have made it their life’s work to stand up for those left behind and it is a privilege to recognize these exceptional individuals.
Dana and Dan Finn are community leaders and volunteers whose support in the community is far-reaching.
Dana has volunteered with numerous organizations including CJP and the Parent Association Leadership Council, and currently co-chairs the Enrichment Program at the Riverbend School in Natick. Prior to leaving the workforce to care for her growing family, Dana was a public relations executive at Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
Dan served as treasurer on the Board of Directors of JFS, is a member of the Investment Committee at CJP, and Dan currently serves on the Board of Directors at the Riverbend School in Natick. Dan is a Family Wealth Director and co-founded The Insignia Group at Morgan Stanley where he has been recognized by the Financial Times as one of the top Financial Advisors in the country in 2015 and 2016.
Dana and Dan are committed to positively impacting community organizations by supporting JFS, CJP, MWJDS, Dana Farber, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and The Riverbend School. They live in Natick with their three children and are members of Temple Beth Shalom in Needham.
Allison and Brad Kates are passionate about helping people who have the desire to help themselves and believe in working within the community to improve lives.
Allison serves on the executive committee of JFS, where she has devoted her time to developing programs aimed to help children and families. In addition, Allison donates her time to Cradles to Crayons and serves as the ambassador for Wayland. She is active in the PTO at both of her kids’ schools, is a member of the Early Childhood Advisory Board, and is in her third year serving on the board of the Wayland Child and Parents Association, currently as Community Outreach Coordinator.
Brad is CEO of Opinion Dynamics, a consulting firm that specializes in energy services and market research. He currently serves on the Board of Lasell College, where he also leads the Marketing Committee. He is a sought-after speaker, having spoken at events ranging from CNN and Time Magazine’s Politics Summit, to the American Council for an Energy Efficiency Environment’s Summer Study. He also served on the Association of Energy Service Professionals Board of Directors for over a decade, including serving as chair of the association for two years.
Allison and Brad live in Wayland with their two sons, Spencer (10) and Alex (4). They are forever grateful to Brad’s parents for introducing them to JFS of Metrowest and hope that they have instilled in their own children a desire to donate their time and their resources to help those less fortunate.
Andrew Tarsy is a distinguished leader in the social justice arena, professionally and personally. Andrew has been senior adviser to the JFS Syrian Refugee Humanitarian Project from its very start. Andrew was the 2017 keynote speaker for the Diane and Chester Black Lecture for Volunteerism and Civic Engagement at the JFS Annual Meeting. He chairs the Racial Justice Initiative at Temple Israel of Boston and is a docent at the New England Holocaust Memorial in Boston.
Andrew is Founder and Principal of Emblem Strategic, a consulting firm that helps exceptional business leaders turn their values and their vision into impact and advantage. Andrew draws on years of experience as an executive and advisor in business, government and the non-profit sector. He was President of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, Executive Director of the Anti-Defamation League of New England, and Co-Founder and President of the Alliance for Business Leadership.
Andrew lives in Cambridge with his wife and two children
Andrew will receive the inaugural JFS Max Michelson Humanitarian Award on May 9th.
This year’s JFS Seize the Dream Gala will be a festive affair with dinner and refreshments provided by over 16 local caterers and restaurants, as well as an online and silent auction featuring 100+ unique items, ranging from dining and vacation packages to electronics and autographed sports memorabilia.
To learn more about this year’s honorees or for ticket and sponsorship information, please visit www.jfsmw.org.
About JFS of Metrowest
JFS is a community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is dedicated to standing up for those left behind, serving over 5,000 people within the Metrowest and Greater Boston regions each year. The proceeds of the Seize the Dream event support a wide variety of programs including extended-day tutoring for at-risk children, nutrition assistance for low-income families and support services that enable frail older adults to live independently. JFS’ sound fiscal management practices have earned it a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator. To learn more about JFS, www.jfsmw.org
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