Saffron Patel
Saffron Patel is a rising freshman at Washington University in St. Louis. She loves STEM, photography, and is passionate about volunteering in her community.
Outside of LAI, she loves spending her free time baking, hand-sewing quilts, and chatting with her grandparents!
Co-Founder & President
Shreya Patel
Shreya is a sophomore at Washington University in St. Louis. She is interested in entrepreneurship and serving her community.
Co-Founder & Secretary
Alissa
Volunteer Coordinator: Zoom Parties & US Volunteer Recruitment
Alissa joined LAI in June 2020; she is a lifelong resident of California and a retired teacher of students with special needs. She serves as our Facebook liaison, oversees our special committees and reports progress to the Board and has spearheaded efforts to add International locations to LAI’s roster of partner facilities.
When not writing letters, Alissa enjoys singing as well as Israeli folk dancing and has been known to play the guitar, ukulele and accordion. She also loves to crochet items for her granddaughter Noa.
Please contact her at alissa.rose.volunteer.rep@gmail.com if you have ideas about topics/themes for future Zoom parties or US volunteer recruitment!
Ellen
Volunteer Coordinator & Board Member
Ellen joined LAI in April 2020 and serves on our Board of Directors. She has 26 years of experience as an occupational therapist with a specialty in geriatrics. Ellen retired to Denver, Colorado from New York City and her east coast accent still amuses the locals!
In addition to her passion for writing letters, Ellen enjoys reading, crossword puzzles, swimming, old movies and anything animal-related. She is all about volunteering in her pajamas, sending correspondence for one national and two local non-profits besides LAI, single-handedly trying to support the postal service!
Feel free to contact her at: lai.volunteer.rep@gmail.com with your general questions, if you need community service forms signed or if your company would like to set up a Group Event or schedule a Corporate video presentation.
Leslie
Board Member
Leslie Zales has corporate marketing, nonprofit development and leadership experience and currently works for Project Giving Kids. She has extensive experience in the nonprofit space and takes pride in making business connections personally and professionally. She enjoys the outdoors with her family and their dog, Chief, and summering in Maine, her native state.
Paula
Volunteer Coordinator: New Facility Outreach
Paula joined LAI in May 2021. Before retiring, she spent 15 years working as an occupational therapist in geriatrics, and then had a second career as a medical technical writer.
Paula loves all kinds of crafts and usually makes her own LAI cards. She also enjoys sewing, watching old movies, cooking, reading, and spending time with friends and family.
Originally from the Chicago area, Paula now resides in Washington State where she thrives in the rain with her husband, kitty, and parrot, Dorian Grey.
Feel free to contact her at Paula.brmn.lai@gmail.com with your questions or concerns about returned mail, address verification, and facility updates.
Inspired by LAI's awesome mission to reduce senior isolation around the world, I started prototyping LAI's new pledge application in April 2021. Armed with my technology consulting skills spanning 25 years, I am currently collaborating with our amazing founders to build out our new Signup web application that will support all the wonderful volunteers of LAI, as we continue to grow around the world!
When I'm not busy consulting, I thoroughly enjoy socializing with my friends (and strangers) over board games. Or attempting to finish my massive backlog of video games, and movies. On days when it's not raining in sunny Seattle, I like to enjoy the outdoors on long drives and camping in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
You can contact me about the platform at lai.tech.lead@gmail.com. You can also give feedback directly on the new Signup web app.
Tim
Volunteer Coordinator: Meals on Wheels
My name is Tim and I am a volunteer at LAI. I live in a high-rise building in downtown Brooklyn NY, with my cat Oscar. I am retired from the airline and travel business and have visited 158 countries.
Feel free to contact him at tim.g.volunteer.rep@gmail.com with your questions about Meals on Wheels recruitment.
Hello, my name is Anne and I live in Stamford, Connecticut but I was born, bred and baked in Brooklyn, New York. In our retirement, my sister Kate and I joined forces in her home in CT.
I am a retired School Administrator which was my dream job after a 28 year career as a Compliance Officer on Wall Street. I am an avid reader, music listener, old movie watcher, crafter, cook, baker, and animal lover. My favorite crafty thing I do, by far, is designing, making and writing all the cards I send to seniors all over the world as a volunteer for LAI. It has brought me much joy! I am very happy to join the LAI Team as the new Stamp Fund Liaison.
Feel free to contact her at lai.stamp.fund@gmail.com with your questions about the US Stamp Fund.
I joined LAI in October 2020 and I am now honoured to serve as our Stamp Fund volunteer for Canada. I
live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. After many years in banking and a short stint at a travel agency, I took
my administration skills to the Calgary Stampede, which was my dream job and from where I retired
after 15 years. My passion is card-making and it’s something I’ve been able use in many volunteer
opportunities, including card making classes at a Senior’s facility. Along with LAI, I volunteer with Seniors Secret Service, sit on my church board and I’ve administered an aviation scholarship for over 20 years. I love reading, crocheting and lunching with girlfriends! My husband and I enjoy flying and going on long RV trips. I find a bit of time in my craft room pretty much each day to prepare cards and letters to
spread cheer to our wonderful Seniors…it brings me great JOY!
Feel free to contact her at lai.canada.stamp.fund@gmail.com with your questions about the Canadian Stamp Fund.